Elizabeth (Pleasants) Cocke (1676 - bef. 1752)

Born 1676 in Curles, Henrico, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of James Cocke I — married 11 Jan 1691 in Henrico County, Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died before Jul 1752 before age 76 in Curles, Henrico, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Elizabeth (Pleasants) Cocke was a Virginia colonist.

Name:

Elizabeth Pleasants; Gender: Female Birth Year: 1676

There are various records for Elizabeth (Pleasants) Cocke - deeds, deposition & her will. Never with the 1st name Mary.

Their marriage was 11 Jan 1692. Son James Cocke was born in 1693 & Elizabeth Cocke (m Thomas Poythress) a few years later.

Virginia Genealogist, Volume 16, # 4, Oct-Dec 1972 "MY GRAND DAUGHTERS REBECCA COCKE, ANN COCKE, AND TABITHA COCKE" By Virginia Webb Cocke - Winston-Salem, North Carolina

The will of Elizabeth Pleasants Cocke, [1] dated Aug. 1751, proved in July 1752, provides for legacies to
"my loving Daughter Elizabeth Portriss,"
"to my Grandson William Fleming Cocke,"
"to my Grand Daughters Rebecca Cocke, Ann Cocke, and Tabitha Cocke,"
and to "my loving son James Cocke."

There is no question about the identity of her daughter and her son, but the identity of the grandchildren is open to speculation. There is sufficient evidence to show that William Fleming Cocke was the son of Pleasant Cocke, so the natural assumption was that Pleasant was a son of Elizabeth Pleasants and James (3) Cocke. A suit brought by John Pleasants against James Cocke, grandfather of William Fleming Cocke, a minor, in 1745, proves, however, that William Fleming Cocke was a great-grandson of the testator.[2]

Who, then, were Rebecca, Ann and Tabitha?
Were they sisters or cousins? Were they granddaughters or great- granddaughters? Because of the use of the term "grandson" for great-grandson, one cannot be certain of the generation of the "grand daughters" unless further evidence as to the identity is found. The phrasing implies that they were sisters, so the inference can be drawn that they were daughters of James (4), who had a daughter named Tabitha. By the provision, "If it pleases God that my Grandson should die before he Arrives to Lawfull age and leaves no Lawfull Heir then I give and Bequeath unto my Grand Daughters Rebecca Cocke, Ann Cocke, and Tabitha Cocke all the Estate ... before given to my Grandson William Fleming Cocke," the will implies that the granddaughters were not only older than William Fleming Cocke, but that the youngest was at least eighteen years old, as no provision is made for disposal of the legacy if they should die before reaching lawful age. It is also significant that the testator did not describe the granddaughters as sisters of William Fleming Cocke. The will of James (4) Cocke, [3] written twenty-one years after his mother wrote hers, does not give the name of any daughters, but does name as heirs "Granddaughter Ann Winston, her sister Sarah and William Bobby and John Geddes Winston." The births of Sarah and Ann Winston are recorded in The Douglas Register as daughters of John Winston and Tabitha Cocke.[4] The information in the will, combined with that in The Douglas Register, is sufficient to identify Tabitha, but explicit evidence has not been found in the search for the identity of Rebecca and Ann.

Benjamin Woodson, who was born in New Kent County, son of Benjamin Woodson and Frances Napier, married Rebecca Cocke about 1756.[5] No record has been found which gives Rebecca's lineage, but it is possible, even probable, that she was the Rebecca named in Elizabeth Pleasants Cocke's will and the daughter of James(4) Cocke. The Douglas Register records the date of the first child of Rebecca Cocke and Benjamin Woodson as 4 Dec. 1757.[6]
Booth Woodson, brother of Benjamin, married Tabitha Cocke.[7] Since it has been shown that Tabitha, daughter of James(4) Cocke, married John Winston, and that she is called "Tabitha Cocke" in The Douglas Register, the conjecture that the wife of Booth Woodson was the daughter of James(4) Cocke is more doubtful than the tentative assumption in regard to Rebecca. Nevertheless, the probability that Tabitha Cocke married first Booth Woodson and second John Winston cannot be ruled out unless evidence to the contrary can be found.
The will of Booth Woodson was proved 19 July 1757.[8] It shows that there were no children at the time the will was made, though provision was made in the event "Tabitha Woodson should be with Child and the Child born alive ..." If they were married only a short time, it is not unlikely that she was called Tabitha Cocke instead of Tabitha Woodson in the Register.[9]

Evidence, certainly not explicit, seems to show that Rebecca, Ann and Tabitha Cocke were daughters of James Cocke. Further, it seems that Rebecca married Benjamin Woodson and that Tabitha married first Booth Woodson, who died shortly after the marriage. She married second John Winston and their first child, Sarah, was born 14 May 1761.[10]

1. Henrico Co., Va., Deeds, Wills, Etc., 1750-67, p. 158. 2. Ibid., Order Book 1737-46, pp. 335, 350-52; The Virginia Genealogist, v. 15, p. 221. 3. Henrico Co., Va., Miscellaneous Court Records, v. 7, pp. 2249-50, dated 18 Dec. 1772, proved 6 Feb. 1773. 4. W. Mac. Jones, ed., The Douglas Register (Richmond, 1928), p. 321. 5. Henry Morton Woodson, Historical Genealogy of the Woodsons and Their Connections (n.p., 1915), p. 43. 6. Jones, op. cit., p. 324. 7. Woodson, loc. cit. 8. Goochland Co., Va., Deed Book 7, pp. 179a-179b. 9. Jones, op. cit, p. 39, shows John Pleasants and Ann Randolph married 1759. This was her second marriage, however; Ann Randolph married Daniel Scott in 1751. 10. Jones, op. cit., p. 321.

Spouse

Name: James Cocke Spouse Birth Year: 1666

Marriage Year: 1691 Marriage State: VA Number Pages: 1 ^[1]

Elizabeth Pleasants

Born Est 1676 Henrico County, Virginia Gender Female

Died 1751

Marriages - Henrico Co., Virginia - St. John's Church - No Minister Mentioned 1700:

Samuel HANCOCK to Joan HANCOCK, April 15, 1700. John ADKINS to Ann CHILDRESS, July 18. Joseph WILLIAMSON and Priscilla SKERME, July 7th. James COCKE to Mary, daughter of John PLEASANTS, Quaker.

Parents

Father Immigrant John Pleasants, Sr., b. 27 Feb 1644, Norwich, England d. 1698, Curles, Henrico Co., Virginia (Age 53 years)

Mother Jane Larcombe, b. Est 1650, Virginia Colony d. Abt 1708, Virginia (Age ~ 58 years)

Family James 'of Curles' Cocke/Cox, b. 1666, Malvern Hills, Henrico County, d. 1721, Henrico Co., Virginia (Age 55 years)

Married 11 Jan 1691

Children

1. James Cocke/Cox, Jr., b. 1690, Malvern Hills, Henrico County, Virginia d. 1765 (Age 75 years)
2. Pleasant Cocke/Cox, b. Abt 1692, Malvern Hills, Henrico County, Virginia d. Abt 1744 (Age ~ 52 years)
3. Elizabeth Pleasants Cocke/Cox, b. Abt 1703, Malvern Hills, Henrico County, Virginia d. Yes, date unknown

^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Elizabeth was born about 1672. She passed away before 1752.

Sources

1. ↑ US and International Marriages 1560-1900
2. ↑ [1]
3. ↑ Mary Frances Reynolds Eggleston. THE VIRGINIA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AND BOIGRAPHY Volume 9 for the Year Ending June 1897 pages 87 and 90 GENEALOGY OF THE COCKE FAMILY OF VIRGINIA
4. ↑ The Cocke Family of Henrico: Descendants of Richard, Thomas, John & William Cocke of Henrico. James Cocke, s/o Thomas, born c 1666; died 1721 married Elizabeth Pleasants, Jan 1691, daughter of John and Jane Pleasants. Speculated that these Cockes are brothers of the same parents who have not been identified.
5. ↑ [2]

Virginia Genealogist, Volume 16, # 4, Oct-Dec 1972 "MY GRAND DAUGHTERS REBECCA COCKE, ANN COCKE, AND TABITHA COCKE"

• https://crgis.ndc.nasa.gov/crgis/images/4/4b/Descendants_of_Richard_Cocke.p
• Bolling Batte Papers, R. Bolling Batte, (Richmond, Virginia: The Library of Virginia, 1992), Platt - Card 57 of 167 (Reliability: 3).
• Americans of gentle birth, Hannah Daviess Pittman, (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1903, 949 pages), page 232 (Reliability: 3).
• Find A Grave: Memorial #82715331
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (accessed 2016-10-01), entry for ELIZABETH /Pleasants/.
• Dr. J. Hall Pleasants of Baltimore, MD Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol.XVI, p. 220 and Vol. XVII, PP.84,198
• The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, published by The Valentine Museum, Richmond, Virginia
• Marriages of Henrico County, Virginia, 1680-1808 complied by Joyce H. Lindsay, Richmond, Virginia, 1960. FHL Collection. Quote from page 20: 11 January 1691. James COCKE and Elizabeth Pleasants. Sur. Capt. Thomas Cocke, Jr. and Will Cocke, Jr. Deeds, Wills, 1677-1692. p 357.
• Web Page (Link to the Record)

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9P6-KK4 Describe The Record (Notes) The will of John Pleasants of Curles (Henrico, Virginia Deeds & Wills 1697-1704, pages 80-86) was written on 27 September 1690 and recorded by the court in October 1698. It is difficult to read, but it appears that the family members named in the document are his:

• wife Jane Pleasants, formerly the wife and executrix of Samuel Tucker, deceased
• son John Pleasants, born of his wife Jane
• son Joseph Pleasants, born of his wife Jane
• daughter Elizabeth Pleasants, born of his wife Jane
• mother (not named) inherits 20 pounds money if she is still living at his death
• brother Benjamin Pleasants
• brother Thomas Pleasants
• daughter-in-law Mary Woodson
• Jane Woodson, daughter of Mary Woodson
• Joseph Woodson.

He mentions his brothers and sisters in England.

Web Page (Link to the Record) https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TC-6ZJS Henrico, Virginia Deeds & Wills 1688-1697, page 357 The source named above says that the license was returned for the marriage of Mr. James Cocke and MRS. Elizabeth Pleasants, married 11 January 1691.