Andrew Cochran (abt. 1781)

Born about 1781 in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Died [date unknown] in Massac, Johnson, Illinois, United States

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Biography

Andy, or Andrew, Cochran was named as a son of Thomas Cochran II in the letter written by Thomas' great-grandson that talked about his family history.^[1] It tells us only "Grandpa had four brothers" and that one of them was "Andy died in Illinois."

Andy was not found in any of the deed records for Mecklenburg County, nor did he apply to purchase cheap government land while in Mecklenburg. He doesn't appear by name in the census there. He seems to have left the area once he became an adult, and gone to Georgia. He married a woman whose name is unknown and his first son, John, was born in 1805 in Georgia. We don't find him in records, however, until he settles in Johnson County Illinois with his brother Moses.

From Chapman's “History of Johnson County, Illinois” we're told “The Cochran family was one of the first families settling here. The names found on the records are Adam, Samuel, Jesse, Moses and Andrew, who was a Commissioner of this county in 1821 and drew a salary of $82.33 for his services. There could be nothing secured in a definite line of these families.”^[2]

Because Moses and Andrew would be the only two later found on the territorial census, and Jesse is a son of Andrew, Adam and Samuel may therefore be sons of Moses, though no records have been found as yet relating to the last two. (Autosomal DNA matches have been identified to descendants of Jesse.) In 1810 Andrew's son Jackson was born, presumably in Georgia, as was Jesse, born in 1812.

Again from Chapman's “History of Johnson County, Illinois” we learn of Andy that in 1815, "Giles Palmerly, Jacob Craft, Thomas C Patterson and Andrew Cochran were appointed to lay out said road," which road was to lead to a new ferry on the Mississippi River, located below the mouth of Apple Creek. (p 44). A courthouse for the county was ordered to be built in 1814, and "its acceptance was left to the following committee: Hezekiah West, Andrew Cochran, and George Evans."^[3]

In 1816, Andrew's son James was born in Johnson, Illinois Territory.

By 1818, Andrew was a Justice for the county. "The naming of the county seat is given under Vienna. At a special term of court, held August 15, 1818, with James Bain, Andrew Cochran, T.C. Patterson and John Copeland, justices, the report was made that the court house and buildings for the use of the jurors were complete."^[4]

In the 1818 territorial census for Johnson County, we find “Andrew Coghren” enumerated as over the age of 21, and with 8 other people in his household.^[5] His brother “Moses Cochran” is found 26 lines later, though its unknown if that distance in the census transcription correlates to distance in homeplace.

Also in 1818, "At a court held in Elvira, Johnson County, March 6, 1818, by Hezekiah West, John Bowman, Andrew Cochran, James Bain and William McFatridge the commission appointed by the legislature to decide on a permanent seat of justice for this county reported that they had met at the house of James Bain first Monday in February, 1818, and after being sworn to take in the geography of the county and the convenience of the people adjourned to meet on the fourth Monday of the same month, after gaining a perfect knowledge of the different situations around the center finally determined and designated a sport for the permanent seat of justice for the county on the SE quarter of Sect. 5, township No. 13, SR 3 east near the northeast corner of the said quarter section." They met again on April 10 to lay out the town.^[6]

At the first court held in Vienna in November 1818, the first business recorded was the buying of wolf scalps. At the second court "James Bain, Andrew Cochran and John Copeland, justices, presided." At that session Andrew received $6 for acting as a judge in the recent election.^[7]

"James Weaver, Benjamin Maneer, Hosea Borin, William Stiles, Irvin Morris and Andrew Cochran were appointed justices for the county in 1816."^[8]

On 4 Mar 1819, Andrew Cochran obtained 160 acres of public land for $2 per acre, located in the SE part of Section 31, township 11S, Range 02E, on the third meridian.^[9]

Andrew Cochran is found in Johnson County Illinois censuses for 1820 through 1840. In 1820 he is noted as over 45 (so born by 1775; 1850 census tells us he was born in 1781), with two boys and 3 girls under the age of ten (Jesse 8, James 4, 3 girls), two boys 10-15 (John 15, Jackson 10), one girl 16-25 (?), and one female 26-44.^[10]

Andrew's son (?) Jeremiah is born in 1826. Given the ten year gap between James and Jeremiah, it's possible that Andy's first wife has died, and he has married a second time. In 1830 he is 1830 enumerated in Johnson IL with 1m, 1f 10-14 (James 14, ?) 1m 15-19 (Jackson, 20), 1m 20-29 (John 25), 1m, 1f 40-49 (Andrew 49, ?).^[11] Was Jeremiah, age 4, missed in this census?

On 7 July, 1836, Andrew married Louisa Simmons in Johnson, Illinois. The ceremony was performed by J Copeland, a J.P. ^[12]

On 2 Mar 1839 the Illinois Legislature adopted “An Act for the relief of Andrew Cochran and other actual settlers on section No. 16, township No. 14 south, range No. 3 east.”^[13] Although Andrew had purchased land in the same area (at township no 11 south), he had apparently also been 'squatting' on this land as well. The legislature allowed those long-term squatters the first right to purchase the land at a fair valuation, as long as they paid all costs associated with the process.

Enumerated in Johnson, IL in 1840, the families of Jesse and Andrew, next door to each other, seem to have been switched. James and John are living nearby. I suspect Jackson and a wife are probably living with him, and Andrew is now married to Louisa. The census shows 1m, 2f 15-20 (Jeremiah 14, ?), 2m 20-30 (?, Jackson?), 1m 50-60 (Andrew 59) 1 f 30-40 (Louisa).^[14]

In 1843 Massac County Illinois was formed, in part from Johnson County, and in the 1850 census Andrew is now living in Massac County. The census states that Andy believed he was born in 1781 in North Carolina. Living with him is Louisa Cochran, age 44, and her son, Joseph W. Cochran, aged 9.^[15] The value of his stock is 108, and he has 26 pounds of wool.

On 28 Feb 1854, Andrew Cochran purchased 40 ac in sec 16 from Bradley and Rebecca Anderson in Massac, IL.^[16] Just a month later, on 20 Mar 1854, Andrew and Louisa sold to William M Hand a little over 40 1/2 acres of land in Sec 16 in Massac, Illinois.^[17]

Six sons have been attributed to Andrew: John (born 1805), Jackson (born 1810), Jesse (born 1812), James (born 1816), Jeremiah (born 1826), and Joseph W, (born 1841). Jeremiah is the first child noted to have been born in Illinois.

Andrew was not found in the 1860 census, and it's likely he died sometime between 1855 and 1860.

Sources

1. ↑ A copy of the original, handwritten letters can be viewed online here https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KPHK-4XK
2. ↑ A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, page 356
3. ↑ A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, page 60
4. ↑ A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, page 61
5. ↑ “1818 Illinois Territory Census for Johnson County” online at http://www.newhorizonsgenealogicalservices.com/1818-illinois-census/1818-johnson-county-census.htm
6. ↑ A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, page 255
7. ↑ A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, page 256
8. ↑ A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, page 277
9. ↑ Search result for “Johnson, IL” https://apps.ilsos.gov/isa/landSalesSearch.do
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1820", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG3-Y3H : Tue Oct 03 10:57:38 UTC 2023), Entry for Andrew Cochran, 1820.
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1830", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPY-CC2 : Tue Oct 03 15:22:01 UTC 2023), Entry for Andrew Cochran, 1830.
12. ↑ "Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28H-SDYW : 22 July 2021), Andrew Cochran and Louisa Simmons, 05 Jul 1836; citing Johnson, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 964,808.
13. ↑ Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Eleventh General Assembly (Vandalia, IL: William Walters, 1839), 256-57, GA Session: 11-1. Can be found online at https://papersofabrahamlincoln.org/documents/D271178b
14. ↑ "United States Census, 1840", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHB8-LLZ : Fri Oct 06 20:50:06 UTC 2023), Entry for Andrew Cochran, 1840.
15. ↑ Illinois, State Census Collection, 1825-1865, a database at Ancestry.com
16. ↑ Massac County Deed book D, p. 303-304 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTM-SQWK-D?i=482
17. ↑ Massac County Deed book D, p. 315-316. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTM-SQWK-V?i=489