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Stricker Family Tree - Hugh Cole, Friend of Metacomet

Sgt. Hugh Cole, Friend of Metacomet
Family Connection - 8th Great-grandfather of Roy Ellsworth Stricker

Memorial Stone for Hugh Cole


Hugh Cole was the son of James Cole and Mary Tibbs Cole (see blog post from March 11). He was born in Devon, Barnstable, England in 1628. He immigrated to Plymouth, Massachusetts with his parents and siblings in 1663. He was raised in Plymouth. then moved to Barnstable. 
Hugh married Mary Foxwell on June 8, 1654. They were called into court and subsequently fined 20 shillings for their behavior prior to marriage - "keeping company each other in an undecent manner at an unseasonable time and place". 

Hugh and Mary had ten children:

            James            b. 1655        d. 1712
            Elizabeth       b. 1658        d. 1738
            John              b. 1660        d. 1748
            Martha          b. 1662        d. 1708
            Anna             b. 1664        d. 1704
            Ruth              b. 1666        d. 1718
            Joseph           b. 1668        d. 1731
            Ebenezer       b. 1671        d. 1719
            Mary             b. 1676        d. 1756
            Benjamin       b. 1678        d. 1748

In Barnstable, he was the surveyor of highways and was granted 100 acres of land. He was a member of the Barnstable militia.  He was a shipwright and a surveyor by trade. 

In 1667, he and others negotiated with the Native leader Metacomet, also known as King Phillip, for the purchase of 500 acres of land on the west bank of the Mattapoisett River for himself and others. This land became the town of Swansea. 

In 1668, Hugh and his family moved to Swansea and built a home on the west bank of the Mattapoisett River. That river soon became known and is still known today as Cole River.

Hugh served as Selectman (town councilman) for many years, and was Deputy to General Court nine times. He was town surveyor for Swansea. During this time, he continued to communicate with King Phillip, and they were considered friends. 

In June 1675, at the beginning of what became known as King Phillip's War, a band of Native Americans took two of Hugh's sons prisoner and took them to King Phillip's camp at Mount Hope. Phillip recognized them and ordered them to be returned to their father, his friend. Phillip sent word to Hugh that he could no longer restrain his warriors, and suggested that they leave Swansea immediately and go to Rhode Island. As they left, they saw their house go up in flames, as King Phillip's warriors attacked and burned Swansea. 

(For more information about King Phillip's War, see the blog post dated Dec. 1, 2025.)

After the end of the war, Hugh and his family returned to Swansea in 1677. He built a new home that remained in the possession of the Cole descendants for several generations. 

Mary Foxwell Cole died in 1688. In 1689, Hugh married Elizabeth Lettice, widow of William Shurtleff and Jacob Cooke. Elizabeth died in 1693.  In 1694, Hugh married Mary Shelley, widow of William Harlow and Ephraim Morton. 

Hugh died on January 22, 1699. He was buried in the Tyler Point Cemetery in what is now Barrington, Rhode Island.  No marker was placed at the time, but a descendant placed the stone shown above to honor her ancestor, 

Hugh Cole > Martha Cole > Susannah Sweeting > Sarah Hunt > Lucy Knox > Sarah Abbey > Polly Ann Brown > Lucy M Windsor > Lillian May Grover > Gertrude Myra Newland > Roy Ellsworth Stricker

Charts S-I and S-Main


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