Midtown in Nashville in Davidson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Ann Robertson Cockrill

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 21, 2026

1. Ann Robertson Cockrill Marker

Inscription. Ann Robertson Cockrill was one of the first settlers to arrive in the Nashville area. She joined her brother, Nashville founder James Robertson, in 1780, traveling from the Watauga settlement by way of the Holston, Tennessee, Ohio, and Cumberland Rivers. In 1784, she became the only woman among the Cumberland settlers to receive a land grant in her name, and married John Cockrill. She built a home near Cockrill Spring and helped establish a community through her work as a teacher.

By the early 19th century, Cockrill Spring gained regional significance as a point of refreshment along the Natchez Trace. At that time the Trace was a crucial overland route that many boatmen used to travel home to the Nashville area after floating their wares downriver to markets in Natchez, Mississippi and beyond. Many features in Centennial Park, including Cockrill Spring, Lake Watauga, and the James Robertson Memorial, bear names that refer to the pioneer legacy of Ann Robertson Cockrill and her family.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1780.

Location. 36° 8.766′ N, 86° 48.657′ W. Marker is in Nashville, Tennessee, in Davidson County. It is in Midtown.

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It can be reached from the intersection of West End Avenue and 27th Ave N, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2611 West End Ave, Nashville TN 37203, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Ann Robertson Cockrill (here, next to this marker); Cockrill Spring (a few steps from this marker); Natchez Trace (within shouting distance of this marker); The Parthenon (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Anne Dallas Dudley (about 500 feet away); Lieutenant James Simmons Timothy (about 600 feet away); Dudley Field / Vanderbilt Stadium (about 700 feet away); The Old Woman's Home (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nashville.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 21, 2026

2. Ann Robertson Cockrill Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 23, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 47 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 23, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.