John Cox (abt. 1644 - aft. 1735)

Born about 1644 in Berkshire, England [uncertain]

Husband of Rachel Embree (Carr) Cox — married 1686 in Drayton, Berkshire, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died after 6 Sep 1735 after about age 91 in New Castle County, Delaware Colony [uncertain]

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Biography

John was a Friend (Quaker)

John's Religion Propelled Him to America

John Cox was born about 1645, probably in Berkshire, England, where he was living in 1678 when we have our first record of him. We know nothing of his early life or circumstances, only to say that he was convinced of "the Truth" as a young man and had become a Quaker, i.e a member of the Religious Society of Friends, before we find record of him. He attended the Abingdon and Drayton Monthly Meetings in the jurisdiction of Newbury, Berkshire, England. Notes of the Berkshire Quaker Meetings indicates that he was a blacksmith.

Quakerism arose during the 1650s, a time of political and religious upheaval in England and Wales. In 1646, Parliament radically reformed the Church of England by removing bishops from power and handing more authority over church affairs to local congregations. Itinerant preachers, like George Fox, who founded the Society of Friends (or Quakers), were generally tolerated during the years of the English Commonwealth (1649-1660). Fox's views were even more radical and egalitarian than the reformers in the English Church. After restoration of the monarchy in 1660, and the reintroduction of centralised authority under bishops in the Church of England, a crackdown began on Puritans, Quakers and other non-conformists who refused to attend the established Church. Dissenters faced fines and imprisonment (where some died). This persecution followed them to the New World, where four Quakers were hanged in Boston in 1659-61. King Charles II expressly forbade this practice in 1661.^[1]

Quakers believe that there is something of God in everyone and that each human being is of unique worth. Quakers value all people equally, and oppose anything that may harm or threaten them. Quakers seek religious truth in inner experience, and place great reliance on conscience as the basis of morality. They emphasize direct experience of God rather than on ritual and ceremony. They believe that priests and rituals are an unnecessary obstruction between the believer and God. Quakers integrate religion and everyday life. They believe God can be found in the middle of everyday life and human relationships, as much as during a meeting for worship.^[1]

Quaker meetings were (and are) times where members came together in reverential and prayerful silence to wait on the Lord. One or two members might rise with a testimony or verse, or the time might pass in silence. The elders brought the meeting to a close by initiating a shaking of hands with those seated closest.^[1]

Preparing Pennsylvania for Quakers and Other Dissenters

William Penn became a convinced Quaker as a youth. In 1670 his father, who was an Admiral and a very wealthy man, died. Part of William’s inheritance was a crown debt of £16,000. In 1681, in settlement of this debt he was granted 45,000 square miles of land west of the western bank of the Delaware River in the American Colonies. William went to America in 1682 and spent two years there establishing the colony of Pennsylvania. He wanted it to be a place where the Quaker ideals of equality, religious freedom, and open democratic processes could be put into practice in ways that seemed impossible in Europe. He laid the foundation for the many Quakers who followed, including John Cox some 40 years later.

John Cox in Berkshire England Monthly Meetings

20 April 1678 - Newberry & Oare MM 12 miles S of Drayton

20–2Mo(Apr) – 1678 (Newberry & Oare Monthly Meeting at Oare, 12 miles south of Drayton) A mention was made in Meeting concerning John Cox's boy. "His boy yt he is like to be placed wth John Appleton, and friends did think it might be needful to help a leetle toward providing him som cloaths, and it was left to Dorothy Anstell to see what might be needful, and accordingly friends are willing to doe for him."

This short entry into Meeting Records tells us a lot.
1) That although we have no record of a previous marriage Rachel Carr was not his first wife
2) That as of April 1678, John had a son who was old enough to be put out as an apprentice, so at least nine or ten years old.
3) The lack of attention to the boy's clothing suggests there is no woman in the household, so John is probably a widower at this point.

John was a blacksmith, so unless he had a problem with drink or gambling, vices for which he was never scolded by his fellow Friends, he should have had enough income to provide adequately for his family. But his child was ill-clothed to the point that the Friends decided to clothe the boy properly before he embarked on his apprenticeship. Perhaps I read too much into John Cox's life of endless struggle, but I wonder if he didn't have a health challenge that made the smallest tasks seem Herculean?

When was John Cox Born?

We have no records that give us John Cox's age. Estimates range from 1650 to 1675, but are any of them correct? Our 1st record of him is in 1678, when he has a son old enough to be parcelled out as an apprentice. He obviously had a 1st wife, of whom we have no record. The Drayton and Abingdon Records burned in 1780 and any records we have were preserved at other MMs.

The notice in 1678, regarding the state of his son's clothing, may have come while he was still in deep grief following his wife's death. (So let's do some conjecture, based on what little we know.) This boy, say nine years old, would have been born in 1669. Allowing a year for pregnancy, and assuming this boy was their firstborn child, John and his 1st wife would probably have married in 1668.

Data taken from birthdates of English women, and marriage certificates, reveals that between 1647-1719 the average age for women at marriage was 29.6 years. The age that men married was probably the same or a bit older. The reason for late marriage among labourers and the middle class was simple enough: it took a long time for a couple to acquire enough belongings to set up housekeeping, even in a room of their parents' home. Young love, however romantic, had to be kept in check if the couple were to survive in a world where subsistence earnings would not purchase a roof over their heads and put food on the table.^[2]

Using these figures; the 1st marriage occurring in 1668 - estimating the boy's age as nine years in 1678, and the average age of marriage for men in 1668 as 29.6. Here we go the younger end of the average. John was a blacksmith. He would have served an apprenticeship until he reached the age of 21 years and then he would have gotten a set of new clothes and a set of basic smithing tools, a hammer, chisels, and tongs. Not enough to set up his own shop, but enough to work in someone else's shop. It's possible that by the time he turned 25 he could have gotten enough money together to marry. So, if he was 25 in 1668 that brings us to a birth year of 1643. Estimated of course but as good a guess as any.

John's House Burns Down

^[3]Having seen how very difficult it was to get the furniture and household goods together to set up housekeeping, having your house burn down must have been absolutely devastating. I'm sure he was thankful that the boy was apprenticed and thus fed and housed. Over the next five months members of the Meetings he attended took up collections and raised about five pounds for him, the equivalent of just under $1,500.00 in today's money. But apparently a pound went much farther in 1681. In 1732 the Kennett Monthly Meeting had a house built for John and Rachel, at a cost of 1 Lb. 18 shillings 8 pence.

29–2 mo-(April) – 1681 (Reading Monthly Meeting at Reading, 20 miles southeast of Drayton) At ye last quarterly meeting mention was made, and agreed to make a collection towards ye Relief of a poore friend whose name is John Cox liveing near Abingdon in this county, whose house have been lately burnt down by fire whereby he has been put out of a Capacity to maintain his family. Agreed that it be proposed to friends in our publique meeting and a collection be made of friends Charity, and Returned to Rich Billingsly or Edward Harmon for ye use afore mentioned.

8-3(May)-1681 (Newberry & Oare Monthly Meeting)
Receavings: Collected for John Cox - 1 pound - 18 shillings - 9 pence

24-4mo-(jun)-1681 (Reading Monthly Meeting at Reading)
Leonard Key Delivers a Receipt under ye hand of Rich: Creed of Abingdon for 3-6-11 1/4 Collected at Reading & Windsor and paid by Leo: Key for ye use of Jno Cox Black Smith neare Abingdon whose house was burnt downe by a sudden fire.

27-4mo-(June-1681 (Newberry & Oare Monthly Meeting)
Sent to a friend at Drayton whose house was burnt 0-10-0

-6mo -(Aug)-1681 (Newberry & Oare Monthly Meeting)
Disbursements: To John Cox his house being burnt 1-18-9.

Marriage to Rachel Carr

Abingdon Records indicate John married Rachel Embree Carr in 1686, by 1688 records indicate the birth of a son, and that the family was in poor economic circumstances.

Really? Again? Naw...

In 1689 Abingdon records indicate the family's house had burned down. In the eyes of "the Friends order" he was "Out of Capacity" to maintain his family. A collection was made to the "Relief of this circumstance."

I can't find the original Abingdon records online for this period to see if this a misreading of the 1681 fire. The wording is suspiciously similar, and for now all I can say is I just don't believe it. I'll leave it in, but I think it's a misreading of the earlier information. Although it's possible it could be the work of religious zealots attacking "enemies of the faith".

1689 Act of Toleration is Passed

The Act of Toleration finally allowed Quakers and all other religious groups to worship openly. I'm sure this couldn't have come soon enough for the Society of Friends. It meant no more hiding their religious convictions, and no more prison time, torture or death for worshipping God in their own way.

Baptism of a Daughter?

I generally don't include "wrong person" items, but I'm going to include this one. Someone has included this one as the christening for Ann Cox, daughter of John and Rachel, but I will point out that Quakers do not believe in water baptism, even for adults and Quakers do not christen or baptize their infants. Having your child baptized by a priest would have been grounds for disownment by their Meeting. So this record is not our John and Rachel.

Shinfield, Berkshire, England: Ann Cox daughter of John and Rachel, christened 19 July 1696. Shinfield is about 35 miles from Drayton, Berkshire.

Off To A Brave New World

In 1707 John took steps to move his family to the New World. Before he left England a "Certificate of Removal" was drawn up by the Chawlow Monthly Meeting addressed to the Society of Friends in Pennsylvania. This certificate stated john and Rachel were free of any and all disciplinary actions or debt and were legally married.

28-6mo(Aug)-1707 (Whitney Men's Meeting at West Chalow, 7.5 m SW of Drayton)
John Cox of Draiton [indicated as being present] belonging to Abingdon meeting having as inclination to transport himselfe his wife and children into Pensilvania and desired a certificate from this monthly meeting wch is to be considered of and granted at the next meeting if no obstruction appear.

15-7mo(Sep)-1707 (Berks Quarterly at Newberry)
John Cox of Draiton proposed his intention of transporting himself, his wife and family into America at a Monthly Men’s meeting held at Chawlow on the 28-6mo last and by reason he could not stay until the next monthly meeting to have a Certificate it was proposed and considered of at this Quarterly meeting and fining all things clear, friends consented and agreed to Signe a Certificate from this meeting, wch was don by 5 or 6 friends on the behalfe of ye meeting.

This seems a good time to list John and Rachel's children:

• Richard Cox
• Sarah Cox Leech
• Joseph Cox
• John Cox Jr.

We insert here two variations to the children proposed for John Cox Jr and his wife Rachel. When John went before the Men's Monthly Meeting at Chawlow Berkshire he asked for a Certificate for himself, his wife Rachel and his children. The clerk of the Meeting does not name the children when he records that John made his application, but they are named when he produces the Certificate to the Kennett MM on 4th day, 7mo (Nov), 1708. They are sons Richard and Joseph and daughter Sarah. There are no daughters Ann and 'Amy', which most Cox researchers will recognize as the diminutive for Naomi. In 1708 Ann would have been 14 years old and Amy would have been nine; not ages to be overlooked.

As to who they were: Ann Cox Garrettson It appears that Ann was the daughter of William Cox. William Cox and Casparius Garretson were neighbors at Hockessin, Del.

Naomi 'Amy' Cox Allen is included in many lists of John and Rachel's children, but she is not theirs, as far as I can see.

^[4]On 4th, 7th mo, 1708, John Cox; wife Rachel with children Richard, Joseph & Sarah, are mentioned in the minutes of Kennet Monthly Meeting (originally called Newark MM) as having produced a certificate from “Ould England” to Kennet MM. They are said to have settled in New Castle County, Delaware, which is adjacent to Kennet Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

"A Certificate being produced to this meeting by John Cox a ffriend Lately come from Ould England, which said Certificate being read is Excepted (accepted) of by this meeting"

By the time he and his wife Rachel (Carr) arrived in PA, John Cox was about 65 years old, and they were forced to rely on their sons to build them a house and work the land.

John Jr. Arrives in Pennsylvania

Their son John Jr. remained in England as his certificate was dated thirteen months after his parents. He presented his certificate in December of 1710 to the Pennsylvania Friends. “Mo Meeting held at Center" 1710, 4th of 10 mo "At this meeting was read a Certificate on ye behalf of John Cox Junr wh'ch is excepted on it being from Old England” ^[5]

Two notable events of this family are documented in the Monthly Meetings at Abington, Pennsylvania.

^[6]First: April 5, 1712 son Richard Cox was granted certificate to Abington Monthly Meeting for the purpose of marriage to Margaret Potts.

^[7] Second: Sarah Cox was disowned for her marriage out of Unity to Richard Leach, but she returned to Unity later, either within the marriage to Leach or after his death. Sarah and Richard had at least one son, Thomas, who married in the Sadsbury Meeting, Lancaster Co. PA on 2 Mo 17, 1739, Sarah Boyd, daughter of Irish Friends John and Jane (Bell) Boyd.

Abstracts from the Minutes of Kennett MM (formerly Newark) 1698 - 1791

^[8]

Pg. 35, 4, 7mo, 1708 -- A certificate being produced to this meeting by John Cox a friend lately come from Ould England, which said certificate being read is excepted [sic] by this meeting.

Pg. 39, 12 mo, 1708/09 -- This meeting appoints Abraham Marshall and John Cox to attend the Quarterly meeting.

John Cox Sr was disowned for 'gross evil enormities & overt evil acts of fraud'
Newark MM on 7 12M 1712/3
This left John Jr. to care for his parents, but there were complaints of drunkenness and failure to pay debts on John Jr's part and the elder Cox's were again forced to ask for charity from the Kennett Friends. It is apparent that the lives of John and Rachael Cox were full of hardship and poverty. 

John Disowned
Pg. 57, 7mo, 1712/13 -- Whereas John Cox, Sr. having of late been taken over in some such gross evils innormitys & overt acts as are not warrantable or agreeable to ye principles of ye people among whom he lately congregated as a member, therefore this meeting thinks fit to disown him, ye said John Cox as not be a member of meeting of friends until such time as he shall by good life & conversation walk answerable to the profession of truth.

John Apologizes
Pg. 103, 12mo, 1718 -- John Cox, Sr. having requested of this meeting a reconsilliation of his former offenses which by reason of weakness of body, that he now lies under, he not appearing this meeting appoints Abraham Marshall, Thos. Wikersham, Joel Bailey & Wm. Webb to go & confer with him & to draw up a paper as they shall see convenient & publish in their weekday meeting & make report to next meeting. others, but thereby have brought reproach upon myself & also a scandel [sic] upon that holy profession of which I have been a partaker of & being in the Lord’s goodness once more offered to me, made sensible of my duty, give this as a testimony for the clearing of truth & the reproach cast upon my innocent friends can do no less but with humbleness of heart acknowledge my fault & do hereby give this as my testimony against myself condemning the said evil as being inconsistent with the profession of the people called Quakers, as witness my hand ....
John Cox

John Accepted back into Fellowship after Apologizing

Pg. 105- 2mo, 1719- For as much as I, John Cox, Sr., having some time past been found in very gross evils of fraud which is not justifiable by any of the people called Quakers & others, but thereby have brought reproach upon myself & also a scandel [sic] upon that holy profession of which I have been a partaker of & being in the Lord’s goodness once more offered to me, made sensible of my duty, give this as a testimony for the clearing of truth & the reproach cast upon my innocent friends can do no less but with humbleness of heart acknowledge my fault & do hereby give this as my testimony against myself condemning the said evil as being inconsistent with the profession of the people called Quakers, as witness my hand ....
John Cox

4day 11mo 1722
Chester PA, Kennett Monthly Meeting, Women’s Meeting Minutes
Rachel Cox being reduced to a low condition therefore this meeting have produced a blanket and a wast Cole (waist coat) to supply her want to the sum of one pound five shillings and six pence.

^[9] Through the sale of their land in Kennett, Pennsylvania, we learn that John and Rachel were next neighbours to William and Letitia Penn. and that in 1727 they sold their 200 acre parcel of land to Robert Carter for the equivalent of $36,130.15 in today's money.

October 4, 1727
John Cox and Rachel his wife, for 130 pounds, grant to Robert Carter, a tract of land in Kennett Pennsylvania, bounded by Letetia [sic] and William Penn's Manor, containing 200 acres of land. Dated October 4, 1727, Signed - John Cox and Rachel Cox Deed Book -E:

7 Dec 1728
Kennett Women's Mtg held at Kennett, Chester Co, PA Friends purchased a new riding hood, 7 yards of ^[10](o)senbrigs and a new pair of shoes for the use of Rachel Coks, paid for by the meeting.

3day 6mo 1728 - request for cert of removal to Gywnedd MM by dau-in-law Margaret (Potts) Cox -

Pg. 262- 4, 9mo, 1732- Kennett Prep reports to meeting that John Cox & his wife wants relief, therefore this meeting appoints Abe Marshall, Peter Collings, Wm. Harvey, Ellis Lewis, Christopher Willson& Gayon Miller to see how affairs is with them.

By 1732, with John 88 and Rachel 16 years younger, they were entirely reliant on their children. From all indications they were still the poorest family in the township. With only a "small" family, their support structure was shaky at best.

The Friends of the monthly meetings were still charitable to the elders of the Cox family. It is suspected that they moved in with their daughter Sarah and her second husband Robert Hoare, although Robert was in poor financial condition himself and unable to be of much financial assistance. But shortly after this, Sarah requested a "Certificate of Removal" of the New Garden Monthly Meeting, and she and her family moved to Salisbury Township, leaving her parents behind.

One can hardly imagine the distress of this elderly couple, with no home, no place to stay - deserted by their own children. The entire story will never be known of course. They may not have been the best parents, and in old age they may have reaped what they had sown. But we long to cast a kindly eye on these our ancestors, parents of many thousands. I wonder if knowing how many descendants they would have 300 years down the line would have made their burden lighter?

Kennet MM Helps John and Rachel
Pg. 265- 3, 10mo. 1732- Four of the friends appointed to investigate the circumstances of John Cox & his wife who asked for help from the Kennett MM and reported that they investigated and found that the Coxes need a house to live in and they ordered one too be build, but it is not yet finished. An account of the final costs will be presented at the next Monthly Meeting.

Pg. 267-12mo., 1732- Accomplishment of the charge of the building of John Coxes house; 1 Lb. 18 shillings 8 pence. Meeting orders it be paid out of the MM stock.

Chester, PA, Kennett MM, Sept 6 1735: Friends sent Thomas Chandler and Abraham Marshall to discern what further needs John and Rachel Cox had and report how they might be met at the next meeting.

Their faith community supported them, even through John's frequent strayings from the Truth. Rachel was quiet and steadfast in her faith. No 'Women's Committee' ever needed to question her about her commitment.

This is the last mention of either John or Rachel. We do not know when either of them died. Early Quakers believed that tombstones were ostentatious, and if graves were marked at all, it was with a fieldstone, occasionally with the person's initials chiseled into it, but nothing else. We assume they died in Chester, PA and were buried in the Kennett Cemetery adjacent to the Meeting House.

John was NOT a son of Thomas Cox of London

There is much confusion about the parentage of John Cox, with many claiming him to be the son of Thomas Cox, wealthy Vinter of the White Lion in Whitechapel, London and his third wife Christian Matthews of London, early associates of William Penn. However a close examination of all the extant evidence proves this is not the case.

George Fox attended the Marriage of a daughter of Thomas Cox at Devonshire House and accompanied the couple to South Street, where it is probable that there was another Cox home (search has been made for a record of this marriage - but it has not been found). Cox's daughter, Christian, married Lascelles Metcalfe in Devonshire House in 1691.

Thomas Cox's will was executed in 1709 and probated in 1711. He left his son, Thomas, "two tenements lately built in the Burying Ground of the people called Quakers. To this same son, he left 800 of his 920 acres of land in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, in trust for his six children,

And; To my son John Cox 100 Pounds Sterling and 400 acres on a branch of Cooper's creek, Gloucester/Co., West New Jersey.

To my son-in-law Lasselles Metcalfe and Christian his wife, my daughter. 100 Pounds Sterling and my shares to the Penna. Land Co. and the First Old Penna. Co., and in trust for their children, 100 Pounds Sterling which I disbursed to assist William Penn in his compostion with Fred Forde.

Codicil of 13 Dec 1711. Pr. 14 Mar 1712 by affirmation of the relicit. (PROB 11/526/46)

But Thomas Cox's' son John Cox either sold or disposed of the property left him by his father in Gloucester/Co., West New Jersey. He *did not emigrate to the Colonies*. John Cox's will was probated 02 November 1763, in London, England. There is no mention of wife or children in his will. His executor was his nephew, Lasselles Metcalfe.
Will of John Cox, pro. 02 Nov 1763, London, England. TNA, PRO, PROB 11/893.

In other words, John Cox of London, son of Thomas, died at least 55 years after John Cox of Drayton, Berkshire had emigrated to Pennsylvania, and 20 years after John Cox the on-again-off-again Quaker died in Chester Pennsylvania.

John Cox of London named no wife or children in his will, while John Cox of Kennett MM of Chester PA had four children who survived him, sons Richard, John, and daughters Ann and Sarah, and he had many grandchildren. He lived a life of hardship, almost certainly poor health or crippling injury, and in need of almost constant support from his family and faith community while John Cox of London lived the life of the son of a privileged man.

Sources:

Footnotes:

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Quakers, BBC.co.uk, 3 Jul 2009. This article gives a good summary of Quaker beliefs and religious practices, as well as their history.
2. ↑ The age of marriage, Internet Shakespeare Editions, 4 Jan 2011 (accessed 22 Apr 2024).
3. ↑ Eric W. Nye, Pounds Sterling to Dollars: Historical Conversion of Currency, accessed Friday, April 19, 2024, https://www.uwyo.edu/numimage/currency.htm.
4. ↑ Swarthmore, Quaker Meeting Records. Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Kennett Monthly Meeting, Chester Pennsylvania, Kennett Monthly Men's Meeting; Births and Deaths, 1686-1739; 1708,
5. ↑ Religion: Quaker, received by NewarK MM, Kennett PA 4th 10 mo 1710
6. ↑ Myers, Albert Cook. Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania 1682-1750. Swarthmore, PA, USA: Albert Myers Cook, 1902.
7. ↑ Abingdon MM Minutes , 1682-1746 , microfilm, Swarthmore College. Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Births and Deaths, 1686-1739; Collection: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: MR-Ph 267
8. ↑ Two-hundredth anniversary of the founding of London Grove Meeting by the Society of Friends at London Grove, Pennsylvania. 1714-1914 at London Grove Pennsylvania, Tenth Month third, 1914; Rushmore, Jane Palen, b. 1864; Society of Friends. London Grove Monthly Meeting (Chester County, Pennsylvania : Hicksite)
9. ↑ Eric W. Nye, Pounds Sterling to Dollars: Historical Conversion of Currency, [1]
10. ↑ Osnaburg, a coarse fiber made of linen used for working class and slave clothing.

See also:

• Notes on John Cox, "My Genealogy Home Page: Information about John Cox" (Genealogy.com) (accessed 22 Apr 2024).