Sarah Cochran was born 5 Oct 1833 in Armagh County, Ireland to Thomas Cochran and Mary Hamilton. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1848 with her family. They first lived in New York and then settled in Wright County, Minnesota.
She married James Dixon on 25 Dec 1854 in New York. They had 7 children: Mary Louisa, b. Feb 1856 John, b. Apr 1858 Thomas, b. 14 Mar 1860 Elizabeth, b. 20 Sep 1862 William James, b. May 1868 Robert, b. 12 Oct 1869 Andrew, b. 7 Nov 1874