A Lesser Mortal - by Kimberly Hess (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Sarah B. Cochran probably didn't expect to own businesses that competed with Henry Clay Frick's or to exceed Andrew Carnegie's philanthropic giving in certain circles. But when her husband and son died suddenly, she had to take over the family coal and coke business at a time when it was illegal, and some thought unlucky, for women to work in or around coal mines. Rather than retreating from the world, from her forties through her seventies she engaged with it through philanthropic activity that shifted power, championed others and influenced causes. But even today her contributions can be difficult to identify without already knowing they exist. This book is an introduction to Sarah's story for academics, genealogists, history buffs and those interested in sharing stories of other "lesser mortals" who created significant changes but remain largely unknown.

Review Quotes

The story of Sarah Cochran is a quiet surprise for anyone who cares about philanthropy today. Her life is an inspiration showing the lasting good that comes from regional philanthropy and from major donors who are not, what we would call today, "mega-donors." It's also a testament to the ongoing generosity of women, who tend to give more quietly, but no less impactfully than their male peers. And it reminds us to celebrate the unknowing inheritors of Sarah's legacy, those women who have made their ways in new industries, hail from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and have different causes than Sarah, but share her spirit of not withdrawing from the world to live in comfort, but to engage with the things they care about.

-Dara Weinerman Steinberg, Philanthropic Advisor

Kimberly Hess' biography of Sarah B. Cochran is a reminder that focus on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh leaves blind spots in Pennsylvania history. Cochran overcame numerous hardships to become an unlikely woman of industry who moved among Carnegie, Frick, Heinz, and others. However, her womanhood and dedication to her hometown in the Connellsville coke district mean her legacy is now mostly identifiable only to those in Fayette County who know to look for it. A Lesser Mortal changes that.

-Samuel J. Richards, western PA native, historian of northern Appalachia, current faculty at Shanghai American School

"Kimberly Hess has presented the history of a feminist in crisp detail with a great deal of supporting evidence and intelligent conjecture when necessary. Marriage created the opportunity that changed Sarah's life. Sarah in turn created opportunities for many more women (and men) through her financial generosity as well as her stature in the male dominated world of coal and coke."

-Donna M. Griffin, former Director of Global Operations, Chubb Group Of Insurance Companies