On The Trail of - Colonel CHARLES COCKE
 
LIFE ALONG THE CRIPPLE CREEK (1772-1778)
 
The land around Cripple Creek is relatively flat, with rolling hills and farms, including dairy farms.
1756-1776  
Westward Expansion Fort Chiswell [Chisel] was along the New River.  William Martin, son of General Joseph Martin, indicates that the early settlements west of the New River extended about 100 miles straight west:

The French War being over & the Indians at peace, the frontier, which had long been pent up by the war, began to expand. From this point, Ft Chisel, westward, there was a pretty open country, varying in width from 30 to 80 miles for a great distance, (bordered on each side N. & S. by mountainous regions) a good deal of which is now comprised within the counties of Wythe and Washington Va. and Sullivan - Washington and Carter Tenn. Within this region, emigration began, and continued to flow, slowly (once in a while interrupted by Indian wars) & until the outbreak of the Revolution. At this time, the settlements had advanced to the neighborhood of the Long Island of Holston, and formed a kind of peninsula, more than 100 miles from Ft. Chisel.

It may be remarked, that, at this time, there were no settlements to the N. or S. of this whole bounds, except there an there a squatter to hunt etc. Thus isolated, and the war coming on (all the western Indians taking part with the enemy,) they, the Indians, commenced and continued, with short intervals, as desolating war, on those frontiers, for many years. History has told something of those wars, but not one fourth of the suffering and privations. The prowess and daring of these people never can be told. Finding themselves thus situated, far removed from succor, owing to the claims the Government had on all its resources, to support the war against the common enemy they were obligated, of necessity, to rely on themselves alone for protection, annoyed as they were by the Cherokees (then a powerful people, on their front & south quarter) and by the Shawnees and other tribes, no less powerful, on their north. They finally sustained themselves. This was a remarkable race of men, generally poor, but of the enterprising, chivalrous description, and well fitted for the occasion on which, from circumstances, they were called to act. Every man considered himself a soldier - had his horse and his rifle, which he knew well how to use. Always ready to join at short notice, his fellow on any emergency. This was general, all having a common interest, and that the most vital, their homes, their families, and every thing most dear to man.

* * *

One body of them lived immediately on the Tenn. River, south side, say 50 miles up and down. These were called the Lower Settlements. East of them, some 50 miles, and beyond the Unica or great Smoky mountain, commenced the Valley Towns or middle settlements. Beyond this valley, pretty wide, going E., there is a range of hilly, broken country, say 20 miles, was another Settlement, called Over Hills. Thus were they, at the time referred to, located and denominated. These later resided on Tugalo & Senica rivers, and more than 100 miles from East to West, and perhaps 50 or 60 from North to South. These three divisions, altogether, were powerful in numbers, and well skilled in the arts of Savage warfare.

* * *

And I believe, that all the outbreaks of the Cherokees, after Christian's Campaign of 1776, might be traced to the intrusions of the whites.

[Letter dated 7/7/1842 from William Martin to Lyman Draper, Draper Manuscripts, 3 XX [Tennessee Papers] 4]

1772  
Botetourt County, Virginia Charles Cocke first appears in the 1772 List for Captain Herbert's Military District. At the time, this District was in Botetourt County. We know this is our Charles Cocke because, in his Pension Application, he states that he served under Captain Herbert at the Battle of Point Pleasant. It is likely that, like his father-in-law John Ewing, he was living along the Cripple Creek, which is west of the New River and now in Wythe County, Virginia.
1773  
Fincastle County, Virginia In 1773, Fincastle County was formed from Botetourt County. In 1773, Charles and Ellender Cocke appeared as witnesses for Samuel Newell in the Fincastle County Court, for which they were compensated in tobacco. Both Charles Cocke and Samuel Newell's brother James Newell, Jr. appear in the 1772 List for Captain Herbert's Military District and earlier records indicate that the Cocke and Newell families lived near each other in Lunenburg County in 1750. So it is not surprising that Charles would appear as a witness on behalf of Samuel Newell.
1775  
Visiting the Blackwater Creek In a deposition made in 1811, Charles indicated that, in 1775, he was on the East Fork of the Blackwater Creek, a Branch of the Clinch River. The present town of Blackwater is located to the southeast of Jonesville, in what is now Lee County, Virginia. Unfortunately, the deposition does not indicate whether he was living there, or just visiting. Like his father-in-law, John Ewing, Charles may have continued to live in Cripple Creek, while attempting to claim land further west.
1776-1778  
Montgomery County, Virginia In 1776, Fincastle County ceased to exist. The Cripple Creek area became part of Montgomery County. Charles Cocke apparently continued to live in this area during the first half of the revolution. On 13 Sep 1777, he took the oath of loyalty in Montgomery County. According to his Pension Application, he served in the Company of Captain Henry Francis. This Company was composed of men from along Cripple Creek. Although Charles Cocke later moved further west, John Ewing remained in Montgomery County and his will was probated there in 1788. In 1790, the Cripple Creek area became part of Wythe County, which was created from Montgomery County.
 
SOURCE DOCUMENTS
 
1771 List of Tithables in the Company of William Herbert
Fincastle County, Virginia Elisah Wallin [the longhunter]
William Bobbet
William Cox
Robert Osborn
Joseph Wallin
John Coxs
Jonathan Osburn
Benjamin Price
Abraham Price
George Ewings
James Newell, Jr.
Enoch Osborn
Samuel Ewings
Henry Francis
Joseph Dunkin (?)
George Heard
James Ewings
Luck Woods
George Reeves
F. B. Kegley & Mary B. Kegley, "Early Adventurers on Western Waters", Vol. 3, pp. 276-277
 
1772 List of Tithables in the Company of William Herbert
Fincastle County, Virginia Abraham Price
Benjamin Price
David Cocks
Enoch Osburn
Charles Cocke
George Ewings
James Cockes
Efrom Osborn
George Reeves
George Heard
James Newell
James Blevins
Stephen Osborn, Sr.
James Ewings
John Cocks
Joseph Wallin
Samuel Ewings
Stephen Osborn, Jr.
William Bobbet
Michael Woods
Luck Woods
Valentine Vanhouser
William Cocks
F. B. Kegley & Mary B. Kegley, "Early Adventurers on Western Waters", Vol. 3, pp. 277-278
 
8 Sep 1773 Payment of Witness Fee
Fincastle County, Virginia

At a Court continued and held for Fincastle County, the eighth day of September one thousand seven hundred and seventy-three:
Samuel Newell v. Evan Williams (Trespass)
Ordered that Saml. Newell do pay unto Chas. Cooke seventy pounds of Tob. for three daies attendance at this Court as a witness for him against Evan Williams.
Ordered that Saml. Newell do pay unto Eleoner Cocke on hundred pounds of Tob. for four daies attendance at this court as a witness for him against Evan Williams.

L. P. Summers, "Annals of Southwest Virginia, Fincastle County", pp. 614-615
 
1775 Deposition of Charles Cocke in the Case of McKenney vs. Preston, O. S. 308; N. S. 110:
Virginia

The Deposition of Charles Cocke of the age of 60 years and Jacob Hooser of the age of Sixty one years taken at the house of Roger Oats in Wayne County and State of Kentucky on the Eighth day of June Eighteen Hundred and Eleven . . .
The Deponent Cocke after being duly sworn Deposeth and Saith that Sometime in the year 1775 he was on Blackwater it being a North Branch of Clinch River at Thomas Ausborn's improvement and he saw Andrew Cowan there at work at Sd Ausborn and the Sd Cowan told him that his improvement was Joining that Sd Ausborn's improvement rather below and on the East fork of Blackwater . . .

Original on file at Augusta County Courthouse, Staunton, Virginia
 
1777 List of People Taking the Loyalty Oath - John Montgomery
Montgomery County, Virginia

The names of those persons within the District to which I was appointed to administer the Oath of Allegiance and fidelity those who have taken said oath are as followeth, to wit:
Sept. 6, 1777
James Newell Senior
Samuel Drake
John Newell
William Newell
Septr. 13, 1777
George Ewing
Samuel Ewing, Junr.
James Ewing
John Ewing, Junr.
Charles Cock
Given under my hand and seal This 14th Day Feb. 1778
John Montgomery
The Clerk of Montgomery Court

F. B. Kegley & Mary B. Kegley, "Early Adventurers on Western Waters", Vol. 1, p. 148
 
1778 List of People Taking the Loyalty Oath - John Montgomery
Montgomery County, Virginia

To the Cleark of Montgomery county, the names of the persons whoe have Taken the oath of fidelity to the State from March ye 2d, 1778 in my District:
March 3d, 1778
Jno. Ewing

F. B. Kegley & Mary B. Kegley, "Early Adventurers on Western Waters", Vol. 1, p. 148