Harry Ellsworth Cole

Born in 1861 and active in Wisconsin public life, Harry Ellsworth Cole became known as a writer, editor, and historian with deep ties to Baraboo and Sauk County. Library and historical society records describe him as an editor of the Baraboo News, and later as a leading figure in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

Cole wrote and edited books centered on Wisconsin history and local tradition, including Baraboo Bear Tales, Baraboo, Dells, and Devil's Lake Region, and A Standard History of Sauk County, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Historical Society notes that he worked hard to document the natural beauty and past of Sauk County, while archival records at the University of Wisconsin–Madison connect his correspondence and research to the later publication of Stagecoach and Tavern Tales of the Old Northwest.

He died in 1928. His work still stands out for its mix of journalism, local memory, and historical curiosity, especially for listeners interested in the people, legends, and landscapes of early Wisconsin.