William Cole, son of Samuel Cole, and father of Samuel and George Cole, of Sarnia township, was born before the family left Ireland. June 21, 1824, and was therefore about eleven years of age when he first came to Lambton County. From the first he assisted his father in clearing the land, and as the latter became advanced in years gradually assumed the entire responsibility of the place. He added largely to the property, besides completing the clearing and development of the original purchase-. In addition to his farming interests, which of themselves were on an extensive scale, he was one of the first in the county to take up cheese making, and was engaged largely in that industry for fifteen or twenty years. He was widely known and always took a leading part in every movement of local importance. He served on both township and county councils, as had his father before him. He was equally prominent in church matters by serving as an elder and as superintendent of the Sunday school for twenty-five years. Mr. Cole was an unusually good public speaker, ready and forcible, and his appearance for an address, whether on religious or agricultural topics, was a familiar and most acceptable one. On June 13, 1849, William Cole was united in marriage with Emily Taylor, of Sarnia township, who was born in South
Sherbrooke, Lanark County, Ontario, July 4, 1826, daughter of George and Rebecca (Millikin)
Taylor, natives of Ireland; the former was of English ancestry and the latter of Scotch. Mr. and Mrs. Cole became the parents of the following family: Mary Jane, wife of R. Shillinglaw, of Sarnia: Rebecca, deceased wife of James Steed, a prosperous farmer of Sarnia township; Samuel; George ; Maggie, wife of Charles Fleck, of Moore township; Carrie, wife of W. J. Crockard. of Moore township; and Annie, deceased wife of Andrew Elliott. Mr. Cole died April 20. 1890. and is buried in Lakeview cemetery.

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF THE
COUNTY OF LAMBTON
ONTARIO
COMPILED BY
J. H. BEERS & CO., TORONTO