OBITUARY
Name: George Scarborough Cole
From: The Danville Commercial News,
Danville, Illinois
Date: Tuesday, July 23, 1918
George Scarborough Cole, 83, and the oldest
native born citizen of Danville, is at rest in Springhill Cemetery. Funeral
services for the pioneer, who died Saturday at 5:05 o'clock, were held Monday
afternoon from 4 o'clock at the residence, 1009 West Fairchild Street. The
service was short, consisting of a brief sketch of his life, scripture reading
and prayer. The following acted as pall bearers: John Mater, Matt Wiseman,
Martin Symons, Robert Waltz, Dave Nevins, and William Prince.
Mr. Cole was stricken on the afternoon of July 11, while watching a billiard
game at the Meitzler academy. He had a number of sinking spells, but rallied
each time until Saturday.
Mr. Cole was born January 25, 1836, in a log
cabin that stood on what is now West Main Street and about on the site of where
the Hubb block at 113 and 115 West Main Street stands. His parents were among
the earliest settlers in this place.
With the exception of two years, that he spent at Rossville, conducting a
hardware store, and the period that he spent as a soldier in the Union Army, Mr.
Cole had always made his home in this city. It was in 1847 and 1848 that he was
located at Rossville (then known as Henpeck) and his store was the first one to
handle hardware in the northern part of the county. Mr. Cole served in the old
125th Illinois volunteer infantry.
He was married in 1860 at Homer to Miss Elizabeth Waples, who is still living.
Their oldest son, Charles P. (Peleg) Cole was for many years a typesetter in the
old "hand set" days of The Danville Commercial. He was accidentally killed about
four years ago in Omaha, Neb. William W. Cole a former theatrical man, many
years a resident of Omaha and St. Joseph (now in Omaha) is the second child.
Ralph M. Cole, coroner, is the third and youngest of the sons. Miss Nellie Cole,
is an only daughter. She resides at Homer.
Mr. Cole shortly after the war, upon his return
to Danville served as a revenue assessor for a number of years. With the coming
of illuminating gas and its installation as a street illumination Mr. Cole was
appointed city gas lighter. This was one of the "plums" of a city
administration. Mr. Cole was also a harness dealer and a saddler for a number of
years in this city.
Mr. Cole had an unusual experience come to him his latter days. He has always
had a poor memory for events and dates, but these became vivid to his mind,
after he passed his seventy-fifth birthday. One of his pleasures in latter years
was the relating of old events of the city, a thing that had been denied him in
earlier life.