James Mitchell Cole
James Mitchell Cole was born August 26, 1789, in Harford County, Maryland. His father was Ephriam Cole, and his mother was Ada Mitchell, born in the same county, near Havre-de-gras. His grandparents on both sides were born in the same county. He came to Kentucky with his parents in 1793 where they located in Mason County. In 1794, they removed and located near West Union, Ohio, on the second farm near to the right on the old Manchester road, at one time occupied by Mr. Harsha. He had three brothers, Ephriam, Leonard and Allaniah, and three sisters, Ada, Zilla and Elizabeth. He was married in 1809 to Nancy Collings, daughter of James and Christian Collings, who was born in Manchester, March 16, 1794, in the Stockade. Her parents were also from Harford County, Maryland. James M. Cole was a soldier in the War of 1812, and obtained a land warrant for 160 acres for military services. After his return from the war, he resided on a farm near West Union. From 1830 to 1833, he was one of the County Commissioners of Adams County. From 1833 t0 1837, he was Sheriff of the county. In 1839, he removed to a farm opposite Concord, Kentucky, and resided there until 1850. He then purchased a farm in Lewis County, Kentucky, some miles below Vanceburg and lived there until 1860, in which year he died on the sixteenth of August. He was buried in the Collings cemetery, south of West Union. His wife died in March, 1861, and is buried by his side.
In politics he was a strong Democrat all his life, a follower of Andrew Jackson, and he and his wife were both earnestly and enthusiastically attached to the Methodist Church. He was of more than the average intelligence and had a very high sense of integrity. He possessed great wit and humor and fine conversational powers. His wife was a woman of extraordinary force and grasp of subjects. She possessed the most wonderful fortitude and tenacity of purpose, and was never known to lose her self poise. They reared a large family of sons and daughters. The sons have largely followed professional pursuits and have distinguished themselves. As most of them are sketched in this work, they are not further noticed here.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900