John P. Cochran

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = John P. Cochran
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 19 1875
term_end = January 21 1879
predecessor = James Ponder
successor = John W. Hall
birth_date = birth date|1809|2|7|mf=y
birth_place = Middletown, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1898|12|27|1809|2|7
death_place = Middletown, Delaware
spouse = Elizabeth Polk
Mary Tumlin
party = Democratic
residence = Middletown, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = farmer
profession =
religion = Presbyterian

John Price Cochran (February 7 1809 – December 27 1898) was an American farmer and politician from Middletown, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Cochran was born February 7 1809 in Appoquinimink Hundred, near Middletown, Delaware, son of Robert and Rebecca Ryland Cochran. He married Elizabeth Polk in 1833 and had seven children: William R., Clara Rebecca, Charles Polk, John Price, Jr., Eliza, Julian, and Cyrus. His wife, Elizabeth died in childbirth in 1855 and he married secondly, Mary Tumlin. There were no known children of this marriage. They lived at "Cochran Grange," one mile west of Middletown and were members of the Presbyterian Church. He was a “leading farmer and fruit grower.”

Political career

Cochran was elected to the New Castle County Levy Court in 1838 and 1846. In 1874 he was elected Governor of Delaware by defeating Isaac Jump, the Republican candidate and served from January 19 1875 until January 21 1879. He was the first governor from New Castle County in thirty years, and was regarded as a progressive governor, advocating improvements to the school law, and reapportionment of the General Assembly, to more fairly reflect the population of New Castle County. The reapportionment proposal was not approved. The General Assembly did, however, pass legislation requiring businesses serving the public “to provide equal accommodations for those who might be deemed obnoxious by others.” This effort to deny civil rights to African-Americans was to remain on the books until 1963.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
"(sessions while Governor)"
-!Year!Assembly!!Senate Majority!Speaker!!House Majority!Speaker
-
1875-1876
78th|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |Charles C. Stockley|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |Thomas Holcomb
-
1877-1878
79th|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |John T. Moore|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |Hugh Martin
-
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Death and legacy

Cochran died December 27 1898 at his home near Middletown, Delaware and is buried at the Forest Presbyterian Cemetery in Middletown.

Almanac

Elections are held on the first Tuesday after November 1st. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday in January, and has a four year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Took Office! Left Office! notes
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover
1874
January 19 1875
January 21 1879|
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
-!Year!Office!!Subject!Party!Votes!%!!Opponent!Party!Votes!%
-
1874
Governor|
Party shading/Democratic |John P. Cochran
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |12,488
Party shading/Democratic |53%|
Party shading/Republican |Isaac Jump
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |11,259
Party shading/Republican |47%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

*cite book |title = History of the State of Delaware |last= Conrad |first= Henry C. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Wickersham Company |location= Lancaster, Pennsylvania |pages= |year= 1908 |id=
*cite book |title = Delaware during the Civil War |last= Hancock |first= Harold Bell. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Historical Society of Delaware |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1961 |id=0-924117-24-9
*cite book |title = History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=
*cite book |title = History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols |last = Scharf |first = John Thomas |coauthors = |work = |publisher = L. J. Richards & Co |location = Philadelphia |year = 1888 |id =

=

* [http://www.state.de.us/research/Tour/information/Governors/govs-21.shtml Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery ] . "Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover"

External links

* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=136b224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD John P. Cochran at the "Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States"]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/cochran.html#RKD0J8ZEY John P. Cochran at the "Political Graveyard"]
*Find A Grave|id=7090090
* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov3.htm#cochran John P. Cochran at "Delaware’s Governors"]

Places with more information

* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware] , 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library] , 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]