Silas Maxwell Cochran was born in Marion County, North Carolina, to Robert S. and Sarah Cochran. He and his first wife, Nancy, had 14 children. They moved to Pontotoc, Mississippi around 1841. Nancy died in Belden, Mississippi. He and his second wife, Mary Ann Ormand, had 6 children.
Born in Mecklenburg County, N.C. January 1, 1809, Silas moved to Giles (Maury) County, Tenn. in 1829, and married Nancy William Tally in July 1833. She was the daughter of Abraham Tally of Lewisburg, Gaines County, Tennessee, and joined Silas after he bought land in Belden, MS. Nancy was born September 14, 1813, and died in October, 1853 never fully recovering from the birth of her fourteenth child. Silas and Nancy had fourteen children during their twenty years of marriage, and after her death Silas returned to Alabama and married Mary Ann Ormand, of Russellville, born February 15, 1822. With Mary he had another six children so this gets complicated further on. Mary died January 22, 1902, and Silas died August 11, 1868. With the help of neighbors, and slaves, Silas built a large house in Belden. The thousand acres of land he owned was mostly orchards and grain, with some pasture for horses and cattle. Not verifed, but he is thought to at one time have over 200 horses and 100 head of cattle. He had a reputation among neighbors as being a "thrifty scotsman". In what context this is meant is not known. It is known that he donated 50 acres of land for a local school. Silas served for a short time as a Justice of the Peace, but most of his life was taken up by farming and children.

Below is reference to part of a deed filed in the Pontotoc Courthouse in 1836: DEED TO: Silas Maxwell Cochran "between CON HO YEA No. 216 SEALY's District of the Chickasaw nation of Indians of the first part, and Richard Bolden & Wilson T. Carruthers of the second part witnesith, that for, and in consideration of TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS, paid to the part of the first part, etc. Witnesses are Issac James (signed with X), and C.M. Tindall. Signed by Con Ho Yea, (signed with X)" This is how Silas came about his farm in Belden, buying it through brokers for the Chickasaw Indians at about $2 an acre. His descendents still live on, or around the land.

Ms. IvaDell Cochran stated in her book that it took her almost twenty years to gather just the information on the twenty children of Silas.