Henry M. Cole

HENRY M. COLE.

While the disposition to do honor to those who have served well their race or their nation is prevalent among all enlightened people and is of great value everywhere and under all forms of government, it is particularly appropriate to and to be fostered in this country, where no man is born to public office or to public honor, or comes to either by inheritance, but where all men are equal before the law. where the race for distinction is over the road of public usefulness and is open to every one who chooses to enter, however humble and obscure he may be, and where the advantageous circumstances of family or wealth count, in the vast majority of cases, for but little or nothing. One who is now occupying an important position in the system of government in Darke county, having attained thereto as the result of individual merit is Henry M. Cole, who is now serving as common pleas judge.

He was born upon a farm in this county on the 17th of March, 1845, a son nf Samuel Cole, who was born in Washington township, Darke county, on the old family homestead, in 1 82 1. He represented one of the pioneer families of the locality. The Coles originally lived in Amsterdam, Holland, but in what year the family was founded in America is not definitely known. Samuel Cole, Sr., the grandfather of the Judge, was a native of New Jersey and emigrated westward to Darke county, Ohio, at a pioneer period in its development. He was a man of broad general information, was popular with his neighbors and was generous and kind, being always ready and willing to assist in securing a location for a newcomer, while his generous hospitality was known far and wide. He wedded Mary Elston, a native of Orange county. New York, and upon their farm in Washington township their son, Samuel Cole, was reared, Having attained man's estate he married Miss Nancy C. Cox, who was born in 'Washington township in [822, a daughter of Martin Cox, a native of Pennsylvania.

Henry M. Cole was also reared upon a farm, his time being largely occupied with the duties of field and meadow through the summer months. Throughout the remainder of the year he pursued his education in the district schools of the neighborhood, and under the parental roof he remained until twenty-one years of age, teaching, however, in the district schools near his home during the winter. Not content to follow the plow, his preference being for professional life, he read law under the direction of the law firm of Knox & Sater, of Greenville, and later attended the law school in Cincinnati, Ohio, in which he was graduated in the class of 1869. The same year he was admitted to the bar and at once entered upon the practice of his profession. During the first eleven years of his connection with the legal fra- 19 & ternity he practiced in partnership with Judge A. R. Calderwood, of Greenville, now deceased. He rose steadily, step by step, as he demonstrated his ability to successfully cope with the intricate problems of jurisprudence and soon won a large and distinctively representative clientage.

In 1879 Judge Cole married Miss Elizabeth Porter, of Greenville, a daughter of John W. Porter, a native of Montgomery county, Ohio, and they have always maintained their residence in this city, where they have a large circle of friends. Socially the Judge is connected with Greenville Lodge, No. 195, I. O. O. F. During the war of the Rebellion he manifested his loyalty to his country by enlisting in an Ohio regiment, in which he served his ck entry faithfully and well until the close of hostilities, when he was honorably discharged. He is now a member of Jobes Post, G. A. R., of Greenville. Politically he cast in his lot with the Republican party and has labored effectively in its interests. In 1897 he was nominated on that ticket as the candidate for judge of the common pleas court and was elected by a handsome majority for a term of five years, over J. C. Elliott, the Democratic candidate, the district being composed of the counties of Preble, Darke, Miami, Clark and Champaign. He possesses good legal talent, is a close student and is devoted to his profession. While practicing at the bar he applied himself diligently to the preparation and trial of cases and to the handling of the legal matters entrusted to his care. His industry and integrity brought him the confidence of the community and a large practice made his professional career a success. Endowed with these qualifications, which are combined with an agreeable address and methodical and regular habit. promotion to

3:20 his present position of honor and confidence became a matter of course. Judge Cole attends to his judicial duties with careful attention to detail and a total disregard of self, seeming to be animated only by a desire to discharge his duty with fairness and impartiality. He is also well versed in general literature and is a polished, conscientious gentleman.

As printed in A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.