From Proud Heritage, Vol. 1 by DCPA, not currently in print.
Martin Van Buren Cole was born in Washington County, Arkansas January 2, 1837. His family moved there from Crawford County ca. 1836. He was the tenth child of John Cole and Polly McDonald Cole. In December, 1843 the family moved to Texas. He lived in his father’s home until his father died in He continued to live there with his mother and brothers until his marriage.
On August 13, 1862 Martin V. Cole married Margaret Preston. She was the younger sister of Elizabeth Preston who married Martin’s older brother, John Higgs Cole. Her brother, John Preston, married Minerva Cole, the daughter of Calvin Cole who was the older brother of Martin and John H. Cole. Margaret Preston was born December 3, 1839 in Roddy Station, Tennessee which originally had been called Prestonville. Her father was George Preston (born 1798); her mother was Anna Roddy (born 1802). Their children were: Archibald Lee born 1863, Georgianna, Edwin Leon born 1866, Bertie May, Martin Van Buren, Jr. born 1872, Marshall V. and Benjamin F. born 1879.
Martin had inherited slightly over a quarter section of land which was the northwestern part of Dr. John Cole’s headright. This land would be outlined today by Mockingbird Lane, Eton Avenue, Gillon and Douglas. Martin and Margaret built their home on this land near Turtle Creek just south of the present location of the Dallas County Club. The club is on what was their north forty.
Martin Cole served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was a charter member of the Dallas County Pioneers Association and served as a Dallas County Commissioner from 1884 to 1886. After his death, Margaret lived for a number of years in their home on Turtle Creek. The last few years of her life were spent in the home of her niece, Margaret (Maggie) Miers, who was the daughter of John Higgs Cole. She died in 1928 from injuries sustained when she fell from the front porch of this home. The house was built as a farm house by Rufus Miers and Maggie Cole Miers on land that was given to Maggie by her father. The house still stands in 1985 at 3809 Cole Avenue.
By Homer Warlick, Dallas
