Cockacoeske [[unknown-418615]] had only one known child, a son who was known to the English by the name of “John West.” His father is uncertain, although he was described as “an English Colonel,” and is widely assumed to be Col. John West [[West-423]]of Pamunkey Neck (b. 1632). It is a likely a myth that Col. West’s wife left him due to his liaison with Cockacoeske. Their marriage date is uncertain, but the Pamunkey "John West" was born in 1656 or '57 and West married Unity Croshaw much later (before 1664 when her father deeded land to John West husband of Unity). According to “Adventurers of Purse and Person,” Dornan, John F. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Md. Fourth Edition, 2005, Vols. 1 (Croshaw) and 3 (West), they had four children, John, Anne, Ursula, and Thomas, between about 1665 and 1675. In 1685 it was noted that they “lived asunder.” John West inherited the estate of Unity’s father in 1682 when her brother Joseph died at the age of 15.
Their son John is often confused or conflated with Cockacoeske’s son, “John West” who was reported to be twenty years old when he and his mother met with the Governor’s Council in June, 1676. “John West” was married to a Pamunkey woman. In 1678 Cockacoeske and her son filed a list of grievances with the colonial authorities. Among the grievances was a complaint that “John West’s” wife had run away and was being harbored by the Chickahominy, since she “had been bred and born at Chickahominy although her parents were Pamunkeys.” <ref> The Agrievances of the Queen of Poemunkey and her Sonn Captain John West, June 5, 1678 <ref/> The Pamunkey “John West” was apparently still alive when his mother died in 1686 but nothing more is known of him.
Cockacoeske (Unknown-418615) is currently listed with five children, none of whom matches what is known about her son ‘John West”:
John (West) Powhatan (West-1341) born 1650, died 1698, father of Richard West [this cannot be accurate, Richard is listed as born in 1738, died in 1818]
Maj. John West (West-7356) born 1657, died 1716 husband of Elizabeth Seaton (Semmes) Broadwater - this is clearly a totally different John West (neither of the above) per the following:
“Elizabeth Semmes Turley married circa 1709 to her second husband, Maj. John West, who died 1716, leaving one son:
6. MAJ. JOHN WEST (1710-1777) who built "Bush Hill" Plantation, Franconia, in 1763. His elder half brother was called "John West the Elder" (c1683-1716), predeceasing their father John West Sr., and being the son of Maj. John West's first wife, Sarah Pearson. John West the Elder had a son Hugh West who married Sybil Harrison had a son called Capt. John West "Jr." born circa 1727 making him 21 or 22 years of age when he surveyed the new town of Alexandria, VA in 1749.
Josiah John West (West-2403) born 1659, died 16 July 1713 This profile has no documentation. There is no mention of ‘Josiah” as a name for Cockacoeske’s son.
Jane (West) Footman (West-2402) born 1661 in England, baptized 1663 in Cornwall, England, died 1697 in Virginia, wife of John Footman, Sr. Cockacoeske was never in England, so this cannot be her daughter.
Thomas West (West-11065) born 1666, died 23 Dec 1740 husband of Agnes Ester unsourced, he appears to be the son of Col. John West and Unity Crowshaw
If anyone has documents that will clairify which, if any, or the above 'children' should be retained, please post. thanks.
