Early Pioneer
Solomon Cole, son of James Cole and Mary Rentfroe was born about 1760 in Ashpole Swamp, Bladen County, North Carolina. The family moved to “Natchez Country,” Mississippi in 1772. They located at “Coles Creek,” named for our Cole ancestors. Here, Solomon married Elizabeth Davis, widow of Charles Simmons. They had two sons named James Simmons and David D. Simmons (Black Dave). Solomon Cole received a Spanish Land Grant claim #756 of 200 acres, situated on the waters of Coles Creek, Natchez District dated: 4 January 1794. On 12 February 1778, Solomon Cole bought from his brother, Stephen Cole, 300 arpents of land on Coles Creek, for $150.00. A Spanish Grant #1380, donated to Stephen Cole. One month later Solomon Conveyed the 300 arpents to William Thomas for the sum of $600.00, making a nice profit. On February 7, 1804, Solomon and Elizabeth Cole sold their home, the original Spanish Grant #756 of 200 acres to Buckner Darden for $400.00. They moved their family from Coles Creek to St. Landry Parish, Louisiana in 1804. Solomon and his brother James located land on the Plaquemine Brulee. Solomon acquired 529 acres from Isaac Johnson, the original claimant. It was situated on the stream and bounded on the North by James Cole’s land grant. Solomon Cole served as a Police Juror (Justice of the Peace) in St. Landry Parish from 1811 to 1818. He later moved to a vacherie at Prairie Soileau. “When James and Solomon Cole moved from Coles Creek, Mississippi in 1804, they joined former neighbors by names of: Hayes, King, Forman, Simmons, McClelland, Reeves, Bilbo and Roberts. They all settled on each side of the Plaquemine Brulee stream in St. Landry Parish. James Cole was the original claimant by settlement and occupancy of 400 acres. Solomon Cole acquired his 529 acre Spanish Grant from Isaac Johnson, the original grantee. A tributary of Bayou Plaquemine Brulee ran through both James and Solomon’s land, named Coles Bayou or Gulley. A certain location was known as Coles Cove. This area was also, “Coles Settlement,” since that was the name of the first Post Office established in 1832. Evidently, this Post Office was located on the Solomon Cole land, some five miles north and east of present Crowley, Louisiana. Abraham Cole, son of Solomon was appointed postmaster, January 24, 1938. Two persons who gave bond were Jacob Simmons and William Forman, son-in-law of Solomon Cole. We do not know why the Coles became dissatisfied with the Plaquemine Brulee location. Perhaps, floods or pestilence caused crop failures. James Cole sold to Malachi Stanton, ” a certain tract of land, situated in St. Landry Parish at a place called, Tasse Point, on a Gulley [Coles) of Plaquemine Brulee, containing 400 acres and being in the Western District of the Territory of Orleans, no State of Louisiana…in consideration of the sum of $350.00″ Dated: October 15, 1821 ) Bk. F p. 97-St. Landry Parish, La.) Bayou Dubonne, St. Landry Parish. The Coles probably, started moving westward in St. Landry Parish after this date of 1821. Solomon Cole died in 1825 and his Succession papers read, “Judge George King went to the Cole Vacherie [small ranch) in Prairie Soileau on Beaver Creek to make an Inventory of the estate.” Out intermarried families of Cole, Forman and Simmons are found together in the 1830 Census of St. Landry Parish in the area of “Bayou Dubonne,” 60 miles southwest of Opelousas. This is the western part of the Parish cut off for Calcasieu after selling his grant on the Plaquemine Brulee is not known. The Court House was burned down and all records were destroyed in Lake Charles in 1910. We cannot check deeds, marriages, conveyances, and probates for our Cole, Forman and Simmons families. The relationship of Solomon’s family is established by his Succession Papers filed in Opelousas Court Records. Named is Elizabeth Cole, widow of the deceased, James Cole, a son, James Forman, a son-in-law is requested to “tutor” his minor son, “Stephen Cole,” Stephens portion of his father’s estate was left in the care of his Uncle James Cole Sr., half-brother, David Simmons, and his brother-in-law William Forman. The Solomon Cole land was purchased by William Forman with the “reservations that, the widow, Elizabeth Cole and son Stephen Cole were to live on the ‘home place.” Other children of Solomon Cole were not named in the St. Landry Parish records but, we can identify those who married from the Bonds.
Submitted by Stephen D. Forman, Commander, Granbury’s Texas Brigade SCV Camp #1479, 11th Texas Cavalry Co. A, 12th Texas Cavalry Parsons Dragoons, Deo Vindice