History of Palatine Bridge, (Montgomery County) New York United States of America

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John Cochrane, representative, was born in Palatine, Montgomery county, N.Y., Aug. 27, 1813; son of Walter D. and Cornelia W. (Smith) Cochran; and grandson of John and Gertrude (Schuyler) Cochran, and of Peter and Elizabeth (Livingston) Smith. His paternal grandfather was surgeon-general and military director of the hospitals during the Revolution; his paternal grandmother was the sister of Maj.-Gen. Philip Schuyler; his maternal grandfather was a well-known judge and the father of Gerrit Smith, abolitionist; and his maternal grandmother was a daughter of Col. James Livingston of Revolutionary fame. He was graduated at Hamilton college in 1831, was admitted to the bar, and practised at Oswego, Schenectady, and in New York city. In 1853 he was appointed surveyor of the port of New York by President Pierce. He was a representative in the 35th and 36th congresses, 1857-61, serving in the latter as chairman of the committee of commerce. In 1860 he was appointed by President Buchanan a member of the board of visitors to West Point, and on June 11, 1861, he was commissioned by Secretary Cameron to recruit and command a regiment of volunteers to serve during the war, leaving New York for Washington with the regiment Aug. 27, 1861. On November 21 he was commissioned colonel of the 1st U.S. chasseurs, with rank from June 11, and on July 19, 1862, was made brigadier-general of volunteers. He served in General Couch's division of the army of the Potomac in the battles of Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Williamsport and Fredericksburg, and on Feb. 25, 1863, resigned on account of physical disability. In 1864 he was nominated at Cleveland, Ohio, by the Independent Republican national convention as vice-president of the United States with Gen. John C. Fr?mont for President. He was attorney-general of New York, 1863-65; president of the common council of New York city, 1872; chairman of the New York delegation to the Liberal Republican national convention at Cincinnati in May, 1872, where he was chiefly instrumental in the nomination of Horace Greeley; was chairman of the memorial committee, G.A.R., for Decoration day, 1875; was grand marshal of Decoration day procession, 1879; was a member of the common council of New York city, 1883, and chairman of a committee of that body and of the New York chamber of commerce and of the New York historical society, to arrange to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the evacuation of New York by the British, Nov. 25, 1783, and was grand marshal of the day. In 1889 he declined the united mission to Uruguay and Paraguay, tendered by President Grant, and the same year was second in command in the centennial celebration of the inauguration of General Washington as President. As an orator General Cochrane made memorable speeches, in 1858, on transferring to the custody of Virginia the remains of James Monroe, fifth President of the United States; at the great mass meeting in Union square in 1861, at the Astor House, New York, on the occasion of a serenade to Secretary of War Cameron, Nov. 4, 1861, in which he was the first to advocate arming the slaves as a military necessity; and in camp near Washington, when visited by Secretary Cameron, Nov. 13, 1861, in which he repeated his demands to arm the slaves, and which called forth orders from the Confederate commanders not to take Colonel Cochrane prisoner, but to shoot him in battle. He was elected a member of the Society of the Cincinnati in 1857 and in 1897 was made president of the New York state society. He was a member of the New York chamber of commerce; of the St. Nicholas society; of the New York historical society; a sachem of the Tammany society; chairman of Tammany Hall general committee; a member of the Military order in the state of New York of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and president of the New York state commandery; a member of the Army of the Potomac; of the Sons of the Revolution; and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He died in New York city, Feb. 7, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Palatine Bridge, (Montgomery County) New York

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