Ritchie County, West Virginia          Biography of J. W. COLE

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 60-61

J. W. COLE, superintendent of the Harrisville public schools,
has been an earnest worker in the cause of education in West
Virginia for nearly a quarter of a century, and his record is
a commendable one both as a teacher and as a school adminis-
trator.

He was born at Cameron, West Virginia, November 25,
1875, son of John and Mary J. (Cole) Cole. His parents were
both natives of County Down, Ireland, his father born
November 12, 1829 and his mother on December 25, 1836.
They were reared and married in Ireland, and in 1855 came
to America and settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania,
near Hickory. Somewhat later but before the Civil war they
removed to Marshall County, Virginia, now West Virginia,
buying a farm at Sand Hill. Later that was traded for the
present homestead located four miles south of Cameron,
where Mrs. Mary J. Cole is still living. In the course of years
they developed a model farm from the one hundred and one
acres in the homestead. Both parents were active members of
the Presbyterian Church, and the father voted as a republican.
Their ten children all reached mature years: Sarah, who is a
successful physician in Kansas and owns and operates a sani-
tarium; Mary J., wife of W. L. Barr, of Olathe, Kansas; Miss
Elizabeth; Miss Hannah, a trained nurse; Miss Anna, of
Harrisville; William J., at home; David A., deceased; Miss
Alberta, at home; J. W.; and Miss Ida, at home.

J. W. Cole spent his early life on the farm in Marshall
County and supplemented his common school education in
the West Liberty Normal School, where he graduated, and
later graduated A. B. from West Virginia State University at
Morgantown. Mr. Cole taught his first school in 1898. He
taught seventeen terms, and prior to assuming his duties as
superintendent of schools at Harrisville in 1920 he had been
superintendent of schools in Fayette County and principal
of the high school four years in his home town of Cameron,
and also one year at Flemington, West Virginia.

Mr. Cole on April 9, 1911, married Elsie B. Lowden, who is
also a successful educator. She took her normal work in
the Slippery Rock Normal School of Pennsylvania. She
taught before her marriage, and she is now teaching one of
the grades in the Harrisville schools. Mr. and Mrs. Cole
have three children: Mary E., born January 30, 1912; Walter
W., born September 8, 1913; and John W., born January
31, 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Cole have their membership in the
First Presbyterian Church at Cameron, and he is affiliated
with the Cameron Lodge No. 17, A F. and A. M., and Cam-
eron Lodge No. 36, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His
political support is given to the republican party.