Records of Superintendent William H. Cocke, 1924-1929RG.02.04-CockeWHVirginia Military Institute Archives

VMI ArchivesPreston LibraryLexington, VA 24450Business Number: 540-464-7516archives@vmi.eduURL:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-12-09 07:02:04 -0500.Description is written in: Undetermined, Code for undetermined script script. Virginia Military Institute Archives Records of Superintendent William H. Cocke, 1924-1929 Cocke, William H. (William Horner), 1874-1938 Virginia Military Institute. Office of the Superintendent. RG.02.04-CockeWH /repositories/3/resources/675 6 cubic feet 1924-1929 Archives stacks, Record Group 02, Superintendent English Scope and Contents

Correspondence, memoranda and other records from the administration of William H. Cocke.

 Biographical / Historical

Brigadier General William Horner Cocke (b. 1874 d. 1938) graduated from VMI in 1894, having received the Institute's highest academic award, the Jackson-Hope Medal, First Honor. After graduation he taught at Kemper Military Academy (Missouri), earned a law degree from Washington University and practiced law in St. Louis from 1899-1907. Cocke served as a U. S. Army officer in both the Spanish-American War and World War I. He was the founder and president of Southern Acid & Sulphur Company (St. Louis). He was named VMI's fourth Superintendent on October 1, 1924 and served until ill health forced his retirement on June 30, 1929. The construction of VMI's gymnasium, Cocke Hall, was made possible by Gen. Cocke's significant donation towards the cost of construction. He died on June 9, 1938.

 Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions

 Preferred Citation

Records of Superintendent William H. Cocke, 1924-1929. [specific series/item/date]

 Related Materials

Additional correspondence from this era is located in the Superintendents' Administrative Subject Files series.

 Virginia Military Institute—Administration Virginia Military Institute—History—20th century Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1894 William H. Cocke official correspondence files/repositories/3/archival_objects/28393 cubic feet1924-1929EnglishWilliam H. Cocke biographical and personal file/repositories/3/archival_objects/2836bulk ca. 1894-1940EnglishScope and Contents

William H. Cocke individual biographical file, compiled over decades. Contains biographical and genealogical information. Cocke served as VMI's fourth Superintendent, from 1924-1929

Scrapbook, Superintendent and Mrs. William H. Cocke/repositories/3/archival_objects/28371 items1920's-1930's