Biography of Howard W. Cole
Howard W. Cole, a key figure in Brown County’s agricultural and stock-growing sectors, was born on March 29, 1857, in Eureka, Montcalm County, Michigan. The son of Leander T. and Sarah Jane (Stout) Cole, he moved to South Dakota in 1881. Cole established a successful farming partnership and was elected sheriff of Brown County in 1902. He served in various civic roles, including postmaster and township board member, and was active in several fraternal organizations. He married Theresa M. Howell in 1880, and they had five children.