September 13, 2025 - Sarah B. Cochran was a prominent historical figure who paved the way for women in mining communities. She was dubbed America’s coal queen. However, she is not widely known.

She became known as a leader in the coal industry during the Gilded Age, back when it was illegal for women to work in or around coal mines.

Furthermore, she supported important causes, such as women’s suffrage and education, becoming the first female trustee of Allegheny College.

Sarah B. Cochran

Sarah B. Cochran was born as Sarah Boyd Moore on April 22, 1857, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Her parents were humble farmers and could not afford enough clothes for her to wear to school every day.

As a young adult, she worked as a maid in the home of James Cochran, a self-made business tycoon in the coal industry. He was the first to commercially sell coal’s byproduct, coke, which is a key ingredient in the steelmaking process.

Sarah and Philip, James Cochran’s son, fell in love and got married on September 25, 1879. Sarah gave birth to their son on September 21, 1880. After James died in 1894, Philip took over the business.

He also taught Sarah the ins and outs of the business. Five years later, he died suddenly at the age of 49, leaving Sarah in charge of his estate.

Then, six months before his 21st birthday, their son died of pneumonia while studying at the University of Pennsylvania. In her forties, Sarah stepped into her late husband’s roles and assumed many of his business responsibilities. For example, he had been the president of several coke companies.

Sarah was credited with being a founder and stockholder of the Cochran Coal & Coke Company of Morgantown, West Virginia, and the First National Bank of Perryopolis. She was still active in the business in her seventies. Some of her coke companies rivaled those owned by Henry Clay Frick.

The Cochran’s business grew under her leadership and was said to have sold coke in England, France, Germany, and Mexico. Over the course of eight years, Sarah traveled Europe and Asia.

She had her own mansion built between 1911 and 1913. It was named Linden Hall and contained over 30 rooms, as well as a railroad stop.

She used her spacious home and vast fortune to make a positive difference in many people’s lives. In 1915, Sarah hosted western Pennsylvania’s largest suffrage fundraiser in Linden Hall.

She also invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in education. She funded the construction of two dormitories at Allegheny College and Otterbein University. She was the first female trustee at Allegheny College, serving from 1908 until her death in 1936.

Sarah died on October 27, 1936. The dollar value of her philanthropy is estimated to be worth around $53 million today. Linden Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.