Leander C. Cole
{{short description|American politician and lawyer (1849–1933)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Leander C. Cole
| image = Portrait of L. C. Cole (1897) (cropped).png
| alt =
| caption = Cole in a 1897 publication
| state_house = Ohio
| district = Stark County
| term_start = 1884
| term_end = 1888
| predecessor = Silas A. Conrad and Thomas C. Snyder
| successor = John E. Monnot and George W. Wilhelm
| alongside = John McBride
| office2 = Mayor of Massillon, Ohio
| term_start2 = 1880
| term_end2 = 1884
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 = Samuel C. Bowman
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1849|9|14}}
| birth_place = Island Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1933|8|18|1849|9|14}}
| death_place = Lakewood, Ohio, U.S.
| resting_place = Oak Grove Cemetery
| party = Democratic
| spouse = Martha J. Douglass
| children = 2
| education =
| alma_mater = Mount Union College
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|lawyer|businessman}}
| signature = Signature of L. C. Cole (1897) (cropped).png
}}
Leander C. Cole (September 14, 1849 – August 18, 1933) was an American politician and lawyer from Ohio. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing Stark County from 1884 to 1888.
Early life
Leander C. Cole{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-tribune-former-reside/131811609/ |title=Former Resident of Bowling Green Dies in Lakewood |date=1933-08-19 |newspaper=The Daily Sentinel-Tribune |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-09-14}}{{Open access}} was born on September 14, 1849, in Island Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, to Mary (née Jackman) (1814–1882) and Thomas Cole (1808–1859).{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofstarkco00perr/page/664/mode/2up |title=History of Stark County |year=1881 |editor=WIlliam Henry Perrin |publisher=Baskin & Battey |pages=664–665 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2023-08-25}}{{Open access}}{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/commemorativehis00lees/page/n473/mode/2up |title=Commemorative Historical and Biographical Record of Wood County, Ohio; Its Past and Present |year=1897 |publisher=J. H. Beers & Co. |pages=444–445 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2023-09-14}}{{Open access}} He was raised as a farmer. As a boy, he led Union forces to capture Confederate raider John Hunt Morgan near West Beaver Township, Pennsylvania, during the Civil War.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-morgan-captor-dies-yeste/131812215/ |title=Morgan Captor Dies Yesterday |date=1933-08-19 |newspaper=The Daily Times |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-09-14}}{{Open access}} He attended school for several years, took a four-year course at Mount Union College and Richmond. In 1871, he started to study law with Judge Robert Martin in Steubenville and was admitted to the bar in 1872.
Career
He first started practicing law in Massillon. From June 1873 to April 1887, he remained in Massillon. He practiced law with Isaac Ulman until 1879. He then practice law alone until March 1881, when he partnered with R. W. McCaughey.
Cole was a Democrat. He served as city solicitor in Massillon from 1875 to 1880. In 1880, Cole was elected mayor of Massillon. He served two terms, until 1884.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-independent-former-mayor-of/131812325/ |title=Former Mayor of This City Dead |date=1933-08-21 |newspaper=The Evening Independent |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-09-14}}{{Open access}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-summit-county-beacon-the-official-fi/131824656/ |title=The Official Figures |date=1882-04-05 |newspaper=The Summit County Beacon |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-09-15}}{{Open access}} He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing Stark County from 1884 to 1888.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/OhioStatesmenAndHundredYearBookFrom1788To1892/page/n393/mode/2up |title=Ohio Statesmen and Hundred Year Book |last=Taylor |first=W. A. |year=1892 |pages=388–390 |publisher=The Westbote Co., State Printers |access-date=2023-08-25 |via=Archive.org}}{{Open access}} He was nominated as Speaker of the House, but lost the election. He was a member of the Democratic State Central Committee for six years and was a member of the executive committee for four years. He also served as secretary of the executive committee.
In 1887, he moved to Bowling Green. He became engaged with the Bowling Green Glass Company. There was a fire in 1891, and the company ceased. Cole became president of Swayzee Glass Company in Swayzee, Indiana. He was director of First National Bank in Bowling Green and was a member of oil companies in Wood County and Tennessee.
In 1894, Cole ran for probate judge of Wood County, but lost the election. He was a member of the board of trustees of the Toledo State Hospital from 1897 to 1907.{{Cite news |url=https://archive.org/details/biographicalanna22tayl/page/1232/mode/2up |title=The Biographical Annals of Ohio, 1904–1905 |last1=Scobey |first1=F. E. |last2=Doty |first2=E. W. |year=1904 |page=854 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2023-09-14}}{{Open access}} In 1901, he was chairman of the cereal company A. B. Barnum Company based in Battle Creek, Michigan.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-battle-creeks-new-fi/131824808/ |title=Battle Creek's New Firm |date=1901-05-11 |newspaper=The Detroit Free Press |page=14 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-09-15}}{{Open access}}
Personal life
Cole married Martha J. Douglass, daughter of Thompson Douglass, in 1872 or 1873. They had two children, Thomas D. and Nellie S (died 1895). He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Cole died on August 18, 1933, in Lakewood. He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
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Category:People from Jefferson County, Ohio
Category:People from Bowling Green, Ohio
Category:University of Mount Union alumni
Category:Mayors of Massillon, Ohio
Category:Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives
Category:19th-century American businesspeople
Category:20th-century American businesspeople