ROBERT COCHRAN

Robert Cochran, eldest son of Robert and Elizabeth (Guthrie) Cochran, was born in Kirkcudbright May 9, 1788. In the thirties Mr. Cochran was senior member of the firm of Cochran & Phillips engaged in the dry goods business. About 1845 he went South to Natchez, Mississippi, where his wife Helen died. On his way back from the South Mr. Cochran died of cholera at Albany, January 21, 1849, and was buried in Greenwood cemetery. He had two sons Robert and Charles W., and a daughter Sarah Ann, who became the wife of Thomas Smith in 1842. His son Robert died February 28, 1843, at Port Leon, Florida, where he had gone for his health. Charles W. died at Sacramento City, December 18, 1849, at the early age of twenty years and seven months. His grandson Robert McLean is now (1923) a respected member of the Society.

JAMES BLAIR COCHRAN

James B. Cochran, son of Robert Cochran and Elizabeth Guthrie, was born in Kirkcudbright, November 25, 1799, and died at Sing Sing, New York, April 25, 1859. The firm of Cochran Brothers was formed in 1831 and included Fergus and Thomas besides himself. This firm succeeded the earlier one of A. G. and F. Cochran (Alexander G. and Fergus). These firms were importers of laces and other dry goods. Later he became a member of the firm of Samuel Cochran & Company. On November 16, 1837, he married Catharine Baylis. She died in Brooklyn, April 5, 1849. It is probable that he married a second time as we find that Sadie, daughter of John Heath, and widow of James B. Cochran, died in Brooklyn, March 2, 1885. His youngest son Samuel died at Rome, Italy, March 1, 1869, in his twenty-fourth year. His daughter Mary, wife of Rev. Thomas Carter, son of Robert Carter, died at Pinckemin, New Jersey, November
18, 1870.

CHARLES PATERSON COCHRAN, M.D.

Charles P. Cochran, son of Robert and Elizabeth Cochran, was born in Kirkcudbright, January 6, 1804, and died in New York City, December 28, 1869. In his youth he studied medicine in the University of Edinburgh where he took the degree of M.D. When about twenty years of age he left Scotland and settled in Jamaica, West Indies, where he practised his profession until 1834. After the West Indies Emancipation Act was passed he removed to this city. Shortly afterwards (January 1, 1848) he associated himself with his brothers in the well known and highly respectable dry goods firm of Samuel Cochran & Company. In July 1869, the old house of Cochran & Company was merged into the firm of Cochran, McLean & Company. At that time Mr. Cochran retired from the business, but retained a position as a special partner in the new firm. As a merchant he was held in high esteem. His fine social qualities were admired by all who came in contact with him. He was possessed of a truly independent mind and was never known to be afraid to express his opinions boldly and fearlessly. Physically he had a fine commanding appearance and a strong vigorous constitution. He married in December 1836 in Lucia, Jamaica, Alice, daughter of William Augustus Dickson of Jamaica. She died July 11, 1859. By her he had three sons surviving him, Fergus, William and Robert, and six daughters, Alice who married D. D. Gilbert of Halifax, Elizabeth, Isabella who married George R. Hayne, Helen, Agnes and Laura Lightburn.

FERGUS COCHRAN

Fergus Cochran, son of Robert and Elizabeth (Guthrie) Cochran, was born in Kirkcudbright, December 1804. On September 22, 1830, Alexander G. and Fergus Cochran opened a jobbing dry goods business at 132 Pearl Street, under the firm name of A. G. and F. Cochran, but for some reason or other the firm was dissolved June 1, 1831, and a new firm Cochran Brothers, consisting of Fergus, James B. and Thomas Cochran, was formed. Owing to his poor state of health, Fergus went to the Island of St. Croix in the West Indies and there he died December 8, 1831.

SAMUEL COCHRAN

Samuel Cochran, son of Robert Cochran and Margaret Guthrie was born at Kirkcudbright, February 23, 1806. When Samuel came to New York is not known, but presumably at about the same time that his brothers did. How he was occupied during the interval that elapsed between his coming and the first definite reference is not known. Judging by the frequency of his sailings to Europe in the thirties he must have been a buyer for some firm if not for himself. In the great fire of 1835 he was burned out and reopened at 40 Cedar Street. In 1848 he and his brothers Thomas and Charles P. and William Barbour formed the firm of Samuel Cochran & Company, which engaged in the importation of laces and dry goods, building up a large and lucrative business. He married April 27, 1841, Janet, daughter of Thomas and Isabella Scott. According to his will he had a house and grounds named Torwood at Dobbs Ferry and another place named Dunedin, while his residence in New York was at 34 East 21 St Street. He died at Dobbs Ferry, New York, August 31, 1859. For some years he was an elder in the Scotch Church. His widow died April 19, 1876.

THOMAS COCHRAN

Thomas Cochran, son of Robert Cochran and Margaret Guthrie, was born in Kirkcudbright, June 2, 1807. While a young man he went to France and engaged in the lace manufacturing trade. About 183 1 he came to New York and formed a co-partnership with his brothers Fergus and James B., as Cochran Brothers, succeeding the firm of A. G. & F. Cochran in June 1831. From the first the business was successful and their trade, especially with the Southern States, assumed wonderful importance. Fergus died and the partnership was dissolved December 31, 1831. In August 1835 Thomas became a partner in the firm of Thompson, Austin & Company. In 1848 he formed a co-partnership with Charles P. and Samuel Cochran and William Barbour, as S. Cochran & Company, and built up a large business in laces and dry goods. Their success continued uninterrupted until the outbreak of the Civil War when the trade generally of the country became paralyzed.

He retired from active business about 1870, but was for a time special partner in the succeeding firm, Cochran, McLean & Company, but took little interest in its affairs, spending his later years quietly either at his summer home at Dobbs Ferry or his winter home in Florida. His city home was at 48 East 49th Street. Mr. Cochran, who was never married, was a man of genial manners, a gifted conversationalist and of more than ordinary education. He was quiet in his tastes and of a retiring disposition, dignified and pleasant withal, he took no part in church or social life, but gave largely though unostentatiously to many charities. His native town experienced his generosity in many ways. He was a member for many years of Dr. Hall's Church. Mr. Cochran died in New York City, November 28, 1889, and was buried in Greenwood.

WILLIAM BARBOUR

William Barbour was born at Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, March 31, 1814, and was the son of Thomas Barbour and Margaret Cochran, sister of the brothers Cochran who were in the lace and dry goods business in New York for many years. William came to New York in early youth receiving part of his education here at the school of William Forrest. His first business position was with A. T. Stewart. On January 1, 1848, he became a partner in the firm of Samuel Cochran & Co., the other partners being his uncles, and continued until the dissolution of the firm shortly after the ending of the Civil War. He then became one of the special partners in the firm of Cochran, McLean & Co., which was dissolved about 1876. Thereafter Mr. Barbour entered into no business relations. On April 30, 1846, he married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Isaiah Y. and Maria D. Johnston, and six sons and four daughters were born to them. Mr. Barbour died at his residence, 11 West 32nd Street, November 13, 1885, and his widow died January 9, 1893, in her seventy-third year. Mr. Barbour was very quiet and unobtrusive in his manners and one of the most home-loving and domestic of men, and was much loved by all who knew him.