Georgia: Coweta County: Biography of ROBERT DUKE COLE, SR. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Nel Rocklein TAROCKLEIN@aol.com ==================================================================== ROBERT DUKE COLE, SR., president and founder of one of the largest manufacturing companies in Western Georgia, was born in Newton county, Ga., Dec. 21, 1820. He is a son of Robert Cole, who was born in Surrey county, N. C., July 29, 1775, and was married to Elizabeth Famborough Oct. 6, 1796. Mrs. Cole, who was born Oct. 7, 1778, was well known as a good and pious lady. Mr. Cole was a man of a very limited education, but was a hard worker. During the revolutionary war, while but a small boy, he suffered much from the hands of the British soldiers. He started in life without anything, settled in Newton county, Ga., and in 1830 came to Coweta county, Ga. He accumulated considerable property in Newton county, Ga., but unfortunately lost all and was left largely in debt, but he found a ready helper in his son, R. D. Cole. Mr. Cole died March 20, 1852, and Mrs. Cole died Aug. 12, 1863.&n; Dec. 27, 1849, Robert D. Cole settled on the lot where he now lives and continues to work at his trade. In 1854 he founded the firm of Cole & Barnes, with Thomas Barnes as partner, and began business on a very small scale. In the same year they purchased a small engine, and about this time their friends came to them and advised them to give up the business or they would lose all they had. Mr. Barnes remained with the company only two years, but Mr. Cole continued as sole proprietor until 1858, when Dr. W. T. Cole and his brother, Matthew Cole, became partners, the firm being then R. D. Cole & Co., which it remained until 1866, when W. T. Cole withdrew and it became R. D. Cole & Bro. Jan. 1, 1854, they started up the steam in their little shop, and their business progressed so rapidly that in 1860 they enlarged their engine to a 30-horse power. During the war they did work for the confederacy, but received nothing for what was furnished. But since the war theirry. The capital stock paid in is $70,000. Mr. Cole was also one of the prominent men in the organization of the Coweta Fertilizer company of Newnan, and is one of the directors. He is also largely interested in a gin-mill at Grantville. Mr. and Mrs. Cole are earnest workers in and members of the Baptist church. In 1884 the society built a very fine church in Newnan, to which enterprise Mr. Cole donated $2,500. Mr. Cole has always taken a great interest in those in his employ, and for them he built a chapel known as the Mills chapel, at a cost of $1,500, where all those who desire can go and worship. He is an openhearted man, and although well along in years, he still enjoys a good joke, and likes to tell good yarns, with which he is well supplied. But to appreciate him one must meet him at his own beautiful home. He became a Mason in 1847, but has not attended his lodge since the war closed. Transcribed from MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA published by the Southern Historical Association, 1895.