Elrick C. Cole, of Great Bend, Kan., the pioneer attorney of Barton county, and one who has achieved great success at its bar, is a native of Wisconsin, born at Burlington, Oct. 31, 1856. His parents were natives of New York state. Albert G. Cole, his father, was born at Adams, N. Y., April 4, 1819, and received his education in his native state. He prepared for law and was admitted to practice in the supreme court of New York, at Albany, in 1840. He opened his first law office at Mexico, N. Y., where he practiced six years. Then he removed to the Territory of Wisconsin, locating at Burlington, and from that time until his death was a prominent figure in the public life of Wisconsin. In 1847 he was elected a member of the second constitutional convention of the Territory of Wisconsin and in that convention served as a member of the judiciary committee, which drafted the present constitution of the State of Wisconsin. In 1863 he removed to Kenosha, Wis., where he practiced law until his death, June 2, 1889. He is admitted to have been one of the ablest legal counselors of that state. On Oct. 14, 1840, at Mexico, N. Y., was solemnized the marriage of Albert G. Cole and Harriet L. Clark. She was born at Danbury, N. Y., Nov. 15, 1817, daughter of Starr and Harriet (Loomis) Clark, the former born at Lee, Mass., Aug. 1, 1793, and the latter at Torrington, Conn., Oct. 7, 1794. Starr Clark was a hardware merchant; he died Sept. 2, 1866, and was survived by his wife until June 26, 1873. To Albert G. and Harriet L. (Clark) Cole were born five sons: Albert S. Cole, the eldest son, born Oct. 8, 1841, at Mexico, N. Y., was a lawyer by profession and entered service during the Civil war with the Wisconsin troops. At the close of the war he was a signal officer on the staff of Gen. W. T. Sherman; he died Nov. 24, 1903, leaving a wife and one son. Frank D. Cole, the second son, born May 20, 1844, at Mexico, N. Y., enlisted in the Second Wisconsin infantry at the age of seventeen and was killed Aug. 28, 1862, in the battle of Gainesville, Va. Theodore C. Cole, the third son, born Jan. 16, 1852, at Burlington, Wis., also took up the profession of law and was a partner of Elrick C. Cole, at the time of his death, at Great Bend, Kan., Oct. 8, 1890. Horace Grant Cole, the fourth son, born July 9, 1854, at Burlington, Wis., is located at Milwaukee, Wis. The mother of these sons died at Kenosha, Wis., Dec. 12, 1887.

Elrick C. Cole, the youngest son, was educated in the public schools of Kenosha and graduated in the high school there in 1874. He, like two of his brothers, adopted his father's profession, that of law, to prepare for which he entered the office of his father, under whose able direction he acquired his legal training. He was admitted to practice in the circuit court Dec. 2, 1878, and in the supreme court of Wisconsin Jan. 7, 1879. Before his admission to the bar he was clerk of the district court of Kenosha county, Wisconsin. He began his independent career in law at Great Bend, Kan., where he had moved soon after being admitted to practice. Associated with him there was his brother, Theodore C., the firm name being Cole Brothers. The firm was dissolved by the death of Theodore C., in 1890, after which Elrick C. practiced alone until 1899, when he formed a partnership with William Osmond. In November, 1886, Judge Cole was elected county attorney of Barton county as a Republican, and was reëlected to that office in 1888, serving in all four years, and he declined further renomination. In 1894 he was elected to represent Barton county in the state legislature, but resigned that office, March 1, 1895, to accept the appointment of judge of the Kansas court of appeals, which position was tendered him by Gov. E. N. Morrill. He served in that capacity until, January, 1897. He has held the office of city attorney of Great Bend at various times for the past fifteen years and is the present incumbent of that office.

On Nov. 23, 1880, at La Crosse, Wis., was celebrated the marriage of Elrick C. Cole and Miss Minnie O., daughter of Walter W. and Frances H. (Adams) Webb. Mr. Webb was a banker, and his wife is a descendant of John Quincy Adams. To Judge and Mrs. Cole has been born one child. Frances Harriet, born Sept. 3, 1886. The daughter is an accomplished musician and is the wife of Eldon J. Lowe, of Coffeyville, Kan., to whom she was married Jan. 12, 1910.

Judge Cole is a member of the Masonic order and is now grand senior warden of the grand lodge of Kansas and grand king of the grand chapter. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has had a very successful career, both from a professional and business standpoint, and ranks high among the legal talent of southwestern Kansas. He is a director in the German-American Bank of Great Bend. A man of broad mind, independent thought, and liberal education, he is personally well qualified for the prominent part he has taken in the affairs of Barton county for over thirty years, and as a citizen he is beloved by all who know him.