John Cochran (physician)

John Cochran (September 1, 1730 – April 6, 1807) was the 4th Surgeon General of the United States Army during the American Revolution. He was president of the Medical Society of New Jersey from 1769 to 1770, and was re-elected in 1770 and served until 1771.

Biography
Cochran was born in Sadsbury, Pennsylvania on September 1, 1730, the son of Irish immigrants. He served as physician under Lieutenant-Colonel John Bradstreet during his march on Fort Frontenac in 1758. He was president of the Medical Society of New Jersey from 1769 to 1770, and was re-elected in 1770 and served until 1771.

On April 10, 1777, Cochran was made Physician & Surgeon General of the Middle Department of the Medical Department of the Continental Army. Subsequently, he became Physician and Surgeon General of the Continental Army and Director General of the Hospitals of the United States (January 17, 1781 to 1783). Because of the infighting and other troubles of his three predecessors as Surgeon General, he is considered by some military medical historians as the "best of the Revolutionary period chief physicians".

He died on April 6, 1807 in Palatine, New York.

Personal life
He was married to Gertrude Schuyler, the eldest daughter of Cornelia Van Cortlandt (1698–1762) and Johannes Schuyler, Jr. (1697–1741) and sister of Gen. Philip Schuyler (1733–1804). Gertrude had previously been married to Pieter P. Schuyler (1723–1813), her cousin and the grandson of Pieter Schuyler (1657–1724).
 * James Cochran (1769–1848), who married Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler (1781–1857), his first cousin and daughter of Philip Schuyler

Legacy

 * Cochran's descendants added a final e to the family name. His grandson was General John Cochrane.
 * The John Cochran Veterans Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo is named in his behalf.