St. Clair County Obits

JOHN E. COLE

St. Clair County Republican
28 May 1914
John E. Cole was born in Washington, D.C., September 11, 1832; died at his late residence about five miles northwest of Osceola, St. Clair county, Missouri, Monday, May 25, 1914, making his age at his demise eighty-one years, eight months and sixteen days. He had been a resident of this county forty eight years, coming here soon after the war of 1861-65, he being a soldier in the Union army, having enlisted in the Fifth Iowa Infantry, service to the close of the war.

Deceased was twice married, his first wife being Elizabeth McKibbin. To this union no children were born, but a boy was adopted, and given the name of John L. Cole, after the name of the deceased. His second wife was Miss Emma W. Short. To this union one son was born, Burlie S. Cole, and he, with his mother, and many relatives and many friends mourn the loss of a good father and a friend to many.

Mr. Cole was one of the oldest members of the I.O.O.F. Lodge at Osceola, and was one of its most faithful attendants. He was also a member of the G.A.R. post at Lowry City, and after the funeral sermon was preached by Rev. D.T. Simmons, pastor of Grace M.E. church, in said church, at 3 o'clock p.m. Tuesday, May 26th, these two organizations took charge of his body and performed their last sad rites over the remains jointly in the Osceola cemetery. A large number of friends, besides quite a number of representatives of the two lodges, followed him to his last resting place.