Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

inroads of the disease which had mark
ed him for an untmely victim.
Tom Cochran, as he was known all
over the United States, was born in
Middletown, Del, fifty years ago, and
his experience on the market dates
some thirty to thirty five years. When
almost in his teens he worked as book
keeper for George Alison & Co., and
then went with John W. Evert in the
poultry business. He put in some time
on the Gansevoort Market in the pro-
duce business under the firm name of
Cochran Bros, and later started up on
Duane Street as Cochran & Austin.
The firm failed and Mr.. Cochran asso-
ciated himself with Smith & Holden.
paying attention to the peach business.
Some idea of the type of man he was
may be gathered from the fact that he
personally-although the firm of Coch-
ran & Austin had received its discharge
in bankruptcy-once he got on his feet,
paid every dollar of the firms iabili-
ties, with interest added. While asso-
ciated with Smith & Holden, he
achieved remarkable success in build
ing up a line of shippers, especially
those engaged in growing peaches, that
could not be surpassed by any receiver
{ IN the United states.
It was only logical that in due course
he should start up again for himself.
and this he did some fifteen years ago,
founding the present firm of Robert T,
Cochran 4 Co. During the past fifteen
years Mr.. Cochran has built up busi-
ness that made him rank among one of
the important receivers of the country.
In the peach producing sections the
nf Tom Cnohron al
which to conjure; and as Judge of
peaches, whether in the orchard or in
the crate. he could not be excelled. and
as salesman of peaches there never
was his superior on this or any other
market. AS peach man he was as
suredly Par Excellence, and even his
keenest competitors and most envious
rivals recognized this fact. But he did
not confine himself to peaches by long
shot. His business was one of the
widest scope. Handling peaches as he
did from every producing section that
could avail itself of the New York
market, he also was heavy in box
apples, California cantaloupes, Florida
fruits and vegetables of all descriptions
and varieties Texas onions, and was an
acknowledged leader, too, in the Cuban
vegetable business. This year, to show
the size of the business he had built I'D
on his nerve, ability and unconquerable
energy, he did gross of 81, 500, 600.
The news of Mr.. Cochran's death
(which, of course, did not get around
until this morning) was terrific shock
to the trade. With all his peculiarities,
Mr.. Cochran was universally and de-
servedly popular. Every body who knew
him knew that his bark was worse than
his bite, that he had a big heart, and
that his abruptness at times was mere
ly an indication of the nervous strain
which he was under, because MIR. Coch-
ran-a human dynamo of enefgy-had
highly sensitized organism and spared
himself in the way of work less than
anybody else. Probably there was no
man in. the New York trade who had
larger personal following of shippers,
or a larger personal acquaintanceship
among them. Annually he made trip
through Georgia, the Carolinas, Florida
and Cuba, and the string of shippers
Cochran was long and formidable in
deed.
Mr.. Cochran is survived by his
mother, his wife, two sons,- Fletcher
and Lindsay, daughter, Miss Marga-
ret Cochran. and tvs sisters, Mrs.
James L. Warren, of this town, and
Mrs. G. Burton Pearson, of Newark,
His son Fletcher was associated with
him in the bu siness at the office, and
the other son. Lindsay, was manager of
the firms packing house !. at Ver6, Fla.
The funeral services we're held at the
Cochran home, 257 Renshaw avenue,
East Orange, at o'clock on Sunday.
The body was taken to Georpetown.
Md, for burial. Six of his business as
sociates accompanied the body to
Georgetown as honorary pall-bearers.
while four of his Office employees. and
two cousins, Messrs G. M. Cochran
and A. Wilson Cochran served as
bearers.