His exact death date is not known. The last mention of him in any known record was in 1678 in a deed of land to him from Thomas Doty. But as late as March 1680, his son James was referred to as James Cole, Jr., which suggests that the father was still alive then. In 1684, the younger James was no longer referred to as Jr. James Cole, the emigrant head of the Plymouth Cole family, probably died between 1678 and 1684.