Anne Robertson Johnson Cockrill
| Anne Robertson Johnson Cockrill | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 10, 1757 Wake County, North Carolina |
| Died |
October 13, 1821 Tennessee |
Resting place | Nashville City Cemetery |
| Occupation | Landowner |
| Spouse(s) | John Cockrill |
| Relatives | James Robertson (brother) |
Anne Robertson Johnson Cockrill (1757–1821) was an American pioneer. She became the first woman to receive a land grant in Tennessee.
Biography
Early life
Anne Robertson Johnson Cockrill was born on February 10, 1757 in Wake County, North Carolina.[1][2] Her brother, James Robertson (1742-1814), founded Fort Nashborough alongside John Donelson (1718–1785).
Adult life
She moved to Fort Watauga in North Carolina.[2][3] Later, she moved to Fort Caswell.[3] When it was attacked by Native Americans, she led a group of women to throw boiling water at them and keep them away.[1][3]
Together with her brother and John Donelson, she was one of the first pioneers to go down the Cumberland River to Tennessee.[3] In 1784, she received a land grant from the North Carolina legislature; she was the first woman in this position.[1][3] Her land, then known as Cockrill Springs, was situated on what is now Centennial Park in Nashville, Tennessee, near the campus of Vanderbilt University.[1][3] There is now a monument in her memory there.[3]
Personal life
Her first husband was a justice of the peace in the Washington District of East Tennessee.[2][3] After he died, she moved to Tennessee and married John Cockrill in 1784.[1][2][3] They had eight children.[1][3]
She died on October 13, 1821 in Tennessee.[1] She was buried in the Nashville City Cemetery.[1][3]