Burnham W. Cole Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1665-1666 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	BURNHAM W. COLE, one of the pioneer business men and 
representative citizens of Mellette, Spink county, is a native of 
Stanstead, province of Quebec, Canada, where he was born on the 22d of 
May, 1855, being a son of Philo B. Cole, who was born and reared in the 
same town, where he continued his residence until the autumn of 1855, 
when he removed with his family to the northwestern part of the state of 
Illinois, where he still maintains his home, being a carriage 
manufacturer by vocation. 

	The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood in Illinois, in 
whose public schools he received his educational discipline. In 1881 he 
came to the territory of Dakota and in spring of the following year took 
up his abode in Mellette, where he engaged in the farming-implement, 
coal and lumber business, beginning operations upon a modest scale and 
having built up a large and prosperous enterprise in the line, his trade 
at the present ramifying throughout the wide radius of territory 
normally tributary to the town. He is the owner of town property and 
also of valuable farming land in the county and is one of the 
substantial men of this section. In politics he gives his allegiance to 
the Republican party and fraternally is affiliated with the local 
organization of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. 

	In the year 1887 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Cole to Miss 
Kate B. Gagen, who died January 1, 1895, leaving one child, Helen E. In 
1899 Mr. Cole consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss 
Eva L. Lee, and they have two sons, Carroll L. and Harold.