Cornelius Cole
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Cornelius Cole (September 17, 1822 Lodi, Seneca County, New York - November 3, 1924 Hollywood, Los Angeles, California) served a single term in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican representing California from 1863 to 1865, and another term in the United States Senate from 1867 to 1873.
[edit] Life
He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1847. In his lifetime he practiced law in his adopted state of California first in San Francisco, then in Sacramento. After returning to California following his retirement from national politics he practiced in San Francisco again and finally in Los Angeles with his eldest son Willoby.
On June 27, 1922, Cole spoke before Congress, as it was in recess, for a period of 5 minutes at the age of 99. When he died in 1924 at age 102 he was the oldest former U.S. Senator in American history, and has yet to be surpassed.
On March 8, 1856 Cole organized the California branch of the Republican Party, acting as secretary and writing the manifesto. Of the seven men who joined him were Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and the Crocker brothers Edwin R. and Charles Crocker. Later that summer of 1856, Cole started the Sacramento "Daily California Times" (also published weekly)with James McClatchy as an editor. It was short lived lasting only a few months after the 1856 National election.
Additionally, he was nominated on the Republican ticket for Clerk of Sacramento Court, but failled to get elected. In 1858 he was successfully elected as District Attorney of Sacramento County. In 1862 he and his family moved to Santa Cruz located on Monterey Bay. It was from there he went to the US Congress in 1863.
The eastern California community of Coleville in Mono County is named for Cornelius Cole.
[edit] References
- Cornelius Cole, "Memoirs" (New York, 1908)
- Catherine Coffin Phillips, "Cornelius Cole California Pioneer" (San Francisco, 1929)
- Leonard L. Richards, "The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War" (New York 2007)
[edit] External links
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This article about a California politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| Preceded by Timothy Guy Phelps |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 1st congressional district 1863 – 1865 |
Succeeded by Donald C. McRuer |
| Preceded by James A. McDougall |
United States Senator (Class 3) from California 1867–1873 Served alongside: John Conness, Eugene Casserly |
Succeeded by Aaron A. Sargent |
| Preceded by John Conness |
Oldest living U.S. Senator January 10, 1909-November 3, 1924 |
Succeeded by Chauncey Depew |
| Preceded by George Edmunds |
Most Senior Living U.S. Senator (Sitting or Former) February 27, 1919 - November 3, 1924 |
Succeeded by Adelbert Ames |
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