The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-04
CORNELIUS COLE
DIES ON COAST
Continued from Page One)

CONTINUED from rage One)
sufficient to note that he was chosen
a delegate to the convention which
nominated Fremont for president, and
that Mrs. Cole was member of the
delegation to the convention that nomi-
mated Charles Z. Hughes for the same
office more than half a century later.
During the Civil war, Mr.. Cole occu-
pied seat in the house of representa-
tives, and in 1866 was elected to the
United States senate from California,
serving until 1873.
Returns To Senate
Nearly so years after Senator Cole
had closed his desk in the national cap
ital and returned to the state of his
adoption, he appeared once again in
Washington and took his old place in
the legislative chambers, there to receive
the tribute of new generation that
was guiding the affairs of the nation.
He was a centenarian then-or within
a few months of the 100 years mark
and as he stood in the senate to speak.
he saw none who had been there in his
day.
Despite his advanced years, Mr.. Cole
insisted upon making the trip east in
the early summer of 1922 to receive the
drgree of doctors of laws from Wes-
leyan college, his alma mater, Is years
after his graduation. He also visited
Hobart college, which he had attended
in his youth. The tour included a visit
to New York, which the pioneer had not
seen for more than 40 years. Hale and
hearty as a man of half his years, and
without wrinkle on his face, the aged
visitors spent an active week in the
metropolis after meeting the heavy de-
mands made upon him in Washington,
where he had been welcomed by Presi-
dent Harding.
Mr.. Cole was born at Lodi, n. Y,
September II, 1922. Completing his
academic work, he studied law in the
office of William H. Seward, who later
became secretary of state under Lincoln.
In 1S49 he struck out for the far west,
and with three companions "panned"
gold with varying success until in famed
Oregon Gulch they struck a rich pocket,
one days work on which netted them
81, $40. They were prompted to sell the
claim for song, however, when a min
ing camp rumor drifted in telling of bet
ter pickings elsewhere, but all lived to
see the Oregon Cullen subsequently pro-
duce millions of dollars worth of coarse
gold.
Organizes Road
Years after this vent. re- Mr.. Cole was
one of a group Of men who met in the
law office of Coils p. Huntington and
Mark Hopkins in Sacramento to or
ganize the Central Pacific Railroad
company. Later, as a member of con-
gress, he brought about the enactment
of laws that made the building of the
transcontinental railway possible.
When he was elected to the senate.
however, he actively opposed a bill
granting Goat Island in San Francisco
bay to the Central Pacific as a terminal
site, and thereby, he felt, incurred the
enmity of his former friends and asso-
ciates. To their opposition and that of
the so-called whisky ring and national
banking interests which he had antagon-
lied. he attributed his defeat for re-
election.
Mr. Cole was married in 1858 to Miss
Oliver Colegrove, who shared her hus-
bands friendship for Abraham Lincoln.
Mrs. Cole died in 1920 at the age of
81 years.