The Cox Families of Warren County, Ohio

JOSHUA COX, retired farmer, Mason. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch is one of the old, well-known citizens of Warren County. He was born in New Jersey in the year 1800, and is a son of William and Margaret Cox, who were born in New Jersey, where he died. Mrs. Cox, with her family of eight children, removed to Ohio and settled in Deerfield Township in the year 1810; the settlement was made in the woods, and her elder sons and hired men carried on the work of improvement. She lived to the ripe old age of 77, when she was called to her last resting-place; to her were born eight children, of whom two are living, viz., William and Joshua. Our subject was reared on the farm in his native State, and, upon the arrival of the family in Ohio, young Joshua was early buckled into the harness; he remained till he was 26 years, being her main dependence. In 1827, he was married to Jane Ayres, who bore him four children, one living, viz., Lydia Mrs. Cox died in 1855. His second marriage was celebrated with Sarah Demick, by whom he had one child, viz., Lee It. Mrs. Cox died in 1875. Mr. Cox left his farm In 1865 and came to Mason; he is now spending his declining years with his son-in-law and daughter. His son was a soldier in the late civil war, and, at the expiration of his time, re-enlisted, and thus served throughout the great struggle. For thirty years, Mr. Cox was a member of the well-known Mason Horse Ranger Company. Though he is bowed down by the weight of more than eighty years, he is yet hale, and is now enjoying life, surrounded by all the comforts of life.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

RICHARD M. COX, Mason, Ohio. The subject of this sketch is a native of Warren Co., Ohio, born Aug. 21, 1822. On the 6th of December, 1849, he was married to Miss Charlotte Bowyer, the eldest daughter and third child of Levi Bowyer; she was also a native of Warren County, and was born Nov. 7, 1824; she died in 1877, being the mother of nine children — Levi T., bom Oct. 27, 1850, died May 4, 1864; Laura J.. bora Feb. 23, 1852; May E., born July 14, 1854; R. M., Jr., bora June 21, 1856; Stephen A. Douglas, born May 5, 1858; William H., born March 25, 1860; Nettie B., born March 23, 1862; Weller B. and Wallace W., twins, bora April 19, 1865; Weller died in August, 1805, and Wallace in March, 1866. Two of these are married — May E., to Frank Coulson, the son of Milton Coulson; and R. M., Jr., to Miss Lucy Perrine, daughter of James Perrine. Mr. Cox, after being a widower two years, was married to Mrs. Maggie Tod in 1879; by this union, they have been blessed with two little girls — Maud and Eva. Mr. Cox is one of the most energetic, enterprising men in the community, and is a highly esteemed citizen; he is eager for anything that tends to the advancement of public good, being one of the charter members of ihe Grange at this place, also a Director of the M. Y. N. G. R. R. when it was under that name. Among the positions of responsibility held by Mr. Cox in the community was that of Township Trustee, which office he held for some thirteen years; in 1874, he was elected Township Treasurer, which position he still occupies. His chief employment has been that of agriculture, but in January, 1871, lie opened a store of general merchandise in Mason, and has dealt principally in hardware and farm implements. Jake Bursk, M Scull, Frank Coulson and Lee Randall have been partners with him at different times, but now he possesses the entire interest of the stock. Much is due to Mr. Cox, in this line, in the advancement of the farming community, by providing the farmers with the implements more for their good, rather than profit to himself. The active part he has taken in the introduction of the self-binder will long be remembered by the farm toilers. Mr. Cox has also a large tile factory; this, with the many buildings erected by him in East Mason, has given an air of business activity to that part of the town. For a short period after the failure of the Boak & Hunt Bank at Lebanon, Ohio, Mr. Cox was an active man in an individual bank at that place. Mr. Cox’s energetic spirit has proved a success to himself in gaining for himself a farm of some 350 acres by his arduous toil. The father of this gentleman was

Thomas Cox, born in New Jersey April 25. 1797: he came to Ohio with his mother’s family, his father having previously died; his wife was Hannah Johns, born Nov. 27, 1802. to whom he was married in 1821; the family comprised seven children — two sons and live daughters; all are now dead but one son and one daughter — the subject of this sketch, and Mrs. Nancy, the wife of J. W. Whitaker, of Columbia, Ohio. Mr. Cox died Aug. 29, 1870. He was a man of unimpeachable integrity and sterling worth. His widow still survives him. Already has she passed her three score and ten, yet she possesses that unusually kind and benevolent disposition which has marked her life. Besides caring for her own family, she has been a mother to several of her grandchildren, who were left orphans early in life. She has been an earnest Christian worker all her life, and feels well rewarded in this life’s work as she sees her descendants worthy the esteem of all.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM COX. Jr., farmer; P. O. Mason. The. gentleman whose name heads this sketch is another of the old and prominent citizens of Warren County. He was born on a farm adjoining the one on which he now lives, in the year 1818; he is a son of Richard and Nancy (Irwin) Cox. Our subject’s boyhood was passed in a manner common to pioneer boys, receiving only a meager education in the subscription schools. In 1839, he was married to Susan, daughter of John and Debby Eddy. After this event, they located where they now live, and the only move he ever made was in removing from the old log cabin into his present comfortable house. He presents another proof in favor of stability, and argues that a rolling stone gathers no moss."

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ERASTUS COX, farmer; P. O. Mason; is a son of William and Elizabeth Cox: he was born on the old home farm in the year 1837; his marriage was celebrated in 1859 with Hannah, daughter of Henry Hageman, who has borne him three children, viz., Willie H., John W. and Emma B. Mr. C. owns 64 acres of land, which is in cultivation and well improved. He is a member of the Mason Horse Rangers, to which he has belonged for about sixteen years. His father, William Cox, was born in New Jersey in the year 1807. He (William Cox) has been twice married — first, in 1831. to Elizabeth Carter, who bore him one child, viz., Livingston. Mrs. Cox died in 1833. His second marriage was consummated April 4, 1$34, with Elizabeth Wise, who bore him eight children, six living, viz., Louisa, Erastus, Richard, Lydia, Dallas, Margaret; Thomas and William, deceased. Mrs. Cox died April 1, 1876, aged about 68 years. Thomas J., son of William Cox, enlisted in 1861 in Company A, 69th O. Y. I., and died in the hospital at Murfreesboro in 1862, aged about 23 years. His remains were brought home and are interred in the Mason Cemetery, where a monument marks his last resting-place.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.