M. H. COCHRAN was born October 17, 1831, on the farm where he has since resided. He is the ninth of twelve children of James and Mary (REED) COCHRAN. James COCHRAN was born and raised near Morganton, N. C., and when grown came to Tennessee, settling in Blount County. He followed farming, at which he was quite successful. His father, Paul COCHRAN, was born and raised in Ireland, and came to America about the year 1785, settling first in North Carolina. He was a weaver by trade. Mrs. James COCHRAN was born in an Indian fort, situated on the “Bowman Lands”, near the Big Tennessee, and was raised in this county, where she died. Her mother, nee Ann MOORE, was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and when a young woman came to Blount County, Tenn. Her husband, Samuel REED, was also born and raised in Pennsylvania, and came to Tennessee about the time Miss Ann MOORE did. M.H. COCHRAN received a good common-school education, and has improved his early education considerably by reading and observation. When twenty years old he was thrown upon his own resources, with some property inherited from his father, but my his industry and good management has added considerably to what he inherited. He now owns a good farm of 500 acres well improved and located on the headwaters of Cloyd Creek, ten miles southwest of Maryville. Mr. COCHRAN is now making his home with his sister. He and his sister are members of the United Presbyterian Church. Mr. COCHRAN has been a ruling elder in the church fifteen years. He is Republican in politics, and cast his first presidential ballot for Winfield Scott.
Source: Goodspeed Publishing Co. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of from Twenty-Five to Thirty Counties of East Tennessee. Chicago: Goodspeed, 1887.