My great-grandfather John Cole and his horse.
1920 photo of John Cole and his horse Bill one year before the horse died
John Cole was 19 when he arrived in Ames in 1866. He was a husky lad who had not been able to attend much school, and had spent three years in the army during the Civil War. Afterwards, John bought land in the area of 13th and Burnett and continued farming. The jog in 13th Street at Burnett was caused when John planted a row of trees along the road. When the city wanted to straighten and pave the street, John refused to let them cut down the trees to do it. Eventually John turned to brick making and owned a plant at 13th & Burnett and one northeast of town on his father’s farm. He later became a well-regarded general contractor, a business he pursued for 35 years.
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