Thomas was born in Albany, New York. As an adult, he lived in Conway, Massachusetts, where he eventually took over a mill there that was originally built and owned by Caleb Sharp (African American/Indigenous). Cole was the fourth African American to run the mill. He never married. He appears in the 1850 census for Conway as Black, 65 years old, and living in the household of Timothy Packard, a White man. Cole's occupation was given as farmer. According to the 1860 census, he was living in the household of Austin Rice, who was also White.
Thomas is buried in the Howland Cemetery in Conway. The inscription on his gravestone reads:
Thomas Cole
died
Feb 19 1870
aged 80 yrs
of African descent
22 years a Slave
58 years a Freeman
Sources Consulted
History of Conway, Massachusetts, 1767-1917, Rev. Charles Stanley Pease, 1917, pp. 37, 112
| Entry | Source | Vol Name | Date | entry id |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Thomas Cole. died Feb. 19, 1870, Aged 80 years. Of African Descent. 22 years a Slave, 58 years a Freeman. | Gravestones | -- | 2416 |