Cole, Henry (1825-1891)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1878

Early years

Henry was born on 30 May 1825 at Pinchbeck Fen, Lincolnshire to parents Thomas Cole and Rebecca Jane Cordley. He was baptised on 1 June 1825 at Pinchbeck. His parents were both Primitive Methodists.

Thomas was a farmer, but after a while had to relinquish the farm. As a consequence Henry had to go out to work at an early age, which affected his day school education. He relied heavily on Sunday School for his education.

Henry committed to God when young and was an exhorter on the plan in his teens. He was superintendent of the Sunday School when but a youth. In 1849, Henry became a hired local preacher in the Boston circuit.

Ministry

Conference appointed Henry to be a missionary to South Australia in 1854. He sailed to Australia on 7 August 1854.

His obituary records that his chief qualities were said to be deep devotion, intense sympathy, unwearied diligence, and fidelity to the connexion, which had their result in a successful ministry.

Family

Henry married Harriett Barnsdale (1833-1906) on 20 July 1854 at Nottingham. Records identify seven children.

  • Ebenezer (1855-1856)
  • Sarah Eliza (1857-1950) – a teacher
  • Hephzebah Selina (1859-1926) – married Ronald Campbell, a teacher
  • Florence (1861-1959) – a postmistress
  • Thomas William (1861-1939) – an education officer
  • Henry James (1866-1935) – a school teacher
  • Harriett Prisca (1868-1948) – married Henry Wendel Frederick, a PM Minister

Henry died on 12 September 1891 in Melbourne, Australia.

Circuits

  • 1850 Boston
  • 1851 Horncastle
  • 1852 Not shown
  • 1854 Adelaide (Australia)
  • 1857 Mt Barker
  • 1859 Strathalbyn
  • 1862 Kooringa
  • 1864 Adelaide
  • 1866 Salisbury
  • 1869 Mt Gambier
  • 1872 Gambierton
  • 1873 Hamilton
  • 1877 Hobart Town
  • 1881 Melbourne l
  • 1882 Hamilton
  • 1884 Ballarat
  • 1886 Benella
  • 1891 Melbourne lV (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1878 (portrait); 1893/116

PM Minutes 1892/25

H B Kendall, Origin and History of the PM Church, vol 2, p438

W Leary , Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits , 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Margraf Family Tree on Ancestry.com

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