CROSS CO, AR - WILLIAM H. COLE - Bio

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Submitted by: Jason Presley <daclyde@usa.net>
        Date: 16 Sept 2009
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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SOURCE:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern 
Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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     William H. Cole, one of the genial members of the enterprising firm of
Smith, Cole & Davis, also the general manager of the three mills owned by
this firm, is a Pennsylvanian by birth, being a son of Joseph and Ellen (Yost)
Cole, of German descent, the paternal grandfather, Joseph Cole, was a hotel
keeper and also owned an interest in a lumber business.  He moved to Iowa, 
living in this State about four years, then in 1870 came to Mississippi
County, Ark., where he busied himself in farming until his death, which
occurred in 1872.  To the parents were given seven children, five of whom
are still living: William H., Clemenza E. (the wife of John J. Merrison), 
J. C., James R. and Edward F.  William H. Cole (whose biography is here
given) was born in 1852, and lived at home with his mother until 1875, when
he started in the mercantile business at Richardson's Landing, Tenn., which
he followed for four years, losing in this business some $10,000, after which
he went into the lumber business, being very successful.  In October, 1888,
he removed his mill and family to this county and located near Bay Village,
erected a saw-mill in charge of the firm of Cole & Davis, which was moved
from Tipton County, Tenn., where it had been operated six or seven years by
said firm.  They bought 260 acres of timber land and erected their first mill,
which turns out annually about 1,500,000 feet of lumber, the capacity of this 
mill being 20,000 to 22,000 feet daily.  In June, 1889, they bought the mill
at Levesque, of John N. White, which has been inproved and now turns out
2,000,000 feet annually.  Messrs. Smith, Cole & Davis have now under lease
another mill, which has about the same capacity as the one at Levesque.  They
also have a planing-mill connected with one of their mills.  Mr. Cole was
married on September 25, 1877, to Miss Martha Isabelle Davis, and they are
the parents of four children, two of whom are living: Elizabeth and John.
Mrs. Cole is a member of the Old School Presbyterian Church.  Mr. Cole is one
of the prominent men of his county, known and respected by all.