William George Cooper Cole (1837 - 1912)

Born 1837 in England, United Kingdom

Husband of Mary Elizabeth (Fountain) Cole — married 24 Dec 1857 in Cudlee Creek, South Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 5 Dec 1912 at about age 75 in Kirkcaldy, South Australia

Biography

William Cole migrated from England to Australia.

William George Cooper Cole was born about 1837 (based on his age at death)

In 1839 William emigrated to Australia on the ship LYSANDER, which arrived in Port Adelaide on July 6th 1839.

COLE, George (City Valuator, Policeman) and wife Sarah nee COOPER
[NOTE; Sarah nee COOPER died in 1837; George travelled with his 2nd wife, Jane (Unknown) Mitchell, a widow, whom he married in 1838]

COLE, children including Thyrza Lucy, Tryphena, Aaron, William George Cooper

COLE, Charlotte Ann

COLE, George William (bricklayer)

COLE, Sarah Jane

William (son of George Cole, age 20) married Mary Elizabeth Fountain (daughter of James Fountain, age 17) on 24 December 1857 in the Residence of James Fountain, Cudlee Creek, Adelaide, South Australia.

William died on 5 December 1912, aged 75 years, in Kirkcaldy, Port Adelaide, South Australia. His death was reported in The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Tue 10 Dec 1912 Page 1 Family Notices:

DEATHS.

COLE.—On December 5, at Grange, South Australia, William George Cooper Cole, many years railway stationmaster at Freeling, S.A., aged 75 years. At rest.

An obituary was published in the Australian Christian Commonwealth (SA : 1901 - 1940) Fri 3 Jan 1913 Page 14:

AT HOME WITH GOD.

THE LATE MR. W. G. C. COLE.

The Methodist Church of South Australia has lost a devoted worker through the death of Mr. William George Cooper Cole, which took place at Kirkcaldy, Grange, on Thursday, December 5, at the ripe age of seventy-five years. Mr. Cole came to this State with his parents as long ago as 1839, when only two years of age, arriving by the ship "Lysander." He was, therefore, a very old colonist, and always looked forward with pleasure to the celebrations on Commemoration Day at Glenelg each year. In his early life he had very few opportunities of education, and when only a lad started to work for his own living. He was a mason by trade, but did not keep to it, and after working for two years at his trade, went to Williamstown and engaged in farming with his brother. From farming he took to storekeeping, but did not continue long in that business. In his early life he went to the Victorian gold diggings and resided for two years in Ballarat. He returned to South Australia, and in 1864 joined the railway service at Kapunda. He was for many years guard of the train running from Kapunda to Adelaide. For twenty three years he was stationmaster at Freeling, and after serving thirty-five and a half years in the Railway Department, retired in August, 1899. For the last twelve years he had lived in retirement at the Grange. His Christian service extended over a period of sixty years, for he was converted at the age of fifteen. He was a local preacher for close on forty years, but his greatest work has perhaps been in the Sunday schools. He was superintendent of the Sunday-school at Kapunda for eight years, at Freeling for twenty-three years, and was the first superintendent of the Grange Sunday-school. He was class leader at Kapunda, Freeling, and Halifax Street, and has been a very active member of the Christian Endeavour Society. The temperance cause also had a hard and enthusiastic worker in the late Mr. Cole, and he was one of the pioneer Rechabites in this State. Last May Mr. Cole was seized with a serious illness, from which he never fully recovered.

A second stroke overtook him on Wednesday, December 4, and after twenty-eight hours of unconsciousness, passed peacefully to his reward on the evening of December 5. His widow has lost a devoted husband, the children a good father, and they rise up to call him blessed. His life has been a continuous example of upright living, and many testimonies of his sterling character have been received.

On Sunday evening, December 15, an in memoriam service was conducted at the Grange Methodist Church by the Rev. W. T. Shapley, who took as his text, "I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith," and referred to the life just closed" as a triumphant entry into the life beyond the grave— the due reward of a good and useful life lived here. "For me to live is Christ, to die is gain."

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Sources

• Passenger List: Bound For South Australia, LYSANDER 1839

• Marriage Registration: "South Australia Marriages 1842-1937", database
  Registration Number: 32/257
  FindMyPast Transcription (requires subscription, accessed 10 April 2023)
  First name(s): William George Cooper; Last name: Cole; Marital status: Not Recorded; Age: 20; Birth year: 1837; Marriage date: 24 Dec 1857; Place: Res of James Fountain Cudlee Creek; District: Adelaide; State: South Australia; Country: Australia; Father's first name(s): George; Father's last name: Cole; Spouse's first name(s): Mary Elizabeth; Spouse's last name: Fountain; Spouse's marital status: Not recorded; Spouse's age: 17; Spouse's birth year: 1840; Spouse's father's first name(s): James; Spouse's father's last name: Fountain; Registration number: 32/257.

• Death Registration: "South Australia Deaths 1842-1972", database
  Registration Number: 370/291
  FindMyPast Transcription (requires subscription, accessed 10 April 2023)
  First name(s): William George Cooper; Last name: Cole; Gender: Male; Status: Married; Birth year: 1837; Death date: 05 Dec 1912; Age at death: 75y; Residence: Kirkcaldy; Place: Kirkcaldy; District: Port Adelaide; State: South Australia; Country: Australia; Registration number: 370/291.

• Death Notice: TROVE, Family Notices (1912, December 10). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26528377

• Obituary: TROVE, AT HOME WITH GOD. (1913, January 3). Australian Christian Commonwealth (SA : 1901 - 1940), p. 14. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214049348