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Joshua Cole, farmer and resident of Valle Township, was born in Washington

County, Mo., in 1843; being the son of Joshua and Jane (Turley) Cole, 

natives of Bullitt County, Ky., born in 1799 and 1806, respectively.  At

the age of nineteen Mr. Cole came with his father to what is now Washington,

being one of the early settlers of that part of the State. After his marriage

he settled in Washington County, but afterward removed to St. Francois County,

where he lived for perhaps thirty years. He died in 1878; a farmer, tanner 

and shoemaker by trade, he was an honest, upright citizen.  Both parents were

members of the Baptist Church.  The mother died in 1880.  She came to Missouri

with her parents, Lot and Cassandra Turley.  Joshua was reared at home, secured
a fair common school education, and served about nine months in the latter 

part of the late rebellion in Company C of Col. Green's regiment of Confederate

troops.  He operated in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. In 1866 he

married Miss Ann Long, a native of Jefferson County, born in 1848, and the 

daughter of Thomas and Mary Jane Long. Mr. Long was born in St. Francois County,

but his parents moved there from Kentucky at a very early day. He served three

years in the Confederate army under Gen. Price.  Mrs. Long was of French 

extraction. Of the eight children born to our subject and wife, seven are now

living: Nancy Jane, born in 1867, wife of Joseph Satterwhite; John M., born in

1868; Bruce, born in 1871; Rolla A., born in 1873; Emma B., born in 1876; Luther

J. (deceased); Lewis Everett, born in 1881; and Newton L., born in 1883.  Soon

after his marriage Mr. Cole settled on his present farm nine miles south of 

De Soto, where he has 240 acres, about 100 acres of which are under cultivation.

He is a member of the A. O. U. W. and a Democrat in politics.  Mrs. Cole is an 

active member of the Baptist Church.