[1] He graduated from Wesleyan University of Middletown, Connecticut in 1847, studied law with William H. Seward, and was admitted to the bar in 1848.

[1][2] After a year mining gold in California, in 1849 he began to practice law, first in San Francisco, then in Sacramento.

[1] On March 8, 1856, Cole was one of the organizers of the California branch of the Republican Party, acting as secretary and writing its initial manifesto.

[4] In 1863, he was commissioned as a captain after winning an election to command the Santa Cruz Cavalry Troop, a unit he helped raise for the California Militia.

[8] After returning to California following his retirement from politics, he practiced law in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

[1] Cole was the founder of Colegrove, a settlement he created on land that had been part of Rancho La Brea; he acquired the land from owner Henry Hancock as payment for helping Hancock confirm title to Rancho La Brea.

[12] After the war, George Cole was acquitted of the murder of L. Harris Hiscock, whom he accused of having an affair with Mrs.