NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG4254.AM: Mead-Cockrell Family
Papers: 1876-1974, n.d.; mostly 1881-1950
Chadron, Dawes County and Omaha, Douglas County, Neb.: Settlers
Size: 0.5 cu.ft.; 1 box
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Elbert and Georgia (Hilbert) Mead, natives of Charles Town, West Virginia, settled in Chadron, Dawes County, Nebraska in 1886. Mr. Mead operated hardware, undertaking, and furniture businesses in Chadron until around 1910 when the family moved to Omaha. Their son Frank died at Camp Sheridan, Illinois in October 1918, a victim of the flu epidemic. Georgia Mead died in Omaha on July 30, 1932. Elbert Mead died in Omaha on December 27, 1949. The Meads were survived by a daughter, Regina.
Georgia Mead’s sister was Regina (Hilbert) Cockrell, who married David S. Cockrell on March 17, 1884. Like the Meads, the Cockrells were natives of Charles Town, West Virginia. Apparently, the Cockrells moved to Chadron prior to the arrival of the Meads, as they homesteaded east of Chadron in 1885. David had been trained in carpentry by his father and had been in northwest Nebraska as early as 1876, helping to build the Pine Ridge Agency. He was also involved in the freighting business. Moving to the city of Chadron in 1892, Cockrell assisted in the building of the courthouse, the high school, and a local hotel. He died while working on a construction project in Lost Cabin, Wyoming, on January 19, 1901.
After David’s death, Regina supported herself by operating a novelty store from 1908 until her death on March 13, 1930. She was survived by her daughter, Ruth M. Cockrell, at that time an instructor in the public schools of Malvern, Iowa. Ruth became Dawes County, Nebraska Assistance Director in the 1930s. Ruth moved to Omaha in 1940 and lived in the Mead home while serving as head of the Travelers Aid Society. She died in Omaha in 1987.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of one box of papers relating to the Mead, Cockrell and related families. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence dating from ca. 1876-1974. The first half of the letters are between David Cockrell and Regina Hilbert during their courtship. The second half of the letters primarily deal with family news as reported in Mead family correspondence. Of particular interest is a letter from Regina Mead to her parents in which she described the aftermath of the Omaha tornado on March 23, 1913. Frank Mead’s letters to his parents, 1918, describe his military training at Ft. Riley, Kansas and Camp Sheridan, Illinois. Other letters in the series relate to military compensation awarded after Frank Mead’s death and letters of condolence received after the death of Elbert Mead.
The remainder of the collection includes reminiscences about Chadron during the 1870s-1890s and the Battle of Wounded Knee, as well as a brief autobiographical sketch of Ruth Cockrell in which she describes the first graduation ceremony at Chadron State College. Certificates, programs, and legal documents are also included in this series, as well as family history items and materials on Chadron schools.
INVENTORY
Box 1
Folder
- David Cockrell and Regina Hilbert correspondence, 1876, 1881-1884
- David Cockrell and Regina Hilbert correspondence, no year, undated, fragments, and envelopes
- David Cockrell and Regina Hilbert correspondence, transcripts of select letters
- Mead family correspondence, 1891-1903
- Mead family correspondence, 1910-1918
- Mead family correspondence, 1921-1950, 1974 and undated
- Reminiscences about Chadron, 1870-1890 and the Battle of Wounded Knee; autobiographical sketch of Ruth Cockrell
- n.d.
- Certificates, programs, and legal documents
- Clippings, programs, and publications about Chadron schools (Chadron Academy, Chadron State College, Chadron High School) (See also OB008)
- Materials regarding family history
Subject headings:
Chadron Academy (Chadron, Neb.)
Chadron High School (Chadron, Neb.)
Chadron State College
Chadron (Neb.)
Cockrell family
Cockrell, David S., 1851-1901
Cockrell, Regina E. (Hilbert), 1859-1930
Cockrell, Ruth M., 1891-1987
Dawes County (Neb.)
Disasters
Douglas County (Neb.)
Indians of North America — Wars
Mead family
Mead, Elbert, 1858-1949
Mead, Frank Edmond, 1892-1918
Mead, Georgia (Hilbert), 1866-1932
Mead, Regina J., 1889-1975
Omaha (Neb.)
Tornadoes
United States. Office of Indian Affairs. Pine Ridge Agency
World War, 1914-1918
Wounded Knee Massacre, S.D., 1890
AIP/pmc 06-03-1988
PJE 07-01-1988
TMM 03-26-2026
Acc. 1988.0030
Acc. 1988.0047
Acc. 2026.0011
