George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
I just think George Cockburn's birthplace is a very interesting topic and after doing some research myself, I'd like to go over the different theories and add new sources for George's birthplace.
On September 07, 2004, Peggy Wingfield posted detailed notes on what she believes to be George Cockburn's Scottish origins:
"In LDS records there is a George Cockburn, born or baptized 06/07/1746, St. Cuthbert's Parish, Edinburgh, Sct. He was son of John Cockburn and Margaret Clark, who married 1732 in Tranent, Sct. There I am blocked as to parents of John Cockburn and Margaret Clark. That John Cockburn & wife, Margaret Clark had the following children: (1) James (2) Robert (3) John (4) Margaret (5) another John (6) George (7) William. The births of George and William (b. 1748, St Cuthbert's) indicate a change of residence from Tranent to Edinburgh. The earlier children were born in Tranent. I have to locate my folder to give you the exact dates of the children's births and location thereof. As for the Georges . . . God help you! The earliest one I have located (internet) is (so far) Sir George Cockburn, Kgt. of Peebleshire who is recorded in the records of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1427. He complained to the PC that the other women in the parish were copying his wife's dresses soon after she appeared in church in a new dress!! Then there was a George of Haddingtonshire, Sct., who married Margaret Tours about 1605. They had a son George who married Mary Sterling who was b. Ireland. In 1657 that George sold the estates and lands of Peystoun, Haddingtonshire, Sct. The fact that he owned these lands traces him back to Sir Alexander Cockburn, grandson of the Alexander who married Marriotta de Vitteri Ponte, whose father Sir William Viponte first owned the estates of Langton. Sir Alexander (said grandson) married Beatrix Lindsay, whose father Sir Alexander Lindsay (one of many) gave to Beatrix and husband the lands of Ormiston, Peystoun, and others. This became the line of the Cockburns of Ormiston. I believe that my John who m. Margaret Clark in Tranent descends from the line of Ormiston, since the village of Tranent appears to be only about 3 1/2 miles from the village of Ormiston."
After searching myself, I found two George Cockburns born/christened in 1746 in the LDS International Genealogical Index - British Isles:
1. GEORGE COCKBURN - International Genealogical Index / BI
Gender: Male Birth: 07 JUN 1746 Saint Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland (Father: John Cockburn, Mother: Margaret Clerk)
2. GEORGE COCKBURN - International Genealogical Index / BI
Gender: Male Christening: 05 OCT 1746 Rothbury, Northumberland, England (Father: John Cockburn) [Note: This George was christened in 1746, and it is not certain he was born the same year]
Barbara Rouse Cogburn emailed me recently, in response to the theory that George Cockburn was from Scotland, stating:
"I am sure Don [Cother] got from me the info that his place of origin might be the Newcastle area. That was in verbal info that Aunt Dora (Cogburn) Thompson gave when we visited her in 1982, but she thought Newcastle was in Scotland. In looking at maps, you can see that Newcastle is in the border area that changed hands between England & Scotland depending on which way the current border war went. I haven't checked out the history but think Scotland was finally absorbed into the UK by the early to mid-1800's when George's descendents might be identifying country of origin (when Scotland was no longer a separate country."
I have also found some records indicating that our George was from England:
1. 1880 US Census, Precinct 2, Parker County, Texas:
"Cockburn, J. [almost certainly Jeremiah Elijah Milsap, son of George], Age: 75, Place of birth: Ga, Father's Place of birth: Eng"
2. Letter from J. G. [James Polk] Cogburn to Mr. N. J. Cogburn, 1915. I have studied this letter carefully for some time to transcribe the letter exactly as he wrote it:
"I will sind you mi grait grandfauther's name. George Cockburn. mi fauther's name C. T. Cockburn. He was the quene of englan once. he had a big laut/lant of moni an it was put away there in the kingdom of englen."
While James Polk may have been confused (he would have been 70 years of age when he wrote this), the letter indicates that he believed his heritage was English.
With regard to the above letter, on March 8, 1999 Wendy Maxey posted:
"I am also a descendant of George Cockburn. My mother-in-law talks about her grandfather, James Pope Cogburn and her great-grandfather James Polk Cockburn having all the documents and proof together, that they needed and were prepared to go to England and claim royalties. They had their passports ready. Three days before they were to leave, one of them (she thought it to be James Polk) got very ill and passed away so they never got to go.
As far as we know all the paperwork they had gathered was put into a steam trunk and left there. Last she knew, the trunk was still with the family in Elmore City, Garvin County, Oklahoma with Mr. Loney Cogburn."
3. Letter from Mrs. Mary Cogburn Robbins, Bagwell, Texas, Nov. 15, 1960:
"Pops said his family come from England to Georgia & raised his family there." [From the NSDAR Library file for George Cockburn]
4. The DAR Patriot Index, Vol. I, P. 557:
"COGBURN: COCKBURN George: b 1746 EN d 1834 GA m (1) Elizabeth Snyder Sol GA"
I'll leave it up to all of you to decide. Feel free to comment and to add sources.
More Replies:
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
Roy Black 3/22/06
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
Elizabeth Boody 3/23/06
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
Roy Black 3/23/06
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
Elizabeth Boody 3/24/06
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
Elizabeth Boody 3/23/06
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
Elizabeth Boody 3/23/06
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
Roy Black 3/23/06
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace
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Re: George Cockburn's (1746-1834) Birthplace