Excerpts from "A Documentary and Biography of the Cockrell Family Name Compiled February 1, 1985" by Claude R. Cunningham:

"...my grandfather Columbus Jefferson Cockrell...who along with his daughter Myrtle Lela Cockrell Johnson took on the responsibility of rearing the three children of daughter and sister Elsie Ellen Cockrell Cunningham, my mother, Elsie who died December 30, 1919 at Windham, Montana. I am the middle child born May 30, 1918 to Elsie Ellen."

"Ten children were born of this marriage (Columbus and Hettie Cockrell) as follows:...
(7) Elsie Ellen was born July 12, 1895 at Cora, Idaho... Married James Harrison Cunningham November 6, 1915.* Three children were born, James Harold, Claude Richard, Donna Clara at Windham, Montana."

"As previously referred my mother Elsie Ellen died as a result of recent childbirth of my younger sister Donna coupled with the 'flu' in 1919 and Columbus Jefferson along with daughter Myrtle Lela kept the 'home fires' burning after her mother and Columbus Jefferson (my grandfather) also buried his wife Henrietta (my grandmother) in 1918, a year earlier than my mother's death."

"Many times in my lifetime, almost 67 years at this writing, I have thanked the powers to be that my mother Elsie Ellen on her deathbed requested her sister Myrtle Lela to rear us three children with my grandfather Columbus Jefferson Cockrell's family then at home Uncle Otha, Uncle Robert (Bob), Aunt Esther and Uncle William (Bill). My mother Elsie Ellen had to have divine guidance in making her deathbed request."

Columbus and Henrietta "came out to Idaho form the 'Blue Stem' prairie of Kansas following her parents, John and Elizabeth Griner, who had left Kansas a year or so earlier for the Palouse Country of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho."

"Columbus Jefferson homesteaded an 80 acre timber claim on Lone Jack Mountain north of Potlatch and Cora, Idaho - where seven children were born. Three children, Mary, Stella and Otha were born in Kansas."

"In 1910 Columbus Jefferson and Henrietta Griner Cockrell departed for Galata, Montana so that their older children could homestead 320 acres each."

"The family went through severe difficulties in 'taming' the hardships of early Montana farming - draught - low prices - bank failures - depression - weeds - insects and whatever, but still managed to 'tough' it out with plenty of hard work and sacrifices."

~~~~~
Montana, County Marriages - Shelby, Toole County, Montana; 11 Dec 1915.*
Name: Elsie E. Cockrell, age 19; born Cora, Idaho; resides at Galata, Montana.
Parents: C.J. Cockrell & Hattie Griner.
Spouse: James H. Cunningham, age 25; born Stockton, Kansas; resides at Windham, Montana.
Parents: D.W. Cunningham & Clara L. Fine
••Claude has the incorrect marriage date in his text.••

1920 Census - School District 24, Toole County, Montana.
Head: Columbus Lockrel (Cockrell), 63, MO
Dau: Myrtle Lockrell, 26, ID
Dau: Esther Lockrell, 15, ID
Son: William Lockrell, 11, ID
Grandchild: James H Cunningham, 3, MT
Grandchild: Claire (Claude) R Cunningham, 1, MT
Grandchild: Donald (Donna) C Cunningham, 1 mo., MT
••The location of Columbus' homestead is 17 miles north of Galata, Montana. ••

1930 Census - Whitefish, Flathead County, Montana
Head: William Simpson, 48
Wife: Mary Simpson, 46
Nephew: James Cunningham, 14
Nephew: Claud Cunningham, 12
Niece: Donna Cunningham, 10

Montana Death Index - 30 Dec 1919
Name: Mrs. Elsie Cunningham, age 23