COCKE COUNTY, TN 1860 FEDERAL CENSUS http://ftp.us-census.org/pub/usgenweb/census/xtn/cocke/1860/ Copyright (c) 2008 by Don Robbins VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV USGENWEB (US-CENSUS) NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================== NON-Std Formatting by USGenWeb Census Project® File Manager, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: Prepared by Donald Robbins Transcription aid by Betty Hawley Checked by D. K. Robbins submitted to the USGenWeb Census Project® http://www.us-census.org/ October 20, 2008 Census Sheet's Format ------------------------------- Census Sheet Header Information ------------------------------- Each Census Sheet consists of 40 lines. The Header information contains a place for the Date of entry, Post Office, The County Name (Cocke) and the name of the recorder of the information. ------------------------------- Census Sheet Detail information ------------------------------- Column 1 - Dwelling - houses numbered in the order of visitation Column 2 - Families, numbered in the order of visitation Column 3 - The name of every person whose usual place of abode on the first day of June, 1860 was in this family Column 4 - Age Column 5 - Sex Column 6 - Color, White, Black or Mulatto or Indian Column 7 - Profession, Occupation or Trade of each person, male and female, over 15 years of age Column 8 - Value of Real Estate Column 9 - Value of Personal Estate Column 10 - Place of Birth, Naming the State, Territory, or Country Column 11 - Married within the year Column 12 - Attended School within the year Column 13 - Person over 20 who could not read or write Column 14 - Whether deaf & dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict In the interest of getting the information transcribed to an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet, some adjustments were made in the format of the transcription. A new line was created, which contains the Page Number and Line Number that the information was transcribed from. The Surname is in Caps, along with the date of the census page, the census district, the Post Office, and the information from Column 1 and Column 2. The information from Columns 11, 12, 13 was encoded following the Column 10 information, Place of Birth. The encoding is: M, for married within the year, S, for attending school within the year, and I, for illiterate for a check in Column 13 for persons over 20 who could not read or write. The information from Column 14 is added, as is, to the person's line. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The information for the 1860 Census for Cocke County consists of 240 pages. The information for Cocke County is on Microfilm Reel M653-1244 COUNTS The Dwellings in Cocke County are numbered from 1 to 1728 There are 1728 families in this grouping. Number of White Males 4980 Number of White Females 4968 Number of Black Males 20 Number of Black Females 15 Number of Mulatto Males 3 Number of Mulatto Females 7 Number of Students 1927 Number of Illiterates 965 Number of Married 122 in the last year PLACES OF BIRTH Tennessee 7942 North Carolina 1052 South Carolina 239 Virginia 213 Georgia 29 Kentucky 11 Pennsylvania 9 Scot 8 Engl. 7 Maryland 7 Indiana 6 Mass. 4 Illinois 2 Ireland 2 Miss 1 DC 1 OCCUPATIONS Alphabetically Bapt Min 7 Black Smith 25 Brick Layer 3 clerk 4 Cabinent Maker 5 Carpenter 22 Chair Maker 2 Ckt Clrk 1 Cnty Clrk 2 Colleting official 1 Cooper 3 Dept Sheriff 1 Distiller 2 Farm Laborer 16 Farmer 965 Field Hand 1 Fisher 1 Fortune Teller 1 Fox Hunter 1 Grocer 4 Gun Smith 1 Hunter 2 Laborer 1084 Lawyer 4 Lutheran Min 1 Lutheran Min 1 Mail Rider 1 Mechanic 1 Merchant 19 Meth Min 2 Milking 1 Mill Wright 1 Miller 17 Musician 1 none 8 Painter 1 Physician 8 Pres Min 3 student 2 Saddler 6 Sawyer 1 Seamstress 1 Sheriff 1 Shoe Maker 8 Slay Maker 1 Spinster 2 Stock Driver 1 Tailor 3 Tayloress 1 Teacher 12 Tobacconist 1 Trader 3 Wagon Maker 5 Wheel Wright 2 OCCUPATIONS by frequency Laborer 1084 Farmer 965 Black Smith 25 Carpenter 22 Merchant 19 Miller 17 Farm Laborer 16 Teacher 12 none 8 Physician 8 Shoe Maker 8 Bapt Min 7 Saddler 6 Wagon Maker 5 Cabinent Maker 5 clerk 4 Grocer 4 Lawyer 4 Brick Layer 3 Cooper 3 Pres Min 3 Tailor 3 Trader 3 Chair Maker 2 Cnty Clrk 2 Distiller 2 Hunter 2 Lutheran Min 2 Meth Min 2 student 2 Spinster 2 Wheel Wright 2 Ckt Clrk 1 Colleting official 1 Dept Sheriff 1 Field Hand 1 Fisher 1 Fortune Teller 1 Fox Hunter 1 Gun Smith 1 Mail Rider 1 Mechanic 1 Milking 1 Mill Wright 1 Musician 1 Painter 1 Sawyer 1 Seamstress 1 Sheriff 1 Slay Maker 1 Stock Driver 1 Tayloress 1 Tobacconist 1 INFIRMITIES blind 10 deaf & dumb 4 dumb 1 idiotic 26 insane 2 Transcriber's notes: The census taker in Cocke County was: W. T. MORRIS Cocke County History (From Goodspeed's History of TN and the Encyclopedia of Tennessee History) Once part of North Carolina, and the State of Franklin, Tennessee officially became a State June 1, 1796. Cocke County was established on October 9, 1797 from a part of Jefferson County, Tennessee. Jefferson County was established in 1792 from a part of Greene County, Tennessee. Greene County was established in 1783 from a part of Washington County, first of North Carolina, then Tennessee. Cocke County took it's name from William Cocke, one of the two first US senators from the State of Tennessee, and a friend and nominated representative of John Sevier who became Governor. William Cocke was also a Revolutionary War Soldier who helped write the first state constitution. From Ramsey's Annals of Tennessee, the first settlement of Cocke County was in the spring of 1783 when James Gilleland cleared cane from a tract of ground in the Fork of the French Broad and Big Pigeon Rivers at the mouth of the latter, and cultivated it in corn, but no cabin was built at that time. This was followed by the location and clearing of land adjoining William Coleman, where the first cabin was built on the bank of (the Agiqua) French Broad River. This became the basis of the settlement of the Big Pigeon and French Broad Rivers. These first men were Primitive Baptists . This area had four forts: William Whitner's; Abraham McKay's; Wood's & John Huff's. In the Jefferson County census taken in 1795, which included current Cocke and Sevier Counties at that time, were a total of 7,840 persons, including 1,706 free white males 16 years and up, 2,225 free white males age less than 16 years, 3,021 white females, 776 slaves and 112 other free persons. The first County Court was held in the Daniel Adam's home. The county seat was later located on fifty acres of donated land given by John Gilliland Jr. This town was then named New Port. This land was especially for the purpose of erecting a court house, a prison with stocks, and laying out a town to consist of one half acre lots with proper streets and alleys. This generous donation ended a long debate of where the county seat would be located. The log courthouse was finished soon afterward. The second courthouse was a brick building built in 1828. After the Cincinnati, Cumberland Gap, and Charleston Railroad came to Cocke County in 1867 another debate arose about where the county seat should be located. After much discussion, another move, and a vote, Clifton (now Newport) was decided upon. The old New Port became known as Oldtown. Major Thomas Gorman had offered the new site. The first courthouse in Clifton burned on December 31, 1876. It is said that some courthouse workers stayed late at their tasks. Before they left, they cleaned the stove and laid a fire for the next morning. They put the wood ashes in a wooden box and went home. These ashes may have started the fire. Agriculture was and still is the county's largest business. The lush fertile ground provides a prime place for growing tobacco, corn and other vegetables. The views of the Great Smoky Mountains, the rivers and streams, and these fertile fields of crops make Cocke County one of the most picturesque areas of East Tennessee. Dairy Farms and Beef Cattle are another prime source of income for farmers in Cocke County. The county also produces more apples than any other County in Tennessee. In the 1800's, John Stokely founded a family owned produce company. This later became Stokely-Van Camp Company and is now Quaker Oats. During the Civil War, Cocke County, like other counties in East Tennessee, saw brothers against brothers and neighbors against neighbors. Each stood in the beliefs of which they were raised. Religion has always been a big part of the lives of the people of Cocke County. The first church in the county was organized December 6, 1787, at the home of James English. This church was the Big Pigeon (Primitive)Baptist Church. Other churches of other denominations also established themselves early in Cocke County. The Methodists and the Lutherans came soon after the Baptists. Parrottsville is the second largest town in the county and one of the oldest communities in the state. It was started by a group of German immigrants in the 1780's Cocke County has beautiful scenic views and abundance of water and hiking areas which make it a must for nature lovers. A visitor to the county can feel the presence of it's first settlers, who worked hard to clear the forest and build homes for their families. This is a county rich in history. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - THE STORY TELLERS We are the chosen. My feelings are, in each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know, and approve. To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family you would be proud of us? How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say. It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do? It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers. That, is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones. Author unknown The 1860 Census or Lots of Questions Answered The 1860 Census lists a dwelling number and family number and each sheet lists the county as well as town and post office name. Questions answered on the 1860 census include, name, age and sex of each individual; color, occupation, value of real and personal property; birthplace, whether married within the year (m.y.), whether attended school, can read or write and the date of the enumeration. Also included are boxes to indicate if an individual was a pauper or convict. Here is an article published in 1859 about the upcoming 1860 census: Friday September 23, 1859 Weekly Star THE NEXT CENSUS The year 1860 is the time appointed for taking the eighth census of the United States. From having been originally a simple enumeration's of persons, this Federal census has grown to be a decennial register of the number of inhabitants and their occupation, religious denominations & c, and also a statement of the commerce, manufacturers, arts and industry, and the wealth of the nation. The collection of these statistics has hitherto been attended with immense labor and difficulty. The inquiries of the census takers have not only been baffled by the stupidity and perverseness and ignorance of many to whom they were addressed; but it has been impossible to obtain accurate information upon important subjects because the parties; who alone are presumed capable of imparting it, have never taken the trouble to inform themselves. It often occurs that, in the absence of the head of a family no other member of it is able to give the information required; for instance as to the ages of the different members or it, or the amount of land in cultivation, the number of negroes and their ages, the quantity and value of horses, mules and oxen, etc., or of farming implements or farm products. In town and country similar difficulties are continually met with by the marshals appointed to collect these statistics, and the census is consequently returned incomplete. It is probably that while care will be observed to prevent any frauds or excess in the publication of the next census, it will be ordered by Congress to be taken so as to include all the most important items of information in regard to the progress of our population and our country. In view of this contingency the Nashville News very sensibly suggest that each farmer, this fall , as he gathers his crops, shall keep something like an accurate account of the quality and value of the same; and if he will take the trouble to make out a statement of the names and ages of his family; the number and ages of his servants, the number and value of his horses and mules; the number of bales of cotton, barrels of corn, bushels of wheat, oats, rye, barley, potatoes, etc., and leave it in some place where any member of the family, who may be at home when the deputy marshal shall call, can readily get hold of it, it will save time to all concerned, and very greatly assist to make the census return perfect, complete and satisfactory.