My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Jefferson County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Lewis Cole, farmer, of Plattin Township, was born near St. Joe Mines, then in Washington County, but now in St. Francois County, in the year 1832, and is the sixth of twelve children born to Joshua and Jane (Turley) Cole. [For further particulars of parents, see sketch of Joshua Cole]. Lewis was reared under the parental roof, and was obliged to walk six miles to obtain an education, which was rather limited. He served about six months in the Confederate army under Col. J. Thompson, of Gen. Price’s army, in 1861, and operated principally at Belmont. He was married in 1863, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of William and Mary Shelley, formerly of Robertson County, Tenn., but who came to St. Francois County, when Mrs. Cole was about nine years old. Of the twelve children born to Mr. Cole and wife, five are now living: Albert S., Eva A., Ida L., Minnie L. and Newman F. Mr. Cole lived two years in St. Francois County, and in 1865 removed to Audrain County, where he remained one year. He then came to Jefferson County and settled three miles west of Rush Tower (where he has 380 acres of land, 100 acres under a good state of cultivation, all the result of his own labor), engaging in farming and mining, and when in Audrain County he was employed as an overseer. He is a Democrat, and his first presidential vote was for James Buchanan, in 1856. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

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This family biography is one of 224 biographies included in The History of Jefferson County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Jefferson County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Jefferson County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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