John Riley Cockerham &
Mary Little Kennedy

John Riley Cockerham, son of James Adam COCKERHAM & Nancy Carolina HOOD, was born May 23, 1847, in Surry Co., NC, and died Dec. 31, 1944, in Alleghany Co., NC, at the age of 98. He married Mary Little Kennedy, daughter of William KENNEDY & Amanda EDWARDS, Jan. 14, 1872, in Wilkes Co., NC. She was born Aug. 13, 1856, in Wilkes Co., NC, and died Feb. 2, 1934, in Grayson Co., VA. John R. Cockerham and Mary L. Cockerham are buried at Snow Hill Baptist Church near Galax, VA.

Children of John Riley Cockerham & Mary Little Kennedy:

1. Olevia Jane Cockerham, b. July 4, 1873, Wilkes Co., NC; d. Dec. 30, 1965, Alleghany Co., NC; m. James Franklin WOODRUFF, son of Moses O. WOODRUFF & Mary Little KENNEDY, Feb. 9, 1893, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Nov. 1, 1856; d. Dec. 2, 1935); bur. Woodruff Primitive Baptist Church, Alleghany Co., NC.
2. +Laura Ennice Cockerham, b. July 18, 1875, in Wilkes Co., NC; d. May 9, 1937, in Payette Co., ID; m. Mack M. CHEEK, son of Richard "Dixie" CHEEK & Martha "Patsy" JENNINGS, Dec. 28, 1899, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Aug. 2, 1871; d. July 18, 1936); bur. Riverside Cemetery, Payette, ID.
3. Cyrus Monroe Cockerham, b. Dec. 25, 1880, Wilkes Co., NC; d. Sept. 21, 1965, VA; m. Ennice ROBERTS, daughter of Swift ROBERTS & Margaret TOLIVER (b. Sept. 17, 1884; d. Feb. 1, 1973), abt. 1905; bur. Snow Hill Baptist Church, Galax, VA.
4. Guy Luther Cockerham (Cockerum), b. Jan. 11, 1890, Wilkes Co., NC; d. June 1, 1947, Payette Co., ID; m. Cora Mae CARICO, May 5, 1915, Galax, VA (b. Feb. 4, 1897; d. Aug. 25, 1971).
5. Carlie Clair Crockett Cockerham (Cockerum), b. Dec. 23, 1891, Wilkes Co., NC; d. Mar. 26, 1952, Columbia Co., OR; m. Beulah May FINKLEFINER, Jan. 5, 1931, Fresno, CA (b. Dec. 19, 1898; d. Apr. 7, 1985).
6. Lela Maggie Cockerham, b. Apr. 9, 1898, Wilkes Co., NC; d. Apr. 13, 1970; m. Dexter "Deck" PARSONS, son of John T. & Fannie PARSONS of Grayson Co., VA, abt. 1921 (b. Sept. 15, 1890; d. June 1966).

Notes

ohn Riley Cockerham "was a tall man, with a big beard, a mustache, and brown eyes. He smoked a pipe and chewed tobacco.  He lived to be ninety eight years old … John bought and sold land.  He would buy land that needed care, clean it up, and sell it again.  A hard worker, John managed his money well.  At the age of eighty he was still shucking corn.  He would take cows to the Salisbury Cattle Market and sell them.  On the way home he would sleep under or beside a haystack on the way.  At one time he went to Idaho where he bought land and irrigated it for farming.  Mary Little Kennedy was a short heavy lady with a round face.  She was a good cook and made their clothes.  Towards the latter days of their lives they lived in a two-story house painted white which was near Galax, Virginia, at Snow Hill." (Alleghany County Heritage published by the Alleghany Hist.-Gen. Society (1983), pp.136-137, article no. 210 by Norma Woodruff Brooks.)

Records

1880 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, Trap Hill Twp., p.23:
JOHN R. COCKERHAM, 31, farmer, NC NC NC

-- Mary L., 22, wife, NC NC NC

-- Olevia, 6, dau., " " "

-- Laura E., 4, dau., " " "

1900 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Glade Creek Twp., p.140 (HH#203):
JOHN R. COCKERHAM, May 1847, age 58, m. 28 yrs, NC NC NC

-- Mary L., wife, Aug. 1856, age 48, m. 28 yrs, 6 children born, 6, living, NC NC NC

-- Cyrus M., son, Dec. 1880, age 19, NC NC NC

-- Guy L., son, Jan. 1890, age 10, " " "

-- Carlie C., son, Dec. 1893, age 6, " " "

-- Lelar M., dau, Apr. 1898, age 2, " " "

-- Nancy B., mother, June 1824, age 75, wd, 10 children/3 living, NC NC NC

1920 Census, Grayson Co., VA, Old Town Dist. (HH#224):
JOHN R. COCKERHAM, 72, NC NC NC, farmer- general farm

-- Mary, wife, 63, " " "

-- Lelia M., 21, dau, 21, " " "

1930 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Cherry Lane Twp., p.6 (HH#120):
JAMES F. WOODRUFF, 73, 1st m. at age 17, NC NC NC, farmer - general farm

-- Olevia J., wife, 56, 1st m. at age 19, " " "

-- Gwynn W., son, 20, NC NC NC

-- Paul, son, 16, " " "

COCKERHAM, John R., father-in-law, 88, 1st m. at age 24, NC NC NC

1930 Census, Carroll Co., VA, Galax Town, Pipers Gap Dist., p.1 (HH#24):
DEXTER M. PARSONS, 38, 1st m. at age 28, VA VA VA, occupation: barber

-- Lela M., wife, 31, 1st m. at age 23, NC NC NC

-- Mary F., dau, 8, VA VA NC

-- Dale W., son, 5, " " "

COCKERUM, Mary L., mother-in-law, 73, 1st m. at age 16, NC NC NC

Deed Abstracts