Ann Cockrill

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA. DAR Ancestor # A023654  

Ann Robertson Cockrill was the only woman among the early Cumberland settlers to receive a land grant in her own name. In 1784 the North Carolina legislature awarded this honor for her contribution to the "advance guard of civilization."

Born in Wake, Virginia, (SIC) Ann Robertson moved to the Watauga settlement. In July 1776, when Fort Caswell, near the present site of Elizabethton, came under Indian attack, she mobilized the women to pass caldrons of boiling water to her position overlooking the palisades. Although she sustained several injuries, Robertson continued at her post until the Indians retreated.

When her husband, a justice of the peace in the Washington District of East Tennessee, was killed in an accident, she and her three small daughters joined Colonel John Donelson and a group of pioneers including her sister-in-law Charlotte Robertson in the migration to the Cumberland settlements. During the journey by flatboat, she taught the children, according to tradition, by making small wooden boxes, filling them with river sand, and drawing letters and numbers in the sand.

When the flotilla reached the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, the flatboats had to navigate against the rain-swollen current to reach the mouth of the Cumberland. Some members decided to turn south to Natchez, Mississippi. Ann Robertson took a man's place as the pilot and steered the boat near the bank so the remaining men could pole upstream.

In the fall of 1784 Robertson married John Cockrill, and they had eight children. They established a home at Cockrill Springs at the present site of Centennial Park, where today there is a monument to her memory. She is buried in the Nashville City Cemetery.

Notes

There are theories that Elizabeth is the same daughter named "Sister Cash" also born 1744 and that this daughter is a twin sister to the brother Elijah.

Note by Tom Robertson: In Kinfolks: A Genealogical and Biographical Record, Colonel William Curry Harlee stated that 1227 Ann Robertson was first married to Nehemiah Johnston, but the Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Johnston County, North Carolina, Book 2, 1767-1777, page 173, establish that her first husband was named David Johnston

Second Generation—Issue of John Cockerill and Deborah Fox:

"John Cockerill II, born, presumably in Richmond County, Va., December 19, 1757; was in the body of Virginia troops who went to the relief of Fort Watauga, June, 1776, apparently in the command of Col. Wm. Russell, or Capt. Evan Shelby vide Haywood's History of Tennessee; was called into the service again' the next year, and was in the winter campaign under Brigadier Macintosh; in the fall of 1779, he repaired to Fort Patrick Henry, and joined the Robertson colony, bound for the Cumberland country, under command of Col. John Donelson. They reached the French Lick (Nashville) in April, 1780. A full account of this trip is found in the histories of the period.

"In this company of immigrants was a young widow, [1227] Mrs. Ann Johnston, relict of Nehemiah [actually, David; see note above; TR] Johnston, and daughter of [122] John Randolph [There is no reliable evidence that he had a middle name. TR] Robertson and Mary Gower.

She was born in Wake County, N. C., in February 10, 1757, [Wake County, N. C. was not formed until 1771; she was born in Granville (now Warren) County, N.C. or Lunenburg (now Mecklenburg) County, Va. TR] and must have married Johnston before the war; he was killed by a falling tree in East Tennessee.

There were three children of the first husband:

• (1) [12271] Mary Johnston, wife of Gen. Isaac Roberts, who left issue in Maury County, Tenn.;
• (2) [12272] Elizabeth Johnston, wife of Daniel Evans, who left issue in Maury County, Tenn.;
• (3) [12273] Charity Johnston, wife of Reuben Parks, who moved to Mississippi or Louisiana.

She and Cockrill were married in Robertson's Fort, in the fall of 1780.

There were eight children of the second husband:

1. John Cockrill
2. Nancy Ann Pulliam (born Cockrill)
3. Sterling R. Cockrill
4. James R. Cockrill
5. Mark Robertson Cockrill
6. Susannah Beasley (born Cockrill)
7. Sally Bourland (born Cockrill)
8. Martha Ann Jones (born Cockrill)

notes

From http://www.robertson-ancestry.com/1226-01.htm

Mrs. Bond then states that [1226] Mark Robertson's will mentions "his children [12273] Charity Robertson who married - - - Johnson, [12271] Mary Robertson, and [12272] Elizabeth Robertson." This is erroneous. His will mentions "my sister [1227] Ann Cockrill's three daughters, viz: [12271] Mary, [12272] Elizabeth, and [12273] Charity Johnson" and does not mention any children of [1226] Mark Robertson, thus creating the presumption that he then had none....

12 August 1784 - Will of Mark Robertson, Davidson County, North Carolina

Davidson County, Tennessee Will Book 1, 53, 54.

The Will of Mark Robertson / I MARK ROBERTSON of ye County of Davidson in the / State of North Carolina Do this Twelvt day of August in the year of our Lord 1784 / Do make this my last Will and Testament: That is to Say / ITEM – I give & devise to my Sister ANN COCKRILL Three Daughters / To Wit, MARY, ELIZABETH, & CHARITY JOHNSON Five Thousand Acres / of Land lying on ye Waters of Duck River Entered in my Own / Name in the Land Office at Hillsborough Which Land / Shall be Equally Divided Among the Three Sisters Affsd / ITEM – and 640 Acres of Land of a Military Claim Lying about / A Mile & Quarter Above ye Mouth of Wills Creek Entered in / JAMES ROBERTSON?s name, To my Brother CHARLES ROBERTSON / Devided & Bequeathed to him ye sd CHARLES – / ITEM – And 320 Acres of Land Lying on Little Harpeth it / Being that half of John Drakes hunters Claim; I bequeath to my / SISTER CASH – And all other Lands & Properties to Which / I Am now entitled to or Shall be, I give Devise & bequeath To my Wife MARY ROBERTSON – / I also do hereby Constitute & Appoint my Brother / JAMES ROBERTSON & MARY ROBERTSON my Wife my Exrs / of this My Last Will & Testament hereby Disannulling

Ann Robertson Cockrill was the only woman among the early Cumberland settlers to receive a land grant in her own name. In 1784 the North Carolina legislature awarded this honor for her contribution to the "advance guard of civilization."

Born in Wake County, Virginia, Ann Robertson moved to the Watauga settlement. In July 1776, when Fort Caswell, near the present site of Elizabethton, came under Indian attack, she mobilized the women to pass caldrons of boiling water to her position overlooking the palisades. Although she sustained several injuries, Robertson continued at her post until the Indians retreated.

When her husband, a justice of the peace in the Washington District of East Tennessee, was killed in an accident, she and her three small daughters joined Colonel John Donelson and a group of pioneers including her sister-in-law Charlotte Robertson in the migration to the Cumberland settlements. During the journey by flatboat, she taught the children, according to tradition, by making small wooden boxes, filling them with river sand, and drawing letters and numbers in the sand.

When the flotilla reached the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, the flatboats had to navigate against the rain-swollen current to reach the mouth of the Cumberland. Some members decided to turn south to Natchez, Mississippi. Ann Robertson took a man's place as the pilot and steered the boat near the bank so the remaining men could pole upstream.

In the fall of 1784 Robertson married John Cockrill, and they had eight children. They established a home at Cockrill Springs at the present site of Centennial Park, where today there is a monument to her memory. She is buried in the Nashville City Cemetery.

2nd Cousins 1x Removed with Gov Patrick Henry. (See mothers page)

References

• http://www.thenashvillecitycemetery.org/tn-encyclopedia.htm
• Colonel Harlee's Notes on 1227 Ann Robertson
• Robertson PDF
• Find A Grave Memorial# 6977122
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 9 2024, 22:00:28 UTC
• Bucy, Carole Stanford. “Ann Robertson Johnston Cockrill.” Tennessee Encyclopedia < link > Date February 10, 2024 Publisher Tennessee Historical Society Original Published Date October 8, 2017 Date of Last Update March 1, 2018
• https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:9W6V-YNP
• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_descendants/?ac...