THE LIFE OF A. N. COLE. 



The life of the author of this book has been an eventful one and into it has been crowded 

 far more than can be found in that of ordinary public men. Knowing this and deeming a 

 brief biographical sketch of Mr. Cole would be of interest to the general reader, the following 

 has been prepared from memorandums procured from him and from others who have held 

 intimate acquaintance with him during his life. 



Asahel N. Cole was born on the 15th of October, 1821, in the town of Freedom, Cattaraugus 

 County, N. Y., and ia therefore 64 years of age at date of the appearance of this volume. His 

 father, Daniel Cole, was a descendant from the family settling Cole's Hill, at Plymouth, Mass., 

 and his mother, of maiden name Joanna Williams, was a lineal descendant of Roger Williams, 

 of Rhode Island. 



Enjoying a very retentive memory and possessed of an exceedingly active mind, it is not to 

 be wondered at that Mr. Cole has made his mark in political and other circles, and was con- 

 nected with large enterprises, which commenced by him were before completion appropriated 

 by others who enjoy the fruits of growth planted by his hand. 



When but four and a half years old the father and mother of the author died. Thus thrown 

 upon his own resources, he early commenced the " battle of life," and even now when above 

 three score he has all the energy of youth and the fire of mature manhood in his nature. 



He was adopted by foster parents residing at Pike, at that time part of Allegany, now Wyom- 

 ing County, N. Y. TTp to the age of sixteen, when his foster father died, he had received the 

 barest elements of a common school education. Starting out he sought employment as best 

 he might in canvassing the state of Ohio for an agricultural and horticultural publication en- 

 titled the BUCKEYE PLOUGHBOY, published at Cleveland. His early study of odd numbers of 

 this little monthly and Poor Richard's Almanac beyond doubt had much to do with the impor- 

 tant discoveries net forth in this volume. 



The year 1839 was spent in Michigan, our author having by this time gained, through his 

 limited studies, sufficient knowledge to commence teaching school, which he continued 

 to do until the year 1844, and then deciding to abandon his plans of becoming a minister of the 

 Methodist Episcopal Church, for which he had prepared himself, he turned merchant and 

 lumberman, working hard in the woods for a livelihood. 



Divisions in the Methodist Church, growing out of the issues of slavery and anti-slavery, 

 were the occasion of this new departure. Young Cole, interesting himself in politics, became 

 an ardent Free Boiler, and, having patrons in the persons of Gerrit Smith and James 8. Wads- 

 worth, both large landowners in the timbered sections of Allegany County, bis acquaintance 

 and agreement with them politically brought, not ouly the gentlemen above named but many 

 others, leaders of the free soil movement, to the side of a man from ten to twenty years 



