Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 39] of New Castle, a dealer in flour, feed, hay and grain, was born in Indiana County, April 23, 1848, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Cunningham) Cochran, and a grandson of William and Sarah Cochran. Our subject's grandparents were born in Ireland, and upon their immigration to this country settled in Indiana Co., Pa., where they lived to a good old age; Sarah Cochran was exceptionally long-lived, attaining the age of 103 years, being active and vigorous even to the last, with her strength of body, of seeing and hearing, impaired to an inappreciable degree.
William Cochran, Jr., was born in Indiana County, and started out in life as an agriculturist, at which vocation he was very successful. He was a leading and prominent man, and served as constable of the town. In middle life, something like a ring-worm appeared on his cheek, and at first little thought was given to it, but as the months rolled by and it increased in size and brought to him added discomforts, he determined to consult a skilled physician, and accordingly rode on horseback to Philadelphia to have it examined and if need be to have it operated on. He was there informed that it was a cancer, and that no cure for it could be had; it eventually caused his death at the age of forty-eight. His wife survived him many years, reaching the age of seventy-eight years, her death resulting from a serious fall on the ice. They were Episcopalians in religious belief. Our subect's father was a Democrat, politically. There were born to them the following children: Jane, deceased; Archibald of Indiana, Pa.; Ruth, deceased; Rosanna, deceased; Alexander of Indiana, Pa.; Nancy, deceased; Stewart, deceased; Lily Ann, who married Peter Kunkle of Indiana, Pa.; John, deceased; Martha E., who married S. T. Hayes, now of New Castle; Lewis C., our subject; and George, deceased.
Lewis C. Cochran's education was limited to the instruction he received in the district schools of his native place, attending those institutions till fourteen years of age, and then started out for himself at farming, continuing to labor at that occupation until 1866, when he came to New Castle to clerk in the Leslie House. He remained in that connection two years, and then clerked for Pierce, Clapp & Co.; during this time he availed himself of every opportunity to acquire a more comprehensive education, studying far into the night and at every chance moment. This diligence was not to go unrewarded, for the proprietors leaving him in charge of the business for a short time, our subject exhibited such skill and excellent judgment, that he was afterwards promoted to the position of bookkeeper, in which station he remained eleven years. He then opened a feed and flour store, where Develin's saloon is now on East Street, and ran a successful business there for nearly four years. He then bought the old Dr. Tidball property, where the house had been destroyed by fire, and in 1883 built a new house, and a feed store, to which he added a grocery store in 1887, and conducted both stores until 1896, when he relinquished the management of the grocery to his sons, William and Jessie L., who, under the firm name of Cochran Bros., enjoy a highly prosperous business. Our subject still has charge of the flour and feed store. He has built, in addition to the store and warehouse, a brick barn and a bakery, and in 1873 erected a brick residence, which at present is owned by Dr. Pollock.
Mr. Cochran married Miss Rebecca Tunison, daughter of James Tunison of Mercer County, and has four children, namely: William James, born Feb. 11, 1871, who married Ella Calderman, he is the senior member of the firm of Cochran Bros.; Jennie Agnes, born Oct. 20 1873, married Harry G. Kieser of New Castle; Jessie L., born Sept. 26, 1875, is a member of the firm of Cochran Bros., and married Hannah Watkins; Charles T., born June 16, 1877, is a clerk. Our subject never fails to give his earnest and hearty support to the support of the Democratic party. He is a member of the M. E. Church, and is a Royal Templar of Temperance, and a member of the Order of Ben Hur.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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