Luckily for his descendants, Robert Cole appears in many extant records on both sides of the Atlantic. On his father's side he was descended from yeoman stock that teetered on the cusp of gentry status; individuals in his family's past appeared as one, then another. His mother though was clearly from a gentry family, albeit a Catholic one. She was dignified with the epithet "Mris" despite her convictions for recusancy. By 1651 Robert Cole had married Rebecca, widow of Francis Knott of St. Olaves, Southwark, Surrey; and they resided at Heston, Middlesex, where their first child Robert was born on 15 Oct. 1651. Hugh Gore, Gent., of Heston requested his uncle Robert Cole to be an overseer to his 19 May 1651 will which was recorded on 13 Aug. 1651. Hugh Gore was married to Robert's niece Anne Cole, daughter of Robert's older brother William Cole (d. testate 1663), yeoman, of Heston. Robert Cole sold his property in Heston Manor in 1651, and in 1652 resettled his young family on a freehold in St. Clement's Manor in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He was perhaps aided in his relocation by his uncle Benjamin Gill (d. 22 Nov. 1655), chandler, of St. Andrew Holborn, London, who had already settled nearby on the Wicomico River. When Gill died his nearest relative in Maryland was young Robert Cole who assumed executorship of Gill's estate. The whereabouts of Gill's only surviving child Anna Maria was unknown in Maryland. Actually she was in residence with her husband James Neale, Esq., who was serving as ambassador to Portugal. During the settling of the accounts of this estate, Robert Cole was described as "next of Kinne, to the sd Gill", "his Cozen Robert Cole", and as being "near alyed to the said Gill". A letter dated 2 Aug. 1658 arrived in Maryland later that year from James Neale, Gent., stating "I heare tht Robin Cole hath layd some claime to my ffathers & my Estate, wch I conceiue hee did, supposing I & my Wife had bene dead. But god be praysed wee are both aliue, & in health, & haue Three Children lyuing; Soe hee now may excuse the clayming any thing & deliuer all ouer to you [William Bretton] for my use." Preparing for a return voyage to England, Robert Cole wrote his will on 2 Apr. 1662, mentioning his mother Mris. Jane Cole of Heston, Middlesex, and left an accounting of the ages of his children [since his wife Rebecca had died recently]. On the list of the family record appeared my ancestor Edward Cole who was born 9 Nov. 1657. Robert died while on this visit to England; he could very well be the Robert Cole who was buried on 16 Aug. 1662 at the Church of St. Leonard in Heston. In the surviving accounts of the estate of Robert Cole a response is mentioned to an inquiry from his mother; among the receipts from 1663 is one stating "by a Certificate under the Seale of the office to send into England to Mrs. Cole to sattisfy her how many children Mr. Cole had Living in this Country & Recording the same". The connection between Robert Cole and Benjamin Gill was that Cole's mother and Gill's wife were sisters, both being daughters of Oliver Mainwaring (d. testate 1631) of Windleshaw (in Prescot), Lancashire and his wife Margaret Torbock. Jane Mainwaring had married by 1615 to Thomas Cole, yeoman, of Heston, a younger son of Robert Cole (d. 1614-15) of Heston and his wife Alice. Mary Mainwaring had married by 1622 to Benjamin Gill, chandler, of St. Andrew Holborn, London. In 1622 Benjamin Gill, his wife Mary, and Jane wife of Thomas Cole appeared on the same roll as convicted recusants in Middlesex.

Luckily for his descendants, Robert Cole appears in many extant records on both sides of the Atlantic. On his father's side he was descended from yeoman stock that teetered on the cusp of gentry status; individuals in his family's past appeared as one, then another. His mother though was clearly from a gentry family, albeit a Catholic one. She was dignified with the epithet "Mris" despite her convictions for recusancy. By 1651 Robert Cole had married Rebecca, widow of Francis Knott of St. Olaves, Southwark, Surrey; and they resided at Heston, Middlesex, where their first child Robert was born on 15 Oct. 1651. Hugh Gore, Gent., of Heston requested his uncle Robert Cole to be an overseer to his 19 May 1651 will which was recorded on 13 Aug. 1651. Hugh Gore was married to Robert's niece Anne Cole, daughter of Robert's older brother William Cole (d. testate 1663), yeoman, of Heston. Robert Cole sold his property in Heston Manor in 1651, and in 1652 resettled his young family on a freehold in St. Clement's Manor in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He was perhaps aided in his relocation by his uncle Benjamin Gill (d. 22 Nov. 1655), chandler, of St. Andrew Holborn, London, who had already settled nearby on the Wicomico River. When Gill died his nearest relative in Maryland was young Robert Cole who assumed executorship of Gill's estate. The whereabouts of Gill's only surviving child Anna Maria was unknown in Maryland. Actually she was in residence with her husband James Neale, Esq., who was serving as ambassador to Portugal. During the settling of the accounts of this estate, Robert Cole was described as "next of Kinne, to the sd Gill", "his Cozen Robert Cole", and as being "near alyed to the said Gill". A letter dated 2 Aug. 1658 arrived in Maryland later that year from James Neale, Gent., stating "I heare tht Robin Cole hath layd some claime to my ffathers & my Estate, wch I conceiue hee did, supposing I & my Wife had bene dead. But god be praysed wee are both aliue, & in health, & haue Three Children lyuing; Soe hee now may excuse the clayming any thing & deliuer all ouer to you [William Bretton] for my use." Preparing for a return voyage to England, Robert Cole wrote his will on 2 Apr. 1662, mentioning his mother Mris. Jane Cole of Heston, Middlesex, and left an accounting of the ages of his children [since his wife Rebecca had died recently]. On the list of the family record appeared my ancestor Edward Cole who was born 9 Nov. 1657. Robert died while on this visit to England; he could very well be the Robert Cole who was buried on 16 Aug. 1662 at the Church of St. Leonard in Heston. In the surviving accounts of the estate of Robert Cole a response is mentioned to an inquiry from his mother; among the receipts from 1663 is one stating "by a Certificate under the Seale of the office to send into England to Mrs. Cole to sattisfy her how many children Mr. Cole had Living in this Country & Recording the same". The connection between Robert Cole and Benjamin Gill was that Cole's mother and Gill's wife were sisters, both being daughters of Oliver Mainwaring (d. testate 1631) of Windleshaw (in Prescot), Lancashire and his wife Margaret Torbock. Jane Mainwaring had married by 1615 to Thomas Cole, yeoman, of Heston, a younger son of Robert Cole (d. 1614-15) of Heston and his wife Alice. Mary Mainwaring had married by 1622 to Benjamin Gill, chandler, of St. Andrew Holborn, London. In 1622 Benjamin Gill, his wife Mary, and Jane wife of Thomas Cole appeared on the same roll as convicted recusants in Middlesex.