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Author: sabromavage
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Classification: queries
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William Franklin Cox was my great-grandfather!
Albert's father remarried and his family from the second wife spoke of Albert as
though they knew him fairly well. I know they made several visits to see Albert's
family, and my aunt recalls meeing his children.
Most of my computerized data is on a hard drive that I can't get to right now, but I
do have hard copies of some of the records such as his pension application and his
obituary, etc. I've pulled some of this data off old internet posts I made. Some of it
may need minor corrections or additions, but is essentially what I knew about the family
until two years ago.
I will have to look through my hard copy info this weekend to see if I have additional
info on Mary E Harbold/Harbolt.
William Franklin COX was the son of Jonathon COX and Sarah "Sally" MAHAN married
18 January, 1834 in Jackson co, IN.
Children of Jonathon and Sally (Mahan) Cox:
1) Lorinda Cox born c1835
2) Mary J Cox born c1838
3) Phillip Cox ~born 25 Feb 1840 Jackson co , IN ~married Emily A. (Lett) Crane 29 Sept
1865 in Jackson co IN (dau of John H Lett & Zerelda Ann Randall, and widow of Benjamin
Crane). Phillip COX. Phillip COX served in the Civil War CO H 27th.
4) William Franklin Cox born 1844
*first married to Mary E HARBOLT in 1873, she died 1879: son, Albert COX, born 25 April
1874 married Florence CRAIG, lived Scott co, IN.
*second married 4 Nov 1883 in Jackson co, IN to Jessie Nora LETT, [dau of John and Zerelda
(Randall) Lett, who married 1842 in Paris, Jennings co, IN].
*William COX served in the Civil War CO H 27th regiment Indiana
5) John Cox born c1845
6) Martha Ellen Cox c1848
7) Moses Cox born c1850 in Jackson co, IN. ~married Elizabeth A Hawn, about 1872.
8) Jonathon "Noah" Cox born c1854 in Jackson county, IN. ~ married Angeline D
Abbott (dau of John Abbott and Elizabeth Welch) 3 Nov 1898 in Salem, Washington county,
IN.
The Jonathan Cox family is listed on the 1850 census household #988, Vernon twp, Jackson
co,IN.
Jonathan COX, Farmer, age 40, b.OH, (note: this is incorrect)
wife Sarah,age 32, born KY
Lorinda, 14
Philip, 12
Martha E, 10
William F, 6
John, 4
Mary J, 1
On the 1860 census, Sarah "Sally" (Mahan) COX is the head of household.
**********************
WILLIAM FRANKLIN COX
William Franklin COX first married Mary E Harbolt 1873.
They had one son, Albert Cox, lived in Scott co IN.
William second married Jessie Nora LETT (1883 in Jackson co IN).
Their children were:
1) Blanche Cox born 1886 m James McCoy (Clark co IN)
2) Odis/Otis Cox born 4 Jan 1888 Scott county IN m 1st to Celia Davis (Clark co IN 1914)
3) Alice Marie "died young" (twin) born 28 Mar 1891
4) Alcie Myrtle "died young" (twin) born 28 Mar 1891--had died before 1898
5) Hattie Belle born 14 April 1896 married 1914 Arthur Davis (Clark co IN)
6) Laurah Delilah b 12 May 1899 Jackson co IN
On 10 June, 1905 William Franklin COX died of injuries he received in a barroom brawl
"in or near Crothersville" (Indiana). Cox was the son of birthright Quakers,
Jonathon and Sarah (Mahan) Cox. His youngest children were "sent to New Castle to
live" while their mother, Jessie Norah (Lett) COX settled the estate. The process
took over a year, as there was a civil court case against an insurance company as well as
a murder trial against the man who had struck William Cox. Only Jessie's oldest child,
Odis COX remained with her during the court actions.
Cox had been a soldier in the Civil War, and to date I have found no information linking
him to any MM in Indiana. We originally presumed that the children may have been sent to
the orphanage that handled the children of soldiers in Knightstown, but there is no record
of their having been there.
The county records for Jackson, Jennings, and Scott counties, where various court actions
associated with the death of Cox took place do not mention the disposition of the
children. When next found in official records, Jessie Cox and some of her children are
living in Cincinnati, OH---In 1910.
William COX had a brother Jonathon Noah COX, who married 3 Oct 1898 to Angeline D ABBOTT,
daughter of John and Elizabhet (WELCH) ABBOTT.
In early June of 1905, William Cox, his brother Noah Cox, and Noah's
brother-in-law Charles ABBOTT were in a saloon near Crothersville, IN when William Cox and
Abbott got into a fight. Cox died 10 June 1905. When Abbott learned that Cox had died from
the injuries he received during the fight, he fled from justice. A Jackson county
newspaper (The Seymour Banner, 10 June 1905) reported that he held deputies off with a
hoe.
On 27 July, 1905 the Chronicle (of Scottsburg, Scott county) newspaper reported that
Abbott gave himself up to Sherriff Peacock. The Scott county jail records indicate that
Abbott was charged with assault and held from July 21st to July 22nd. Interestingly, Noah
Abbott was also arrested in Scott county on July 21st and charged with public intoxication
and held until July 22nd. A later entry says that Abbott was held for murder from Oct 7th,
1905 until January 28th, 1906.
October 4th, 1905 a court in Jackson county allowed a change of venue for the murder trial
of Charles Abbott to Scott county, IN. (Order book 55, Jackson co IN, p 198).
October 19th 1905, Jessie N Cox sued Charley Still /American Surety Co (case number 5183,
Order book 55, Jackson co IN, p 246)...the jury found for the defendant, and Mrs Cox
received nothing by way of her complaint (I assume this may have been an attempt to claim
insurance money? I hope to find a newspaper article that may give more information than
the court records)
26 Oct 1905, the Chronicle reported that the motion to quash the indictment against
Charles Abbott was overruled in Scott co circuit court.
2 Nov 1905 the Chronicle reported that the case against Abbott was called into circuit
court in Scott county, IN.
23 Nov 1905 the Chronicle reported that the jury had found Charles Abbott guilty of
involuntary manslaughter. Sentence to be given the next term.
21 Dec 1905 the Chronicle reported that attorneys for Abbott would file a motion for a new
trial. The motion was to be heard in the January session of the circuit court of Scott co,
IN.
I have not yet located any information on the final disposition in the case. I suspect
that other area newspapers may have more details on the entire incident---I would dearly
love to know if any of the papers explain what the argument was about.
********************
info on Jessie Nora Lett COX after William's death:
Jessie Nora Lett COX moved to Cincinnati, Ohio by 1910, supposedly after retrieving her
other minor children from New Castle, IN, where they went to live after her husband's
death. (This is according to a niece who lived with Jessie. Why? There is no record of the
children having been placed in the orphanage for the children of soldiers in New Castle,
as I originally suspected).
Her son Otis COX b 4 Jan 1888 was a trolley car operator in Ohio and later in Louisville,
KY.
Jessie Cox, her son Otis and two youngest daughters (Laura Delilah b 12 May 1899 and
Hattie Belle b 14 April 1896) moved to Jeffersonville, Clark co, IN before 1914 when the
three children began marrying in Clark county.
Another daughter, Blanche Cox, born 1886 married to a James McCOY, probably in Jennings co
IN. The couple lived in Louisville, KY in the 1920s.
She and her daughter, Blanche and son Otis moved again to Cincinnati, OH by about 1920 but
continued to make extended visits to relatives in Clark county Indiana. They also made
trips to the home of Albert COX and family and other relatives in Jackson and Jennings
county, Indiana.
Laura Delilah COX married Francis HORLANDER 15 Jan 1915 in Clark co IN. Their known
children were Elizabeth born 1917 and Ernest. They may have had another son who died after
being burned at a 4th of July Fireworks display done by the American Legion in Clark
county, IN. The couple lived at 1156 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY at the time.
James and Blanche McCoy are found on the 1910 census of Millcreek, Hamilton co, OH. He was
31, she was 23, and a son Morris was shown as age 4.
Jessie Nora Lett COX died in Cincinnati, OH in 1941.
**************
Other data on the family of William F COX:
A daughter Alice Marie COX (twin of above) b 28 Mar 1891 was said to have given birth to
an illegitimate child and died "young" (after 1905)[family oral tradition] She
may later have married a man named Smith, Symthe, or Schmidt ect
*********************
William Franklin COX and siblings--Some lists of records on hand:
WILLIAM FRANKLIN COX
born 1844 in Jackson county, IN---
~son of Jonathon COX and Sarah "Sally" MAHAN....
~served Civil War CO H 27th regiment Indiana; 70th Indiana Vol. Company I;mustered out
with the Regiment, Jun 8, 1865
~married Mary E Harbolt 1873
~married Jessie Nora Lett 4 Nov 1883, Chestnut Ridge, Jackson co IN (Hirum Love minister)
Jessie was dau of John H Lett & Zerelda Ann Randall, married jennings county, In 4 Dec
1842.
***********
PHILLIP COX
~ born 25 Feb 1840 Jackson co , IN
~died 8 Jan 1911 Jackson co IN, and is buried Wohru cem Seymour, Jackson, IN
~married Emma Lett Crane-26 Sept 1865 Seymour, Jackson co, IN
Emma was sister to Jessie Nora Lett, & the widow of Benjamin Franklin CRANE.
The couple are buried in Wohru cemetery, Seymour, Jackson co , IN
~Served Civil War CO H 27th regiment Indiana; 70th Indiana Vol. Company I Recruit from
27th Indiana, transferred to the 33rd Indiana.
~enlisted Seymour (Jackson), 22, s, 5-8, Farmer
summary of service from military record: Wounded at Cedar Mountain--gunshot to back of
neck.
Hospital Culpeper Virginia. 2nd Division United States Army General
Hospital Alexandria. Returned to regiment. Court Martialled 1-15-64, intoxicated unfit for
guard duty--forfeit $5 per month for 3 months. Wounded at New Hope Church--
gunshot through arm & lower right leg. General Hospital Kingston Georgia. No 19 United
States Army General Hospital Nashville Tennessee. United States Army General Hospital
Murfreesboro Tennessee. Veteran Volunteer, transferred to 70th Indiana Infantry, then
consolidated with 33rd Indiana Infantry. Mustered out 7-21-65.
Died at Seymour Indiana 1-8-1911. Buried Seymour Wohru Cemetery
~Phillip, Emma & children received in membership, Pleasant Plain prepartory meeting 6
April 1895 (from Sand Creek MM records)
~He married Emily A. Lett Crane 29 Sept 1865 in Jackson co IN
(dau of John H Lett & Zerelda Ann Randall, and widow of Benjamin Crane).
Emily A. Lett was born 19 April , 1845 Jennings co, IN and died 29 Jan 1924 She is buried
Riverview cem Seymour, Jackson co, IN. Her funeral services were conducted at the 1st
Methodist Episcopal ch, by Rev Whitman
~children:
a) John O Cox b 16 Mar 1870
b) Elbert W Cox b 27 Aug 1875 {twin}
c) Ernest J Cox b 27 Aug 1875 {twin}
d) Bertha M Cox b 1 Jan 1877 married ____ Horning
e) P Forrest Cox b 2 Apr 1879
f) James A G Cox b 12 Apr 1881
g) Paul R Cox b 4 July 1883
~Tuesday Sep 26, 2000 - North Vernon Plain Dealer 100 Years Ago Column
27th Regiment: The annual reunion of Company H, 27th Indiana Infantry was held on
Saturday, Sept. 15, in the beautiful grove near Frank M. James residence
... The roll was called, the following named comrades answering: Capt. Oliver Shepherd,
Frank M. James, Joshua Deputy, Jon Muster, William Muster, Robert S. Dixon, Joseph
Roseberry, James W. Reed, Thompson H. Hudson, Lewis King, Phillip Cox.
*********
MOSES COX
born c1851 in Jackson co, IN.
~In 1900 he was living in Gibson township, Wash co IN, when he deposed for his brother
William's civil war pension.
~He married Elizabeth A Hawn, about 1872.
~They were the parents of Charley, Luly, Estel, John, George, Jesse and Alta.
~lived Washington co IN 1880-1900
**********************
Jonathon "Noah" Cox
born c1854 in Jackson county, IN.
He was living in Little York, Gibson township, Washington county, IN in 1900 when he
deposed for his brother William's civil war pension.
He married Angeline D Abbott (dau of John Abbott and Elizabeth Welch) 3 Nov 1898 in Salem,
Washington county, IN.
Their known children include Johnnie, Frankie and Jennie.
Noah was arrested 21 July 1905--Scott county IN--for public intoxication.
~lived in Gibson township, Washington co IN. 1908-1910
~ children (Charles and Frankie) buried in a Quaker cemetery (Driftwood-Sandcreek in
Bartholomew county new New Farmington, IN).
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