William E. “Bill” Cole, M.A. – The Passionate Genealogist

Bill ColeFamily Historian, Author, and Presenter

Bill Cole’s passion for genealogy and family history began at an early age. Born on his grandfather Cole’s 78th birthday, he has vigorously pursued his family history since 1980. His genealogy exploits include being the first person to document the English ancestors of his immigrant eighth great grandparents and added more generations into the late 15th Century. He has uncovered ancestors born at sea, a shipwrecked rogue who survived Jamestown, two Mayflower ancestors, multiple Revolutionary War patriots on both sides, and other fascinating characters – including one involved in a California stagecoach robbery.

Bill is a member of the Mayflower Society, New England Historic Genealogical Society, National Genealogy Society, California Genealogical Society, Downey Historical Society, Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical Society, Surry County Genealogical Society, and the Sacramento German Genealogical Society where he served six years as vice president. He also co-chaired the International German Genealogy Conferences held in Minneapolis in 2017 and in Sacramento in 2019. In business, Bill Cole is an internationally respected trainer, keynote speaker and executive coach. His presentations have taken him to North, Central, and South America, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and England.

Published Articles

Published Books

PresentationsVirtual or In Person

Presentations & Articles in Development (Working Titles)

  • A Mayflower Adventurer from the Beginning: William Collier. A significant contributor to Plymouth Colony’s survival and success
  • A Winning Formula for Writing Short Genealogy Stories
  • An Amazing Ancestor: Stephen Hopkins: Shipwrecked, Jamestown Survivor, and Mayflower Passenger
  • Welcome to California! An Emigrant’s 1852 Wagon Train Journey
  • Canadian Census Records: Documenting Your Family’s Journey