John P. Cochran

John P. Cochran (born February 7, 1809 in Middletown , Delaware ; † December 27, 1898 ibid) was an American politician and governor of the state of Delaware from 1875 to 1879 .

Early years and political advancement

John Cochran grew up as a farmer and landowner in his homeland. Little is known about his school days. In 1838 he joined the Delaware Tax Court as a representative of New Castle County . He held this office for eight years. In the following years he returned to his private business. Cochran did not return to the political limelight until 1874, when he was nominated by the Democratic Party as a candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial election. The next election he won with 53% of the vote against Isaac Jump , the Republican candidate .

Delaware Governor

John Cochran began his four-year term on January 19, 1875. During this time he campaigned for the improvement of the school system. At that time, a State Board of Education was established and the position of State Superintendent of free Schools was created. The governor's proposal to rearrange the distribution of seats in the House of Representatives of Delaware according to the districts failed because of the opposition of this body. Cochran's intention was to strengthen his home district, New Castle County, in the legislature. Even under Governor Cochran, the black population was denied their civil rights. This situation would last until the second half of the 20th century.

Another résumé

John Cochran's tenure as governor ended on January 21, 1879. After that, he retired from politics and devoted himself to his private business. These were mainly agricultural issues. John Cochran died in December 1898. He was married twice and had six children from his second marriage to Mary Turmlin. His first marriage to Eliza Polk had been childless.

literature

Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

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personal data
SURNAME	Cochran, John P.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	February 7, 1809
PLACE OF BIRTH	Middletown , Delaware
DATE OF DEATH	December 27, 1898
Place of death	Middletown , Delaware