Cole served as Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri from 1869 to 1871, was president of the Merchants' Exchange in 1876 and was elected a Republican to the United States House of Representatives in 1876, serving from 1877 to 1879, being unsuccessful for re-election in 1878.
Cole held various roles, including mayor of St. Louis, president of the Merchants' Exchange, and U.S. Representative, serving from 1869 to 1871, 1876, and 1877 to 1879, but was unsuccessful in his re-election bid in 1878.