Bios: ANDREW C. COLE: Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

________________________________________________________________

  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lawrence Co transcribers.
  Coordinated by Ed McClelland

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
 
  _____________________________________________________________

  Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
  Lawrence County Pennsylvania
  Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
  
  An html version with search engine may be found at 
  
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/1897/
  
  _____________________________________________________________________

    ANDREW C. COLE.
    
    Andrew Cole[p. 395] It is a pleasant thing to be able to trace one's family
  record through long years of change and struggle, and it is doubly pleasant
  when this record presents the lives of honest men and good women. Some of the
  old families of Pennsylvania go back easily to events in the middle of the
  last century, thus connecting the past with the present, and making our
  Republic seem young indeed when compared with the Old World governments that
  have existed for centuries. One of the oldest families in Lawrence County,
  whose history is closely interwoven with the history of the county, is the
  Cole family, and among its more prominent members is the subject of this
  sketch, Andrew C. Cole, who is one of the leading business men and citizens
  of Ellwod City.
    
    Living in easy circumstances, surrounded by a bright and popular family,
  Mr. Cole has reached the point when he can take life as it comes, without a
  thought of the morrow's toil. Mrs. Cole is qualified in every respect to be
  the head of a household, for besides being versed in the womanly arts
  pertaining to housekeeping, she has evinced some literary taste; she has been
  an interesting contributor to newspapers, her writing showing a refined and
  discriminating touch. Mr. and Mrs. Cole have a promising family, the members
  of which are reflecting honor on their parents and credit on their
  bringing-up. William Hamilton Cole, born June 4, 1863, is a resident of Hazel
  Dell; he married Theresa Tillia, and they have three children: Clara E., John
  H., and Frank. John Witherow, who was born Dec. 18, 1865, lived through a
  pleasant youth to pass away from life's scenes, Dec. 9, 1885. Frank Edward,
  who was born March 18, 1868, has followed agricultural pursuits, and is
  living on the home farm; he married Estella Parker, and they have a son,
  Andrew J. Twins came to the home Nov. 12, 1870, they were girls and were
  named Lizzie Suella and Jennie Izora; the former became the wife of Harry
  McGowan, and went to live in Carnegie, Pa., where she has had one child,
  Harrison K.; the latter married William Buguo of Hazel Dell, and they have
  two daughters, Eleanor and Catherine E. Thomas James was born April 9, 1873,
  and married Elizabeth J. Hamilton. Karl Hayes was born Nov. 15, 1875, and
  passed over the river of death Aug. 24, 1896. A. Thurman and Kittie Marie
  were born Jan. 29, 1879, and Nov. 16, 1881, respectively.
    
    On April 1, 1893, the firm of Cole Brothers, which comprised the three
  younger sons of our subject, Thomas, Karl, and Thurman, went into mercantile
  business at Hazel Dell; being men of pleasing address and excellent business
  methods, they soon built up a lucrative trade. Their family standing and
  connections stood them in good stead; but nothing could ward off danger and
  loss incurred, when fire threatened to sweep the village out of existence.
  Deciding to change their location, the brothers removed to Ellwood City, took
  possession of the store in the C. F. Eldridge Block, and again embarked in the
  world of trade, confining their efforts to dealing in groceries and
  provisions. By attending strictly to business and being straight-forward and
  trustworthy in every respect, the Cole firm has made an enviable reputation,
  and established a paying business.
    
    In regard to Mr. Cole's personal history, he was born April 26, 1840. There
  is an odd coincidence of little moment, yet interesting of itself, in the fact
  that Mr. Cole's earlier life was spent in the same manner as was his father's
  before him; each was the youngest son, and each fulfilled the duty that
  devolved upon him to stay at home and care for his parents in their declining
  years. To carry the similarity to completion, each one inherited the
  homestead, and made it a happy, busy home. Year after year the sowing and
  reaping have gone on, and harvest succeeding harvest has rewarded the toil of
  the workers. The place has been gradually improved and has lost none of its
  virgin fertility, so that aside from keeping the land in the possession of
  the family, Mr. Cole has the further incentive of deriving a goodly revenue
  from it. Our subject was postmaster at Hazel Dell, being the immediate
  successor of his father-in-law, John H. Marshall. That Mr. Cole was popular
  and efficient in that position goes almost without saying, for at the end of
  nine years service, only a slight change was made; the commission bore the
  name of Mrs. Cole, and the office still continued in their care for five more
  years. That, however, is only one instance of the esteem cherished for the
  Coles; many others might be mentioned showing fully as well their position.
    
    As he has been otherwise occupied, Mr. Cole saw fit to place his son, Frank
  Edward, in charge of the homestead, while he, himself, devoted his time and
  attention to other matters. Our subject is a man of strong constitution, who
  has seen good, hard work in his day, and is now enjoying the fruits thereof.
  His life has been too busy to allow him to be a rolling stone, nor in our
  subject's prosperity is there cause for regretting his quiet life.
    
    In his life as a citizen, Mr. Cole has followed the teachings of the
  Republican party, not only because that party was in power for years, but
  because his intellectual perceptions told him that those principles were
  logical and true. He has been active in educational affairs, always
  displaying a laudable zeal to make the public school what it ought to be.
    
    Andrew C. Cole was united in marriage to Mary E. Marshall on July 24, 1862.
  Mrs. Cole's parents, John H. and Susan S. (Marshall) Mar- shall, were natives
  of Washington Co., Pa. They settled in Lawrence County, and soon became well
  liked there; for some time they kept a hotel at Bridgewater, removing thence
  to Hazel Dell, where Mr. Marshall had the distinction of being the first
  postmaster in 1872. He lived to number seventy-seven years, while his wife
  attained the age of sixty-nine. Their children grew to be sober, industrious
  citizens of the kind highly prized in every community; their names were:
  Marguerite, Thomas J.; Rebecca J.; Mary E.; William B.; Enoch H.; Deomides;
  Izora; Lovega; John F.; and Florence.
    
    Andrew C. Cole was a son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Smith) Cole, the former
  a native of Wayne township, Lawrence Co., Pa.; and the latter of East
  Liverpool, Ohio. They were quiet, farming people, little inclined to leave
  home and spent the greater part of their lives on the Cole homestead. Years
  were marked by events of especial interest, the birth of the children. Mary
  J. was born Dec. 15, 1823; Elizabeth, Sept. 25, 1830; John S., Oct. 5, 1833;
  Daniel, May 8, 1836; Charlotte, Dec. 11, 1838; Andrew C., the, subject of
  this sketch, April 26, 1840; and Margaret J., April 23, 1843. The
  grandparents of our subject were Isaac and Elizabeth (Depew) Cole. They were
  pioneers of the early day, settling in Lawrence County when it was a
  wilderness that gave no evidence of ever having been trodden by the foot of
  man before their appearance. Their efforts were not destined to go
  unrewarded, and their 150 acres proved to be very desirable land, when
  cleared. Various improvements were made by each succeeding owner, and the
  present proprietor saw a chance to dispose of a portion of it at a good
  return, so he laid out thirty acres in building lots, thus making an addition
  to Hazel Dell. The farm-house dates from 1879, and the barn was built in 1889.
  Isaac Cole was born Dec. 5, 1776, and his marriage occurred Nov. 13, 1793. His
  wife succumbed to the fatal inroads of disease and died Feb. 10, 1803, when
  thirty-one years of age, leaving three children motherless, as follows:
  Andrew, who was born Feb. 2, 1795; Daniel, June 30, 1797; and Abraham, May 1,
  1800. The father did as well as he knew how in bringing up his children, and
  in providing them with a Christian home. On March 22, 1808, he re-married,
  his second wife being Jane Lytle. Isaac Cole was finally laid to rest after a
  long and singularly useful life, Feb. 27, 1857.
    
    There is one more point in connection with the family history of the Coles
  that needs to be brought out: Isaac Cole, the grandfather of our subject, was
  a Presbyterian elder, and so faithfully did he admonish and train his children
  that they followed closely in his footsteps, and in turn led their children to
  believe and practice the rules of life, as laid down by the Presbyterian
  Church; not that the sect makes the difference, but the Christian life, one
  generation after another, shows what nobility may be in plain, every-day
  lives. Mr. and Mrs. Cole have many friends to hope that happiness and peace
  may crown their days, and that prosperity may continue to attend them. In
  this connection it is but appropriate, since our subject and his excellent
  wife have such a wide acquaintance, that their portraits appear in
  conjunction with this sketch, and it is a pleasure to us to announce that
  very good likenesses from photographs recently taken may be found on a page
  in proximity.