James Cockburn

Citations

1. [S371] New York State Archives, online www.archives.nysed.gov, http://iarchives.nysed.gov/xtf/view?docId=SC7004.xml;query=;brand=default
   Cockburn Family Land Papers: "William Cockburn was born in Berwickshire, Scotland. He immigrated to New York State circa 1761 and settled in kingston, Ulster County. There he married Catherine Trumpbour (also spelled Trumbour and Tremper), 1743-1820, of Palatine German descent. The couple had five children: Alexander, James, William, Christina, and Catherine. Cockburn was employed as a surveyor, land agent, and speculator in Ulster County and worked throughout the state and in Vermont. He employed numerous local surveyors and assistants when working on larger projects. His sons James (1775-1848) and William Jr. (? - 1806) accompanied their father on surveying expeditions, as did his nephew Jacob Trumpbour Jr. John Kiersted Sr. (1786-1862) of Saugerties, N.Y. was a frequent surveyor for the Cockburns and in later years James Cockburn's son Walter A. also participated. Cockburn owned significant tracks of land in Ulster and Greene Counties and in what is now Vermont. He also taught math, Italian drawing, accounting and geography to both men and women. Classes were primarily held in the Cockburn home. Cockburn died in 1810. He and his wife are buried in Mount Marion Cemetery in Saugerties, New York."