Cochrane (William Branch)
DESCRIPTION
NameCochrane (William Branch)Alternative NameCoughranDescriptionWilliam Cochrane was born in Fintona, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland c.1807 to David and Betsy Cochrane (nee Cotter).
William married Mary Jane Coughran c.1828 in Ireland. The couple had 13 children -
Eliza b.1829-1908 (married John Keys)
David b.1832-1832
Lily Ann (Lilian) b.1833-1869 (married Robert Martin)
Andrew b.1835-1911 (married Mary Keys)
William b.1837-1908 (married Annie Flower)
Margaret b.1839-1919 (married Blakely/Chegwidden)
Mary Jane b.1841 (married James Osborne)
Isabella b.1843 (married Robert Irving)
Thomas b.1845-1921 (married Jane Rankin)
James b.1848-1933 (married Emily Flower)
John b.1850 (died 1859 Shellharbour - accidentally drowned)
Robert b.1852-1916 Dapto (married Agnes Ball)
David George b.1854 Albion Park (married Amelia Beatson)
William and Mary Jane’s eldest daughter Eliza Cochrane, married John Keys in Ireland and the couple arrived in Australia aboard ‘Victoria’ in 1849. Eliza's shipping records state she has 'two uncles and two aunts, Robert and John Osborne, and Eliza Coughlin and ? Thompson? all living at Wollongong'.
It is not known when William and Mary Jane Cochrane arrived in Australia, but it must have been between 1850 and 1852, considering the birth locations of the two youngest children. Researchers Wendy and Terry Nunan in their 2014 book ‘Shellharbour’s Forgotten Cemetery and Selected Pioneers’ suggest William, Mary and Lilly Ann Cochrane, may have arrived in Melbourne in 1852 aboard ‘Don Juan’ – listed as ‘W. Coglin, Mrs and Daughter’.
William's brother Andrew Coughran and family, also came to Australia in 1852. The arrived aboard the 'Kate'.
Andrew 38 years (brother William Cochrane, farmer, Wollongong, was listed as a relative in the colony)
Jane (nee Keys) 28 years (sister Sarah Keys listed as relative in the colony)
Thomas 13 years
David 11 years
Jane 9 years
Mary 7 years
William 1 year
William and Andrew’s sister Lilly Lindsay (nee Coughran), aged 40, wife of John Lindsay, sadly died aboard the same ship ‘Kate’ on her way to Australia. John listed a brother George Lindsay as a relative, living in Wollongong. John and Lilly's children on board ‘Kate’ were -
Mary 22 years
David 21 years
William 18 years
John 16 years
Andrew 13 years
Lilly 9 years
James 7 years
Three of William and Mary Jane’s other daughters, Margaret aged 14, Mary Jane aged 12, and Isabella aged 10 arrived in Australia on board the ‘Talavera’ in 1853, listing their parents William and Mary as living in Wollongong, on the passenger list.
William and Mary Jane Coughran farmed at the Five Islands, Wollongong before moving to Albion Park.
According to the Cochrane family legend, son Andrew Coughran took his mothers name as he did not get on well with his father, William Cochrane.
Many of William and Mary Jane’s children moved to the Bega district.
William Cochrane Snr died at Mt Terry (Albion Park) in 1882, aged 74 years.
Mary Jane died at Candelo at the home of her eldest daughter, Eliza Keys in 1905 aged 95 years. A patchwork quilt Mary Jane handmade in 1904, is part of the National Australia Museum’s collection.
The Cochrane’s are related to the Ball, Lindsay, Keys, Martin, Hazelton and Alcorn families.
External LinkDeath John Coughran 1859Boy Drowned Coroner's Inquest 1859Suicide of Alderman Killalea - George Coughran 1872Melancholy and Fatal Accident - Mary Jane Cochrane (Granddaughter) 1873Death David Coughrane 1876Death William Cochrane 1882Estate of the Late William Cochrane, Mount Terry 1882An Affiliation Case - Maintenance Illegitimate Child - - William Cochrane 1898Death of Mr John Keys Snr 1900Death of a Pioneer - John Keys 1900Death Mrs William Cochrane 1905Died at 95 -1905The Late Mrs Keys Snr 1908Obituary Robert Cochrane 1916Death of Mr Thomas Cochrane 1921The Late Mr George Cochrane 1922Death of Mr Thomas Cochrane JP 1921Mary Jane Cochrane Quilt 1904 - National Museum of AustraliaThe Passing of James Cochrane, A Notable Pioneer 1933
William married Mary Jane Coughran c.1828 in Ireland. The couple had 13 children -
Eliza b.1829-1908 (married John Keys)
David b.1832-1832
Lily Ann (Lilian) b.1833-1869 (married Robert Martin)
Andrew b.1835-1911 (married Mary Keys)
William b.1837-1908 (married Annie Flower)
Margaret b.1839-1919 (married Blakely/Chegwidden)
Mary Jane b.1841 (married James Osborne)
Isabella b.1843 (married Robert Irving)
Thomas b.1845-1921 (married Jane Rankin)
James b.1848-1933 (married Emily Flower)
John b.1850 (died 1859 Shellharbour - accidentally drowned)
Robert b.1852-1916 Dapto (married Agnes Ball)
David George b.1854 Albion Park (married Amelia Beatson)
William and Mary Jane’s eldest daughter Eliza Cochrane, married John Keys in Ireland and the couple arrived in Australia aboard ‘Victoria’ in 1849. Eliza's shipping records state she has 'two uncles and two aunts, Robert and John Osborne, and Eliza Coughlin and ? Thompson? all living at Wollongong'.
It is not known when William and Mary Jane Cochrane arrived in Australia, but it must have been between 1850 and 1852, considering the birth locations of the two youngest children. Researchers Wendy and Terry Nunan in their 2014 book ‘Shellharbour’s Forgotten Cemetery and Selected Pioneers’ suggest William, Mary and Lilly Ann Cochrane, may have arrived in Melbourne in 1852 aboard ‘Don Juan’ – listed as ‘W. Coglin, Mrs and Daughter’.
William's brother Andrew Coughran and family, also came to Australia in 1852. The arrived aboard the 'Kate'.
Andrew 38 years (brother William Cochrane, farmer, Wollongong, was listed as a relative in the colony)
Jane (nee Keys) 28 years (sister Sarah Keys listed as relative in the colony)
Thomas 13 years
David 11 years
Jane 9 years
Mary 7 years
William 1 year
William and Andrew’s sister Lilly Lindsay (nee Coughran), aged 40, wife of John Lindsay, sadly died aboard the same ship ‘Kate’ on her way to Australia. John listed a brother George Lindsay as a relative, living in Wollongong. John and Lilly's children on board ‘Kate’ were -
Mary 22 years
David 21 years
William 18 years
John 16 years
Andrew 13 years
Lilly 9 years
James 7 years
Three of William and Mary Jane’s other daughters, Margaret aged 14, Mary Jane aged 12, and Isabella aged 10 arrived in Australia on board the ‘Talavera’ in 1853, listing their parents William and Mary as living in Wollongong, on the passenger list.
William and Mary Jane Coughran farmed at the Five Islands, Wollongong before moving to Albion Park.
According to the Cochrane family legend, son Andrew Coughran took his mothers name as he did not get on well with his father, William Cochrane.
Many of William and Mary Jane’s children moved to the Bega district.
William Cochrane Snr died at Mt Terry (Albion Park) in 1882, aged 74 years.
Mary Jane died at Candelo at the home of her eldest daughter, Eliza Keys in 1905 aged 95 years. A patchwork quilt Mary Jane handmade in 1904, is part of the National Australia Museum’s collection.
The Cochrane’s are related to the Ball, Lindsay, Keys, Martin, Hazelton and Alcorn families.
External LinkDeath John Coughran 1859Boy Drowned Coroner's Inquest 1859Suicide of Alderman Killalea - George Coughran 1872Melancholy and Fatal Accident - Mary Jane Cochrane (Granddaughter) 1873Death David Coughrane 1876Death William Cochrane 1882Estate of the Late William Cochrane, Mount Terry 1882An Affiliation Case - Maintenance Illegitimate Child - - William Cochrane 1898Death of Mr John Keys Snr 1900Death of a Pioneer - John Keys 1900Death Mrs William Cochrane 1905Died at 95 -1905The Late Mrs Keys Snr 1908Obituary Robert Cochrane 1916Death of Mr Thomas Cochrane 1921The Late Mr George Cochrane 1922Death of Mr Thomas Cochrane JP 1921Mary Jane Cochrane Quilt 1904 - National Museum of AustraliaThe Passing of James Cochrane, A Notable Pioneer 1933
Family
CONNECTIONS
Cochrane (William Branch). Shellharbour City Council, accessed 07/12/2025, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/16948