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My father
was Bruce Travis Cockrill, youngest child of Larkin Davenport Cockrill and
Didamia Stamps. The name Cockrill is of Scotch origin and my grandfather,
Larkin Davenport Cockrill was born in Darien, South Carolina, on the
[space] day of [space] in the year 1800 and he died in Bloomfield,
California, on the [space] day of
[space] in the year of 1886, being 86 years of
age. My grandmother Cockrill's maiden name was Stamps, and she was a native of
Kentucky and I have been led to believe that she was of Irish extraction. The
Scotch settled in Darien, South Carolina in the year of [space] and grandfather
Cockrill, undoubtedly was of that line of descendency. His mother was a
daughter of Joseph Venable, this record being obtained through the records of
the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution. Joseph Venable fought at the
Battle of the Cowpens in the Revolution, under General Greene, of the
Continental Army.
My mother was Martha Diantha
Bellingham when she married my father on the 26th day of June, 1876, in the
City of San Rafael, Calif. Reverend Tallman of the Methodist Church performed
the ceremony and my oldest sister's second name is derived from him, he being a
close friend of the family. My mother was born in or near Winchester, Ontario,
Canada and was the oldest of two daughters born to Aaron and Clemenza
Bellingham. My grandfather, Aaron Bellingham was born in Londoderry, Derry
County, Ireland, and migrated to Canada when he was but 7 years of age; he was
an Orangeman and strongly anti-catholic in his beliefs, my grandmother
Bellingham's maiden name was Redmond and she was thought to be of more or less
German extraction, but of this I have no real evidence. She was married first
to a man by the name of Fleming, who died in Canada, and later she married my
Grandfather Bellingham. She gave birth to several children of Fleming's and I
will take up their history later. The family tree of the Bellingham family is
attached here to and made a part of this autobiography. The name originated in
England, the first record being from Northumberland County, thence to Derry
County, Ireland where the Bellingham Castle still stands and very likely many
of the Bellingham blood are still living in Derry County. The family seems to
have been prominent, many barons and baronets, and other Decorations of
Chivalry appearing to have been granted to them at times, by the British Crown,
as results of valorous and chivalrous deeds performed. I am sorry that I cannot
go into more detail about the Fleming Ancestry and the Stamps Ancestry. The
Cockrill's have been prominent in the building of the history of the United
States, from the Revolution to the present time and the Bellingham tree speaks
for itself. More particular incidents that have happened in the two families
will be mentioned later on this book.
[handwritten on bottom:]
Jean - This history of the Bellingham family that my
father mentions several times -- we have not been able to find it, and I have
no idea where it came from.
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