Hi Sandra,
,
You and Dobby helped me a while back when I was researching my ancestor Matthew Cockcroft, who left England as a soldier and eventually settled in Ireland. I have finally found a document that I think links the Matthew born in Illingworth in 1762 to my ancestor who ended up in County Down. I also believe that my branch of the Cockcroft family from Ovenden is connected to yours in the following manner:
Matthew -- born 1762- father is Joshua according to the birth record (siblings are Betty born 1757, Isaac born 1760, Joshua born 1766)
Joshua - The only Joshua I can find born in the Ovenden area during the right time is the one born in 1731 to a John. I believe this Joshua is the one who is buried in the grave #250 or 251, that you mentioned earlier in this thread. That Joshua mentioned on the gravestone (who is said to be the grandson of John born in 1659) died at age 70 in 1801, which matches perfectly with the Joshua born in 1731. Furthermore, I think that Matthew's sister Betty is really the Patty buried in the same grave in 1760 (age 3) and his brother Isaac is also buried there in 1760 at the age of 1)
John - I can't find the birth record for a John around 1690-1710 in the right area, however, you reference a John who marries a Sarah (born 1696) and is relocated with his family....including Joshua....from Spotland to Ovenden. I think this John could be the brother of your Joshua born in 1685. They would both be the offspring of the John born 1659 and died 1717.
I'm still trying to figure out why my Matthew mentioned that his family originated in the Flamborough/Bridlington area but I have a hunch. If our Cockcroft family originated in the Wadsworth area could it be possible that they are linked to the famous Caleb Cockcroft who married Elizabeth Oxenbridge and died in London in around 1645? In his will, that Caleb left money to the poor men in Heptonstall and Wadsworth, so he may have been born in that area. I've seen mention of a Caleb born to a Caleb in London in 1636. I'm wondering what became of this second Caleb. Perhaps he went to the Flamborough area at some point. Since the elder Caleb (who married Elizabeth Oxenbridge) was a Merchant Adventurer, he would have been connected with shipping, so his son could have gone to a coastal town like Flamborough. Plus there is at least one Caleb born in Flamborough in the 1700s. It's a long shot, but one that I'm now trying to research!
