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Cole Family History & Genealogy

93,204 biographies and 119 photos with the Cole last name. Discover the family history, nationality, origin and common names of Cole family members.

Cole Last Name History & Origin

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History

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Name Origin

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Spellings & Pronunciations

Cole

Nationality & Ethnicity

The Bahamas & African- Bahamaian

Famous People named Cole

Norris Cole

Early Coles

These are the earliest records we have of the Cole family.

Grace (Cole) Wadsworth was born on June 1, 1607 in Cambridge, England United Kingdom, and died at age 80 years old on January 31, 1688 in Duxbury, Massachusetts United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Grace (Cole) Wadsworth.
Hugh Cole was born on June 29, 1627 in Barnstaple, England United Kingdom, and died at age 71 years old on January 22, 1699 in Warren, Rhode Island United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Hugh Cole.
Mary (Foxwell) Cole was born on August 17, 1635 in Scituate, Massachusetts United States, and died at age 53 years old on December 31, 1688 in Swansea. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mary (Foxwell) Cole.
Hugh Cole Jr. was born on March 16, 1658 in Plymouth, Massachusetts United States, and died at age 79 years old on February 17, 1738 in Swansea. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Hugh Cole Jr..
John Cole was born on May 15, 1660 in Plymouth, Massachusetts United States to Hugh Cole and Mary (Foxwell) Cole, and had a brother Hugh Cole Jr.. He was in a relationship with Susanna (Gray) Cole, and had a child Susannah (Cole) Rounds. John Cole died at age 88 years old on June 15, 1748 in Warren, RI. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John Cole.
Deborah (Buckland) Cole was born on September 16, 1660 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts United States, and died at age 64 years old on November 7, 1724 in Swansea. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Deborah (Buckland) Cole.
Susanna (Gray) Cole was born on October 15, 1668 in Plymouth, Massachusetts United States, and died at age 58 years old on August 26, 1727 in Plymouth. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Susanna (Gray) Cole.
Martha (Luther) Cole was born on December 9, 1681 in Swansea, Massachusetts United States, and died at age 82 years old on November 18, 1764 in Warren, RI. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Martha (Luther) Cole.
Hugh Cole III was born on May 30, 1683 in Swansea, Massachusetts United States, and died at age 70 years old on June 14, 1753 in Swansea. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Hugh Cole III.
Susannah (Cole) Rounds was born on November 19, 1696 in Little Compton, Rhode Island United States, and died at age 94 years old on October 13, 1791 in Plymouth, MA. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Susannah (Cole) Rounds.
Judith Bowen (Brown) Cole was born on August 28, 1700 at Boxford, Essex Co., Massachusetts, and died at age 46 years old on November 1, 1746 at Harvard, Mass. Judith Cole was buried at Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Judith Bowen Brown Cole.
Joseph Cole was born on May 16, 1716 in Swansea, Massachusetts United States, and died at age 68 years old on May 3, 1785 in Abingdon, VA. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Joseph Cole.

Cole Family Members

Cole Family Photos

Discover Cole family photos shared by the community. These photos contain people and places related to the Cole last name.

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Cole Family Tree

Discover the most common names, oldest records and life expectancy of people with the last name Cole.

Most Common First Names

Updated Cole Biographies

Debra Anne (Sauriol) Rylander-cole was born on November 25, 1957 to Beverly Sauriol. Debra Rylander-cole was in a relationship with Joseph Fehil, and has a child Joseph m Rylander. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Debra Sauriol Rylander .
Leslie Cole of Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia was born on May 29, 1914 in Leopold to Clara Elizabeth (Evans) Cole and Harold "Henry" Cole. He had siblings William John Cole, Henry Edgar Cole, Doris Emily Cole, and Frederick Victor Cole. Leslie Cole died at age 86 years old on February 4, 2001 in Geelong.
Frederick Victor Cole of Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia was born on May 24, 1912 in Scarsdale, Golden Plains Shire County to Clara Elizabeth (Evans) Cole and Harold "Henry" Cole. He had siblings William John Cole, Henry Edgar Cole, Doris Emily Cole, and Leslie Cole. Frederick Cole died at age 99 years old on November 30, 2011 in Geelong, Greater Geelong City County.
Doris Emily Cole of Brisbane, QLD Australia was born on October 15, 1909 in Scarsdale, Golden Plains Shire County, VIC to Clara Elizabeth (Evans) Cole and Harold "Henry" Cole. She had siblings William John Cole, Henry Edgar Cole, Frederick Victor Cole, and Leslie Cole. Doris Cole married George Maxwell Morton in 1929, and died at age 83 years old on June 11, 1993 in Brisbane, QLD.
Henry Edgar Cole of SA Australia was born on May 15, 1907 in Malmsbury, VIC to Clara Elizabeth (Evans) Cole and Harold "Henry" Cole. He had siblings William John Cole, Doris Emily Cole, Frederick Victor Cole, and Leslie Cole. Henry Cole died at age 87 years old in September 1994 in SA.
William John Cole of Sydney, NSW Australia was born on May 19, 1905 in Malmsbury, VIC to Clara Elizabeth (Evans) Cole and Harold "Henry" Cole. He had siblings Henry Edgar Cole, Doris Emily Cole, Frederick Victor Cole, and Leslie Cole. William Cole married Lucy Lillian Roberts in 1933, and died at age 77 years old on November 1, 1982 in Sydney, NSW.
Harold Cole of Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia was born on April 30, 1879 in Barrys Reef, Moorabool Shire County. He was married to Clara Elizabeth (Evans) Cole in 1904, and had children William John Cole, Henry Edgar Cole, Doris Emily Cole, Frederick Victor Cole, and Leslie Cole. Harold Cole died at age 93 years old on July 16, 1972 in Geelong, Greater Geelong City County.
Clara Elizabeth (Evans) Cole of Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia was born on November 16, 1887 in Malmsbury to Edgar William Evans and Elizabeth Emily Murden Evans. She had siblings Frederick Wilmott Evans, William George Evans, Robert Oliver Evans, Nellie Louisa Evans, Emily Margaret Evans, Edgar John Evans, and Eric Evans. She married Harold "Henry" Cole in 1904, and had children William John Cole, Henry Edgar Cole, Doris Emily Cole, Frederick Victor Cole, and Leslie Cole. Clara Cole died at age 69 years old on March 2, 1957 in Geelong.
Michelle Anita Cole was born on July 17, 1981 in Orange, Texas United States to Sonia Marie Faustinos, and has siblings Mario Junior Navarro and Michael lannie cole. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Michelle Anita cole.
Michael Lannie Cole was born on October 4, 1979 in Los Angeles, California United States to Sonia Marie Faustinos, and has siblings Mario Junior Navarro and Michelle Anita cole. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Michael lannie cole.
Stella Gardiner (Lockett) Cole of Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia was born in 1894 in Learmonth, City of Ballarat County to Esther Bertha (Mason) Lockett and Howard Lockett. She had siblings Harold Gordon Lockett, Elsie May Lockett, Millicent Coutts Lockett, Louisa Mason Lockett, Eveline Mary Lockett, Alma Annie Lockett, Rita Rosamond Lockett, Victor Howard Lockett, Russell Gordon Lockett, Esther Bertha Lockett, Kenneth Norman Lockett, Charles Joseph Lockett, and Herbert Raymond Lockett. Stella Cole married Edward Osborne Cole in 1922, and died at age 82 years old in 1976 in Geelong, Greater Geelong City County.
Bertha Cole
Bertha Cole was born on May 11, 1886. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bertha Cole.
Charles P. Cole
Charles Cole was John Stewart's adopted son, unofficially adopted. Charles Cole was an orphan at Hope Haven orphanage in Marrero Louisiana when John Stewart was a sheriff's deputy. Charles had run away from the orphanage several times and had been returned, the last time he ran away John Stuart just took them home and raised them as his own. Charles went by Charles Stuart until he returned from World War II.
Barbara Cole
Barbara Jean Cole of Pensacola, Florida United States was born on July 22, 1943. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Barbara Cole.
Ellen Judith (Cole)
Ellen Cole was my mother and she was a wonderful mom. A single mother who always made sure I was safe, warm and provided for.
Thomas Arnold Cole of Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia was born on September 13, 1902 in Apollo Bay, Colac Otway Shire County. Thomas Cole was married to Ella Richmond in 1929, and died at age 90 years old on June 10, 1993 in Geelong, Greater Geelong City County.
Ella (Richmond) Cole of Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia was born in 1905 in Winchelsea, and died at age 56 years old on July 7, 1962 in Geelong.
Sarah Ann (Cole) Humphris of Wellington County, ON Canada was born circa 1805 in Wiltshire County, England United Kingdom, and died at age 76 years old on February 18, 1882 in Wellington County, ON Canada.
Jeanette A. Caswell
Jeanette A. Caswell was born on June 2, 1855 in Wendell, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States to parents Townsend Caswell (1798-1872) and Betsey Holden (1818-1888). She had siblings Delia Imergene Caswell (1852-1886) and Myron Augustus Caswell (1858-1940) as well as many half siblings. She lived in Wendell, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States for most of her life and on March 11, 1874 she married Erastus Hillman Cole (1854–1933) in Orange, Franklin, Massachusetts. Together the couple had children Lenora E. Cole (1874-1952) a male infant who did not survive (1877-1877), Frankie E. Cole (1880-1880), Lula A. Cole (1882-1950), Walter Myron Cole (1889-1973), and Frankie Hurmon Cole (1896-1980). In 1912, it was reported that her husband Erastus Cole had to flee the area due to illegal manufacture/sale of alcohol. In 1920 she was reported as "widowed" as he left and did not disclose his location. Jeanette was also in a relationship with George Eber Woods (1855-1938) and they had a son together, Waldo Hervey Cole (1885-1971).
Emily (Cole) Strugnell of Raywood, VIC Australia was born in 1859. She was married to Robert Strugnell, and had children George William Strugnell, John Strugnell, Emily Jane (Strugnell) Brown, Alfred Strugnell, Robert Strugnell, and Caroline Strugnell. Emily Strugnell died at age 46 years old in 1905 in Raywood.

Popular Cole Biographies

Natalie Maria Cole
Natalie Maria Cole was born on February 6, 1950 in Los Angeles, California United States, and died at age 65 years old on December 31, 2015 in Los Angeles. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Natalie Maria Cole.
Carole was the adoptive daughter of Nat King Cole. She was his wife Maria's sister's daughter.
Irma Sophronia Cole
Born in Michigan, moving to Texas, spending most of her life in California . . . 2 marriages and one daughter. Irma saw a lot in her 90+ years, covering most of the 20th century. Irma's father was DeWitt Clinton Cole, 1874-1963, and her mother was Mabel Adeline DeLong, 1876 - 1946. She was married twice - first to Frank William Stadler, 1898-1990, and 2nd to Orlen Wesley Loverin, `1885-1976. Frank and Irma were married about 1923 in Woodlake CA. Orlen and Irma were married December 24 1960 in Fresno CA. Irma and Frank had 1 daughter, Sophronia, born around 1939. In the 1910 census, Irma was age 9 and living in El Paso TX with her parents Dewitt, age 36 and Mable, age 34. Walter Arlitt was a lodger in the household. Father Dewitt was a teacher as was the lodger. In the 1920 census, Irma was single and living in Lemon Grove CA with her parents. Father DeWitt was a farmer (he had an orange grove) and Irma was postmistress and the post office. In the 1930 census, Irma was 29 and married. She was living in Fowler CA with husband Frank. (Irma was 22 when they married). Frank was a manager and an oil company and Irma wasn't working. In the 1940 census, Irma was age 39 and living in Fresno CA with husband Frank and daughter Sophronia, age 1. Irma stated that she had completed 1 year of college. Frank stated that he was a salesman in the petroleum industry and earned $2000/yr.
Nat was the adoptive son of Nat King Cole
Bertha Cole
Bertha Cole was born on May 11, 1886. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bertha Cole.
Barbara Cole
Barbara Jean Cole of Pensacola, Florida United States was born on July 22, 1943. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Barbara Cole.
Ellen Josephine (Gay) Cole
Ellen Josephine (Gay) Cole was born in 1850 in Massachusetts United States, and died at age 85 years old in 1935 in Gardner, Worcester County.
Horatio N. Cole was born in 1831 in Leverett, Franklin County, Massachusetts United States, and died at age 25 years old on December 5, 1857 in Leverett. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Horatio N. Cole.
Jennifer Moorehouse Cole
Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jennifer Moorehouse Cole.
Erastus  Hillman Cole
Family lore suggests that he made and sold illegal alcohol as a side line. Family lore suggests that he was a skilled woodsman, and during his Spanish American War service in Cuba he helpled keep his unit alive with his foraging and fire making skills. His nickname was "Rat"
Edward Ball Cole
Edward Ball Cole was born in 1879, and died at age 39 years old in 1918. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Edward Ball Cole.
Timolin Cole was born in 1961 to Nat King Cole and Maria Hawkins (Ellington) Coles, and has siblings Natalie Maria Cole, Casey Cole, Carole Cole, and Nat Kelly Cole. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Timolin Cole.
Jeanette A. Caswell
Jeanette A. Caswell was born on June 2, 1855 in Wendell, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States to parents Townsend Caswell (1798-1872) and Betsey Holden (1818-1888). She had siblings Delia Imergene Caswell (1852-1886) and Myron Augustus Caswell (1858-1940) as well as many half siblings. She lived in Wendell, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States for most of her life and on March 11, 1874 she married Erastus Hillman Cole (1854–1933) in Orange, Franklin, Massachusetts. Together the couple had children Lenora E. Cole (1874-1952) a male infant who did not survive (1877-1877), Frankie E. Cole (1880-1880), Lula A. Cole (1882-1950), Walter Myron Cole (1889-1973), and Frankie Hurmon Cole (1896-1980). In 1912, it was reported that her husband Erastus Cole had to flee the area due to illegal manufacture/sale of alcohol. In 1920 she was reported as "widowed" as he left and did not disclose his location. Jeanette was also in a relationship with George Eber Woods (1855-1938) and they had a son together, Waldo Hervey Cole (1885-1971).
Delila (Cole) Duvall
Delila (Cole) Duvall was born on December 7, 1883 at IVYTON, KTY, and died at age 91 years old on April 24, 1975 at TAHLEQUAH, OK. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Delila (Cole) Duvall.
Casey Cole was born in 1961 to Nat King Cole and Maria Hawkins (Ellington) Coles, and has siblings Natalie Maria Cole, Timolin Cole, Carole Cole, and Nat Kelly Cole. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Casey Cole.
Kassie Lanae Cole
Kassie Lanae Cole was born on February 28, 1988. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Kassie Lanae Cole.
Hazle Cole
Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Hazle Cole.
John Byrd Cole
John Byrd Cole was born on September 9, 1863 in Walker County, Alabama United States, and died at age 91 years old on December 13, 1954 in Amarillo, Potter County, TX. John Cole was buried on December 14, 1954 at Sterling City Cemetery in Sterling County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John Byrd Cole.
Jessie May Cole
Jessie May Cole was born circa February 2, 1993 in United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jessie May Cole.
Frank Robert Cole was born to Pamela Gail Masson Cole Wilson and James Thomas Cole, and has a sister Heather Lee Cole - Middleton - Strom. Frank Cole married Emily Ann Taft, and has a child John Cole. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Frank Robert Cole.

Cole Death Records & Life Expectancy

The average age of a Cole family member is 71.0 years old according to our database of 72,771 people with the last name Cole that have a birth and death date listed.

Life Expectancy

71.0 years

Oldest Coles

These are the longest-lived members of the Cole family on AncientFaces.

Terrie Cole was born on January 23, 1865, and died at age 115 years old in September 1980. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Terrie Cole.
115 years
Brian Cole was born on August 30, 1862, and died at age 115 years old in September 1977. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Brian Cole.
115 years
Clarence Cole was born on August 11, 1863, and died at age 115 years old in November 1978. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Clarence Cole.
115 years
Alphaeus P Cole of New York, New York County, NY was born on July 12, 1876, and died at age 112 years old on May 2, 1989.
112 years
William Cole was born on January 13, 1865, and died at age 113 years old in November 1978. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember William Cole.
113 years
Roberta M Cole of Kansas City, Jackson County, MO was born on November 25, 1892, and died at age 110 years old on August 12, 2003.
110 years
Matthew Cole was born on November 12, 1867, and died at age 111 years old in November 1978. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Matthew Cole.
110 years
Bertha E Cole of Mount Holly, Burlington County, NJ was born on February 28, 1883, and died at age 111 years old on August 19, 1994.
111 years
Mattie S Cole of Sparta, White County, TN was born on June 27, 1889, and died at age 109 years old on May 10, 1999.
109 years
Defronia B Cole of Lexington, Fayette County, KY was born on May 22, 1881, and died at age 109 years old in April 1991.
109 years
Zephaniah E Cole of Springfield, Hampden County, MA was born on March 4, 1901, and died at age 109 years old on August 24, 2010.
109 years
Minerva I Cole of Brush, Morgan County, CO was born on November 26, 1885, and died at age 108 years old on July 13, 1994.
108 years
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I am researching my husband's family tree. His great grandmother's name was Naomi Jane Cole Looney. She was the wife of Benjamin #3 Looney. They lived in Bollinger County MO. I know Naomi's father's name was Daniel T Cole born 1830 in MO and her mother's name was Delphinia Smith Cole. I know they had 8 children. I have the death certificate for one, Daniel P who died in 1920 on Halloween when a tree fell on him near Millersville MO.

There is a family rumor that he was good friends with Jesse James. I think he was probably related to Jesse James. There is also a story that the James Gang had a hideout in a cave near Millersville.

I have found some possible parents for Daniel T Cole, they had a son named Daniel Taylor Cole born the same year as Daniel T Cole in St Louis MO. I have seen a post where a woman claimed that her great grandfather Daniel Taylor rode with the James gang. She also stated that it was a family legend that he got into a fight with his then father in law and shot him. He then dissapeared.

Another woman who claims Daniel Taylor Cole as her g grandfather says my Daniel T could not possible be the same man as Daniel Taylor Cole. She says she traced Daniel Taylor Cole to California then to Idaho where he married and had several children. He died and is buried in Idaho.

I have seen family trees that have Daniel Taylor and Daniel T married to the woman in Idaho and also married to Delphinia Smith Cole and married to the first wife of the shooting incident. One problem here, he would have been married to Delphinia Smith Cole and the Idaho wife at the same time! To add to the mystery, the Idaho Daniel has a big gap between the birthdates of two of his children. The children born in MO to the Missouri Daniel T and Delphinia Smith fit into that gap.

I have not found another couple that had a son named Daniel T Cole born the same year as the father of Naomi Jane Cole Looney. I have not found a burial site for Daniel T in MO. I have found one for his son, Daniel P, his daughter Naomi, his wife Delphinia and one other son, all in MO.

As of now (2009) the parents of Daniel T Cole of Bollinger County MO are still a mystery.

Sandra F
It seems evertime I run across another Cole you can tell they are related just by looking at them, even my distant cousin who popped in on me I had never seen him, but had talked with him over the net as he has been doing Cole genealogy for 25yrs or better, I answered the door and yelled for my mom "One of your Cole cousins are here, I don't know which one but it's a Cole." I wasn't being rude but I dont know half my mom's cousins I just knew he was a Cole they seemed to have been marked. Especially Daniel Kool's Clan they all resemble each other. Since I met Paul everytime I find a Cole that looks like our side I send him the pick even if the person isn't listed in our line as somewhere they fit we just have to pin them down. I usually tell him "now I know this is our's where does he/she fit" He usually says I dont know but I'll keep it safe we'll find where they go. Some off us though like me I look like my dad and he's not a Cole, but I still got branded with those darn Cole cowlicks(horns) one on each side of my front hair line, I would have rather got my granddad's good looks he could of kept the cowlicks.
Me and my family live on a Cole Family Farm, my mother always says when she sees a member of the family she says "You can tell that he/she is a Cole" I am afraid I notice the Cole similarities between Coles too I look like my father, he looks exactly like his father, and etc.
The 37th Division of the A.E.F. was positioned on the front line at the beginning of the great Argon Forest assult.As the American drive charged into battle, mass confussion broke out with men becoming seperated and confused. Soldiers were wondering around the battlefield.A German prisoner asked Capt. Cole why all these little groups of American soldiers.He covered by saying this was a new military tactic.By the 4th day of the attack many men of Coles Company B had been either killed or wounded. Many Germans also had paid the price of war in blood,,,,. At this time my story accured. Capt.Cole came upon a German Officer and they both pulled pistols aimming at each other.But they paused, waved at each other and departed. Perhaps they were feed-up with killing. Following the war Sam Cole remained in tha Ohio National Guard rising to Col. and Became active in the politics ofAkron Ohio and became one of the founders of the National Army Navy Union
NOT OUR FAMILY BUT A VERY INTERESTING STORY:
By Olive Tardiff

The only woman to be convicted of witchcraft in New Hampshire was Goodwife (Goody) Eunice Cole of Hampton. This unfortunate creature was found guilty, lashed with a whip, and thrown in jail. She was sixty-four at the time.

New Englanders in the seventeenth century feared the devil. They believed that all natural disasters were caused by a person who was possessed by "Old Nick." If their crops failed, if a cow went dry, or if an epidemic struck, they blamed someone in the community, usually an eccentric old person. In Salem, Massachusetts nineteen people were hanged for witchcraft, some on testimony given by excitable children.
Goody's Crime:
Goody Cole was lucky to escape with her life. Townspeople were convinced of her guilt. Neighborhood children claimed they had seen her take the form of a dog, a cat, and an eagle. They said they had seen the devil, in the form of a black dwarf with a red cap, sitting at her table.
A man whose cattle had eaten grass on Goody's property charged that she had put a curse on them so that one of his calves died, and another disappeared. She was blamed, too, for the loss of a fishing boat with all aboard. Thc incident is described in Whittier'spoem, "Wreck at Rivermoth." The county judge, after hearing all this evidence, sentenced Goody Cole to life imprisonment. The Coles owned forty acres of valuable land near the salt marshes. When Goody's eighty-eight year-old husband, William, complained that he could not manage his affairs without his wife, the court sold his land and paid his debts from the receipts. Goody Cole petitioned several times for her release from jail to go home and care for her husband. Finally, after fifteen years, she was allowed to return to Hampton where she learned her husband had died. Goody's troubles were not over. The court billed the town for the cost of her board while she was in prison. When the town defaulted after two years of payment, Goody's former jailor arrested one of the selectmen. The town fathers demanded that each family in Hampton provide for Goody's care for a week. These actions surely turned people against Goody. No doubt the old complaints and accusations arose again.
Poor Goody Dies:
ln 1673, Goody Cole was arrested for a second time. The court found her guilty of having "familiarity with the devil." This wretched, impoverished old woman must have seemed helpless to exert an evil influence, and she was sent home after a few months. When she died at the age of eighty-eight it is said that a mob carried her body to a field and drove a stake through her heart, the only sure way, they believed, to exorcise the devil. Exactly where she was buried is unknown.
In 1908, a Hampton man reported that since building his house on the site of the Coles' hut he had had nothing but bad luck. He was sure the spirit of Goody Cole still cursed the place. Moreover, he said, the knowledge that she might be buried on his property made him very nervous. Through the years, Hampton residents have told stories of seeing a mysterious figure wearing a shawl and buckled shoes, appearing here and there without warning. Once a policeman, on encountering a shawl-covered old woman, warned her to be careful in walking on the heavily-traveled roads of Hampton. "I guess I'll get along all right," she replied. "I've been walking along these roads for hundreds of years." It was not until later that he realized that she was no ordinary wanderer.
When Hampton celebrated its tercentenary in 1938, Goody Cole's name was officially cleared of all charges of witchcraft. Replicas of her trial documents were burned as a form of apology. These ashes were mixed with soil from the old Cole farm, then stored in an urn in the Tuck Museum as a reminder of this tragic story. It was high time to lay to permanent rest that poor tortured soul of Goody Cole.

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