Mr. Charles N. Cole

 
Charles Cole served as a member on the library trustee’s board in Pella, Iowa from the founding of the board in 1905 until his death in 1947. He spent over 30 years as a member of the board, serving as president during the 1932-1933 term.[1] Mr. Cole also served on a variety of committees throughout his time on the board, and provided a link from the founding of the library to nearly the middle of the 20th century. 

Charles was born in 1852 to Aart Cale and Henrietta de Booy.[2] Cole spent his entire life in Pella, marrying Dortha Henrietta Kruger, or Etta, on 14 June 1883.[3] Cole owned a variety of businesses in Pella, including the Plow and Pease[4] and a flour store.[5] 

Charles and Etta did not have any children. They devoted themselves to work, with the 87 year old Charles still working 60 hours a week with no vacation in 1940.[6] Charles worked until his death at the age of 99 on 15 October 1947.[7] He is buried next to Etta in Pella Iowa’s Graceland cemetery.[8]

-Russell Buchanan

 

[1] Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Free Public Library, Pella, Iowa, 27 June 1932.

[2] Iowa Department of Public Health; Des Moines, Iowa; Series Title: Iowa Marriage Records, 1880-1922; Record Type: Textual Records.

[3] Ancestry.com. Iowa, Select Marriages Index, 1758-1996 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

[4] Year: 1910; Census Place: Pella Ward 1, Marion, Iowa; Roll: T624_412; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0050; FHL microfilm: 1374425.

[5] Year: 1930; Census Place: Pella, Marion, Iowa; Page: 12B; District: 0013; FHL microfilm: 2340403.

[6] Year: 1940; Census Place: Pella, Marion, Iowa; Roll: m-t0627-01181; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 63-14

[7] Ancestry.com. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

[8] Ibid.