South Carolina

Edgefield District

Knowing that it is appointed unto all men to die, and feeling that infirmities of age and knowing that I cannot continue here long, but being of sound and disposing mind I Robert Cochran have hereby made the following disposition of my property as my last Will and Testament, Viz, I give unto my daughter Charlotte the following negroes, Harry, Fanny, Laurance, Sarah and Francis during her natural life, and after her decease, to be divided as equally as can be between my three Sons, Chesly B. Cochran, Littleberry Cochran and Charles Wesley Cochran with the following reserve, it is my will that Harry and Fanny his wife shall never be separated by sale or division, but that my Executors shall manage so that they may stay together as long as they live I also will that Elbert C. Bland have two hundred dollars to be raised and paid in equal proportion by the above named Chesley B. Cochran, Littleberry Cochran and Charles W. Cochran or their heirs or legal representatives, if either or all of them should be dead, all the balance of my property is also given to Charlotte during her life and then to be disposed of in the same manner as the negro property, and I hereby appoint Charlotte Cochran, Littleberry Cochran and Charles W. Cochran Executors to this my last Will and Testament.

Signed and Sealed this 5th day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty Eight in the presence of - Joel W. Townsend, Abner White, Bej. T. Rarden.

Robert Cochran (L.S.)

Died at his residence on Turkey Creek, in Edgefield District, on Tuesday, the 11th instant, MR. ROBERT COCHRAN, aged 83 years and 8 months. There are many incidents connected with this excellent man's life, which would make his biography of peculiar interest to citizens of this district. Mr. Cochran was one of the veterans heroes of '76, being in active service during the greater part of the American Revolution, to which he rendered many important services to his country. Although he never had the fortune to be in any general engagement, yet he was always on the alert and was highly successful in many excursions, and skirmishes against the British, Indians, and Tories. Mr. Cochran and Mr. Hatcher, whose widow is yet living in this District were the two first in the District and perhaps in the State, who met for the purpose of raising companies to oppose the Tories, and procure protection for their wives and children, at the time when the States of South Carolina and Georgia were considered as prisoners of war, many of whose citiznes were actually on parole as such, and were afterwards ordered into the British Service. It was on the receipt of this order, that Mr. Cochran and Mr. Hatcher formed bold determination to oppose tyranny of every hazard, which they did. Mr. Cochran was at one time taken prisoner by the infamous William Cunningham and his gang who, after plundering him of all they desired, told Mr. Cochran that he (Cunningham) had killed ninety-nine men with his own hands and that he had never shown mercy to any whom he had taken; but although he knew him to be his enemy, he considered him an honorable one and would spare him; and on the same day, they overtook other Whigs and massacred them with a savage hand. Mr. Cochran was a member of the Methodist Church for the last thirty years of his life, wherein he conducted himself altogether worthy of his sacred profession, in all his transactions "doing unto others as he would they should do unto him". He occupied a high seat in the bosoms of all his acquaintance while living, and died regretted by every true hearted Christian and Republican who knew him.

Return to Home Page