Luther G. Cockerill

As printed in 1914

LUTHER G. COCKERILL.

Among the enterprising, progressive and successful farmers of L'nion tCAvnship, Fayette county, Ohio, is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch. This family)- name is one which is associated with the earliest history of this county and the bearers of this name have ever been among the leading citizens of this locality. Mr. Cockerill resides on his fami of two hundred and ten acres of land, splendidly located on the Greenfield pike about three miles from Washington C. H. He also owns one himdred and sixty-one acres located just south of his home place and his entire possessions bear ready witness to his progressive agricultural method and his business ability.

Luther G. Cockerill first saw the light of day on November 20. 1873, in Perry township, this county, being the son of Jacob S. and Hannah (Limes)

Cocker ill. Jacob Cockerill was also a native of Perry township, born in 1839, the son of Thomas and Sylvitha (Cochran) Cockerill. Thomas was born in 1812 or 1813 and was one of the first white children born in the state of Ohio. Luther, the immediate subject of this sketch, was one of a family of ten children, being the fifth in the order of birth. The others are: Oney, who became the wife of John King; Settle, Mrs. Patton; Augusta, Mrs. Haines; Elmer, who resides on the family home place in Perry township; Walter; Fletcher, deceased; Laura, Mrs. Rodgers; Daisy, and Ernest, also a resident of Perry township.

Mr. Cockerill received his elementary education in the district schools near the home in Perry township, later taking a more advanced house in the university at Ada, Ohio. From the time he was a small boy, and later on during vacation periods, he assisted the father in the work about the home farm and in this way early acquired a practical knowledge of agriculture. After finishing his schooling and desiring to start out in life for himself, he rented a tract of land from his father, which he tilled for two years. About that time he was married and for nine years after marriage he rented land from his father-in-law. Marion Parrott. His first purchase consisted of one hundred and fort-eight acres, which he so managed as to make it pay for itself in a remarkably short time. Mr. Cockerill has the reputation of being one of the best farmers of the community- and in the conduct of his business he employs only such methods as have been approved by long usage or by experiments along scientific lines. He has attained a most gratifying degree of success, quite commensurate with the thought and energy he has brought to bear in his undertaking".

On November 12, 1899, Mr. Cockerill was united in marriage with IMaud McVey-Parrott, daughter of Ir'in and Alsina (Zimmerman) McVey and legally adopted daughter of Marion and Hulda (Wright) Parrott. Her own parents were farmers of this county and the father saw active service during the Civil W'ar, being a member of the Ninetieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. They were the parents of ten children. Mrs. Cockerill being the youngest of the family. Ida, the eldest, is dead; Ina is Mrs. Hyman DeBruin; Turner resides in Cincinnati, Ohio; Minnie is Mrs. Charles Shaw; May is deceased: William resides in St. Joseph, Missouri, as does also Grant; Frank has long been a resident of Iowa and Charles is located at Dallas, Texas. When Mrs. Cockerill was only one year old the mother of this large and growing family died and one year later the father passed into the great beyond. This left their large family entirely on their own resources, most of them being of a helpless age, and in this way the children became scattered practically all over the country. Mrs. Cockerill, the baby of the family, found a place in the hearts and home of Marion Parrott and was reared as their own child.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.