Career
He was born in London, Ontario, the son of George Cockburn and Margaret Hunter, both natives of Scotland, and was educated in London. He came to Manitoba in 1895 before moving to Saskatchewan. In 1899, Cockburn married Isabel MacHardy.
He served as reeve of the Rural Municipality of Great Bend Number.
405 and was chairman of the local school board. Cockburn lived in Borden, Saskatchewan.