Sarah B. Cochran

Sarah B. Cochran (nee Moore, 1857-1936) was an active philanthropist and a director on multiple corporate boards in western Pennsylvania during the height of the area's coal wealth in the early 20th century. At one time, she was one of the wealthiest women on the East Coast. She was the first female trustee of Allegheny College and financed construction of Linden Hall and the Philip G. Cochran Memorial United Methodist Church, both on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sarah Boyd Moore was born on April 22, 1857 in Lower Tyrone Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania to James F. Moore and Sarah B. Herbert Moore, farmers. Sarah grew up in a log house in Fayette County, Pennsylvania and became a housekeeper in the home of James Cochran, who was credited as the first to use coke commercially. He had recently created his own fortune in coal and coke production and was the owner of the largest number of coke ovens in America. On September 25, 1879 Sarah married James' oldest son, Philip Galley Cochran, who was being groomed to lead the family business. On September 21, 1880, Sarah gave birth to their only child, James Philip Cochran.

Sarah's father-in-law, James Cochran, died in 1894, and Sarah's husband died of pneumonia in 1899. Her son, James Philip Cochran, was the expected representative of the family's estate, but died on March 5, 1901 while preparing for his business career as a student at the University of Pennsylvania.

As a widow, Sarah spent eight years traveling abroad. She was inspired to build her new home, Linden Hall at Saint James Park, by buildings she saw while in St. James's Park in London. The mansion was built between 1911 and 1913, and included three signed Tiffany windows. When the sixty Italian stonecutters who executed the mansion's stonework wanted to stay in the U.S., Sarah sponsored them for American citizenship.

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