It is always a pleasure to share genealogy or family history as well as special family events and history of local places. For 21 years, this writer has pursued this goal through this genealogy column in the Andalusia Star-News. Occasionally someone responds with appreciation for seeing their family or relatives being featured or to learn more about their home area. Of course, this writer appreciates such feedback and is greatly encourage by it.

Everyone is strongly encouraged to pursue their own family history for their personal pleasure as well as documenting it for future generations. First, one should begin by interviewing their older relatives while there is opportunity. Ask them about any family records, such as family Bibles, and to see all photos, which should be identified. It is so sad to see beautiful portraits and even snapshots of people who can no longer be identified due to careless negligence in the past. Fortunately, today, one may find valuable sources for researching through internet such as Ancestry.com, Family Search, Find-a-Grave and individual websites like Lisa Franklin’s Tracing Your Roots. And there are so many others that are not mentioned here.

It is a thrill to acknowledge someone’s work and announce the availability of new publications of family histories which individuals may secure for their personal interest. There appears to be an increase in these being sold by authors and by a means of print to order. Sometimes older editions are even available from such sources as Amazon.

I am happy to make known the current compilation of a history of the Cox family which resided primarily in the Florala, Ala., community. The central figure and ancestor of this family is John Henry Cox, and his descendants will be thoroughly covered. It is understood that this publication will be going to press in the near future and that copies may be ordered in a pre-publication drive. The expected cost is $20, and copies can be ordered from Joyce Blalock, the editor, of Baker, Fla.

In earlier columns, a number of the Cox families were featured, and in today’s story some of these will be reviewed with additional information. Since John Henry Cox is key ancestor in the future Cox family history publication, his ancestry and descendants will be outlined.

John Henry Cox was born around 1830 in the State of Alabama. In 1848, he was married in Barbour County, Ala., to Delaney Kilpatrick (ca1934-1886). John Henry died that same year in Conecuh County, Ala. The couple was still residing in Barbour County in 1860, but they had moved to the Rose Hill community of Covington County by 1870. They had moved to Old Town in Conecuh County by 1880. John Henry was buried near there in the Sepulga River Baptist Church Cemetery.

John Henry and Delaney Cox were the parents of the following children: Thomas, b. 1848; Elijah, b. 1854, d. 1943, m. Florence Eugenia Parker (1855-1899); Jackson Clifford, b. 1855, d. 1946, m. Sarah Ann Busby; John Henry Jr., b. 1856, d. 1940, m. (1) Lovice or Louvice Almedia Hooks (1864-1930) (2) Nancy Armstrong; Queen Ann Margaret, b. 1858; Elizabeth, b. 1862, d. 1935, m. John N. Chestnut; Mary Ann, b. 1865, m. Joseph Jackson Smith; Jesse Buford, b. 1867, m. (1) Ella Moseley (2) Caroline Elizabeth Sanford; James Pinkland “Pink,” b. 1872, d. 1946, m. Eliza Jane Mosley; and Thomas Eli, b, 1875, m. Ella Viola Sikes.

The next to the oldest son, Elijah, was a farmer and reared a large family in the Florala community. In 1896, he homesteaded 40.40 acres of land in the area south of Florala. Elijah was married in 1875 in Florala to Florence Eugenia Parker, daughter of Daniel and Sara (Wise) Parker. Florence was born in 1859 in Walton County, Fla., and died in 1931 in Florala. Elijah was born in 1854 in Geneva County and died in 1943 in Florala.

Elijah and Florence were the parents of the following 13 children: William Elijah “Will,” b. 1876, d. 1936, m. 1901 Matilda Chestnut (1880-1934); Annie Elizabeth, b. 1878, d. 1966, m. 1900 Daniel William Royals; John Daniel, b. 1880, d. 1962, m. 1906 Nancy Ida Fountain; Esther, b. 1882, d. 1903, m. 1902 Thomas Russell Johnson; Julie, b. 1885, d. 1938, m. 1901 Zachariah T. Blackman; Fannie, b. 1886, d. 1917, m. 1903 Henry Lancaster; James Franklin, b. 1888, d. 1973, m. 1914 Alice Elizabeth McGehee; Robert Lee, b. 1890, d. 1954, m. Nettie Garvin; Ollie L. Sr., b. 1891, d. 1965, m. 1916 Frances Clifford Johnson; Bertha, b. 1893, d. 1979, m. 1928 Cleveland L. Harrison; Ella, b. 1895, d. 1965, m. 1956 Thomas Russell Johnson (1880-1959); Neal Royce, b. 1857, d. 1967, m. 1920 Elizabeth Josephine Clements; and Curtis Lynwood, b. 1897, d. 1981, m. 1919 Eva Lois Whitehurst.

 

The fourth son, John Henry Cox Jr., was born in Red Level and lived most of his life in that community. He was married three times with Linnie A. ? as the first wife. Ancestry.com lists a son for them, Mack David (1900-1963), but there is a son named Max, b. 1900, listed by the second wife, Sarah Kervin. He and his third wife, Louvice Almedia Hooks, had the following children: Arious Coleman, b. 1881, d. 1961; Willey Walter, b. 1883; Henry Robert Burt, b. 1884, d. 1973; James Algerinon, b. 1887, d. 1967; Kathryn Delanie, b. 1889, d. 1977; Clara C., b. 1892, d. 1972; Allie Virginia, b. 1894, d. 1990; Hettie Leota, b. 1896, d. 1989; John Hilton, b. 1898, d. 1969; and Linnie Carolyn, b. 1903, d. 1966.

 

A younger son, Jesse Buford Cox, and his wife, Ella Moseley, reared four children: Mary, b. 1890; Lena, b. 1892; John, b. 1893; and General Lee, b. 1896.

 

Next to the youngest son, James Pinkney “Pink” Cox, and his wife, Eliza Jane, resided mostly in Red Level and reared the following children: The first two’s names were not provided; George C., b. 1895; Thomas J., b. 1900; and Frank J., b. 1903.

 

Some family trees on Ancestry.com reveal some earlier generations of this family. The first ancestor found was William Cox who was born in 1736 in Greenville County, S.C. He migrated to Alabama and died here in 1814. He was married to Mary Alice Langford who was born in 1732 in Greenville County also. She died there in 1799. They were the parents of a son also named William Cox who was born in 1770 in Orange County, N.C., and he died in 1798 in Greenville, County.

This William Cox Jr. was married to Connie Baber who was born in 1760 and died in 1850. They were the parents of a son named Thomas B. Cox who was born in 1792 in Greenville County. He lived until 1857 before he died in South Carolina. He was married to Olive Mary Henderson (1795-1876). Thomas B. and Olive Mary were the parents of the main subject of this story, John Henry Cox.

The sources for this story include Ancestry.com, Cox Family Tree: Descendants of Elijah Cox and Florence Eugenia Parker Cox, which was shared by Michele Gerlach, a Cox descendant, and family records of Joyce Blalock of Baker, Fla.

Anyone who may find an error in the above genealogy is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

 

HISTORICAL MEETING:

The Covington Historical Society will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library. Guests and prospective members are encouraged to attend.