JUEL ID/KEY: P43616

John Hartwell Cocke is mentioned several times in the Proctor's Daybook, in entries that describe his role as overseer: he was paid by the university for the hire of the slaves Charles (P47524), "6 boys" (anon0051) (P47526), and Peter (P47525), in 1823. 

His association with the university and slavery was more in-depth than merely being an overseer, however, as can be seen in perusal of his papers (for digitized manscripts, see John Hartwell Cocke Papers). He was a long-standing member of the Board of Visitors, serving from 1825 to 1851, and aided in the construction of the University in the 1820s. Documents from 1825 show his purchasing land near the university: a deed dated 8 March 1825 notes his purchase of property from the freed person of colour, Robert Battles (P47363), and, later, his interest in property owned by the freedman Stephen Coram (P47365). A later entry in the Faculty Minutes (session 13), 1837, mentions his owning a house (PL9353) in the vicinity of the university (on a road from Charlottesville), in which resided a "colored woman," ANON0057 (P47880) who reported disorderly conduct by a group of students who broke panes of glass (see full account here).

Cocke was also involved in the sale and capture of slaves. 

PRIMARY SOURCE INFORMATION 

1. References to the Individual in the JUEL Digitized Transcripts

(Links below are to JUEL's full-text digital transcripts of primary sources that refer to the individual. If no links display, this indicates that either the JUEL digitized texts have not yet been tagged with the individual's ID/Key, or, that no reference is made to the individual in any JUEL digitized texts, or, that the primary source has not yet been digitized).   

Digitized manuscripts: John Hartwell Cocke Papers

Robert Battles and John Hartwell Cocke Deed March 8, 1825 

Proctor's Daybook=NOT YET DIGITIZED 

Faculty Minutes, April 25, 1837, Session 13

2. Library Call Numbers/Bibliographic Records

Proctor's Daybook [Manuscript], 1821-1828. Special Collections, University of Virginia Library. RG-5/3/2.102

Minutes of the General Faculty. University of Virginia Library. Call Number: RG-19/1/2.041 v.1-4

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