John William Cole

When John William Cole was born on September 12, 1742, in Swansea, Massachusetts, his father, John, was 46 and his mother, Abigail, was 46. He married Mercy Wood and they had four children together. He then married Susannah Salisbury and they had six children together. He died on October 12, 1826, in Washington, Ohio, having lived a long life of 84 years, and was buried in Marietta, Ohio.

Military Service: 1777 John was a soldier of the Revolution, born in Swansea Mass., SAR and DAR state: He served under Col John Dagget's Rhode Island Reg't as Private as aide to Captain Jas Hill, Colonel William's Reg't. Died Wash. Co., Ohio--Captain Hills Co., Col. John Daggetts Reg. Bristol, R. I. (On headstone erected by his descendants in 1918).

John Cole was the son of Abigail Butts and John Cole. He was first married to Mercy Wood 19 Jul 1764, Swansea , Bristol Co, MA. Married Susannah Salisbury, da of Richard Salisbury and Ruth Boomer, 4 Oct 1770 in Swansea, Bristol Co, MA. He came to Washington County in the early days of the settlement . By his second wife he had Elizabeth, Candace, Phillip, Ichabod and John. By his first wife he had Noah, Asa, Sarah (died young) and Nathan

The History of Washington County, Ohio 1788-1881 gives this account of JOHN COLE, but it is not totally correct. (Under bio of Capt. Caius Cole, John's grandson.) It was John's "grandfather" and his brother's who fled from the Indians. "Not his father." This all took place during King Philips War in June of 1675. See notes for Hugh Cole, who was the Great Grandfather of this John Cole. Williams History of Washington Co., gives the following account: "The earliest account that I have about this Cole family is that 3 Cole brothers, Englishmen, settled on Long Island. They were attacked by Indians and fled to save their lives one of them being killed by the pursuing savages. The two who were spared did not return to the dangerous locality they had originally chosen for a home, but settled in New York State upon the Hudson river".

Philip Cole was the first representative of his family who settled in Warren township. John Cole, his father was a native of Rhode Island, where he was married twice. By his first wife he had three children--Asa, Nathan, and Noah. By his second wife, Susannah Salisbury, he had five children--Elizabeth, Candace, Philip, Ichabod, and John. He emigrated from Rhode Island to West Virginia, and then settled in Belpre where he remained two years. Philip, during the stay of the family in Wood County, West Virginia, married Eunice Gates, a Vermont lady, and in 1803, or early in 1804, sought a home up the river. He settled on the farm now owned by J. H. Deming. His nearest neighbor down the river was Wilbur Harris, one of the very earliest settlers of the township. The nearest improvement up the river was Nogletown. In 1804, John Cole with his family removed from Belpre and settled below Vienna Island on the farm now owned by Henry Cole. He opened the first house of entertainment in the neighborhood and kept the first ferry between Belpre and Marietta. His son Asa, retainted the homestead; Nathan settled on the territory now included in Dunham, where he afterwards opened a tavern. Elizabeth, the oldest daughter, married Willard Green; Candance married Willard Harris and settled, in 1806, on Little Hocking. Philip Cole's family consisted of eight children--Eunice (O'Neil), Lucinda (Whiteman), Diantha (Deming), Caroline (Lewis), William, Louisa (Shields), Henry H., and Mary Ann (Ballard). Philip Cole was an enterprising citizen and a useful member of his pioneer community. He was one of the first magistrates of his township. He died January 25, 1831; his wife died December, 1857. --History of Washington County, Ohio 1788-1881 - Written by H. Z. Williams - Pg. 635

John Cole kept a tavern on the Ohio River bank known as "The Half Way House" because it was about equal distance between Marietta and Belpre. There he entertained the wayfaring stranger as well as friends. He kept the custom of setting forth a 'gigger' of whiskey to his guests until he died.