Bunce Genealogy and History Supplement, Part 3 of 10

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It is not known to whom Leslie R. BUNCE was referring when he placed a record of Charles Leonard COLE of Weston, [Middlesex Co.,] Mass. on p. 86 of the Bunce Genealogy and History. The probate record for Charles Leonard COLE, who died in September, 1920, has no record of him having had a son named Charles Leonard COLE, Jr.


The correct maiden name for “Elizabeth COLE” is KENNEDY, not COLE. She was a sister of Ida RICHARDSON (KENNEDY) COLE, but did not appear on the 1860 census record for the family of Jesse O. KENNEDY, see 1860 census record below. It appears from the obituary of Jesse O. KENNEDY, however, that she did indeed marry a man named WILKINSON, since there is a reference to one of his children as being “Mrs. E. E. WILKINSON, of Philadelphia.”

The other daughter of Jesse O. and Rebecca (RICHARDSON) KENNEDY, Matilda, age 15 in the 1860 census, appears to have been the one who married Mr. KENFIELD, but she had died prior to her father, as it says of her in his obituary where it lists the names of his seven children: “Mrs. KENFIELD, who is not living.” See also, a record of her death in an excerpt from a Carlyle, Ill. newspaper.


The correct maiden name for Ella “COLE” is KENNEDY, not COLE. She was a sister of Ida RICHARDSON (KENNEDY) COLE (see 1860 census record below). According to a notice of her marriage, published in a Carlyle, Ill. newspaper, Ella married Dr. A. J. McGAFFIGAN in 1881, not “Dr. Begwigen of St. Louis,” as was recorded in the Bunce Genealogy and History.

Below are copies of the obituaries for Dr. Andrew J. and Ella (KENNEDY) McGAFFIGAN, the text of which were kindly provided by by Dorothy Falk, <[email protected]>, coordinator for the Clinton Co., Illinois GenWeb site in 2002.


Dr. J. H. McGAFFIGAN

Dr. J. H. [sic] McGaffigan, aged 62 years and 2 months, succumbed to hypostatic pneumonia at his home, 518 North Twenty-fourth street, last evening about 5 o’clock.  He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Ella Kennedy McGaffigan, and five children, Mrs. Charles INMAN, Misses Olive and Josephine McGaffigan, Mathew and Paul McGaffigan.  Funeral services will be conducted at St. Elizabeth’s church tomorrow morning at 7 o’clock, after which the body will be sent to his old home, Carlyle, Ill., for burial. Walsh has charge.

The deceased was born in Brooklyn, N. Y. in January 1849, and removed to Illinois with his parents when 4 years old.  He went to the public schools and after graduating began teaching.  On November 3, 1871, he was married to Miss Ella KENNEDY in Carlyle.  In 1891 he removed to East St. Louis and began the practice of medicine.  He was well and favorably known to all the older residents here. He was taken ill about three weeks ago and it was not supposed that his ailment was of a serious nature. His death was a great surprise to his many friends.


Source is the East St. Louis Journal,
East Saint Louis, St. Clair Co., Illinois,
Wednesday, 19 Apr 1911, p. 3, col. 5.


Mrs. M’Gaffigan, Aged 78, Dies
Widow of Dr. McGaffigan Was
One-Time Head of Queen’s Daughters Here.

Mrs. Ella KENNEDY MCGAFFIGAN, 78, former president of the Queen’s Daughters in East St. Louis, died at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Josephine KORN, 5766 Waterman avenue, St. Louis, Thursday, at 7 p.m.

Mrs. Gaffigan was the widow of Dr. Andrew J. McGaffigan and is survived by two daughters, Miss Olive McGaffigan and Mrs. Korn; two sons, Paul K. McGaffigan, Detroit; Matthew McGaffigan, Chicago and several grandchildren.

Funeral services will be in Carlyle.  Arrangements are not complete.


Source is the East St. Louis Journal,
East Saint Louis, St. Clair Co., Illinois,
Friday, 22 May 1936, p. 2, col. 6.


The correct surname for George “COLE” is KENNEDY, not COLE. He was a brother of Ida RICHARDSON (KENNEDY) COLE (see 1860 census record below). According to the 1906 obituary for Jesse O. KENNEDY dated June, 1906, George KENNEDY was still alive and living in St. Louis, but probably in Illinois, not Missouri. According to marriage records in Carlyle, Clinton Co., Illinois he married “K. D. Rodgers” on 27 Nov 1871. There is the possibility that he married a second time, so we can not discount the record in the Bunce Genealogy and History of his wife being “Miss Carpenter.” It appears he also had the middle name "Osborn" since Carlyle records show him as having the middle initial “O.” The significance of that surname being used as a middle name is still a mystery. See also copies of Carlyle, Illinois newspaper articles on him.


“Ida (RICHARDSON) COLE’s” correct maiden name was KENNEDY. “RICHARDSON” was likely her middle name as it was also the maiden name of her mother, Rebecca (RICHARDSON) KENNEDY. Sources: 1912 New York City marriage register no. HD12350-12 hc for Ida’s son, Charles C. COLE, and Ida’s 1 Aug 1898 death certificate from the Mass. Archives, which was recorded in Massachusetts death records for year 1898, Vol. 483, Page 719, No. 90. Additionally, the probate record (Case No. 23371) for her estate, which is on file in the Probate Court for Worcester County, Massachusetts, shows her name was “Ida R. COLE.” Ida KENNEDY was found on p. 554 of the 1860 census for East Nottingham Twp., Chester Co., Pennsylvania in the household of her father, “Jesse O. Kennady,” but her age was given as 9 years of age, not 5, as was expected, which could have been a mistake on the part of the census taker, or by whomever provided the information to the census taker, since her son Charles C. COLE stated, and her death certificate confirmed, that her birthdate was October, 1855. Ida R. COLE also appears on the 1880 census of New Hampton, Belknap Co., New Hampshire, (Supervisor District 82, Enumerator District 11, taken on the 3rd and 4th of June 1880) where it shows she was a white female, age 25, wife of the head of the household, Charles L. COLE, and that her birthplace was Pennsylvania. This 1880 census record confirms that she was born in 1855, but an application for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution submitted by a grandson, Frederick Wm. Keough, Jr., gives her date of birth as 10 Oct 1854, and the date of her marriage to Charles L. Cole as 18 Apr 1869, in Philadelphia. This was also the first census record on which their son, Charles C. COLE appeared at the age of 2/12 of a year, since he was born in April, 1880.

At the time of her death, she owned a piece of property, the title to which was solely in her name, and as a result an estate was filed on her behalf by her husband, so he could obtain permission from the court to mortgage the property to pay the costs for his wife’s last illness. This property was likely a house located either at 56 Main St. or 90 Main St., which were the two addresses, where Charles L. COLE resided during the remainder of his life, according to Leominster City Directories. The following is a description of the property from the probate record. How she came to own this property is unknown, but she may have inherited it from a family member; however, this has not been investigated yet.

“Commencing at the most easterly corner thereof at a stake and stones by Main Street in the town of Leominster at lands formerly of Amory Woodbury; thence by said street S. 40 [degrees] W. Four (4) Rods five (5) links to a stake and stone by land formerly of Henry Allen; thence by the Allen land N. 50 3/4 [degrees] W. Nine (9) rods to a stake and stones at the Albert Lamb land; thence by the Lamb land N. 40 [degrees] E. Four (4) rods to a stake and stones at the Woodbury land; thence by the Woodbury land Nine (9) rods more or less in a Southeasterly direction to the place of beginning on said Main Street. On the last line no fence is to be erected until the line runs Six and one-half (6-1/2) Rods from the Westerly line of Main Street; and the space between the house of the above lot and the house of the Amory Woodbury lot adjoining is used in common by the owners of said Woodbury estate and the grantee in this conveyance and their respective heirs and assigns for a passage way for the distance of Six and one-half (6-1/2) rods from the westerly line of Main Street.”

“… leaving as husband, her only heirs at law and next of kin the persons whose names, residences, and relationship to the deceased are as follows, viz.:”

Name ResidenceRelationship

Leonard ColeLivingston, MontanaSon
Eva ColeLeominster, Mass.Daughter
Ella Cole      "            "Daughter
Grace Cole   Minor      "            "Daughter
Charles Cole   "Boston, Mass.Son
Waldo Cole     "Leominster, Mass.Son
Alden Cole      "      "              "Son
May Cole        "      "              "Daughter
Charles L. Cole     "              "Husband


The correct maiden name for Lena “COLE” is KENNEDY, not COLE. She was an older sister of Ida Richardson (KENNEDY) COLE (see 1860 census record below; however, her name was erroneously recorded as Lydia on that census). The village of West Chester has a record of the marriage of Lena A. KENNEDY to Wellington PRIEST, both then of Philadelphia, formerly of Chester Co., on 9 Dec 1869. According to an obituary written for Jesse O. KENNEDY of West Chester, Pennsylvania in June, 1906, at the time of his death, he was residing with his daugh­ter Lena A. PRIEST and son-in-law “Conductor Wellington G. PRIEST.” Lena Priest was the source given for the information on the death certificate of Jesse  O. Kennedy.

Below is the 1880 census record for the family of Wellington and Lena (KENNEDY) PRIEST. It appears that Wellington was employed by a railroad, since the obit for Lena’s father calls him “Conductor Wellington Priest.” Lena’s age on this census is consistent with the entry for her on the 1860 Pennsylvania census, where her name was recorded as Lydia, and she was then aged 16, or born about 1844.

Abram Priest
residing at 134 West Gay St.
West Chester, Chester Co., Pennsylvania
Page 8, Supervisor’s Dist. No. 2, Enumeration Dist. 43,
Dwellling No. 53, Family No. 54
taken June, 1880
NameC
o
l
o
r
S
e
x
A
g
e
Relationship
to Head of
Household
Marital
Status
OccupationBirth
Place
Birth
Place
of
Father
Birth
Place
of
Mother
Abram PriestWM72
Md.Retired Home Mason?Penna.Penna.Penna.
Harriet PriestWF64WifeMd.Keeping housePenna.Penna.Penna.
Wellington PriestWM40SonMd.Baggage MasterPenna.Penna.Penna.
Lena PriestWF36dau. in lawMd.MillinerPenna.Penna.Penna.
Ida PriestWF9Grand-dau.S.
Penna.Penna.Penna.
Laura PriestWF6Grand-dau.S.
Penna.Penna.Penna.
Laura G. JacksonWF18ServantS.ServantDelawareDel.Del.

Below are copies of newspaper articles that were obtained from the Chester County Historical Society, some of which mention Mrs. Lena Priest. The newspaper was only identified by the “L.” that was handwritten next to the date.

L 3.14.1874

[? year could be 1894, it is hard to make
out the handwritten notation of date.]

“HEIRS CLAIM $5,000,000

An Ancestor Loaned the Revolutionary
Army Big Supplies.

“Says a Harrisburg special of March 13: Legal pro­ceedings have begun in Washington, D.C., by the heirs of Jacob De Haven to recover $5,000,000. There are thirty claimants to this vast sum. It is said that DeHaven, who lived at Norristown during the Revo­lutionary War, furnished $500,000 worth of supplies to General Washington's army at Valley Forge and at other times.

“It is claimed that the Government never repaid this money, which was really a loan. It now amounts to about $5,000,000. John De Haven, one of the grand­children of Jacob De Haven, resides here, as do many of the other heirs. It is said that the Government is willing to pay the debt, but it wants all the heirs found before it will distribute the money. R. E. Doan, of Washington, has the case in charge."


L 8.24.1887

“The De Haven Estate.—Tuesday, John Supplee, of Tredyffrin township, was in West Chester and called upon Major David Jones, one of the heirs to the De Haven estate now in litigation in the United States Courts. The estate is said to be worth $4,000,000, but it is not one of the European myths; the money is in the hands of the United States Government. It is for money loaned the Government during the Revo­lu­tionary War, and all that is necessary is for the heirs to prove title. As Jonathan Jones has the old family Bible in his possession containing the genealogy of the family, it is thought there will be no difficulty in the family proving their right to the funds. There are a good many descendants of the De Haven family, which will make it a rather long division when it is divided up, but still it will leave to each a handsome fortune.”


L.3.31.1900

“Mrs. Priest, wife of conductor Wellington Priest, of West Gay Street, this place, is happy in the anticipa­tion that she is shortly to receive a share in the $3,636,000, money to be paid out by the United States Government in return for a loan made by Jacob DeHaven during the Revolutionary War. The claim has been pressed for many years by the heirs, of whom there are a large number, and has at last, according to a telegram from an association of the heirs in Pittsburgh, been granted by the Government. Of course, Mrs. Priest has no idea of the amount which she will receive when a final settlement is made, but she will get a share, being a direct descen­dant. Her share will come through her father J. Q. [sic] Kennedy who has lived at her home for some years and is now at Lansdowne [Delaware Co., Pa.].

“Jacob DeHaven and two brothers came to this coun­try from Germany just previous to the Revolutionary War and all were men of property. One of them con­ducted a tannery and manufactory of firearms in Montgomery county, and all went to the assistance of the Government in its hour of need. The American Army was encamped near Chadds' Ford just previous to the Battle of Brandywine when the Government became greatly in need of money. At this time Jacob DeHaven went to its aid. He had $450,000 in gold, and all of this he placed at the disposal of the Government.

“After the war was over the financial condition of the Government was such that it could not pay the loan and DeHaven finally died without having received it. His heirs paid no attention to this matter for many years, but some years ago the matter was revived. Associations of the heirs were formed in Pittsburgh and Chicago and systematic work commenced to recover the money with interest, the total amount now reaching $3,636,000. The associations have now been notified that the claim will be paid. The principal heirs are Miss Madge DeHaven, Principal of the schools of Mendelsohn, near Pittsburg, and John DeHaven, of McKeesport.”


L 2.19.1907

“About an Estate.”

“A correspondent writes: ‘The Jacob DeHaven estate has come in again for its periodic airing, as happens every few years, Mrs. Lena A. Priest, of West Gay street, West Chester, is now receiving letters con­cerning it. Her father, Jesse O. Kennedy, who died in this borough some few months ago, was a direct descendant of the DeHaven family.’”


The father of Leonard COLE was Webster COLE, (a descendant of Robert Cole) who was born about 1786 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts and died about 1820 at or near Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Webster COLE’s name appears on the 1810 census record for Fitchburg, Massachusetts, but does not appear on later Massachusetts census records, although there is a record of the birth of his youngest child, William Eddy Cole in the Sutton Vital Records in 1817, which is the last public record I found of him. (The Accelerated Indexing Systems” census indices for the U.S. 1820, 1830, 1840 and 1850 Massachusetts censuses were checked.) Webster COLE was born about 1786, the first child of Barnet and Susannah (WALKUP) COLE. Barnet COLE (Jonathan, Jonathan, Solomon, John, Robert) was a Revolutionary War soldier and pensioner, who served three years and three months on the Massachu­setts line, and died 22 Dec 1836 at Windsor, Kennebec Co., Maine.

Webster COLE (said to be of “Alsted, N.H.” in the Sutton, Mass. marriage record) married Polly BURNAP, daughter of Timothy and Bethiah (WAITE) BURNAP, at Sutton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on 7 Dec 1805. Through her mother, Bethia WAITE, Polly (BURNAP) COLE was a descendant of Richard WAITE/WAIGHT who settled at Watertown, Massachusetts in 1637, and she was also descended from Robert BURNAP, who settled at Reading, Massachusetts about 1650. Polly BURNAP’s grandparents on her father’s side were Ebenezer (Ebenezer6, Thomas5, Robert4, Thomas3, Thomas2, Thomas1) BURNAP (1723-1804) and Mary WYMAN (1749-1793); her grandpar­ents on her mother’s side were William (Gershom, William, Joseph, Richard) WAITE (1725-1807) and Ruth (Thomas, John, Thomas) LOVELL (1725-1815). Timothy BURNAP, Polly’s father, was the fourth of eleven children of Ebenezer and Mary (WYMAN) BURNAP. Timothy BURNAP, a Minuteman, served for about a year in the Revolutionary War according to p. 63 of the book Centennial History of the Town of Millbury, Massachu­setts, Including Vital Statistics, 1850-1899, published 1915. He and his wife Bethia (WAITE) BURNAP are buried at the Providence Street Cemetery in Millbury according to the same source.

A short entry was found in a book as follows:  "Cole, Webster 19 y. stabbed in quarrel with brother Nathaniel at Leverett 12 April 1820 . . . taken from vital records from Maine Newspapers 1785-1820."  This may have been our Webster Cole, but his age is wrong, since he was about 34 years old in 1820, and was married in 1805, presumably as an adult, but perhaps the newspaper record was in error.  Also as far as we know, our Webster Cole had no brother named Nathaniel, nor does this entry specifically say that he died from his wounds.  More research is needed to make a final determination as to whether or not this man was our Webster Cole. Also, there is no town named Leverett in Maine, but there is one in Franklin Co., Massachusetts, but it is located northeast of Leominster.

As far as can be determined my COLE ancestors did not reside in Shrewsbury, as stated in the Bunce Genealogy and History on p. 85, but rather they lived at Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, the area of which was formerly the northern part of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts until 1813, the year when Millbury was erected, so records of the COLE and related families can be found in both Sutton and Millbury records. Leonard COLE's intent to marry Mary HARRIS of Lunenburg, Massachusetts was published in the book, Vital Records of Millbury, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849, p. 72. According to the History of Sutton, Massachusetts from 1704 to 1876, including Grafton until 1735; Millbury until 1813; and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn, compiled by Rev. William A. Benedict and Rev. Hiram A. Tracy, published 1878, p. 614, in the section on BURNAP family contributed by William E. COLE, the six children of Webster and Polly (BURNAP) COLE were:

  1. Mary BURNAP COLE, born at Alstead, N.H., 31 Aug 1806
  2. Albert B. COLE, b. 27 May 1808, Fitchburg, d. 6 Aug 1884 Millbury, m. Sophia BARNES of Hardwick, 19 Mar 1835, at Millbury
  3. Laura COLE, b. 19 Nov 1810, at Fitchburg
  4. Leonard B. COLE, b. 19 Sep 1812, at N. Leominster (see further record below)
  5. Nancy Towne COLE, b. 5 Dec 1814, at Millbury
  6. William Eddy COLE, b. 27 May 1817, at Sutton, m. Susan HENRY 24 Nov 1842 at Sutton


Leonard COLE was born in N. Leominster on 19 Sep 1812, based on his obituary and the above record from the History of Sutton, Mass. … ; however, the published Vital Records of Leominster to the End of the Year 1849 does not have a record of his birth. An obituary (see copy below) on him states that shortly after his birth, his parents relocated to Millbury, and later at the age of 8, he was sent to live with a doctor, from which one could conclude his father, Webster COLE, had died about 1820 in or around Millbury, but no printed record has been found of Webster's death; nonetheless, the result was the family was broken up with some or all of the children being sent to live with others who were able to support them.

As an adult Leonard COLE earned his living as a teamster, hauling farmers' produce on wagons drawn by horses to Boston, and bringing back articles they needed in exchange. He drove a team of 8 to 10 horses, and it took probably about 3 days or 20 hours to travel one way to Boston, since the loaded wagon could only travel about 3 miles an hour. Leonard COLE worked as a teamster from about 1831 to 1845. It is said he suffered an injury of some sort and then turned to farming for his living, but then also train service had come to Leominster in 1847, which would have provided competition to his hauling business.

He married Mary HARRIS, daughter of Daniel and Nancy (ELDER) HARRIS, on 12 Sep 1836 in Lunenburg. Their intent to marry dated 17 Aug 1836 was published in Millbury and appears in the book, Vital Records of Millbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, on p. 72. He married a second wife in Leominster on 8 May 1866, and her name was Maria HAWLEY, age 25, born in Pennsylvania, which indicates his first wife, Mary HARRIS, had died prior to that date. The record of his second marriage from the City Clerk of Leominster provided the information on his parents’ names, i.e. father was Webster COLE and his mother “Mary” COLE, but since Polly is often a nickname for Mary, and the clerk at the time probably wanted to use the correct, formal name, and so her name was recorded as “Mary,” but Polly BURNAP was the name given to her by her parents according to the book, Sutton Vital Records to the year 1850. This information was also found on his death certificate dated 19 years after his second marriage which was found at the Massachusetts State Archives on which it was recorded that he died at age 72 years, 10 months, 23 days, of tuberculosis, on 11 Aug 1885. His father’s name was given as Webster COLE and his mother Polly n/l/n [indicating No Last Name for Polly was provided]. Reference: Deaths 1885, Vol. 366, p. 420. His estate was handled through the Probate Court in Worcester, Massachusetts, Case No. 4675.

The house he lived in still stands today, a private residence, and one of the oldest homes in Leominster. At one time, the street below his house was called Cole St., but is now called Elm.

The following is an obituary on Leonard COLE in the newspaper, Leominster Enterprise, dated August 26, 1885:

LEONARD COLE

“The life of Leonard COLE, whose death occurred but lately, was in many ways remarkable, full of all the activity and variety incident to a teamster’s experi­ence before the days of rapid transit.

“Mr. COLE was a native of Leominster, being born in the north part of the town September 19, 1812, and so at the time of his death 72 years old. When he was a year old his parents moved to Millbury and at the age of 8 years he left home and from that time till 14 he lived with a physician. These years, even under the most favorable circumstances, must have been anything but pleasant. A boy of that age needs a home. His next experience was the real beginning of life for him, as his work was driving a team. At 19 he had by hard work, economy and trade, accumulated enough to buy eight horses and all the necessary equipment for teaming. For the next fourteen years that is from about 1831 to 1845, he engaged in teaming from No. Leominster. This was before any whistle stirred the echoes among these hills, in the days when men talked of nullification of whigs and democrats; when slavery was shaping itself into a National issue, when daily newspapers were un­known, all news was a matter of yesterdays, when a journey to Boston was a thing of toil and all produce must be teamed to the great centers of trade. The years of Mr. COLE’s early manhood recall a manner of life now almost forgotten. These years of teaming were full of activity.

“People from the neighboring towns brought the products of their farms and employed him to carry them to Boston, and bring in return whatever mer­chandise they desired. He drove eight and ten horses and transported tons of freight between Leominster and Boston. A teamster’s life in those days was by no means free from adventures, often laughable, some­times dangerous. The roads were often poor and the bridges unsafe. At one time, Mr. COLE drove his horses across Chelsea bridge when the keeper re­fused to take toll, because he was afraid the bridge would go down. He had ten horses. Holding himself ready to jump at a moment's notice, he rode the leader and the others followed till all were safely over. Mr. COLE was a lover of horses, but had a special de­light in training and handling those naturally diffi­cult to manage. A vicious animal of this class he drove over seventy-five thousand miles. Mr. COLE came to Leominster center some thirty-five years ago and bought the place where he recently died. He was the last of the old line of teamsters, the representatives of a life full of hardship; for he often left Boston with his load of freight at nine o'clock at night. And yet he did not find it necessary to indulge in intoxicating liquors. The remarkable vitality of Mr. COLE's consti­tu­tion is shown by the fact that he lived a week after the Dr. said he was dying, and often the report of his death was constantly on the street. During his last illness he was remarkably cheerful even after he was fully aware that he could not recover. 'All the old team­sters are gone' he said 'and why should I not go.'

“Fifty years ago he married Mary HARRIS of Lunenburg, by whom he had five children, four girls and one boy. In 1866, he married a second time; this time to Maria HULLEY. We will remember meeting Mr. COLE soon after coming to this town; and his familiar presence on our streets will be long remembered.”


Below is a copy of the 1850 census record for the family of Leonard Cole.  Daniel and Nancy Harris were the parents of his wife, according to the History of Lunenburg, Massachusetts manuscript by Mr. Cunningham.  It appears that he also employed a couple of helpers on his farm at that time.

1850 U.S. Federal Census of Leominster,
Worcester Co., Massachusetts
Taken 14 Sep 1850, page 231, 543rd Dwelling, 582nd family
NameR
a
c
e
S
e
x
A
g
e
OccupationValue of Real
Estate Owned
Birthplace
COLE, Leonard B.WM38Teamster$1,800Mass.
COLE, MaryWF36

Mass.
COLE, Charles L.WM3

Mass.
COLE, Elvina(?) F.WF1

Mass.
HARRIS, Daniel
W
M74clockmaker
Mass.
HARRIS, Nancy
W
F72

Mass.
BIRNES(?), MichaelWM29Laborer
Ireland
HANES, Auska(?)WM14

Mass.


Below are copies of additional records found for Albert Cole, eldest son of Webster and Polly (BURNAP) COLE, and older brother of Leonard:

1850 U.S. Federal Census of
Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts
Taken 20 Jul 1850, page 78, 259th Dwelling, 309th family
NameR
a
c
e
S
e
x
A
g
e
OccupationValue of Real
Estate Owned
Birthplace
COLE, AlbertWM43Laborer[left blank]Mass.
COLE, SophiaWF44

Mass.
COLE, LouisaWF14

Mass.
COLE, SophiaWF9

Mass.
COLE, MaryWF4

Mass.

The record of Albert Cole's death at the Massachusetts State Archives, recorded in Vol. 357, at Page 423, states he was employed as a stone mason, and died of chronic bronchitis.

Records from the book, Vital Records of Millbury, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849:

BIRTHS, p. 18 — (d. is abbreviation for daughter, s. for son):
Cole, Maria or Mary Louisa, d. Albert and Sophia, Feb. 12, 1836.
Cole, Mary F., d. Albert & Sophia, Dec. 21, 1845.
Cole, Sophia Jane, d. Albert & Sophia, March 19, 1841.

MARRIAGES, p. 72:
Cole, Albert [Allbert in intent] and Sophia Barns, March 10, 1835.

DEATHS, p. 134:
Cole, Francis, s. Albert & Sophia, Sept. 4, 1838.

From the book, Centennial History of the Town of Millbury, Massachusetts, including Vital Statistics, 1850-1899, published by authority of the town in 1915:

BIRTHS, p. 624:
Cole, Elvira E., d. Albert B. & Sophia, Aug. 20, 1850.

MARRIAGES, p. 691:
Cole, Louisa M. & Nathan White, Nov. 12, 1856.
Cole, Mary F. & Roland E. Bowen, Dec. 21, 1865.

DEATHS, p. 744:
Cole, Albert, s. Webster & Polly, Aug. 6, 1884, age 76 yrs. 2 mo. 11 da.
Cole, Polly (Burnap), d. Timothy & Bethiah, June 1, 1874, age 90 yrs. 6 mo.
Cole, Sophia (Barnes) wid. Albert, Dec. 23, 1886, age 80 yrs.


In the September, 1920 probate record for his father, Charles L. COLE, Leonard O. COLE’s address was given as Chicago, Illinois. The Leominster Public Library provided the information that Leonard Osborn COLE was born 25 Oct 1871 in Leomin­ster, but they had no record of his marriage. His date of death appears to have been correct, since a search of the Illinois death index revealed a record of the death of a Leonard COLE on 1 July 1929.


An email from Carla Cashion, a grand-daughter of Leonard O. COLE, dated 16 May 2004, provided the following information on Leonard O. COLE’s family:

At an unknown date, but probably by 1902, Leonard O. COLE was married at Albuquerque, Bernalillo Co., New Mexico to Ethel L. THOMAS, b. about 1874 (age 36 years in 1910 Chicago, Illinois census, but said to have been 50 years old in 1920, native of Wales), a native of England, who had come to America via Canada, and was working as a Harvey girl in a restaurant along the railroad line at the time of her marriage. Later Carla wrote that her grandmother was Ethel L. Thomas, born 4 Nov 1871; died 21 Apr 1953. Carla believed she was the daughter of Charles and Catherine Thomas of England, as she found an online record that Catherine Thomas had died 18 May 1875, Brixton, County of Surrey, England, leaving a number of children, among whom were some twins. Leonard O. COLE worked for the railroads, including the Illinois Central Railroad, and died suddenly of a heart attack. As stated in the Bunce Genealogy and History, he and his wife were the parents of two sets of twins, appar­ently born rather close together. Their children were:

  1. James Kenneth (“Jay”) Cole, b. about 1903, New Mexico, never married.

  2. Elsa Ida Cole, b. 29 Jul 1905, Ill., fraternal twin of her brother, Robert. She married Mr. Rogers.
    Also there is an entry for Elsa Rogers in the Social Security Death Index as follows:

  3. Robert Kennedy Cole, b. 29 Jul 1905, Ill., fraternal twin of his sister, Elsa Ida.
    Also, there is an entry for him in the Social Security Death Index:

  4. Phyllis Adell Cole, b. 15 Jul 1907, Ill., twin of her sister, Donna, m. Harold Pontius Parks, and had one daughter.
    Also, there is an entry for her in the Social Security Death Index:

  5. Donna Elvira Cole, b. 15 Jul 1907, Ill., m. Mr. ____ Polmanteer, had an unknown number of children, which included two daughters still living today.

    Also, there is an entry in the Social Security Death Index for her:

  6. Bonnie Jean Cole, b. 26 Apr 1909, Ill., was said to have been 14 years old when her father died. She m. Theodore Miller and had a son and daughter.

  7. Gordon Guy Cole, b. Jul 1911, Ill., d. age 56 or 57 in the 1970s, m. Martha ______, who had children by a previous marriage, but she had no children by Gordon. Also, there is an entry in the Social Security Death Index for him:

Carla Cashion stated that many members of this family were buried in a cemetery at Long Beach, California.

Household of Leonard COLE
residing at 7819 Dolson Ave., Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois
Series T625   Roll 311   Page 49, taken 6-Jan-1920
NameS
e
x
A
g
e
R
a
c
e
Relationship
to Head of
Household
Marital
Status
Occupation
Birth
Place
Birth
Place
of
Father
Birth
Place
of
Mother
Leonard COLEM48WHeadM ? ? ? MAMAMA
Ethel COLEF50WWifeM
WalesWalesWales
James COLEM17WSonS
NMMAWales
Elsie COLEF14WDaughterS
ILMAWales
Robert COLEM14WSonS
ILMAWales
Philliss COLEF12WDaughterS
ILMAWales
Donna COLEF12WDaughterS
ILMAWales
Bonnie COLEF10WDaughterS
ILMAWales
Gordon COLEM8WSonS
ILMAWales


Lizzie COLE’s correct full name was Elizabeth L. COLE, which is how it appears in the 1885 probate record for the estate of her father, Leonard COLE, but on various census records her name is recorded as Luella Cole, which is probably her middle name. She was born after 1850, since her name does not appear on the 1850 census record for the household of her father. The City Clerk’s office of Leominster has no record of her birth, only the birth of an unnamed daughter to Leonard and Mary (HARRIS) COLE on 24 Sep 1857, who could have been either Carrie L. or Elizabeth L. COLE; however, Carrie (COLE) Bowen-Cloughtman’s age at the time of her first marriage to James L. Bowen in 1889 states she was 29 years old, giving her a birthdate of about 1860. so 24 Sep 1857 must have been the birthdate of Elizabeth Cole.


For information on the parents and siblings of Mary (HARRIS) COLE, see excerpt from the manuscript by Mr. Cunningham. In addition to that, it appears Mary (HARRIS) COLE died in Leominster prior to 8 May 1866, since that is the date her husband, Leonard COLE, married his second wife, Maria HAWLEY, age 25, dau. of John S. and Mary (_____) HAWLEY of Pennsylvania. There were no children by this second marriage.

In the book, Birth, Marriage and Death Register Church Records and Epitaphs of Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1643-1850, published 1890, pp. 151 and 164, the date of intent to marry, 2 Nov 1800, and date of marriage, 1 Jan 1801, of Daniel HARRIS and Nancy ELDER are given. At the time of the 1850 census for Leominster, Daniel and Nancy (ELDER) HARRIS were residing with the family of Leonard COLE. Daniel HARRIS' occupation was recorded as a clock maker, age 74, thus giving him an approximate date of birth of 1776, and his wife was age 72, giving her an approximate date of birth of 1778, both said to have been natives of Massachusetts. They both died in 1852 in Leominster.


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