Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Cocke and related families Papers, Accession 2433-y, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

These copies of Cocke family letters were given to the Library by Mr. John Page Elliott of Charlottesville, Virginia, on January 5, 1990.

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This collection consists of ten electrostatic copies of letters, 1858-1859, and 1874, from Edward Troye (1808-1874), to General John Hartwell Cocke (1780-1866), Dr. Cary Charles Cocke (1814-1888), and John Bowdoin Cocke (1836-1889), and from Philip St. George Cocke (1809-1861) to John Hartwell Cocke , and Dr. Cary Charles Cocke .

Most of these letters pertain to the commission of Edward Troye to paint an equestrian portrait of General John Hartwell Cocke in military dress of the War of 1812 period and seated on his horse Roebuck.

The letters discuss Troye's suggestion of a pose on horseback and his plans to do the work (1858 Nov 18 & 19); Troye's suggestion of painting Cocke in military dress and on horseback as his favorite style, and includes the possibility of painting the horses, Roebuck and Cleaveland (1858 Nov 21); Charles' desire to have a painting done of Roebuck and his agreement with the plans for a military costume on horseback (1858 Nov 22); arrangements to recreate a costume from the War of 1812 period with historical accuracy, mention of Philip St. George Cocke 's Silver Creek property, the Skipwith land, the failure of his cotton crop, and his expectation of seeing Troye and General Cocke at Belmead (1858 Dec 1); the progress of the portraits, with the painting of Roebuck nearly finished and the portrait of General Cocke just begun (1859 Jan 19); the Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors meeting and Troye's plans to rough out the portrait of Cocke at present and to finish it in the spring (1859 Jan 23); Troye's progress on the portrait and Philip's desire for his brother to see it before long (1859 Feb 5); and a sale of horses and the mention of Keene Richards of Georgetown, Kentucky , one of Troye's chief patrons whom he accompanied to the Holy Land and Arabia in the 1850's (1874 Jun 30).