It has been reasoned that William was born in Fauquier Co., VA because of the appearance of his supposed brother, Anderson Cockrell, in many of the same locations which William has left documented evidence of having resided.

From the essay "The Puzzle of Researching a Given Name," by Carolyn C. Thorsen (c. 1989):

William and Frances lived in Fauquier Co. VA and then in North Carolina before coming to South Carolina. Both William and Anderson are in the 1800 Census for Spartanburg, SC listed next to each other. A few years later they all moved to Kentucky and about 1838 they moved to Missouri.

Tax records for William Cockrill (Sr.) extracted from the Warren County KY Tax List, 1809-1828, microfilm box 373:

WARREN COUNTY, KENTUCKY TAX RECORDS

YEAR

NAME

LAND

WATERCOURSE

ENTERED

WM/B16/TB/H

TVALUE

1809

Cockrall William

100

Walnut Creek

His son Johnson J.is also listed next to him in the same record.

G. Lee (surveyed by A. Clayton)

1 - - 3

1810

(missing)

1811

Cockerel William

100

Walnut Creek

G. Lee

1 - - 2

1812

Could not find him in the Warren County records after this point. Perhaps listed in the Barren County records?

A Cockrit, Wm. is listed in the 1810 Census for Barren Co., KY. The listing includes one white male between the ages of 16 to 26, one white male between the ages of 45 and up, two white females between the ages of 16 to 26, and white female between the ages of 45 and up. In 1810, William would have been about 60 years old, Frances would have been about 54. Their children, Mary (a. 20), Francis (a. 15), Joseph Greene (a. 21) almost fits this. Also, the next listing in this census is Cockril, Anderson.

From Allen County, KY Tax List, 1815-1848, roll 6:

ALLEN COUNTY, KENTUCKY TAX RECORDS

YEAR

NAME

LAND

WATERCOURSE

ENTERED

WM/B16/TB/H

TVALUE

1815

Cockrille Wm

82

W. Creek

His son Joseph is also listed next to him in the same record.

G. Lee (surveyed by A. Clayton and patented by W. Cockrill

1 - - 1

387

1816

Cockrill William

82

Walnut Creek

His sons William Jr., Johnson Jr., Joseph are also listed next to him in this same same record (as well as the following).

G. Lee (patented by W. Cockrill)

1 - - 5

407

1817

Cockrill William

82

Walnut Creek

G. Lee (patented by W. Cockrill)

1 - - 3

224

1818

(missing)

1819

Cockrill William

82

W. Creek

G. Lee (patented by W. Cockrill)

1 - - 2

470

1820

Cockrill William

82

W. Creek

G. Lee (surveyed by W. Cockrill and patented by W. Cockrill)

1 - - 3

865

1821

Cockrille William Sr.

82

W. Creek

G. Lee (surveyed by W. Cockrill and patented by W. Cockrill)

1 - - 2

500

1822

Cockrille William

82

W. Creek

G. Lee (surveyed by W. Cockrill and patented by W. Cockrill)

1 - - 2

388

1823

Cockrille Will

82

W. Creek

G. Lee (surveyed by W. Cockrill and patented by W. Cockrill)

1 - - 2

388

1824

William's name does not appear in these tax records from this time. The same description of William's land appears in the 1828 Allen County tax listing for his son, Anderson.

WM= White Male over 21; B16 = Blacks over 16; TB == total Blacks; H = Horses

From a submission (by Gladys Higgs, Herbert J. Boothroyd and Carolyn Thorsen) in The Cockrell Connection, Volume 1, Issue 3, page 8:

William and Frances (JONES) COCKRILL were living in North Carolina by 1784 and could have been there earlier. They moved to Spartanburg, SC ca. 1796-7 and then to Walnut Creek (then in Barren Co.), KY in 1804. Most of their children moved with them in 1804, including Jesse and Dianah Cockrill Hammett. William and Nancy Cockrill Hammett followed about 1812. William and Frances were probably originally from Virginia. Fauquier Co., VA has a 1792 will of an Anderson Cockrell, who was probably an uncle, father or brother of William. They were residing in Nash County, NC in 1790 and William held land in Rockingham Co., NC as late as 1812.

Herbert J. Boothroyd summarized the material known about William and Francis (Jones) Cockrill in an essay about the Cockrills from 12 August 1995:

William and Francis with their four or five younger unmarried children moved to Kentucky 1804... The 1804 wagon journey took three or four months, by my family tradition through the Cumberland Gap. Guides at the Cumberland Gap National Park confirm that this would have been the only logical route. The families settled along the Walnut Creek, a six mile long tributary of the Big Barren River, in what was then Barren County... The younger children had all married by 1817. Most farmed with taxable property of about $400, including four or five horses. Most farmed without ownership of any slaves, except the merchant son in law Geo. W Mansfield and son Johnson J. who held 600 acres and 6 to 10 slaves until his 1851 death.

From a letter by Herbert J. Boothroyd to me, 15 June 2000:

Wm and Frances were a married couple; they lived next door to the Anderson COCKRILL family. William was respected by his Baptist peers, as he was elected messenger (term still used today for delegates to Baptist conventions) in SoCar 1795 and 97 to 1800 and their minister in 1800, congregation of 40 plus. Again elected messenger on Ky move 1804. Lewis Cockrill b. ca 1774, living 1840 Maury Co TN. Lewis' census appearances are Spartanburg SC 1800, Lincoln Co Ky 1810; Simpson Co Ky 1820, I couldn't locate him 1830; Maury Co TN 1840.

Summary of reasons (taken from a note by Herbert J. Boothroyd, September 2001) why the parents of this William Cockrill are probably William Cockrill and Hannah Anderson:

1. It is most likely that William and Hannah had more children than the Anderson COCKRILL born in 1740, given that William lived until 1758 and Hannah again bore children in her second marriage.

2. The availability of new lands and/or mother Hannah’s remarriage could have encouraged younger sons to move on.

3. The names given children of the William (William II) born about 1750 match well. The second and fourth sons (Anderson II and Johnson J.) were given names which are normally surnames. If this 1750 William II was the son of the 1710 William (William I), then Anderson II was named for his father’s brother (and his uncle) Anderson I born 1740, as well as for his father’s maternal ancestors; and Johnson J. was named for the neighbor who was the father-in-law of the 1740 uncle Anderson , Jeffrey Johnson. Some Kentucky records show this Johnson J. as J. Johnson COCKRILL, so the 'J' could well have stood for Jeffrey. Note that Johnson J. was the first in this family to have two given names. A contemporary and Prince William County neighbor of the William I, was Thomas COCKRILL, who died in 1754. Thomas had a daughter named Diana under 18 who was bound out as an orphan in 1755 and would have been a contemporary and possibly cousin to our William II, who did name his first daughter Dianah.

4. A variety of researchers throughout the Twentieth Century failed to locate any other possible origin of William II.

5. The contrary case would be that William II was raised by William and Hannah but perhaps as an orphaned nephew or cousin or even an unrelated boy who took the surname COCKRILL in gratitude. Admittedly a possible scenario, but note that an individual named as “son” in a will or even a baptism certificate is not necessarily a blood son of the named father. Indeed, current DNA research is identifying more such cases. Much in genealogy is based on overwhelming evidence, not certainty.

In summary, we can have a fair degree of confidence in William II’s ancestry, though not as high as if he were named as “son” in a will or land transfer.

The connection between our William Cockrill and the line of Anderson Cockrell of Fauquier Co., VA is still a matter of some speculation at this point in time. Jim Burgess, a family researcher who has also articulated this tentative genealogy in some detail, is now administrating a DNA project to identify the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of several Cockrill/Cockrell family lines. In this regard, as of March 2005, the analysis of the DNA taken from a contemporary decendant of our William Cockrill line and a decendant of the line of his supposed brother, Anderson Cockrell, indicated that there is no genetic match within the limits of the test. There can be other reasons for this situation to occur, though the simplest suggests that the speculated patrimony of our William is incorrect. Jim presently concedes that "We are rechecking, but looks like my research is flawed, there is an illegitimacy, or Anderson is simply not related to the other Cockrill families".

Extracted From ANDERSON, COCKRILL, MOFFETT, SMITH & Allied Families of Northern Virginia -- VOLUME 1: Cockrill Families of Northern Virginia, by James A. Burgess (James A. Burgess, Arizona: 2002), p. 244:

In his early years, William had moved to Rockingham County, North Carolina and lived there a number of years. In 1786 and 1794, William is listed as a resident of the country. On 6 May 1786, he purchased 150 acres in Rockingham along with another 90 acres on a state grant dated 11 Jul 1790. Also in the same county, William sold 216 acres on 24 Nov 1794 and 54 acres on 29 Oct 1813. By 1813 however, William lived in Barren County, Kentucky and had previously deputized his son Johnson J. COCKRILL to sell his remaining North Carolina land.
On 8 Jan 1795 and 13 Apr 1796, William purchased land in Spartanburg County, South Carolina . Both deeds were witnessed by William’s second eldest son, Anderson COCKRILL. William’s eldest son, Lewis COCKRILL, purchased land in the same county on 6 Jan 1797, and Anderson purchased land there on 24 Feb 1801.
The 1794 records of the Boiling Spring Baptist Church, of Spartan District, Spartanburg County, South Carolina list the following:
#2 William COCKRILL
#6 Joseph VENABLE
#30 Frances COCKRILL
#31 Lucy VENABLE
#46 Rebeccah COCKRILL
#59 Discy HAMMETT
William as #2 would appear to make him an original member. The church was reconstituted after an earlier congregation was scattered by Revolutionary disorder. William was significantly religious and respected by his peers to the degree that he was elected “messenger” in 1795, again between 1797 to 1800, and then “minister” in 1802. He was addressed as “Reverend,” probably preached part of the time from 1795 to 1800, as well as attended meetings of the Bethel Association as a delegate. The membership of the Boiling Springs Church totaled in the forties during this time period.

NOTE: We know that William COCKRILL, Frances JONES, Thomas COCKRELL, and Lettetia BAILEY were members of the Baptist religion. Very Interesting! A small connection -- Thomas and Lettetia were “Old School” Baptists at Thumb Run [organized on September 9, 1771, though Jim lists Thomas's church as the Enon Primitive Baptist Church elsewhere -- see map]. In South Carolina Baptists 1670-1805, by Dr. Leah Townsend, 1935 (Genealogical Publishing Company, 1974), pages 128-130, Dr. Townsend misidentifies our William as a different William living in Chester County, South Carolina and listed in the 1790 census there [Also note that #46 Rebeccah COCKRILL is probably Anderson's wife and that #6 Joseph VENABLE and #31 Lucy VENABLE are her parents. It is odd that Anderson himself is not listed as a member].

It is possible that Cockrill Family's association with the Primitive Baptist Church may stretch from the turn of the 1800's in Fauquier County, Virginia to Sonoma County, CA in the 1860's.

William COCKRILL and his family migrated from South Carolina through the Cumberland Gap in the spring of 1804 on their way to Kentucky. They settled on Walnut Creek, which is a six mile tributary of the Big Barren River in what was then Barren County, and eventually became a part of the new Allen County, Kentucky in 1815. So many people settled in this area, from the two Carolinas that it was called “Carolina District”.
William joined the Bethlehem Baptist Church in what is now Allen County, Kentucky in 1804 and again was elected messenger. William died in 1824 in his early 70’s. His widow Frances lived until at least 1841 when she relinquished ownership rights to their land.

It is unknown at this time however, if indeed William was a staunch adherant of the "Old School" Baptist Church since details about the early history of the Bethlehem Baptist Church (as well as William's earlier Boiling Springs Church) are lacking. This was essentially before the time that the Baptist Church was reorganized and the Old School Baptists as they were first named appeared (in 1832).

An abstract of his will exists (COCKRILL, William Inventory dated Mar 21, 1825. Sale of Estate Oct 30, 1824) and is indexed in Wills and Settlements 1840-1902 (Abstracts) for Allen County, Kentucky (thanks to Hagans family researcher, William Lon Hagan Jr. for this link).

From William Cockrill's Estate Sale (typescript copy from Herbert J. Boothroyd:

At a county court began and held for the county of Allen at the courthouse thereof on Monday the 21st day of March 1825 the list of sales of the estate of William Cockrille deceased was this day returned to court and caused to be filed and recorded. The account of sale of the estate of William Cockrille deceased executed October 30, 1824.
1 horse colt to Joseph G. Cockrille $25.00
1 lot of hogs to Anderson Cockrille 15.00
1 lot of sheep to James Clayton 9.00
1 shovel plow clevis - - - to John Hawkins 2.00
1 ax <text burned off>
1 small ax to Benjamin Stewart
1 sprouting hoe
1 pair of chains & - - - John Hawkins
1 smoothing iron to Larkin Cockrille .75
1 curry comb to Thomas Spelman .25
1 bell & strap to John S. Gibson, Jr. .56 1/4
1 gimblet, chissell & padlock to Alexander Mansfield .75
5 earthen plates to Benjamin Stewart .25
1 bowl to William Hawkins .25
1 chepan tumbler to Thomas Spelman .12 1/2
1 case knives and forks to William Cockrille 1.00
1 set cups & saucers to Larkin Cockrille .60
1 bread water to Larkin Cockrille .40
1 pewter dish to William Cockrille 1.62 1/2
1 soup spoon to Diannah Hammett .56 1/4
5 spoons to Thomas Hawkins .63
1 coffee mill to William Cockrille .25
1 " pot to William Hawkins .25
1 " " " William Cockrille .81 1/4
1 jug to James Clayton .50
1 candlestick & pepper box to William Cockrille .12 1/2
1 razor straping box to John Hawkins .54
1 shaving glass to John Hawkins .25
1 shovel & tongues to George W. Mansfield 1.81 1/4
1 pot rack to John Hawkins .50
1 ladle & skimmer to John Hawkins .20
1 water piggen to John S. Gibson .37 1/2
1 pail to John Hawkins .31 1/4
1 piggen & wash noggin to Anderson Cocrille .75
1 chair to James Clayton .75
1 pickle tub to William Cockrille .25
1 pot & hooks to William Cockrille 1.50
1 skillett to John Hawkins .25
3 chairs to William Cockrille 1.00
1 table to John Hawkins 5.37 1/2
1 man's saddle to William Cockrille 5.50
1 cupboard to Elizabeth Hawkins 3.00
---bedstead & furniture to Anderson Cockrille 23.00
1 bedstead & end to Anderson Cockrille 2.00
" " " " " William Cockrille 12.00
1 washing tub to Larkin Cockrille <edge burnt>
1 small tub, bread tray & sifter to William Cockrille
1 table to John Hawkins
1 grindstone to William Hammett
1 powdering tub to Larkin Cockrille
1 small keg to John Hawkins
1 fat tub, 3 (churns?) to Anderson Cockrille
1 large tray to Benjamin Bailey
1 oven to Benjamin Stewart 1.00
1 hand saw to William Cockrille
1 cover lid to William Cockrille 10.00
1 basket to William Cockrille
1 lot of (corn?) to William Levi at $1.30 c. 5.00
4 barrels do. Geo. W. Mansfield @ 1.25
" " " To John Hawkins @ 1.37 1/2 5.00
the residue of the corn to Alex B. Mansfield 3.00
4 barrels of corn to Geo. W. Mansfield 1.00 4.00
200 bundles of fodder to Alex Mansfield 2.00
1 flax wheel to James S. Morrison 3.00
1 pockett book to Anderson Cockrille
1 tract of land 82 acres to William Cockrille 15.00
1 note on Luy Garrison
 
The whole amount of sale 33.00?
The foregoing is a full and complete amount of the property and sale of the estate of William Cockrille deceased agreeable to will and appraisement as ---? sworn hand as executors this 30th day of October 1824
Anderson Cockrille
Benjamin Bailey