Hello Louie Major,
I'm so excited to hear of your interest in the Cockcroft family of Ireland. I think I've uncovered strong evidence that my line of Cockcrofts hail from Ovenden, England. The earliest relative that we have learned of through family legend, is Matthew Cockcroft, who supposedly came from England to Ireland in the late 1790s as a member of the York Fencibles. I've uncovered a birth record for him in Ovenden, a marriage certificate to a woman named Hannah Farnell and a court paper in which Hannah states that her husband is a soldier who has been serving in Ireland for three years.
The Matthew who I think is my relative was born in 1762 to a Joshua. I believe his mother was Betty Rothney, because his only sister is named Betty and there is a marriage certificate for them. He also had a brother named Isaac, however, I've come to find out that Isaac died as a child. I now think the Isaac who served alongside Matthew in Ireland is his cousin. (It appears as though Joshua had a brother, who was born in 1732 and is also named Matthew. That brother had a son named Isaac.)
Thanks to one of Sandra's posts, I believe we've identified the grave of Matthew's father, Joshua, his sister Betty (listed as Patty in the inscription) as well as a previously unknown brother named Thomas. If you look at grave 250 and 251 in Sandra's "where are they buried" post, you'll see what I mean.
Based on the info from the grave stones and some of the family trees on Ancestry.com, I think the family tree for my branch goes something like this:
1st generation: Jonathan - born 1636 - married Judith Briggs
2nd generation: John - born 1662 in Ovenden - married a woman named Mary - he died in 1717 and is buried in grave 250
3rd generation: John - can't find his birth record but he married a Sarah (1696-1765) who is also buried in grave 250 - there is a relocation order for the family on line at the yorkshire historical society's website.
4th generation: Joshua born 1731 - married either Betty Rothney or Mary Pickles, could have been both if Betty died shortly after marriage
5th generation: Matthew born 1762 - married Hannah Farnell and had 5 children - Jacob - 1786, Sarah - 1788, Betty - 1790, John - 1792, and Sally - 1793
Matthew probably went to Ireland around 1794 or 1795. Hannah had another child back in England with another man, so there may have been a divorce. Matthew remarried in Ireland and had either 2 or 3 children...Robert, Matilda, and possibly a Jane.
I'm sorry I've gone on and on..... I hope the above information is correct, but there are a few gaps and there could possibly be errors. I'd love to learn more about your Cockcroft family!
