The Cole Family
by Aubrey Cole & Alan Freeman

The Cole Family migrated from North Carolina into the 10th District of Rutherford County in the early 1800's. Thomas Cole was among the early settlers of the 10th District. He and his brother Gideon acquired land in the Byler Bottoms (near Rockvale, Tennessee) around 1830 and married the daughters of Colonel White and Ann (Morrow) White who lived nearby. It is believed that Thomas and Gideon's fathers name was Thomas, and his fathers name was either John or Joseph Cole. Some mention is made of a $300 gift in the probate from the Will of Joseph Cole. CHECK THIS!

Thomas was born on March 25, 1809 and married Ruth White, born about 1809, on August 19, 1830 in Williamson County, Tennessee. He died on September 23, 1847 and was buried in the Mount Pleasant Cemetary, near Rockvale, Tennessee.

The children of Thomas Cole and Ruth White were: James Henry, Nancy, Emmeline, Elizabeth, Mary, Martha, Thomas, and Calvin (not in birth order). Thomas was active in the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church and upon his death on 23 September 1847, he was buried in the church cemetery.

Mary Cole married W.M. Lamb, and Emmeline Cole married W. Rainey Lamb. Thomas' son Thomas died at 19 years old.

Thomas Cole's son, James (Jim) Henry Cole, was born 11 September 1834 and married Mary Frances Taylor on January 14, 1855 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of Vincent Taylor (1797-1861) and Mary R. Puckett (1802-1845), who was the daughter of Charles Puckett and Elizabeth Akin. Mary was born November 22, 1888, and died May 20, 1890. James H. Cole died December 11, 1896. They were buried with Mary at Mount Pleasant Church Cemetery.

The children of James H. Cole and Mary F. Taylor are as follows:

William "Pape" Glenn Cole married Mary Tennessee Manire. He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and she is buried
Talitha Cole married Laythe Hogan
Alice Cole married an unknown Williams
Nancy Cole married an unknown Ray
Lillie married Thomas Foster
Walter Benjamin never married. He became a Baptist minister.
Thomas Vincent b. September 16, 1870 and died May 27, 1890.

James Henry Cole was conscripted by the Union Army in the Civil War, to care for the wounded soliders in a hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on the site of the old Carnation Milk Company. Both James H. Cole and his wife Mary died in 1890 and are buried in the Mount Pleasant Church Cemetery.

William Glenn (Pape) Cole, son of James Henry Cole, was born March 3,1857, and lived much of his life in the Tenth District. He married Mary Tennessee Manire on October 24, 1886, the daughter of David Crockett Manire and Martha M. Reid. Martha was the daughter of Robert Reid and Elizabeth Gentry. David Crockett Manire was the son of Lemuel Manire I and Susannah Ann Elizabeth Jackson. William Glenn drove a school wagon and was a farmer as well as operating a grocery store. During the Civil war "Pape" extended so much credit to folks that couldn't afford groceries, that he eventually had to close his store.

The children of William Glenn Cole and Mary Tennesse Manire are as follows:

Minnie married Willie B. Sudberry (no children)
Annie May married Granville L. Bellenfant (had Robbie, Virginia, Carlene, Mary Frances, Gran W., Margaret, Howard C., Lois, Ann Laura, Edward, Charles, and Lawrence "Allen").
Ruth married a Williams (had one son, Jack Williams)
Adelaide died young
Mattie died young
Ellis died young
Eris died young
Clarence died young
Robert Malvin Cole, Sr. married Mary Irene Hill (children below).

The children of Robert Malvin Cole, Sr and Mary Irene Hill are as follows:

Robert M. Cole, Jr. married Lorene Wilson and their issues were Barbara and Dennis.
Aubrey Glenn Cole married Ruth Templeton and their issues were Mark, Steven, Lisa, Bryan, and John.
Dora Leopal Cole (Lee Cole) married Kenneth Allen Freeman and their issues were Glenda and Alan. Lee also had two other daughters Jennifer and Donna.
J.H. Cole married Peggy (Norton) Wafford and their issues were Tina and Dawn. Peggy had two other children by a previous marriage, Vicky and Debby.
Thomas R. Cole was not married.

Robert M. Cole, Sr. was born 7 August 1900 and died 7 July 1979. He worked at a hosery mill in McMinnville, Tennessee, most of his life, and lived about 5 blocks from the Murfreesboro City Square. He married Mary Irene Hill, born 16 March 1906 and died 22 December 1989 on March 21st 1926. She worked in a department store most of her adult life. Their only daughter Dora Lee (Lee) died on April 18, 1997. Their oldest son Robert died March 16, 1999. They are buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee.

Details of other relatives may also be found in a wonderfully documented and illustrated 373 page book titled the "History of Rover and the 10th District of Bedford County", by the Rover Historical Society, available through Arline Sudberry at asudberry@worldnet.att.net. Photo of WG Cole and RM Cole compliments of Gloria Taylor.