Arthur McNutt Cochran (October 16, 1811 – 1883 [1] ) was a merchant, ship owner and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Hants County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1859 to 1863.
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime Provinces, and one of the four provinces that form Atlantic Canada. Its provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the second-smallest of Canada's ten provinces, with an area of 55,284 square kilometres (21,300 sq mi), including Cape Breton and another 3,800 coastal islands. As of 2016, the population was 923,598. Nova Scotia is Canada's second-most-densely populated province, after Prince Edward Island, with 17.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (45/sq mi).
The Nova Scotia House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia, the other being the Queen of Canada in Right of Nova Scotia represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. It is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada. The assembly is the oldest in Canada, having first sat in 1758, and in 1848 was the site of the first responsible government in the British Empire.
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, later setting up in business for himself in Maitland. He also operated a farm. In 1839, he married Susan Weir. Cochran was a justice of the peace, 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.
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. The community was part of the Douglas Township until it was named Maitland after Governor General of Nova Scotia Peregrine Maitland (1828–34), when building the Shubenacadie Canal was first attempted (1826–1831). The Canal was supposed to start at Maitland, Nova Scotia and run through the province to Maitland Street, Dartmouth, the canal being "bookended" by two "Maitland" landmarks.
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or puisne court, elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the same meaning. Depending on the jurisdiction, such justices dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions. Justices of the peace are appointed or elected from the citizens of the jurisdiction in which they serve, and are usually not required to have any formal legal education in order to qualify for the office. Some jurisdictions have varying forms of training for JPs.
The Legislative Council of Nova Scotia was the upper house of the legislature of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It existed from 1838 to May 31, 1928. From the establishment of responsible government in 1848, members were appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia on the advice of the Premier.
His brother Felix also served in the assembly.
