Cole, Joshua 1854-1922

COLE, RUCKER, JENKINS, HOLDEN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 9/18/2012 at 15:59:53

The Grinnell Herald; April 11, 1922

OLD TIMER PASSES
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Joshua Cole, Veteran Harness Maker
of Grinnell, Dies Monday at
Home of Son.
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LEARNED HARNESS TRADE
UNDER A. WHITCOMB
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Had Been Connected With Business
Interests of Grinnell Almost
Fifty years.
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The passing Monday morning of Joshua Cole after an illness of nine weeks takes away another man whose home has been here continuously since the early seventies.

Joshua Cole was born in Henry county, Ill., July 19, 1854, and died in Grinnell Monday, April 10, 1922, in the 68th year of his age. He came to Iowa with his father in 1870, when he was sixteen years old. His mother had died when the boy was an infant. Mr. Cole located on a farm south of Kellogg. The boy, Joshua, not long afterward came to Grinnell and apprenticed himself to A. Whitcomb to learn the trade of a harness maker. Since that time he had been a resident of Grinnell, sometimes in the employ of others, sometimes alone, but always at work at his trade.

January 9, 1875, he united in marriage with *Cynthia Rucker of Belle Plaine, who preceded him to the heavenly world nearly eight years. Her death occurred Sept. 9, 1914. To this union four children were born, Mrs. Myrtle Jenkins, of Grinnell, Mrs. Dora Holden of Oskaloosa, Charles L. Cole, of Grinnell, and Orville Cole of Stratford, Okla.

Mr. Cole was born a Friend and all his life has been affiliated with the Friends church, living the honest and simple Christian life which is the marked principle of this body of believers.

Always honest, faithful, courteous and square with his neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Cole made their home a cheerful and happy one and taught by example to all the beauty of Christian living. The death of the wife left a deep vacancy in the life of Mr. Cole, but Christian fortitude sustained him and in his later life he has maintained the same cheer that had always marked the home.

His last illness was marked with much suffering which he bore with Christian patience until relieved by death.

The funeral will be held tomorrow--Wednesday--at 2:30 o'clock at the Friends church.

Transcriber Note: *Synthia Rucker Cole, died 24 Sep 1914.