THE COX FAMILY OF LOUISIANA

Written for the Cox Family Reunion, June 9, 2012

UPDATED, MARCH 8, 2021

Dear Cox Cousins:

I planned for almost a year to be with you in Mansfield for the 2012 family reunion.  However, I find I will be unable to attend.  This post is written for all of you as penance for my inability to be with you.  I hope to hear from you, and someday we will meet.  I have worked too fast, and have not taken time to carefully check this post, so without doubt there will be errors which I will need to correct later.  I am only covering the COX LINE, and have not included information on the wives and their ancestors in this report.  That information, and more details on which this story is based, can be found in FRANCES' FAMILY HISTORY on ANCESTRY.COM.  I have to travel now, and will have to complete the post later.  Hope it is worth your patience.

Frances Jackson Freeman (GGG Granddaughter of Susan Jane Cox 1834-1900)

WILLIAM COX -- Quaker Immigrant (1658-1742)

ANCESTORS OF WILLIAM COX -- 

The oldest Cox immigrant to the American Colonies was William Cox, who was probably born on Feb. 17, 1658 in Cambridge, England; and who died in 1742 in New Castle, Delaware.)  The records agree that William married Naomi Amy Cantrell (1657-1742) in 1685 in New Castle, Delaware. As a Quaker, William sought and received passage to the new Colony being founded by William Penn for Quakers.  William came with two brothers, Thomas (1674-1711) and John (1674-1711).  All three Cox boys (sons of Thomas Cox and his wife Christian Matthews) established families, and have numerous descendants across North America.

The British records, as currently interpreted give the following linage for William:

Parents -- Thomas Cox (1641-1711) and Christian Matthews (1649-1679)

Grandparents -- Thomas Cox (1626-1711) and Ann Hind (1625-1667)

G Grandparents -- Robert Cocke (1608- ?) and Elizabeth Clifford (1600-?)

GG Grandparents -- Robert Cooke (1561-1596) and Elizabeth Cufley (1570-?)

3 Grandparents -- John Cooke (1535-?) 

4 Grandparents -- Thomas Cooke (1509 - ?)

5 Grandparents -- Thomas W. Cooke (1480- ?) and Anne Salman (1486-1512)

6 Grandparents -- William Cooke (1456-1500) and Elizabeth Webb (1460-1496)

7 Grandparents -- Thomas Cooke (1422-1478) and Elizabeth Malpas (1426-1484)

8 Grandparents -- Robert Coocke (1392-1423) and Katherine Unknown (abt 1392)

9 Grandparents -- Norman Cocke (1375 - ?) and Myrtle Unknown (1372 - ?)

10  Grandparents -- Harold Cocke (1345 - ?) and Ena Ross (1345 -?)

11 Grandparents -- Harold Cocke (1300 - ?)

I am only beginning to research the English roots of the Cox Family, and cannot prove this line from my own research.  These connections are based on the work of others.  However, to give some perspective, the l300 Harold Cocke would be my 20th great grandfather.  William (1658-1742 Immigrant) is my 7th great grandfather. 

The parents of William Cox ( 1658, American Immigrant) and his ancestors through Thomas W. Cooke (1480) lived in London.  Thomas W. Cooke, his parents and grandparents lived in Essex, according to these records at Giddy Hall.  The earlier generations lived in Suffolk, specifically in Laverham.

WILLIAM COX (1658-1742) was a Quaker, who sought freedom to practice his religion through immigrating to the colony granted to William Penn.  His residence in New Castle, Delaware should not confuse the connection to Penn's Quaker Colony.  The boundaries between what are now the states of  Pennsylvania and Delaware were moved and adjusted a number times, leading to some misconceptions.  The remainder of this report centers on THE DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM COX.                      

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM COX AND NAOMI CANTRELL -- William and Naomi had three sons, William (b.1692, in New Castle, DE--1767 in Orange, North Carolina); Joseph (b. 1693 in New Castle, DE- 1750); and Thomas.

THOMAS COX -- (Born 1694, New Castle, DE - Died 1784, Craven, South Carolina)

Thomas Cox married Elizabeth Fincher (1700, London Grove, Chester, PA - 1756, London Grove, Chester, PA). Thomas and Elizabeth had three daughters (Rebecca, Ann, and Elizabeth) and two sons Isaac (1724, Warrington, York, PA - 1797, Randolph, NC) and RICHARD.

RICHARD COX -- (Born 1750, York, Pa - Died April 1, 1821, Prairieton, Vigo, IN) Revolutionary Era Ancestor 

Richard Cox (1750-1821) was born and died in the Quaker Faith, although it cost him greatly.  As a young man, he was involved in the Regulator Movement and forced to leave the Carolinas and move with other Quakers to Georgia where they founded the Quaker town of Wrightsboro in what is now McDuffie County.  In Wrightsboro (or Wrightsborough) Richard married Ann Hodgin (1756, York, PA - Dec. 25 1797) on June 4, 1774.   The Quakers of Wrightsboro suffered greatly during the Revolution.  The Indian allies of the British attacked, considering them rebels.  Supporters of the Revolution raided the Quaker farms because the Quakers would not join the rebel forces against the British.  Some of the Quakers, including Richard held to the pacifist teachings of the Quakers, while others abandoned peace and joined the rebel forces. 

Children of Richard and Ann -- Richard Cox (1750-1821) and Ann Hodgin (1756-1797) had seven children, four daughters and three sons.  The sons were THOMAS J. (MAY 13, 1775-FEB. 1820), Matthew (1780-1853), David (1781-1841), and John James (1789-1842).  While Thomas is the direct ancestor of my branch of the  Cox Family,  the descendants of Matthew and John James also immigrated to Louisiana, and form the related COX FAMILIES OF LOUISIANA. 

EFFECTS OF THE REVOLUTION AND AFTERMATH -- The Revolution and the turbulent years that followed marked the end of the Southern Quakers.  Families split as some chose to remain true to the tenants of their faith (especially opposition to war and slavery).  After the death of Ann Hodgin Cox on Christmas day, 1797, her family split.  Richard and their middle son, David remained true to their Quaker faith, and moved with other faithful Quakers to a new home in Prairieton, Vigo, Indiana.  Thomas, Matthew and John James gave up their Quaker faith and remained in the South.  They first moved westward into Georgia, settling briefly in Franklin County, GA.  However, shortly after the War of 1812 and before 1816, they settled in Clarke County, Alabama near the existing town of Grove Hill.

The COX SONS and the VAUGHN (VAUGHAN) DAUGHTERS  -- Three of the sons of Richard Cox married VAUGHN (or VAUGHAN) girls.  Two of these are believed to be daughters of George Vaughn (1753-1817) and his wife Dorcas Wofford (? - 1867) while the third was younger and probably a niece.  Thomas Cox, Sr. (1775-1820) married Mary Polly Vaughn (1776-1820)  daughter of George Vaughn and Dorcus Wofford.  His brothers John James and Matthew each married a Nancy Vaughn.  One of these Nancy's may have been a sister of Mary Polly, the other was almost certainly a cousin.  However, the marriages of two Nancy Vaughn's to these Cox brothers has created great confusion in the family genealogy.  I am not certain that anyone has made a clear and accurate distinction.  The only clear conclusion is that Our Cox Family in Louisiana are also descendants of the Vaughn/Vaughan Family.

Thomas Cox, Sr. died in Grove Hill, Clarke County, Alabama, before his children moved to Louisiana.  However, his brother Matthew made the move to Louisiana before his death.  Records are not clear as to whether the younger brother John James died in Alabama or in Louisiana, but Alabama seems most likely.

Most of the Cox's of North Louisiana are descended from these brothers.  My family is descended from Thomas Cox, Jr. (1810-1868) and his wife Elizabeth "Betsy" Susan Hicks (1807-1870) through their daughter Susan Jane Cox, who married Stephen Pugh Jackson in Winn Parish, LA.