Biographical Sketches

JESSE COLE

The farming industry of Jackson county, Missouri, is well represented by this gentleman, whose broad acres and comfortable home are located on Section 25 of Brooking township. He has resided here from his youth up, and is as much respected as he is well know.

Mr. Cole's parents, Alfred and Harriet (Blevins) Cole, were both natives of Carter county, East Tennessee, the birth of each occurring in the year 1814. Grandfather Jesse Cole was a captain in the War of 1812, lived for many years in Tennessee and died there. William Blevins, the maternal grandfather of our subject, also died in Tennessee. The parents were reared and married in east Tennessee and made that place their home until the Fall of 1842, when the spirit of emigration led them over into Missouri. Here they first settled in Gasconade county, a year later came to Jackson county, and, after 1 year spent where Raytown now is, came to the place now occupied by their son Jesse. It was then all wild land and covered with timber, there were few settlers here, and the face of the red man had not yet disappeared from this section of the country. Here Alfred Cole built a home and settled down to the work of clearing and improving his land, and in this frontier undertaking was aided and encouraged by his noble wife. He died here in 1854. She survived him some years and passed away about 1875. For many years she was a member of the Baptist church. In their family were 7 children, 5 of whom attained maturity, namely: Jackson, deceased; Jesse, the subject of this article; Elizabeth, wife of Rev. Martin White, Seattle, Washington; Celia, wife of A. P. Cole, Johnson county, Kansas; and Alfred H. Brooking township, Jackson county, Missouri.

Jesse Cole is the eldest of the family now living. He was born in Carter county, east Tennessee, March 5, 1840, and was 2 years old at the time of the removal of the family from Tennessee to Missouri. On his father's farm he was reared and in the district schools he received his education. After the death of his father and elder brother the farming operations and the care of the family devolved upon him. This duty he nobly assumed and faithfully discharged until the death of his mother, and in time came into possession of the home place. He now owns 400 acres of land, all nicely improved, the residence and all the other buildings now on the place having been put here by him, and here his whole life has been devoted to general farming.

Mr. Cole was married in 1886 to Mrs. Emma Samson, nee Basey, a native of Jackson county, Missouri, and a daughter of James D. Basey, who at an early day removed from Shelby county, Kentucky, to western Missouri and settled on a farm adjoining the one owned by the Cole family. She was born here in June, 1855, and was educated here and in the schools of Independence, and for some time was engaged in teaching. By her first husband, Mr. Samson, she had 2 children, and by Mr. Cole she has 1 child, Silas. Mrs. Cole is a member of the Christian church and an active worker in the same. 

Politically Mr. Cole has always affiliated with the democratic party, has taken an interest in affairs locally, but has never sought official position for himself. He has, however, been chosen to fill various positions, and has ever discharged his duty in a manner creditable alike to himself and those he served. He has been delegate to conventions, served as road overseer, and for 12 years has been a member of the school board of his district. Fraternally, he is identified with the Masonic order at Raytown.

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This page was last updated August 2, 2006.