John Cockrill
Major John Cockrill (December 19, 1757 - April 11, 1837) was an American settler. A veteran of the American Revolutionary War, he was one of 13 explorers to modern-day Nashville, Tennessee in 1779, and he received a land grant in modern-day Centennial Park in 1784.
John Cockrill | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 19, 1757 Wythe County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | April 11, 1837 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupation | Settler |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Robertson Johnson Cockrill |
| Children | 8, including Mark R. Cockrill |
| Parent(s) | John Cockrill Barbara Fox |
| Relatives | James Robertson (brother-in-law) Felix Robertson (nephew) Benjamin F. Cockrill Jr. (great-grandson) |
Early life
Cockrill was born on December 19, 1757 in Wythe County, Virginia.[1][2] His father, John Cockrill, was a Welsh-born immigrant of Scottish descent who served in the French and Indian War of 1754-1763 and became a large planter in Richmond County, Virginia.[1]
Career
Cockrill served in the American Revolutionary War of 1775–1783, first under Colonel William Russell and later under Brigadier Lachlan McIntosh.[2] In 1779, he was one of 13 explorer who went down the Cumberland River to modern-day Nashville alongside James Robertson.[2]
Cockrill was granted land in modern-day Nashville in 1784.[1]
Personal life and death
Cockrill married Anne Robertson Johnson Cockrill, the sister of James Robertson.[1] They had eight children, including Mark R. Cockrill.[1] Cockrill built the first brick house in Nashville, on Cedar Street (now Charlotte Avenue).[1]
Cockrill died on April 11, 1837 in Nashville.[1]
References
- Armstrong, Zella (1918). Notable Southern Families. Chattanooga, Tennessee: Lookout Publishing Company. pp. 21–22. OCLC 994024199 – via Internet Archive.
- Zollicoffer Bond, Octavia (November 28, 1909). "The Cockrill Family". The Tennessean. p. 34. Retrieved April 15, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.