Fourth in a series of articles celebrating the tenth anniversary of Craig Valley Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
Nathaniel Cochran was born in February 1756 near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of Irish parents. By 1774, he had moved to an area in northern West Virginia known then as Harrison County, Virginia. There he enlisted in a company of ‘Ranging Spies’ under Captain James Booth which built forts and scouted rivers and streams in what is now West Virginia and Ohio. The following account is from “A Chronicle of Border Warfare” first published in 1895.
“On the 16th of June as Capt. James Booth and
Nathaniel Cochran were at work in a field on Booth’s
creek; they were fired at by Indians. Booth fell,
but Cochran, being very slightly wounded, took to flight.
He was, however, overtaken, and carried into captivity to
their towns. From thence he was taken to Detroit, where
he remained some time, and endeavoring to escape from
that place, unfortunately, took a path which led him im-
mediately to the Maumee old towns. Here he was de-
tained a while, & then sent back to Detroit, where he was
exchanged, and from whence he made his way home, after
having had to endure much suffering and many hardships.”
A bronze plaque at Nathaniel’s burial site specifies he was attacked by Shawnee Indians and was held a prisoner in Quebec, Canada, until the close of the war in 1783. There are pension applications which indicate James Booth was a well-respected leader and was strongly missed by his neighbors and colleagues.
In 1789, Nathaniel married Elizabeth Ford of Winchester. They settled in what is now Marion County, West Virginia, and had ten children. Nathaniel died in 1808. Elizabeth lived another 55 years until her death in 1863.
Margaret Bennett Hines is a seventh-generation descendant of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Cochran and is the current registrar of Craig Valley DAR in New Castle.
For information about joining DAR to honor your ancestor, please visit www.dar.org or call Craig Valley members Diane Givens at 540-580-3745 or Margaret Hines, 540-864-8447.
– Submitted by Craig Valley NSDAR
