Arthur McNutt Cochran was a merchant, ship owner and political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented Hants County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...

 from 1859 to 1863.

He was born in Newport, Nova Scotia, the son of Terrance Cochran and Elizabeth Weir. At the age of 16, he joined his brother Loran De Wolf in business in Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

, later setting up in business for himself in Maitland

Maitland, Hants County, Nova Scotia

Maitland, East Hants, Nova Scotia is a village in the East Hants, Nova Scotia municipal district, and home to the historic Lawrence House Museum, part of the Nova Scotia Museum...

. He also operated a farm. In 1839, he married Susan Weir. Cochran was a justice of the peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

, a school commissioner for East Hants and also served in the local militia for a time. In 1875, he was named to the province's Legislative Council

Legislative Council of Nova Scotia

The Legislative Council of Nova Scotia was the upper house of the government of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It existed from 1838 to May 31, 1928...

.

His brother Felix

Felix Cochran

Felix Cochran was a political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Newport township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1830 to 1836....

also served in the assembly.