Individual Details

Also spelled Brazier, Brashure, Brassieux, Brassiur, etc. etc. He received 2 tracts of land totalling 1,650 acres from the estate of his father. Moved to Williamsburg, James City County, VA around 1730, and was living there as late as 1753. He also patented 400 acres in Goochland County, VA beside Green Creek off the Appomattox River.Brazure's older brother Thomas COCKE died childless in 1711. In his will (dated Aug. 29, 1711, recorded Nov. 5, 1711), Thomas left his brother "Brawshaw" COCKE the plantation called "Mawborn Hills" (Malvern Hill) in Henrico County, VA. From the settlement of Thomas's accounts, it appears that Brazure was away at boarding school at the time. (Genealogies of VA Families from the VA Mag. of Hist. & Bio., supra, at p.125; see also Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds 1710-1714, pp.102, 113.)Brazure Cocke is also named in the will of his brother Henry COCKE, dated Feb. 1, 1714/15, recorded Apr. 4, 1715. To his brother "Brassure COCKE," he left 500 acres in Henrico County next to White Oak Swamp. (Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds, 1714-1718, p.17.)According to Genealogies of VA Families from the VA Mag. of Hist. & Bio., supra, p.129, Brazure moved to Williamsburg, James City County, around 1730 and can be found there as late as 1753. There was a Horse Race? says the Virginia Gazette of December 14, 1739, round the Mile Course (at Williamsburg) the First Day (of the Fair), for a Saddle of Forty Shillings Value. Eight Horses started, by Sound of Trumpet, and Col. Chiswell?s Horse, Edgecomb, came in First, and won the Saddle; Mr. Cocke?s Horse, Sing?d Cat, came in Second and won the Bridle, of 12 Shillings Value; and Mr. Drummond?s Horse, ------------- came in Third, and won the Whip.? Virginia Historical Magazine, ii, 3, page 300. This ?Mr. Cocke? was probably Brazure Cocke. There were no other Cockes in James City county.Brazure moved to Brunswick County, VA by September 20, 1766, when he wrote his will, and he died there before October 22, 1770 when the will was proved in the Brunswick County Courthhouse. It names Brazure's wife Frances, son William, Son Thomas's children, deceased son James, daughters Elizabeth HOLT, Fanny Oliver, Mary Anderson, Susannah Coleman, Martha Cocke, and Ann Cheek, who was also Dibdall Holt's sister in law.Synopsis: Brazure (or Brassuir) Cocke (4) (c. 1694-1770, youngest of the four brothers, was only thirteen years old when his father died (in 1707). Three years later (1710) he was at boarding school, as we know from the accounts kept by his eldest brother. He long outlived all his brothers, dying in Brunswick Co. in 1770, where his will, dated four years earlier (1766), is on record (Brunswick County Will Book, IV, 32; Va. M. H. & B., XXII, 78 and XXVIII, 162). Earlier in life, from about 1730 until 1753 or later (some years after the death of his nephew, James Cocke (5) of Cumberland Parish in Lunenburg Co.), he seem to have resided in James City Co. (Va. M. H. & B, IV, 216, 440 (Note 6)).From Genealogy of the Cheek Family of Alleghany County, North CarolinaBRAZURE COCKE was the fourth son of Capt. Thomas COCKE and Mary BRASHEARS of Henrico County, VA. The COCKES were a very prominent family in the early history of Virginia. See, e.g., "Genealogy of the Cocke Family in Virginia," Genealogies of Virginia Families from the Virginia Magazine of History & Biography, Vol. II (Gen. Pub. Co., 1982), p.93 et. seq. For a nice summary visit Virginians.com by John W. Pritchett.Brazure's great-grandfather, Richard COCKE (c.1600-1665) came to Virginia from England prior to 1632 and settled on the James River, near present-day Richmond. It's speculated that Richard COCKE was originally from the town of Pickthorne, located in Stottesdon Parish, county Shropshire, England. One of Richard's sons, Col. Thomas COCKE (c.1638-1697), named his home "Pickthorne Farms," perhaps in memory of the family's ancestral village. Apparently there was a family of COCKES in Pickthorne, Shropshire, around the time that Richard would have emigrated. (See Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William & Mary College Quarterly Magazine, Vol. III (Gen. Pub. Co., 1982), p.505). In addition, Richard COCKE had a plantation on the James River called Malvern Hill (see VA Land Office Patents No.1, p.707), which got its name, presumably, because it reminded someone (maybe Mr. Cocke?) of the Malvern Hills in England. The English Malvern Hills are in the southwestern part of county Worcestershire, only a few miles from Pickthorne, Shropshire.According to "Names and Places in Henrico County" by the Henrico County Division of Recreation & Parks, "Malvern Hill was first owned by Richard Cocke, who settled at Point Bremo, which is now part of the Curles Neck Farm. Cocke acquired a great deal of land in Henrico County and one such tract of land was Malvern Hill. He gave Malvern Hill, which he named because it reminded him of the Malvern Hills in England, to his son, Colonel Thomas Cocke. The ruins of a house on Malvern Hill today are said to be the last remnant of the house that Thomas Cocke built there. Col. Thomas COCKE left the Malvern Hill plantation to his son, Capt. Thomas COCKE (c.1662-1707), the father of Brazure COCKE.Brazure's unusual name comes from the last name of his mother, Mary BRASHEARS (also spelled BRASSEUR, BRAZURE, BRAZIER, BRASHURE, BRASSIEUX, etc.), daughter of John BRASSEUR and Mary PITT of Nasemond Co., VA. The BRASSEURS were French Huguenots who came to Virginia to escape religious persecution. (See "Robert Brasseur (c.1597-) of Nansemond" by John W. Pritchett and "The Brasseur Family Tree" by Ron Ulrich, citing Charles Daniel Brashear, "The First 200 Years of BRASHEAR(S) in America." See also the National Huguenot Society website for more information about the Huguenots, a Protestant sect that suffered severe persecution during the 16th and 17th centuries.)Brazure COCKE's father, Capt. Thomas COCKE, died in 1707 at only about 45 years of age. His will names his (second) wife Frances, his daughters Mary and Elizabeth, and four sons: Thomas COCKE, James Powell COCKE, Henry COCKE, and "Brassiur" COCKE. "Brassiur" (Brazure) was the youngest, probably about 13 years old at the time of his father's death. He received 2 tracts of land totalling 1,650 acres. In all, Capt. Thoms COCKE devised about 6,000 acres of land. His will also makes referance to numerous slaves, horses, and valuable personal property. (Genealogies of VA Families from the VA Mag. of Hist. & Bio., supra, Vol. II, pp.114-115; see also Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds, 1706-1709, p.24.)Brazure's older brother Thomas COCKE Jr. died childless in 1711. His will (dated Aug. 29, 1711, recorded Nov. 5, 1711), leaves brother "Brawshaw" COCKE the plantation called "Mawborn Hills" (Malvern Hill) in Henrico County, VA. From the settlement of Thomas's accounts, it appears that Brazure was away at boarding school at the time. (Genealogies of VA Families from the VA Mag. of Hist. & Bio., supra, at p.125; see also Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds 1710-1714, pp.102, 113.)Brazure was also named in the will of his brother Henry COCKE, dated Feb. 1, 1714/15, recorded Apr. 4, 1715. Henry left 500 acres in Henrico County next to White Oak Swamp to his brother "Brassure COCKE." (Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds, 1714-1718, p.17.)According to Genealogies of VA Families from the VA Mag. of Hist. & Bio., supra, p.129, Brazure moved to Williamsburg, James City County, VA, around 1730 and can be found there as late as 1753. He subsequently moved to Brunswick Co., VA, where he had purchased land in 1750, and died testate in 1770 (see below for additional details).Additional records concerning BRAZURE COCKE:Brazure COCKE is named in the wills of his father Capt. Thomas COCKE (1707), his brother Thomas COCKE (1711), and his brother Henry COCKE (1715) (see above). (Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds, 1706-1709, p.24; 1710-1714, pp.102, 113; 1714-1718, p.17).Mar. 7, 1725, Henrico Co., VA. Deed from William EASLY and Mary his wife to Joseph MAYO, 57 acres above the Falls and on north side of James River, bounded by the river, William BRADSHAW, said MAYO and Brazure COCK. Wits: William MAYO, Daniel STONER, Wm. CABBELL. Signed: William EASLY, Mary (x) EASLY. Rec. Mar. 7, 1725. (Henrico Co., VA, Deeds 1677-1705, by Benjamin Weisiger (1986), p.78.)Oct. 17, 1734, Henrico Co., VA. Capt. Braz. COCKE paid cash owed to the estate of Hugh BALLENTINE. (Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds, 1725-1737, Part 2, p.519).Jan. 17, 1735/36, Henrico Co., VA. Brazure COCKE of parish and county of Henrico sold to Nicholas DAVIES of same, a water grist mill on the north branch of Gillys Creek and 5 acres of land adj. Benja. BRIDGEWATER, Sr. Valued by Nich. DAVIES & Saml. LIGNON and agreed by COCKE. Signed: Braz. COCKE. Wits: Saml. (x) LIGNON, Nowel BURTON, Sam ALLEN, Robert HUTTON. Recorded May 3, 1736. (Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds, 1725-1737, Part 2, p.538).Apr. 2, 1736, Henrico Co., VA. Braz. COCKE witnessed a deed from Wm. BRITAIN of Henrico to Capt. Isaac WINSTON of Hanover Co., merchant, 300 acres in Henrico on south side of Chickahomony Swamp adj. land of Ralph HUNT, Robt. MOSBEY, Tho. OWEN. Land granted BRITAIN Sept. 8, 1732. Signed: William (x) BRITAIN. Other wits: Wm. FULLER, Robt. GOODE. Rec. May 3, 1736. (Henrico Co., VA, Wills & Deeds, 1725-1737, Part 2, p.547).Dec. 14, 1739, Williamsburg, James City Co., VA. The Virginia Gazette reported on a horse race in Williamsburg: "Mr. COCKE's horse, Sing'd Cat, came in Second, and won the Bridle." (Source: Genealogies of VA Families from the VA Mag. of Hist. & Bio., supra, Vol. II, pp.129.)Mar. 1, 1743/44, Goochland Co., VA. Brazure COCKE patented 400 acres in Goochland County beside Green Creek off the Appomattox River, adj. John COOKE and Joseph WOODSON. (Virginia Patent Book 22, pp.50-51.) Note: this area became part of Cumberland County in 1749. It isn't clear whether Brazure actually moved to Goochland County; the land may have simply been an investment. However, many of Brazure's relatives were leaving Henrico County during this period.Nov. 23, 1750, Brunswick Co., VA. Brazure COCKE of Henrico Co., VA, purchased 420 acres in Amelia Parish, Brunswick County, VA, from John BURCH and Elizabeth his wife of St. Andrews Parish, Brunswick County. Price, £150. The land was located on the fork of Rocky Run, "being a Patent granted to Richard BURCH, Father of the said John BURCH dated 28 September 1728 and by Deed of Gift from the said Richard BURCH the land was transfered to the said John BURCH." Signed: John BURCH, Eliza. BURCH. Wits: Hugh WILLIAMS, Richard BURCH, Burgess WALL. Deed acknowledged in court Dec. 26, 1750. (Brunswick Co., VA, DB 4, p.200).1753, Lunenburg Co., VA. The will of James COCKE of Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg Co., VA, dated Apr. 30, 1753, proved July 3, 1753, makes a contingent bequest to "Braizure COCKE's 3 sons." The will refers to the Malvern Hill plantation in Henrico County as well as substantial holdings of land in Cumberland, Halifax, Lunenburg, and Amelia Counties. (Lunenburg Co., VA, WB 1, p.96.) Note: this James COCKE was Brazure's nephew, son of his brother James Powell COCKE.1766, Brunswick Co., VA. Brazure COCKE of Brunswick Co., VA, wrote his will on Sept. 20, 1766, and it was proved Oct. 22, 1770. The will names wife Frances, son William, son Thomas's children, deceased son James, daughters Elizabeth HOLT, Fanny OLIVER, Mary ANDERSON, Susannah COLEMAN, Martha COCKE, and Ann CHEEK. [Note: I have also seen this name transcribed as Ann CHICH or Ann CHICK. Need to look at original will.] Executors: friends Nicholas EDMUNDS, Henry EDMUNDS, daughter Martha. Fifteen slaves are mentioned by name. Unnumbered others are alluded to. Ann CHEEK was to receive Jenny, left to her by her brother James, and Aggy. (Brunswick Co., VA, WB 4, p.32.)

Birth	Abt 1694	Henrico County, Virginia
Marriage	1719	Henrico County, Virginia - Frances Atkins
Death	Oct 1770	Brunswick County, Virginia

Spouse	Frances Atkins (1694 - 1770)
Child	Elizabeth Cocke (1720 - 1773)