Cole. Jirah D.
Cole. Jirah D. [1]
a Baptist minister, was born at Catskill, N.Y., January 14, 1802. He was converted under the ministry of Dr. Howard Malcom, then a youthful pastor in Hudson; was baptized in Catskill, March 4, 1821. He pursued his literary and theological studies at Hamilton, graduating in 1826. After supplying the Church in Greenville for a short time, he was ordained, September 12, 1827, and was pastor in Ogden until November 21, 1831; for three years at Fredonia; then supplied the Second Church, Rochester, several months; supplied the Church at Parma Corners for a time, and for two years and a half preached at Fabius. After this he became the soliciting agent of the Missionary Union, one year in New York and another in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. The two following years he was pastor in Ithaca, N.Y.; then agent of the American Baptist Home Society for Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont; for five years (1843-48) pastor at Whitesborough, N.Y., and meanwhile acted as corresponding secretary. o the New York Baptist Convention. From 1848 to 1850 he was pastor at Nunda. In 1850 he received an appointment to the north-western agency of the Missionary Union, and had his headquarters at Chicago. This position he held for seven and a half years; then became pastor in Delavan, Illinois, and in 1860 in Barry. His other pastorates were ini Galva, Cordova, Atlanta, Lockport, and Rosetta, Illinois, and Valparaiso, Indiana. He died in Chicago, March 27, 1883. During this long period of service he performed a large amount of work as an author and compiler. He was one of the editorial committee appointed to prepare the memorial volume of the first half century of Madison University, and was also the author of a History of the Rock Island Association. As the appointed historian of the Baptists of Illinois, he left, at his decease, a work in MSS., which is represented as being one of great value. See the Chicago Standard, April 5, 1883; Cathcart, Bapt. Encyclop. page 246. (J.C.S.)
