James Cochran

Who was James Cochran?

James Cochran was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He was born in Albany, New York on February 11, 1769, the son of John Cochran and Gertrude Schuyler. His mother was a sister of Philip Schuyler. He graduated from Columbia College in New York City in 1788. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and was commissioned as a major in the Army by President John Adams. He was the regent of the University of the State of New York from 1796 to 1820.

In 1822 James Cochran married Catharine Schuyler. Catharine Schuyler was the daughter of Philip Schuyler and Catharine van Rensselaer, meaning his wife was also his first cousin. Catharine Schuyler was the widow of Samuel Bayard Malcolm, a son of William Malcolm.

James Cochran was elected as a Federalist to the Fifth Congress, which met from March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1799. He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1814 to 1818. He moved to Oswego, New York in 1826 and served as the city's postmaster from September 27, 1841 to July 21, 1845. For several years, he was the editor of the Oswego Democratic Gazette. He died in Oswego on November 7, 1848 and was interred in Riverside Cemetery.