An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 349-350
	
	
	GEORGE E. COLE, Spokane, Washington, well known throughout the Northwest as
Governor Cole, is one of the earliest pioneers of this section of the country,
and he has certainly done much toward the development of the States which he has
served in several official capacities.
	Mr. Cole is a native of New York, where he was born in 1826. He came to
Oregon in 1850, when that State embraced the present States of Washington and
Idaho, and that portion of Montana west of the Rocky mountains. He was one of
the first who was identified with the interests of Washington. He was a member
of the Committee in the Oregon Legislature during the session of 1852--'53 to
draft a memorial to Congress, asking for the organization of Washington
Territory. He moved to Walla Walla in 1860, and three years later he was elected
a Delegate to Congress, being the first delegate chosen on the east side of the
mountains. He was appointed and commissioned Governor of the Territory of
Washington by Andrew Johnson in 1866, and he served as executive officer of the
Territory until March 4, 1867. Afterward he returned to Oregon and was engaged
in the construction of the Oregon & California Railroad for a period of four
years, during which time the road was built from Portland to Roseburg. He was
appointed Postmaster of Portland, Oregon, by President Grant in 1873, and was
re-appointed by President Hayes. He served two terms and three months, in a most
efficient manner. His second term expired April 1, and he retired June 30, 1881.
Returning to private life, he was engaged in the construction of the Northern
Pacific Railroad along Clarke's Fork and Pend de ëOreille Lake during the year
1882, and early in 1883 he located in Spokane county. Since his residence here
he has been actively engaged in farming, milling and in buying and shipping
grain, and in 1888 he was elected Treasurer of the county, and served two terms.
For forty years he has been a prominent figure in the political and commercial
world of the entire Northwest, and few men have done more toward the development
of the Northwest than he. In fact, his name is a household word in this section
of the country.
	Personally, Mr. Cole is of light complexion and is rather stout. He is,
indeed, a decidedly pleasant gentleman.
	
	
Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer
	
	
	
	
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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project.  Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.