Robert Leroy Cochran - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Robert L. Cochran) American politician (1886–1963)

Roy Cochran


24th Governor of Nebraska
In office January 3, 1935 – January 9, 1941
Lieutenant	Walter H. Jurgensen Nate M. Parsons William E. Johnson
Preceded by	Charles W. Bryan
Succeeded by	Dwight Griswold
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office September 14, 1937 – June 26, 1939
Preceded by	George C. Peery
Succeeded by	Lloyd C. Stark

Personal details
Born	(1886-01-28)January 28, 1886 Avoca, Nebraska, U.S.
Died	February 23, 1963(1963-02-23) (aged 77) Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Aileen Gant
Children	2
Education	University of Nebraska, Lincoln (BS)

Robert Leroy "Roy" Cochran (January 28, 1886 – February 23, 1963) was an American Democratic politician and the 24th Governor of Nebraska.

Cochran was born in Avoca, Nebraska, and began his education in a sod school house. After graduating from Brady High school, he worked his way through and received a civil engineering degree from the University of Nebraska in 1910. First working for the County Surveyor, he was hired as a surveyor by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. In 1912 he was elected County Surveyor and served in that position until 1916. During World War I, he served two years in the Army Artillery Corps and was discharged with the rank of captain in 1919. He was married to Aileen Gant on March 15, 1919, and the couple had two children, Robert Leroy Jr and Mary Aileen.

Political and military career

Cochran served in the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps during World War I, being discharged with the rank of captain. He was commissioned in the Officers Reserve Corps after the war, reaching the rank of colonel and commanding the 515th Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft) from 1933 to 1941.

Cochran ran for governor of Nebraska and won in 1934, defeating the Republican candidate, Dwight Griswold, by 17,388 votes (50,8% to 47.7%). He was re-elected in 1936, again defeating Griswold, this time by 55.9% to 43.1%. In 1938 he was elected for a third term as governor, defeating the Republican candidate, Charles J. Warner, by 44% to 40.6%; a third candidate, Charles W. Bryan, received 15.4% of the vote. This made him the first governor to serve three consecutive terms. In 1940 he ran unsuccessfully for Nebraska senator, unseating incumbent Edward R. Burke in the Democratic primary, but losing the general election to Hugh Butler by 57% to 41.5%.

Cochran was called to active duty in the U.S. Army as the commander of Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, from January 1941 to January 1942, before being retired for health reasons. He became Assistant Commissioner of the Federal Public Housing Authority from 1942 to 1943, and Commissioner from 1943 to 1944. He served as Deputy Commissioner of the American Mission for Aid to Greece. He retired from public life in 1956.

Death and legacy

Cochran died on February 23, 1963. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, a Freemason, Knight Templar, Shriner, and member of Alpha Tau Omega.

References

"Robert Leroy Cochran" (PDF). Nebraska History.org. Archived from the original on December 2, 2006. Retrieved September 24, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
"Robert Leroy Cochran" (PDF). Nebraska History.org. Archived from the original on December 2, 2006. Retrieved September 24, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
Robert Leroy Cochran. Encyclopedia of Nebraska. January 1, 1999. ISBN 9780403098347. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
"Cochran Named Commander of Fort," Grand Island Daily Independent (Grand Island, NE), 29 January 1941
"Roy Cochran, Health Failed, Leaves Army," Columbus Daily Telegram (Columbus, NE), 22 January 1942
Robert Leroy Cochran. Encyclopedia of Nebraska. January 1, 1999. ISBN 9780403098347. Retrieved September 24, 2012.

External links

"Cochran, Robert LeRoy". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved January 6, 2006.
Encyclopedia of Nebraska
National Governors Association
Nebraska History.org

Party political offices
Preceded byCharles W. Bryan	Democratic nominee for Governor of Nebraska 1934, 1936, 1938	Succeeded byTerry Carpenter
Preceded byEdward R. Burke	Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Nebraska (Class 1) 1940	Succeeded byJohn Mekota
Political offices
Preceded byCharles W. Bryan	Governor of Nebraska 1935–1941	Succeeded byDwight Griswold
Preceded byGeorge C. Peery	Chair of the National Governors Association 1937–1939	Succeeded byLloyd C. Stark

v t e Governors of Nebraska
Territorial (1854–1867)	Walker (provisional; disputed) Butler (declined) Burt Cuming Izard Cuming Richardson Morton Black Morton Paddock Saunders
State (since 1867)	Butler James Hascall (disputed) Furnas Garber Nance Dawes Thayer Boyd Crounse Holcomb Poynter Dietrich Savage Mickey Sheldon Shallenberger Aldrich Morehead Neville McKelvie Bryan McMullen Weaver Bryan Cochran Griswold Peterson Crosby Anderson Brooks Burney Morrison Tiemann Exon Thone Kerrey Orr Nelson Johanns Heineman Ricketts Pillen
Italics indicate acting governors

v t e Chairs of the National Governors Association
Willson McGovern Walsh Spry Capper Harrington Allen Sproul Cox Trinkle Brewster McMullen Dern Case Pollard Rolph McNutt Peery Cochran Stark Vanderbilt Stassen O'Conor Saltonstall Maw Martin Caldwell Hildreth Hunt Lane Carlson Lausche Peterson Shivers Thornton Kennon Langlie Stanley Stratton Collins Boggs McNichols Powell Rosellini Anderson Sawyer Reed Guy Volpe Ellington Love Hearnes Moore Mandel Evans Rampton Ray Andrus Askew Milliken Carroll Bowen Busbee Snelling Matheson J. Thompson Carlin Alexander Clinton Sununu Baliles Branstad Gardner Ashcroft Romer Campbell Dean T. Thompson Miller Voinovich Carper Leavitt Glendening Engler Patton Kempthorne Warner Huckabee Napolitano Pawlenty Rendell Douglas Manchin Gregoire Heineman Markell Fallin Hickenlooper Herbert McAuliffe Sandoval Bullock Hogan Cuomo Hutchinson Murphy Cox Polis

Chairs of the National Governors Association

Categories:

Political and military career

Death and legacy

References

Further reading

External links