Cockayne Recognized as History Hero
West Virginia Archives and History is pleased to announce that John Cockayne of Gaithersburg, MD, was among those who were recognized as West Virginia History Heroes during a West Virginia History Day which was held at the Culture Center on the Capitol Complex in Charleston. John was nominated by the Cockayne Farmstead of Glen Dale, WV.
A descendant of the land's original Cockayne owner who arrived in present-dayMarshall County in the 1790s, John first visited the farmhouse in 2008. He soon provided critical support that helped achieve the required matching funds for grants to repair the deteriorated building. When Cockayne Farmstead launched an endowment fund in 2023 to work towards long-term sustainability, John was the first substantial contributor, and he made a second contribution the next year. In addition, through his dedication to preserving his family history, John also has collected genealogical information on the family that enhances the house's story and adds to the Cockayne family legacy.
According to the farmhouse's website www.cockaynefarmstead.com, "Owned by the City of Glen Dale and operated through a partnership with the Marshall County Historical Society, the Historic Cockayne Farmstead is a unique historic site unlike any other in Marshall County, West Virginia. The 1850 farmhouse has been described as "frozen in time," with the last major renovation occurring around the turn of the 20th century. The exterior of the house has been restored, but the interior has been preserved in place. The collection inside the house, consisting of only original items amassed by four generations of the Cockayne family, spans the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries ending with the death of the last owner in 2001, and includes over 3000 objects and over 15,000 documents."
West Virginia History Heroes are nominated by historical, genealogical, preservation, museum, patriotic or like organizations from across the state. The purpose of this annual award is to give state-level recognition to individuals chosen for dedicated service on behalf of an organization's programs or for a recent significant contribution to state and local history through research, interpretation, publication, or preservation.
Congratulations, John!