Coles and Vandaveers:

Irving Cole born Ohio, 1842, lived in Cowley from about 1885 thru his death in 1920. He was the son of Calvin Cole and Narcissa Lawrence. His life was amazing, lost an arm in the civil war, but still drove a mail coach over mountains in Colorado. His first wife, Josephina Webb, died in 1884, in Colorado. He moved to Kansas then and farmed in the area.

Irving married Wilhelmina Cole, a second cousin, born in New York in 1862, daughter of John M.S. and Elizabeth Jenkins Cole. The story of how they met would be so fun to know.

Wilhelmina was involved with Southwest College. She died at her daughters home in Hutchinson, Reno County, in 1929.

Agnes Cole, their daughter, was born in Winfield on Valentines Day, 1893. She had a degree from Southwest College and was very active in PAO and the Methodist Church womens associations. She married James Wesley Vandaveer, whose parents were John Lafayette Vandaveer, of Illinois, and Nancy Catherine Vaughan, of Virginia. John also farmed in Cowley county, and was a grain and livestock agent as well as a merchant in Winfield.

Agnes and James moved to Hutchinson, Reno County, where he became a grain and land agent. He was the mayor in the 1950s. Agnes died there in 1976 and Jim in 1981. Their children, Barbara and John were born there.

I am the daughter-in-law of Barbara Jean Vandaveer and B.W. Rowlett.

Rick & Reverie, 3rrowlett@cox.net