THE COLE FAMITY

 

 

John Cole, whose will is recorded in 1808 in Green County, Georgia had sons John, Robert Duke and WILLIAM ISHAM and daughters Elizabeth and Celia Margaret.  At some unknown date this family moved to White County, Tennessee.

 

Thomas Clark, Jr. born 1785 in Kentucky moved to Tennessee.  He was a circuit rider for the Primitive Baptist Church.  Married in 1804 to Elizabeth Upton.  He died in 1848.  Had children Sally (1805), Didamy (1807), Agnes (1809), Margaret (1809), LOVINA (1811), John (1814), James (1816), Thomas (1818), Benjamin (1822), Elizabeth (Betty) (1828).

 

William Isham Cole of White County, Tennessee married Lovina Clark of Warren County, Tennessee on December 3, 1835 in the presence of her father Elder Thomas Clark, by Elder Chesley Webb.  William Isham Cole was born May 7, 1809 and Lovina Clark was born September 1, 1811.  Soon after their wedding they moved to Dade County, Georgia and settled just North of Morganville.  In 1850 they moved to Slygo Valley where he became a prosperous farmer and honorable citizen and possessed one of the finest farms in the county.  The original home, built of logs and consisting of a huge fireplace of limestone rock and two large rooms, still stands.  Later an addition of five more rooms, two rock chimneys and four fireplaces were added.  This home has remained in the Cole family since being constructed.  At this writing William Polk Cole and son Benjamin Earl Cole live there.  William Isham Cole died April 17, 1882 and Lovina Clark Cole died August 16, 1900.

 

Descendants of William Isham Cole and Lovina  Clark Cole:

1. Thomas Henry Benton Cole born January 30, 1842, died October 27, 1897. Married April 4, 1872 to Lucky Jane Jacoway. She died November 2, 1940. Their children: (a) Nancy Lovina (Feb. 23, 1873-Dec 9, 1959). Married Robert W. Thurman December 22, 1892. Had children: William Herbert Thurman September 22, 1893, Robert Hicks Thurman April 16, 1898, Harold Thurman August 17, 1901, Sue Evelyn Thurman July 3, 1902, Betty Lou Thurman September 20, 1903, Nell Frances Thurman September 12, 1907.

 

(b) Betty May (May 6, 1874-Sept. 1, 1962). Married E. Duke Brock May 13, 1894. Had children: Mary Pauline Brock, January 22, 1895, Ernest Cole Brock (Sept. 22, 1896, Baby Brock December 25, 1897, Middleton Brock, August 12, 1899, Annie Rita Brock, September 13, 1901, Archibald Harris Brock, August 27, 1903, Dorothy Brock, September 25, 1905, Josephine Reed Brock, December 15, 1906, Mildred Brock, July 19, 1909, James Hoke Brock, December 5, 1911.

 

(c) William Garrett (July 10, 1875-August 29, 1941).

 

(d) Henry Benton (October 10, 1876-September 16, 1877).

 

(e) Robert Edwin (March 27, 1878-February 11, 1944). Married Connie Jane Boydston August 29, 1925.

 

(f) Archibald Allen (November 13, 1879-December 13, 1903).

 

(g) Bessie Eaton Williams (October 6, 1881-March 13, 1966). Married James B. Williams November 8, 1900. Had children: Lucy Elizabeth Williams December 29, 1902, Mary Nell Williams July 22, 1909.

 

(h) Jessie Reed (March 2, 1883-November l6, 1956). Married R. F. Tatum July 15, 1908. Had children: Lucy Louise Tatum, April 11, 1909, Margaret Gertrude Tatum, May 11, 1910, Selina Jane Tatum, June 26, 1912, Reed Fleming Tatum, January 28, 1914, William Tatum, Mary Sue Tatum and Robert Tatum.

 

(i) Johnny Price (November 11, 1884). Married Harry F. Caldwell, April 8, 1910. Had one son; William Benton Caldwell, January 14, 1911.

 

(j) Cecil (April 11, 1886-October 17, 1886).

 

(k) James Lysle (September 5, 1887-October 20, 1914).

 

(l) Samuel Darwin (October 11, 1889-January 15, 1959).

 

(m) Lucy Clark (December 26, 1891-March 21, 1966). Married John T. Lock April 3, 1920. Had children: John T. Lock, Jr., Cole Baker Lock, Gale Lock, Donald Jacoway Lock, Carol Jane Lock.

 

(n) Lawrence Jacoway (October 9, 1893-June 16, 1941). Married Gertrude Birdwell March 4, 1918. Had children: Margaret Clark Cole, April 1, 1920, Ruth Cole, May 11, 1921, Arwin Lucille Cole, March 28, 1924.

 

(o) Bentie (April 1, 1898). Married Dan Carroll April 16, 1927.

 

2. James K. Polk Cole born October 11, 1844. Married April 13, 1874 to Juda E. Hale. Died January 12, 1906 in Ansen, Texas.

 

3. Nathan Watkins Cole born June 1, 1853, died February 2, 1936. Married Sarah Elizabeth Tittle December 26, 1886. She died March 22, 1925. Their children (a) William Polk Cole (September 20, 1888). Married on September 29, 1909 to Willie Laverna Dugan (May 6, 1892-April 16, 1961). Had children:

 

(1) Willie Nae (June 27, 1910). Married Avery Buford Craig, July 19, 1940; had one son Buford Lee Craig (May 24, 1941), one grandson, Glenn Lee Craig.

 

(2) Lillian Irene (June 3, 1912). Married Samuel Ray Hixon October 22, 1933. Had children: Wanda Geanne Hixon (June 25, 1935), Billy Ray Hixon (September 30, 1937). Grandchildren: Paula Irene Hixon, Mark Stephen Hixon, Robert Charles Fisher, Elizabeth Geanne Fisher, Lisa Irene Fisher, William Freeman Lewis. Second husband Charles Alexander Jones (December 25, 1912-August 6, 1975). Married March 17, 1948. Had one son, Charles Alexander Jones (September 6, 1954).

 

(3) Noel Watkins (December 9, 1914). Married in 1935 to Gertrude Hixon. Had children: Jerry DeForest Cole (March 28, 1936), Noel Anthony Cole (November 1, 1941). Second wife Mildred Odessa Hix (January 22, 1926-February 13, 1964). Married May 18, 1946. Had children: Barbara Odessa Cole (March 15, 1947), Brenda Lou Cole (October 5, 1948), James Richard Cole (November 5, 1951), Martha Luverna Cole (February 28, 1956), Roger Watkins Cole (September 7, 1961). Grandchildren: Sherry Lynn Cole, Mitchell Denise Tunstall, Melissa Renee Tunstall, Christine Lynn Tunstall, Michael Noel Osterhout, Brenda Rene Blodgett, Anthony Shawn Blodgett, Christopher James Cole, Jamie Cole.

 

(4) Benjamin Earl (Mary 24, 1917). Married Laura Bell Koger August 3, 1940. Had sons: William Polk Cole (June 14, 1942), Robert Morris Cole (January 21, 1945-January 23, 1945). Grandchildren: Angelia Denise Cole, William Stephen Cole.

 

(5) Leola Elizabeth (February 23, 1920-June 11, 1922).

 

(6) Ila Vibeth (January 30, 1922). Married Frank S. Lawson July 14, 1945, had one son: Brooks Cole Lawson (September 9, 1954).

 

7. Velma Ruth (September 6, 1923). Married Edward Lee Massey October 14, 1944. Had one child: Norma Faye Massey (November 30, 1946). One grandchild: Stephen Lee Gordy.

 

8. Charles Clark (December 27, 1928)). Married Mary Helen Porter March 12, 1949. Children: Charles Clark, Jr. (September 18, 1960), Edward Timothy Cole (April 21, 1963), Mary Elizabeth Cole (May 25, 1966).

 

William Polk Cole, the eldest of his father’s family, lives at the old Cole home. He being the third generation who has lived where the pioneer Coles camped when arriving in Slygo Valley. Polk Cole is a retired farmer, carpenter and surveyor. He is one of the leading citizens in the county. He served as county surveyor some fifty years. He received his education in the county schools and at Pryor Institute. He was a teacher for several years in the county, having taught at Hooker, Slygo and New England. He is a man of honor, the spirit of honor dominated his conduct. Sincerity and integrity characterized his life. Elected Justice of the Peace in 1915 at the age of 27, he served continuously for 57 years. In 1934 when his father, Nathan Watkins Cole, became ill and unable to attend as a member of the Democratic Executive Committee William Polk was elected to succeed his father and has been an active member of that committee since. He always had a keen interest in the political affairs of the county. Mr. Cole is a member of the Primitive Baptist Church, regular in attendance when possible and extended his support to that church in every way possible.

 

(b) John Benton Cole (December 18, 1890-March 27, 1971). Married May 28, 1911 to Sarah Coats (March 16, 1896-August 27, 1966). Their children: (1) John Benton (December 31, 1919). Married Evelyn Cureton July 2, 1942. Had one child Linda (August 31, 1943).

 

(2) Cynthia Elizabeth (January 20, 1922-December 13, 1973). Married June 9, 1946 to George H. Cureton.

 

(3) Douglas Leonard (March 12, 1936). Married to Frances Boren; had one son Douglas Barnard Cole (November 18, 1954). Second wife, Romona Warren, married December 22, 1962. One son Scott Michael Cole (November 9, 1969).

 

(c) Benjamin Ira Cole (January 12, 1893). Married Myrtle Fulghum April 27, 1918. Their children: (1) Benjamin Watkins (March 14, 1919). Married Johnny Page February 6, 1943.

 

(2) Mae Beatrice (September 9, 1920). Married George Washington Bettis March 16, 1958.

 

(d) James Earl Cole (January 25, 1896). Married June 6, 1925 to Eula Killian Holmes (June 13, 1897-July 30, 1969). Had one child Elba Earl (August 2, 1927). Grandchildren: Thomas Earl Sewell (August 25, 1957), Karen Jo Sewell (December 12, 1958).  (Used by permission, HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY GEORGIA, 1981 by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.)