John A. Cole
Few residents of Allen County are more favorably known or more generally esteemed than John A. Cole, who has been engaged in the milling business at Harrod for many years, and whose industry and integrity have placed him among the influential men of his section. Mr. Cole was born at Pemberton, Ohio, July 28, 1853, and is the only surviving child of William and Angeline (Reams) Cole, who were the parents of two children, one of whom died in infancy. His grandfather was Henry Cole, a native of Virginia, and of Scotch-Irish descent.
William Cole was born in Ohio and became a resident of Pemberton at the time of the "Big Four" Railroad was built through. In 1854 the family moved to North Lewisburg, Champaign County, Ohio, where the father died two years later.
John A. Cole began the battle of life for him- self at the tender age of nine years when he secured employment on a farm. He remained on the farm until 1867, when he obtained work in a mill and learned to run an engine. For 28 years he was engineer in a mill. This business has appealed to his fancy as he has been identified with milling for almost 40 years, with the exception of a few months. In 1873 he enlisted in the regular army and was stationed at Newport until his discharge the following spring. He then resumed his career as miller, finding practical training in the mills of Bloom Center, West Mansfield, Rushsylvania, Westminster, Bellefontain and Harrod.
The Harrod Mill was established about 1884 by James Harrod. Becoming part of the assets of the Bank of Lima which failed, the mill property passed into the hands of Benjamin C. Faurot, by whom it was sold to Donze & Day, who were the proprietors at the time Mr. Cole came here, for four years he was an employee of this company and he then rented a half interest in the business from Mr. Donze and carried on the enterprise with Mr. Day. He and Mr. Day continued to operate the plant successful until 1900 when Mr. Cole disposed of his interest in the business. This step was taken that he might take advantage of what he considered an excellent opening to engage in business at New Lexington, Ohio. However, owing to the shortcomings of his partner, the enterprise failed, and Mr. Cole saw his money, which represented many years of persistent toil and self-denial, slipping out of his hands. This misfortune would have meant complete financial ruin to a less courageous and enterprising man, but Mr. Cole had been engaged in the contest for a competency too many years to sit idly down and repine over his loss. Instead, he gathered together the remnants of his shattered capital and returned to Harrod, where he again purchased a half interest in the mill and set bravely to work to repair his loss. He returned to Harrod on September 6, 1901, the day on which President McKinley fell a martyr at the hand of an assassin. Once more a partner of Mr. Day the mill was operated by them until 1905, when Mr. Day retired from the business. On June 1, 1905, Dr. M. L. Johnston became an equal partner in the mill with Mr. Cole and it has since been conducted under the name of Cole & Johnston. This is one of the solid industries of Harrod and gives constant employment to four men. The output of the mill is 75 barrels per day, the product finding a ready market in this vicinity.
Mr. Cole was married on June 23, 1875, to Mary Louise Curl, who was born in Logan County, Ohio, April 26, 1857. Her grand- parents were James R. and Louise (Bayliss) Curl, who came to Logan County, Ohio, from the State of Virginia and were engaged in farming. Her parents, John M. and Caroline M. (Munsell) Curl, were natives of Logan County, and had eight children, namely: Mary Louise; James Nelson, who lives in Logan County; Clement, a resident of Lima; Emily, deceased; Nellie, who married Sylvester Seigler and resides in Michigan; Robert, who died at the age of 21 years; Hulda, who married Dalton Alexander and resides in Union County, near York Center; and Charles, who lives at Columbus. Mr. and Mrs. Cole are the parents of three children who have passed to the higher life and seven who are living, viz: Lindon, born June 16, 1878, and residing in Columbus, who married Emma Ingledue, and has two children Herbert and Florence; John Jr., born December 27, 1879, who married Rosetta Shockey and is the father of one son, Paul; Lillian, born January 25, 1882, who married James Leroy Thomas and resides in Pasadena, California; Leota, born February 26, 1884, who lives in Lima; Raymond, born May 14, 1886, who died October 16, 1891, as the result of a kick in the head from a horse; Lena Vivian, born May 7, 1888, who died on August 17th following; Edna M., born May 11, 1891; Cleo H., born June 27, 1893; McKinley Hobart, born November 6, 1896, the day of the election of McKinley and Hobart; and Leland, born December 30, 1901, who died October 9, 1902. Mrs. Cole is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a lady whose personal magnetism has made for her many warm friends. Mr. Cole is a Republican. He was made an Odd Fellow in White Lodge, No. 576, while residing in West Mansfield, Ohio, and has always retained his membership in that order.