# Cornelius Cole

Cornelius Cole (September 17, 1822 – November 3, 1924) was an American politician who served a single term in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican representing California from 1863 to 1865, and another term in the United States Senate from 1867 to 1873. Cole, who died at the age of 102 years, 47 days, is the longest-lived U.S. Senator.

## Early life and education

Cornelius Cole was born in Lodi, New York on September 17, 1822. He received his education at local common schools, Ovid Academy in Ovid, Lima Seminary in Lima, and Hobart College in Geneva. He graduated from Wesleyan University of Middletown, Connecticut in 1847, studied law with William H. Seward, and was admitted to the bar in 1848. After a year mining gold in California, in 1849 he began to practice law, first in San Francisco, then in Sacramento.

## Political career

On March 8, 1856, Cole was one of the organizers of the California branch of the Republican Party, acting as secretary and writing its initial manifesto. He served on the Republican National Committee from 1856 to 1860. From August 1856 to January 1857, Cole and James McClatchy edited the Sacramento Daily Times.
Additionally, he was nominated on the Republican ticket for Clerk of Sacramento Court but was unsuccessful. In 1858 he was elected District Attorney of Sacramento County. In 1862 he and his family moved to Santa Cruz. During the American Civil War, Cole supported the Union. In 1863, he was commissioned as a captain after winning an election to command the Santa Cruz Cavalry Troop, a unit he helped raise for the California Militia. He did actively command because he had been elected to Congress.
In 1862, Cole was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Union Republican, and he served one term, March 4 1863 to March 3, 1865. On November 19, 1863, Cole traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania with Abraham Lincoln. He was on the speaker's platform near Lincoln, and both heard and saw him deliver the Gettysburg Address. On April 14, 1865, Cole spoke with Lincoln a few hours before Lincoln was assassinated.
In 1865, he was elected to the United States Senate, serving one term from March 4, 1867 to March 3, 1873. During his final two years as a senator, Cole served as chairman of the Appropriations Committee. He was also one of the senators who voted in favor of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson.

## Later life

After returning to California following his retirement from politics, he practiced law in San Francisco and Los Angeles. In 1880, he moved to Colegrove, where he lived in retirement. Cole was the founder of Colegrove, a settlement he created on land that had been part of Rancho La Brea; he acquired the land from owner Henry Hancock as payment for helping Hancock confirm title to Rancho La Brea. Colegrove was named for Cole's wife, and several streets were named for his children, including Willoughby Avenue, Eleanor Street and Seward Street.

## Death and burial

Cole died of pneumonia in Los Angeles on November 3, 1924. He was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
At age 102, Cole is the longest-lived U.S. Senator.

## Family

In January 1853, Cole married Olive Colegrove of Trumansburg, New York. They were the parents of nine children.
Cole's brother, George W. Cole, was a Union Army officer in the American Civil War who attained the rank of major general by brevet. After the war, George Cole was acquitted of the murder of L. Harris Hiscock, whom he accused of having an affair with Mrs. Cole.