William Perry Cox (1827 - 1870)

Born 20 Nov 1827 in Pulaski, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Cynthia Ann (Hail) Cox — married 4 Mar 1852 (to 1870) in Pulaski, Kentucky

Descendants

Died 30 Oct 1870 at age 42 in St. Charles, St. Charles, Missouri, United States

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Biography

Private William Cox served in the United States Civil War.
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 16th Kentucky Infantry

William Perry Cox was born November 20, 1827, in Pulaski County, Kentucky, to parents Franklin William Cox and Mariah (Clare) Cox.

The following was written by his son, Henry Jefferson Cox: "My father, William Perry Cox, married Cynthia Anne Hail, and his eldest brother, Marcellus Cox, married Susannah Hail; all of whom were residents of Pulaski County, Kentucky. Both families continued to live in Kentucky till the fall of 1863; at which time, there were five children in each family. In Uncle Marcellus' family...Their mother had died three years before. My father and uncle were both farmers; and hoping to find better farming conditions, moved together from their native state in two-horse covered wagons, a distance of several hundred miles; and time spent on the road, approximately six weeks. The two wagons were pretty well loaded with ten youngsters. We passed over three states and three large rivers before reaching our goal, or destination; which was St. Charles County, in East Missouri, eighteen miles north of St. Louis, and two miles west of the Mississippi River. River-bottom land there at that time was priced at one hundred dollars per acre; too high for the farmer of ordinary means to purchase. Both families rented farming land. My uncle...moved...to the 'Lone Star' state. My father thought it best to remain in East Missouri in St. Charles County and had rented a 400-acre farm home on which there was a 50-acre orchard, also a large residence (three story), and a sufficient number of rooms to accommodate three or four families. During our last four years there, my father put in a large acreage to crops; corn, hay and broom-corn; and kept five or six hired helpers all the time. He also dealt heavily in live stock; mules, cattle and hogs. However, the Mississippi river bottoms soon proved to be very unhealthy. In the fall of 1866, I suffered a long, serious siege of typhoid fever; the after effects of which left me a life-long cripple. In 1867, my eldest brother, James Franklin, aged 13 years and 10 months, died, following a few weeks sickness of typhoid. Then, only three years thereafter, in August 1872, my father, aged 42 years and 10 months, was stricken with fever, and he too, within a few weeks, passed away."^[1]

Timeline

• 1830 U. S. Census: Only (Franklin) William Cox, head of household named, check marks show 3 sons under age of 5 (Marcellus, 4, William Perry, 3, and Ballard, 1). Mother Mariah noted by a check mark for female between age 20-30. They lived in Pulaski County, Kentucky. No slaves. Total in household was 5.^[2]
• 1852 Kentucky County Marriages 1797-1954: William P. Cox married Cynthia Ann Hail on March 4, 1852, with consent of father, Christopher Hail, witnessed by John S. Cox.^[3]
• 1860 U. S. Census: William P., age 31, lived in Pulaski, Kentucky, with wife Cyntha (sic) A., age 25, and 4 children: James F., 6, Christopher M., 4, May M., 2, and Henry J., age 3 months. Also present was William H. Godbey, cousin, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, age 20. William's occupation was farmer, value of real estate was $2000, personal estate $500.Notr on 1860 Slave Schedule. ^[4]
• 1861-1865 United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865: William P. Cox was a member of the 16th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, Company. He fought for the Union. Rank upon entering: Private. Upon leaving: Private. ^[5]
• 1870 U. S. Census: William P., age 41, lived in Portage Des Sioux Township, Missouri, with wife Sante (sic) A., 38, and children Christopher, 14, Mary M., 12, Henry J., 10, Daniel W., 8, William P., 6, and Maria E., 2. William did not own his farm, but had a personal estate valued at $2000. All family members were born in Kentucky, except William P. and Maria E., born in Missouri. Christopher, Mary, Henry and Daniel attended school. Living with them were John Yocum, 30, born in Tennessee; John Harrison, 19, born in Kentucky; and John Baker, 30, born in Tennessee. All three were farm laborers.^[6]
• 1870: William Perry Cox died October 30, 1870 and was buried in United Methodist Cemetery, St Charles, Missouri. "William Perry Cox was the son of Franklin William and Mariah (Clare) Cox. He married Cynthia Ann Hail on March 4, 1852, in Pulaski County, Kentucky. [Source of burial record: Cemeteries of St. Charles County, Missouri, Vol 2, pg 189, published May 13, 2008. As of 2014, stone is no longer visible.]" Find A Grave: Memorial #125837766 ^[7]

• NOTE: 1890 William H. Godby, cousin, served as a Private in Company A, 12th Regiment Kentucky Infantry, enlisted January 30, 1861, discharged 1864 after serving 3 years. In 1890 he lived in Somerset, Kentucky and was rheumatism crippled.^[8] NOTE: Lived with William Perry Cox in 1860

Sources

1. ↑ Biographical Sketches of the COX AND HAIL FAMILIES, by Henry Jefferson Cox, 1940, p. 4. ASIN: B0006CHBP4, currently out of print
2. ↑ United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XH53-X92 : 12 August 2017), William Cox, Pulaski, Kentucky, United States; citing 20, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 41; FHL microfilm 7,820.
3. ↑ Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FWRX-Z5H : accessed 25 April 2018), William P. Cox and Cyntha Ann Hail, 04 Mar 1852; citing , Pulaski, Kentucky, United States, Madison County Courthouse, Richmond; FHL microfilm 804,052.
4. ↑ United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZBZ-3ZQ : 14 December 2017), William P Cox, 1860.
5. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=88AD2B91-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A
6. ↑ United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M4XV-L9X : 12 April 2016), William P Cox, Missouri, United States; citing p. 246, family 1, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,305.
7. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 24 April 2018), memorial page for William Perry Cox (20 Nov 1827–3 Oct 1870), Find A Grave: Memorial #125837766, citing United Methodist Cemetery, Saint Charles, St. Charles County, Missouri, USA ; Maintained by Heartsong (contributor 48040541) .
8. ↑ Pulaski Co., Ky Special Schedule War of the Rebellion Survivors and Widows: