Lapeer County MI Archives Biographies.....Cochrane, William 1848 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 20, 2007, 8:08 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

WILLIAM COCHRANE, a farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 25, Almont
Township, Lapeer County, was born in Perthshire, Scotland, about 1820. He is a
son of David and Elspit (Jackson) Cochrane. The mother died in Scotland when our
subject was about ten or twelve years of age and left half orphaned five
children, our subject being the second in order of birth. The eldest is John,
then comes he of whom we write, then David, Christina and Elizabeth. The father
was again married and by this second union became the parent of five children,
so that on coming to this country there were ten in all.

  Our subject's father came to Michigan in 1839 and was engaged in working land
on shares for about two years, when he died. Our subject received a
common-school education and began to do work for himself when about fifteen
years of age, binding himself out in the old country for about four years. He
purchased his first land in this country in 1842, having eighty acres where he
now lives. Since that time he has added piece by piece to his original tract
until he is now the owner of four hundred acres of land. The place was densely
wooded when he came here and there were no roads. There was plenty of wild game,
however, and Mr. Cochrane says he has seen a four-acre field covered with deer.

  The original of our sketch was married when about twenty-six years of age to
Isabel C. Gairns, a native of Scotland, who came here with the family of Charles
Ferguson of whom a sketch may be found in another portion of this work. Our
subject and his wife have born the parents of nine children, eight of whom are
still living. Alexander, one of the most promising of the children, died at the
age of twenty-four years, having a short time previously taken upon himself the
obligations of married life.

  Our subject is a Republican in his political sentiments, casting his vote
conscientiously with the party that he believes to be in the right in both
national and local affairs. He has never been ambitious to fill local office,
although he has been elected but refused to qualify. He was a Democrat until
John C. Fremont became a candidate for the executive chair. Our subject has
given his children the best of opportunities to acquire a thorough education and
they have made good their advantages, some of them having fitted themselves for
teachers, in which work they have been successful. They are now all, with the
exception of two, heads of families. One, John L., is a very successful
commercial traveler. Our subject's children are all settled at not a great
distance from his home. Two are in business in Almont and one in Romeo. One son,
William, lives at home with his father. Mr. Cochrane has aided in the building
of all the churches and school-houses in this vicinity, believing that these
institutions are important factors in the upbuilding of true and noble, manly
character.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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