Thomas Cockey [Jr.] ^{1 2 3}

  Research Notes:

From Inhabitants of Baltimore County 1763-1774, pp. 50-54:

"A LIST OF TAXABLES IN BACK RIVER UPPER HUNDRED IN 1773 TAKEN BY WILLIAM HUTSON"

[Among households and garrisons(?) listed are:]

Cockey, John; Thomas Webster; Thomas Hersy; Thomas Draper; Edward Night; William Collins; Negro Nan

Cockey, William; Edward Flannagan; Rowland Bates; Negroes: Jack, Sam, Ja, Bett

Cockey, Edward, Joshua Cockey; Negroes: Easter, Juday

Cockey, Thomas Sr.; Thomas Cockey; James Space; Negroes: Jonathan, Boson, Burnam, (unclear), Haly(?), Cook, Jack
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From FindaGrave.com:
He married Ruth (Brown) Cockey (30 Jan 1770 - 2 May 1816). She was the daughter of Abel Brown, Sr., and Susannah (Shipley) Brown.

In the will of his father written on 6 Aug 1784, Thomas Cockey, Jr., was bequeathed "one shilling and it is my desire that he never enjoy any portion of my estate by the death of any of my children."

On 18 May 1785, Thomas Cockey, of Thomas, purchased "Cockey's Delight" from David Parks, of David, for 50 pounds specie. This land had been willed to David Parks, Jr., by Thomas Cockey, gentleman, deceased. Before the sale, Thomas Cockey, Jr., thought it was necessary for David Parks, Sr., to come in and prove that his son was above the legal age of 20, which he did. [Liber WG W, Folio 465]

On 2 Oct 1787, the youngest brother of Thomas Cockey, Jr., Stephen Cockey, sold Thomas all of the land tract called "Addition to Melinda" at a place called Newfoundland [Batson's Forest] and adjoining "Melinda" for 96 pounds current money [Liber AA, Folio 570].

On 2 Oct 1787, Thomas Cockey, Jr., sold all of two tracts of land, "Addition to Cockey's Delight" and "Cuckold's Town," to his brother, Stephen, for 171 pounds current money [Liber AA, Folio 571].

On 12 Mar 1792, Thomas Cockey and Charles Cockey purchased 400 acres of "Melinda" at a place called Newfoundland [Batson's Forest] from Mordecai Hammond for 1,200 pounds current money. The deed mentions a previous deed dated about 11 June 1787 between Thomas and Charles and their other three brothers that was an agreement of how to divide the land - Thomas Cockey was to get 250 acres and Charles Cockey was to get 150 acres. [Liber HH, Folio 72]

On 14 Jan 1795, Thomas Cockey, of Thomas, purchased part of "Hooker's Meadow Enlarged" from Samuel Hooker for 10 pounds current money. The land was on the southeast side of the Pipe Creek Waggon Road. [Liber QQ, Folio 73] Pipe Creek Road is now Westminster Pike.

In the 1798 Assessment, Thomas Cockey, Jr., had 1,477 acres in Baltimore County. Some of that land is now in Carroll County.

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A Maryland Act passed on 31 Dec 1801 -

An ACT to lay out a road from Aquila Tarman's tavern to Thomas Cockey's mill, and from the said mill to the road called the Deer Park Road.

WHEREAS it appears by the petition of Thomas Cockey, of Baltimore county, to this general assembly, that the opening of a public road from Aquila Tarman's tavern, on the road leading from Reisterstown to Westminster to the said Thomas Cockey's mill, and from thence until it intersects the nearest part of the Deer park road, in said county, would be of great public utility; and the prayer thereof appearing reasonable, therefore,

BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That Isaac Dickson, Samuel Hooker and Thomas Gorsuch, or any two of them, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to survey, mark and lay out, at the expence of the said Thomas Cockey, a road, not exceeding thirty feet wide, on the streightest and best direction that the nature of the ground will admit, from the aforesaid Aquila Tarman's tavern to the said Thomas Cockey's mill, and from thence until it intersects the nearest part of the said Deer park road; and the said road, when so surveyed, laid out and opened, and the valuation herein after directed to be made shall have taken place, a plot thereof shall be returned to the clerk of the county, who shall record the same among the records of Baltimore county court, which shall be deemed and taken to be a public road for ever there-after, and shall be kept up, and amended and repaired, as all other public roads in the said county.

AND BE IT ENACTED, That the said commissioners shall ascertain and value what damages may be sustained by any person or persons through whose land the said road shall pass, taking into their consideration all circumstances, and the same when so assessed, shall be paid by the said Thomas Cockey, before he shall proceed to open the said road.

AND BE IT ENACTED, That the said commissioners shall not lay out or open the said road through the buildings, gardens or orchards, of any person, without his or her consent.

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Cockeys Mill Road followed the Indian trail from the Falls of the Patapsco River.

Thomas Cockey's mill was listed as a boundary for the 4th District of Baltimore County.

The strange bend in Reisterstown Road near Cockeys Mill Road went around the Yellow Tavern or Central Hotel, which was built c.1804 by Jacob Medairy. It was also called the Spite Hotel as Jacob built it to block a new road from going through town. However, they just took the road around his tavern.

The will of Thomas Cockey, of Thomas, was written on 26 June 1812 and named the following: William Henry Cockey, Andrew Rodney Cockey, Thomas John Cockey, Mordecai Gist Cockey, Elias Brown Cockey, and Georgius Rex.

Ruth (Brown) Cockey died in Carroll County, Maryland, and she was buried in a Cockey family cemetery. She was probably moved to St. Thomas' Episcopal Church Cemetery too.

According to Thomas and Ruth's son, Mordecai Gist Cockey Cockey (1802-1872), Thomas Cockey, Sr., had some stipulations about who could be buried on the family property called "Melinda's Prospect." However, when the property left the Cockey family, Thomas, Prudence, and Thomas, Jr., all ended up together at a cemetery. Mordecai said you could hear the bodies rolling.

Written in 1966 - "The Cockey family cemetery in the Worthington Valley was on the estate known as "Melinda's Prospect." In March 1930, the bodies and markers were removed by the Cockey family to the graveyard of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, at Owings Mills, Baltimore County. Here a plot, located in the old section, against a north wall, they were re-interred and the original markers remain in place to this day."

On the 1862 map of Carroll County, Maryland, Mordecai Gist Cockey lived on the land of his father, Thomas Cockey, Jr., called "Meadows and Mills," which may now be under the Liberty Reservoir.

Thomas married Ruth Brown, daughter of Abel Brown Sr. and Susannah Shipley. (Ruth Brown was born on 30 Jan 1770 and died on 2 May 1816.)