University of Virginia Library

Introduction
by Brendan Coleman

Louisiana Barraud Cocke was born June 24th 1806 and died December 29, 1829. Because she died at twenty three years old there is not much known about her life. She came from a prominent family in Fluvanna County, Virginia. The Cocke's lived in a plantation that was known as Bremo. It was designed and constructed by her father John Hartwell Cocke (1780-1866) and generations of Cockes had lived and would live on this land.

John Hartwell Cocke was Fluvanna County's most prominent citizen. He has been the subject of many studies regarding his progressive farming practices, leadership in the Temperance movement, enlightened views on slavery, involvement with the building of the James's River Canal, and his emphasis on education. He was one of the founders of the University of Virginia and a member of the first Board of Visitors. He also served in the War of 1812, attaining the rank of Brigadier General. While Cocke was interested in national and state affairs, he repeatedly refused political office except in his own county. He served on the County Court of Justices for nearly two decades, was Commissioner of Roads, and was appointed to many other Commissions.[1]

This diary and exercise book is very interesting to examine because it shows two very distinct parts of life of a 13 year old girl from such a prominent family. The first section of this diary is an exercise that began on December 24th, 1819. The point of this exercise is to explain the lineage of the English monarchy from Ethelbert of Kent c.562 AD. All the way down to the beginning of Richard I's reign in 1199. The lineage is sometimes hard to follow and there is a table included at this site listing all the kings she deals with and the dates that go along with them. This section of the document is important because it implies that even in 1819, some 43 years after the colonies declared independence from Great Britain, English history was still the main focus for children's education in the families of the middle/upper class. It is also somewhat entertaining to read as Louisiana mixes historical fact and legends and records them both with equal weight.

The second section of the diary, beginning on page 28, is titled "Routine of Duties" and shows a shift in Louisiana's recording habits. For the next six weeks, or so, the exercise book turns into more of a journal, with references to where she is in English history. She begins each entry recounting what she did that day, and just mentions a few facts about the king she happens to be studying. This section allows the reader to get an idea of what the day to day life was like for this young lady, not just a view of her history studies.

Life on Bremo for the children seems to have been very structured. Each day Louisiana seems to wake up at the same time, and go through the same routine. She studies geography and French as well as English history. She also seems to be compelled to oversee the education of two of the other young children who live at Bremo. Although not all of them cooperate with her.

This group of exercise and notes is very useful for us to see first hand into the day to day routine and educational curriculum of 19th century family that played a very important role in the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia. John Hartwell Cocke was influential in many ways, including helping to establish one of America's finest Universities. This document lets us see a more personal side to the man's educational standards, those that he held his children to.