Originally published in the "About People" column of the March 8, 1912 Weekly Examiner [page 2].

Cyrus Vandervort Cochran, who celebrated his 83rd birthday Saturday, February 24th, was born in Pains Corners, Trumbull County, in 1829. He is the oldest son of Robert and Nancy Cochran, whose deaths occured December 4, 1891, within two hours of each other. There were 11 children born to this union; six are now living:

• Lucius Cochran of Youngstown, Ohio;
• Cyrus [the subject of this sketch], of Middleburg, Ohio;
• Mrs. Emma Cochran Raley of Middleburg, Ohio;
• Mrs. Lavilla Euans of Middleburg, Ohio;
• George Cochran of Middleburg, Ohio; and
• Mrs. Mary Cochran Heath also of Middleburg, Ohio. She is the youngest at 51 years of age.

Mr. Cochran's parents moved to a farm two and one-half miles east of Sunberry [Ed. note: I think "Sunbury" is the modern spelling"], Licking County, when Cyrus was but 16 years old. At that time, he began driving a stage coach from Sunberry via Worthington to Columbus and he remembers it was at this time that the Neil House in our capital city was erected. During the 1844 Presidential campaign of John Tyler, he gathered buckeyes, strung them, and sold them for 25-50 cents each to what was then called the Whig Party to go around the necks and bodies of horses.

In 1841, his parents came to Middleburg, but Cyrus went to Hartford to work for Herman Smith in a grist mill. He says that in those days, people came for a hundred miles to get their grinding done.

In 1854, he came to Bellefontaine and engaged in the livery business with Newt McBeth. It was here the Mr. Cochran gained quite a reputation as to his judgement of horses. He continued in this buses for about 16 years and from this, he worked another two years for Mark and Newt McBeth buying horses, cattle, and hogs throughout Logan and harding Counties and transported them to Chicago. Afterward, he was hired to Smith and mcFerson, who were at that time running a tavern in Chicago. From that, he went to Mercer County and worked in a saw mill.

In 1866, he came to Middleburg, where he was engaged in farming until a few years ago, and for a man of his age is quite active. He has his regular daily labors and is seemingly well and hearty [East Liberty Echo]