A Lesser Mortal

o one expected Sarah B. Cochran to push the boundaries of her era’s expectations for women. Born to humble beginnings, she became an unexpected coal and coke industry leader and philanthropist at a time when Pennsylvania women couldn’t vote or serve on juries. Ironically, women were also legally barred from working in and around mines at the time she served as owner and director of successful coal and coke companies. She was an outspoken advocate for education and women’s suffrage, working to ensure that voices like hers were respected and listened to – not silenced.

In 1915, Cochran, who was now a widow, used her powerful position as the “Coal Queen” to open her private estate, where hundreds of men and women gathered to listen to Dr. Anna Howard Shaw speak about women’s suffrage. Cochran’s dedication to higher education showed in her work as a college trustee, Phi Kappa Psi

benefactor and in her quiet financing of young people’s education, including that of author Kimberly Hess’ great-grandmother.

Hess’ “A Lesser Mortal” (May 18, 2021) reveals the little-known story of a woman from American history who was constantly doing the unthinkable – from expanding her company, to becoming a respected benefactor of her community, often rivaling the efforts of more well-known philanthropists such as Andrew Carnegie. A trailblazer who forged her own path, Cochran’s essence is finally captured in this compelling biography.