Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/714

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COCKE

years of age, when he was employed in a book- store, in which he remained for about ten years, and then entered the University of Glasgow. He emigrated to the United States in 1854, and was graduated at Hanover college, Indiana, in 1857. He studied theology at Princeton, and in February, 1859, was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Madison, Ind., and on 7 June became pastor of the Scotch Presbyterian church, Jersey City, N. J. On 13 May, 18G2, he became pastor of Zion Presbyte- rian church, Brantford, Ontario. In 1864 he re- ceived the degree of M. A. from Hanover college, and in 1875 that of D. D. He is a frequent con- tributor to current literature, and has published four volumes of sermons, "The Heavenly Vision," "Christ and Christian Life," " Warning and Wel- come," and "Future Punishment."


COCK, Thomas, physician, b. in Glen Cove, L. I., in 1782; d. in New York city, 14 June, 1869. He studied medicine in company with Dr. Valen- tine Mott, in the office of Dr. Valentine Seaman, at that time a noted practitioner, whose partner he afterward became. During the epidemic of yellow fever, in 1822, he was untiring in his efforts to overcome the disease ; and again, during the cholera of 1832, his devotion was recognized by the city authorities in the presentation of a ser- vice of silver. In his long career he occupied va- rious places of honor and importance in the pro- fession. He was visiting physician to the New York hospital from 1819 till 1834, and consulting physician after that year ; became a fellow of the College of physicians and surgeons in 1820 ; was its vice-president from 1827 until 1855 ; its president from 1855 till 1858; and president of the New York academy of medicine in 1852. He was also professor of anatomy and physiology in Queen's (now Rutgers) college, N. J., from 1812 till 1826. Dr. Cock was long an active member, and at his death a vice-president, of the American Bible so- ciety. Infirmity and ill health compelled him to retire from practice some years before his death.


COCKBURN, Alexander Peter (ko'-burn), Ca- nadian merchant, b. in Finch, Stormont, Ontario, 7 April, 1837. He was educated in his native town, and became a merchant and forwarder. He repre- sented North Victoria in the Ontario assembly from 1867 till 1871, and has represented Muskoka in the house of commons since 1872. While in parliament he labored successfully to promote a vigorous poli- cy for the development of the northern districts by the construction of railways and roads, in conjunc- tion with a liberal land policy for actual settlers. Since 1865 he has written extensively on the sub- ject. His publications include " A Few Weeks in the North," the " Settler's Guide," and the " Tour- ist's Guide " (1868).


COCKBURN, Sir George, British naval officer, b. in London, 22 April, 1772 ; d. 19 Aug., 1853. He entered the navy in his ninth year, served on the East India, home, and Mediterranean stations, be- coming post-captain in 1795, and was thanked by the house of commons in 1809 for his services as commander of the naval force on shore, in the operations by which Martinique came into the pos- session of Great Britain. In 1811 he was sent on an unsuccessful mission for the reconciliation of Spain and her American colonies. He became a rear-admiral in 1812, and took a conspicuous part in the war with the United States. In April, 1813, he took position with his squadron in Lyini Haven bay, and sent off marauding expeditions in all di- rections to the coasts of Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland. He deprived three villages on the Chesapeake of property worth about f 70,000, laid many towns in ashes, burned farm-houses, and car- ried away live stock and slaves, wiiich were after- ward sold in the West Indies on Cockburn's own account. He took the fortified works at Hampton on 26 June, and in July captured two islands and two small war-vessels in North Carolina. In the latter part of the year he sailed as far as the Georgia coast, plundering as he went. In August, 1814, he accompanied the expedition against the city of Washington, and, in conjunction with Gen. Ross, defeated a small force of Americans at Bladens- burg, Md., four miles from the capital, on the 24th of that month. Cockburn and Ross then entered the city, accompanied by a guard of 200 men, and burned the public buildings and some private prop- erty. Cockburn was concerned in the unsuccessful attempt to capture Baltimore in September, 1814. In 1815 he received the order of the bath, and in the autumn of that year carried Napoleon to St. Helena. He served repeatedly as member of par- liament and as lord of the admiralty, was made admiral of the fleet in 1851, and in 1852 inherited a baronetcv from his brother.


COCKBURN, George Ralph Richardson, Canadian educator, b. in Edinburgh, Scotland, 15 Feb., 1834. He was educated at Edinburgh high school and at the university, where he was graduated in 1857. Subsequently he studied in France and Germany. He ai'rived in Canada in 1858, was soon afterward appointed to the rectorship of the model grammar-school of Upper Canada, and with- in a short time was commissioned to inspect the higher educational institutions of the province. This investigation extended over a period of two years, and its results were given to the public in two reports, in which the condition of the schools and the need of higher educational facilities were set forth. The principal institutions of learning in the United States were then visited by Mr. Cockburn. In 1861 he was appointed principal of Upper Canada college and a member of the senate of Toronto university. Under his management the college has obtained a high reputation for the thoroughness of its teaching. He is a thorough philologist and Latin scholar. In 1887 he was elected to the Dominion parliament for centre Toronto.


COCKBURN, James, Canadian statesman, b. near Berwick, on the Scottish borders, 13 Feb., 1819 ; d. in Ottawa, 14 Ang., 1883, He was edu- cated at the Berwick grammar-school and at Up- per Canada college, studied law, and was admitted to the Upper Canada bar in 1846. He was ap- pointed solicitor-general of Upper Canada and a member of the cabinet in March, 1864, and re- tained those offices until the union in 1867. In November of that year he was unanimously elected first speaker of the Dominion house of commons, and in February, 1872, was chosen speaker of the second parliament. He was a member of the Que- bec confederation conference in 1864. He was a liberal-conservative.


COCKE, John Hartwell, b. in Surry county, Va., 19 Sept., 1780; d. in Fluvanna county, Va., 1 July, 1866. He was graduated at William and Mary in 1798, and was general commanding the Virginia troops at Camp Carter and Camp Holly, on the Chickahominy, in 1812 and 1813, in defence of the city of Richmond. He was vice-president of the American temperance society and of the American colonization society, and a member of the first board of visitors of the University of Virginia.


COCKE, Philip St. George, soldier, b. in Virginia in 1808 ; d. in Powhatan county, Va., 26 Dec, 1861. He was graduated at the U. S. military