Biography of Isaac "Ike" Cole - Mercer Co. WV



Some two cenuries go, Pearisburg,a. was the last frontier hamlet to the 
west of Lynchbury,Va. In those early days,there was some trading done with 
the last frontier hamlet to the west of Lynchburg. In those early days 
there was some trading done with the nearest large market of Baltimore. 
Lynchburg was a trading village, as also the town of Richmond; but goods 
being cheaper in price in the city of Baltimors. Oftentimes trips covering 
many weeks of time, were made to that place. During one of these, the men 
while in Baltimore, happenedto see a small boy playing around a wagon, and 
ask him if he wanted a ride. All small boys want to ride, so he got on the 
Wagon, and the men bought him back with them, actually kidnapped the boy. 
Who the boys parents were,or even their name, these men knew not, perhaps 
cared less. Back in those early days, the people were rude in their manner 
and method of doing things, They had little or no education, and as 
consequence their word, and language were simple and extreme. These men 
gave the boy the name of Cole. Whether the name came out of coal or cole is 
unknown. At this time I don't know if the old settlers had much if any idea 
about coal, or its use as a fuel. To them, if they saw it at all, would 
would be to appear to them as nothing more then a " shining black rock." 
During his boyhood days, and on up until he reached manhood. Isaac lived on 
New River, near Pearisburg, Virginia. He had many skirmishes with the 
indians, but as far as is know actually killed but one, He aqquired no 
property during his life time, except 160 acres of land that the goverment 
gave him for helping to drive out the indians.The 160 acres was situated 
somewhere in the west, but he never claimed it. After his son Augustus, 
aquired the old Cole homestead, Issac went to live with his. He was a tall, 
spareframed man, who dressed in deer-skin coat and breeches, with a 
coon-skin cap and soft deer-hide mocassins,carried an old fashioned 
flint-lock gun. At the age of ninety three issac walked to visit his 
daughter Peggy who lived in Logan County 100 miles awa, he also walked back 
home. He must have been a lithe, strong, hard muscle man even at that age 
to have endured that journy. He refused to take one of the horses. On his 
death certificate it is noted that he was in the battle at Lake Shawnee, 
and fought in the Revollutionary war, dates 1792 and 1793. Also that he 
fought in Captain Thomas Shannons Company against Lord Cornwallis. No 
parental information can be found at this time. Next of kin listed on his 
death certificate was his Grest-Grandson, Grant Cole, also of Princeton, 
W.Va. He is buried in Oakvale Cemetery in Mercer Co right outside of 
Princeton,W.Va. His cause of death "flux". 
Later learned he was borned in New York State, Served in Hugh Caperton,s 
Company 1782-1792.

**NOTE** By writer
Documantation I have found supports that Grant Cole, Great-Grandson was not 
next of kin to Isaac based on fact Issac had living children at the time of 
his death. However!! Perhaps, Grant was the one reporting his death to 
officials.



Submitted by E. Fay Shannon <fshannon@citlink.net>
3rd Great Grandaughter of Isaac Cole

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