Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920
Biography of Jane Louden Cole, 1865-1941
By Beth Twomey, librarian, North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D.
President, Grand Forks Votes for Women league, vice president North Dakota Votes for Women League
Mrs. P.M. (Jane Louden) Cole (née Millar) was born August 10, 1865 in Steubenville, Ohio to Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Millar. She worked as a schoolteacher before marrying Percy Morton Cole. They had nine children, only five of whom survived, James, Esther, Chester, Ethel, and Anna.
Mrs. Cole served as president of the Grand Forks Votes for Women League in 1916. She was a delegate to attend the Mississippi Valley Suffrage Convention that was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota from May 7 to 11 in 1918. She was appointed by Mrs. Mary Darrow Weible to chair the local registration campaign to get women signed up for war work in a program sponsored by the Council of National Defense. She hosted talks on suffrage at her home in Grand Forks including a talk by visiting Mrs. W.R. Ascough of Hartford, Connecticut, who spoke on the topic of "Suffrage as a War Measure" on May 24, 1918 and a talk by noted suffrage worker Dr. Effie McCullum Jones from Waterloo, Iowa. She served as the district vice president for the eighth district of the Votes for Women League. She eventually was elected to the vice president position of the North Dakota State Suffrage Association and was its president in 1916.
She was a W.C.T.U. member and belonged to the Federated Clubs in North Dakota. She passed away July 10, 1941 in Long Beach, California. She is buried in Kenmare, North Dakota.
SOURCES:
A Page for Women. Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.), 27 Nov. 1917. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042414/1917-11-27/ed-1/seq-2/
Burlington. The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.), 25 March 1915. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88076421/1915-03-25/ed-1/seq-5/>
Federated Clubs Met at Kenmare. Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.), 25 May 1911. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88076270/1911-05-25/ed-1/seq-2/
https://www.ggrwhc.org/projects/wwi/
Instructive Talk was Given by Dr. Jones Last Evening. Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.), 07 April 1917. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042414/1917-04-07/ed-1/seq-6/
Jane Louden Cole. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8987380
Locals. The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.), 11 March 1915. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87096037/1915-03-11/ed-1/seq-3/>
North Dakota Women About to Win. The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.), 25 July 1914. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042224/1914-07-25/ed-1/seq-7/>
Registration is Being Continued. Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.), 26 Nov. 1917. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042414/1917-11-26/ed-1/seq-6/>
Social Notes. The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.), 04 May 1916. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042224/1916-05-04/ed-1/seq-7/>
State Suffrage President Names Committee Chairman. Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]), 19 Nov. 1916. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042242/1916-11-19/ed-1/seq-4/>
State Suffragists May Meet in Grand Forks. Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]), 03 Nov. 1916. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042242/1916-11-03/ed-1/seq-5/>
Suffragist to Speak tonight. Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.), 24 May 1918. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042414/1918-05-24/ed-1/seq-2/>
Ward Counts. The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.), 17 June 1909. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88076421/1909-06-17/ed-1/seq-22/>