On the evidence of the 1851 census, James Cochrane was born c. 1832 at Dalry, the fourth known child of Thomas Cochran and Jean Crawford.

At the time of the 1851 census, James Cochrane was an unmarried shopman, aged 18, living in the family home at Old Manse, Dalry.

A bequest in favour of James Cochrane of Dalry was provided in the Mutual Trust Deed and Settlement subscribed by his sister Mary Cochrane and Mary’s husband Aulay Steele, at Helensburgh on 28^th March 1895 but revoked by the Codicil thereto, subscribed by the same parties, again at Helensburgh, on 18^th May 1897, reflecting the fact that he had died ten days previously.

James Cochrane, grocer (single), died on 8^th May 1897 at four in the morning, at Lynn Street, Dalry. The cause of death was certified as heart disease, from which he had been suffering for three months. The informant at Dalry on the 18^th, the same day on which Aulay and Mary were elsewhere signing their Codicil, was Thomas Cochrane, the deceased’s brother.