William Carl Cochran, Jr.

Death of W.C. Cochran, Jr. Reported Posted Thursday, February 20, 2014, at 10:02 AM

"Clay County Independent"

Editor, Ben Daulton

February, 1930

Local Auto Dealer Dead

W.C. Cochran Jr. Answers Call After Week's Illness at His Home in Rector

It was with much sadness the friends of W. C. Cochran Junior learned of his death which occurred in this city last Monday afternoon after a serious illness of about a week.

The family had made preparations to take him to a St. Louis hospital Sunday night, but when the hour for departure arrived, his condition was so serious that the plans had to be given up an he was kept at home. The disease which took him away continued its deathly grasp throughout the night and through the next day until five o'clock, when he answered the final summons.

Willie Cochran was born in Clay County April 30, 1891, and spent most of his life in and around Rector. Several years ago he entered the garage business with his brother, James, and the business has steadily grown since it was first established. For some time the Cochran boys have been local dealers for the Chevrolet automobile.

Steady, reliable, and trustworthy, Will Cochran had his full share in furthering the interests of the company and the friends he made remained true to him and gave him that confidence the honest business dealing justly merits.

The writer first met Willie Cochran back in 1905 when we were in the same class. He was young then, and from a boy he showed steadiness. The years passed on. He went away to his field of labor, and the writer went to his. When the writer came back to Rector in 1925 he found Mr. Cochran in business. He was giving his work and his duties that same steady and careful attention he gave his studies in school.

Mr. Cochran is survived by his widow and one daughter, by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Cochran, by two sisters, Mrs. Luther King of this city and Mrs. Ruth Needham of St. Louis, and by two brothers, James Cochran of this city and Mert Cochran of Leachville, Arkansas.

The funeral was conducted at the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, on Wednesday, February 26, 1930, at two thirty P. M., by the Rev. W. H. Marris, pastor of the Piggott Presbyterian Church, Rev. H. O. Bolin of the Methodist Church and the Rev. C. H. Franks of the First Baptist Church.

1930-1939

William Carl Cochran Jr. was the oldest son of William C. Sr. and Sarah Elizabeth Leeth Cochran, and was born in the Greenway area in 1891. William C. Jr.'s oldest sister, Lura J., married Rector businessman, Luther King, in 1901. The youngest sister was Ruth E., who married W. Earl Needham, and always lived away from Arkansas.

Younger brother, James "Jimmie" Cochran, married Ruby Holifield, and the youngest brother was Mert Cochran, who married Opal Ellis.

William Jr. married Anna Laura Street in 1922, and the couple only had a few years together. They also were parents of a daughter, Betty Jo Cochran, who was 4 years old when her dad passed away.

The Cochran family moved to Rector in 1898 and figured prominently in Rector's early history. Your writer believes that the Chevrolet dealership was located in the backside of the Rector Hotel, and that would put it at the corner of Stewart and 4th streets. Does anyone have a photo of that dealership to share with me or the library?

This news article was written in 1930 by Ben Daulton, editor of Rector's "Clay County Independent". As mentioned by editor Daulton, he had gone to school in Rector with William Jr. in the early 1900's. A young Ben Daulton came to Rector with his father, Frank Daulton, in 1905, to start the newspaper, "Rector Newsboy". Frank Daulton died in 1912, and Ben Daulton moved on to other places.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who can share more information regarding our article.