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John Clinton Cox and Sarah Jane (Jennie) Fisher Body Cox

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John Clinton Cox & Jennie Fisher Cox and Their Family. Part One


'I made a trip to Monticello cemetery a while back purposely to photograph John Clinton Cox’s stone and that of his family...his 2nd family that is. In fact, I have never been to my great-grandfather’s grave in my life before this.

The picture above that shows a line of stones in a row are all Coxes. Starting from the right is John Clinton Cox, Sarah Jane (Jennie) Cox, Earl Cox, Fred Lusley Cox, Jesse Cox & Jesse’s wife, Florence Loar Cox. I thought there was something perversely poetic about the way that John Cox’s large monument throws such a shadow over Jennie’s stone that unless you stand right above it, it is rendered unreadable. I’m not sure poetic is the right word. I don’t believe there is anything poetic about a man’s shadow casting a woman into darkness. However, there is a kind of irony about the whole thing since I believe that Jennie’s life is reflected by the lay out and the consequent over-shadowing by her husband.

Born April 12, 1856, Sarah Jane “Jennie” was the daughter of Reuben Fisher and Catherine Miller. Her mother died when Sarah was very young so that her father brought her and her brother, William Miller Fisher to Piatt county, Illinois when Jennie was about 3 years old. The 1860 census shows that they were living with Reuben’s brother, Ebenezer Petty Fisher. Ebenezer was the long time sheriff for Piatt co., Illinois.

Jennie had eight children all together, two were the children of Joseph Body and six were the children of John Clinton Cox. Jennie married Joseph Body on her 19th birthday, April 12, 1875 at Piatt co., Illinois. Joseph Body abandoned Jennie and their 2 boys probably around 1884 or before...they were all living in Bement, Piatt co., Illinois at the time. I did manage to locate Joseph in the Kansas City, Missouri directory for 1884, working as a barber which is what he did in Bement. His address was Rms 215, James, Kansas City, Kansas. He died 3 years later at his residence on 5th and Morgan st. on August 11, 1887 of syphilis and remittent fever. He was attended by Dr. H. C. Dalton and was buried at Pottersfield in Kansas City on November 18, 1887. Joseph Body, the barber from England was penniless and dead at the age of 36. John Clinton Cox probably looked like a gem compared to Joseph. And, he probably was.


John Clinton Cox and Jennie Fisher Cox and Their family. Part Two I can see that I need to get better pictures. There are two rows of Cox’s...(and Body’s) as it turns out. This row that starts with William Charles Body is in front of the row that John Clinton, Jennie, Earl, and the rest belong to. We have William Charles Body, then we have Albert Reuben Body who does not have a stone and then we have James Edward Cox and his wife, Rachel Fry Cox.

For now though, we will focus on William. I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that William’s 28 short years on this earth were not the happiest. Born October 16, 1876 to Joseph and Sarah Jane Fisher Body at Piatt county, Illinois. William died August 1, 1904 at Jacksonville, Morgan county, Illinois at what was commonly referred to as the “insane asylum.”

At the time William was born and for many years afterward, there were many members of the Body family that lived in Bement, Piatt co., Illinois where Joseph and Jennie Fisher Body lived. And yet, I cannot place Joseph, William or Albert with any of them. They all hailed from England as did Joseph. The difference was that they were all upstanding, successful people...in some cases Very Successful. Perhaps they disowned Joseph. Surely there is a relationship but I am at a loss to be able to find it.

I did find an interesting little article dated September 25, 1881 in the Decatur Morning Herald; “Perrie Roberts, who had been working in Joe Body’s barber shop departed suddenly on Monday morning, in arrears to the Park hotel man for a week’s board. He is supposed to have gone to Effingham......Mr. W. G.”Rather odd to me that first Perrie takes off and then Joseph is gone as well. Anyway. Jennie married the 2nd time to John Clinton Cox and William and Albert were thrown into the home of a man who seemed to care little for his own children much less the children of his 2nd wife. No sooner were John and Jennie married then John & Jennie’s own children started to arrive like clockwork.

According to the newspapers from Piatt county and Decatur, Macon county, Illinois, William went insane after surgery for appendicitis that was evidently caused by a fall. One article from the Daily Review (Decatur, Illinois) June 3, 1901 tells it’s readers that “William Body of White Heath came to the home of his aunt, Mrs. Mary Jones, last Friday. The same day Drs. Tidball and Caldwell operated on him for appendicitis. Body is doing nicely.” His aunt, Mrs. Mary Jones, was John Clinton Cox’s sister.

On June 17, 1901, the Daily Review once again reports on William Body’s condition...”William body, who was operated on three weeks ago, was taken to his home near White Heath, Sunday afternoon. He is mentally deranged from his illness, but it is hoped only temporarily.” By now summer has inched it’s way into early fall and the Daily Review reports on September 27, 1901 “Ed Duvall, J. H. Luscaleet, Charles Mitchell and John Cox Sr., of White Heath, were in the city Thursday on account of the insanity case from Sangamon township.

SANITY PROCEEDINGS...William Body of Sangamon township was tried as to his sanity in the county court before Judge Shonkwiler and upon the testimony of several witnesses and two doctors he was adjudged insane. Sheriff Woolington took him to Jacksonville Thursday afternoon.”

It was a “fait accompli”....William Body would remain there until his death on August 1, 1904. Surely death was a blessing, an answer to a prayer in fact. Back in those days it did not take much to get committed to an insane asylum. The papers are full of just such incidents. And the Jacksonville Insane Asylum was notorious for the dreadful treatment people received there.

When William died his brother and H. M. Curl went to Jacksonville and brought William’s body home. The funeral was held on the 3rd of August at the U. B. church at White Heath under the auspices of the MWA...which I think is something to do with the Masons or the Modern Woodsmen.

James Edward Cox...Born February 28, 1892, the 3rd child of John and Jennie Fisher Cox. He was 28 years old when he married Rachel Frye on February 2, 1921. James would outlive all of his brothers and sisters whole and half. James was 92 years old when he passed on March 28, 1985 at the Piatt county Nursing Home. His wife, Rachel, preceded him in death on April 8, 1970.

"James Edward Cox, 93, of Monticello died Thursday, March 28, 1985 in the Piatt County Nursing Home, Monticello. Graveside services were held Sunday in Monticello Cemetery. Mr. Cox was born February 28, 1892 at White Heath, s/o John and Sarah Jane Fisher Cox. He married Rachel Frye on February 2, 1921 at Champaign. She died April 8, 1970. Survivors include two daughters: Mrs. Helen (Jack) Muse and Mrs. Mary Ellen (Norman) Hammerschmidt, both of Monticello; six grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by four brothers, one sister and one granddaughter. Mr. Cox was a retired carpenter. He was a veteran of World War I. Memorials may be made to the Piatt County Nursing Home."

Albert, whose grave is inbetween James and William but has no stone to mark his entrance and exit from this worldly existence died March 10, 1958. But, Albert managed to live to the age of 77 years...if he could have hung on for another 15 days he would have been 78 years old. His birthday was March 25, 1880, It appears that he never married which may account for his longevity. He mostly lived on the farm with Jennie and whatever other brothers were living there at the time. I don’t believe that Jennie was ever on her own at the farm what with the sons that lived with her most of the time. I don’t know much about Albert at this time either but I continue to search and when I learn something I will share it. I hope you all will do the same!

For some reason, Albert Body is not mentioned in this obituary and he was very much alive. I would love to know who wrote this obituary because in the recounting of those who preceded Jennie in death, they also left William Body out of the count. William had died even before John Clinton Cox did... family dynamics can often be more censorious and painful than the cruelty of strangers.

In reality, Jennie outlived 3 of her children; William Body, Eva Cox Robbins and Earl Cox. Not to mention that she had 5 living children; Albert Body and Jesse, Elmer, James & Fred Cox. Earl H. Cox, son of John & Jennie Cox was the baby of the family. Somehow it is fitting that he be buried next to his mother. Born August 30, 1901 and died March 4, 1934. I have yet to learn what happened to Earl except that he died in Champaign, Champaign co., Illinois. There was no obituary in local papers or in the Decatur papers. I have checked and double checked what papers are available to me. There is a snippet in the Monticello Piatt County Bulletin of March 8, 1934 from White Heath that says a large crowd attended Earl’s funeral held at the U. B. church Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. The services were conducted by the pastor of the Christian church in Tuscola, assisted by the Rev. Lester Honderich, Pastor of the U. B. church here. Earl never married and according to the 1930 census he was a roomer at the home of G. W. Burnett. Earl drove a taxi for a living that year.

Fred Lusley Cox was the oldest son of John and Jennie Cox, born August 11, 1886 at Champaign, Champaign co., Illinois and died February 26, 1965 at Kirby hospital in Monticello. For all of his life, until December 1, 1965, when he was moved to the Piatt County Nursing Home, Fred had lived on the family farm in Sangamon township, Piatt co., Illinois. He never married.

Jesse Ernest Cox lies next to his brother Fred in this orderly line of Cox family members. Jesse was born October 17, 1894, Sangamon, Piatt co., Illinois, the 4th child in order of birth. He died April 2, 1979 at Philo, Champaign, Illinois. He married Florence Eura Loar on July 20, 1912 at Piatt county, Illinois. Florence was the daughter of Zachariah and Martha Jane Line Loar of Kearney, Nebraska. Born January 28, 1896, Florence died February 9, 1973 at Philo, Champaign, Illinois. Evidently Florence changed her middle name at some point, whether legally or not is yet to be discovered. I couldn’t possibly have made up the middle name of “Eura” if I lived to be 500 years old. I actually just noticed the different name on her tombstone. Anyway, Florence and Jesse went on to have 7 children of their own; John, Eva, Irene, Velma, Edna, Donald and Dorothy. Donald and Dorothy were twins.


John Clinton Cox and Jennie Fisher Cox and Their Family. Part Three So...to continue with John and Jennie’s children...there were 2 children who were not buried in the family lots at Monticello; Eva Belle Cox & Elmer Daniel Cox.

Eva Belle (or Delle according to some sources)...although her stone clearly indicates that her middle initial was “B” was born December 16, 1888 at Ivesdale, Piatt co., Illinois according to the Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths Index 1916-1947. Eva was the only daughter that Jennie had. Eva married Robert Roy Robbins on December 18, 1912 at Champaign, Champaign co., Illinois. The lived in Champaign county all of their lives if the census is any indicator...from Scott to Urbana to Philo. Together they had 5 children; Lyle, Mildred, Marjorie, Maxine Laverne and Dorothy. Eva died December 1, 1940 at Champaign, Champaign co., Illinois. Eva is buried at Mount Olive Cemetery at Mayview, Champaign co., Illinois.

It isn’t easy to find out much about Eva...a couple of small articles and a bit about her in Marie’s diary....It was when she and Charlotte went to Illinois to visit; “8-6-40 Clear and cooler. This has been a lovely day. We stopped at Aunt Mollie’s and ate our breakfast staid with her an hour or so then on to Greenfield to see Carrie a few minutes and then on to see Aunt Emm. Left there at 11:15 and traveled on to Ill’s & Eva’s by 10 to 7 in evening. We ate our supper and spent an enjoyable evening with them. Char: went on to town with the girls now we’re ready for bed.

“8-7-40 Clear and pleasant. Went with Eva and the girls to see Maxine’s baby. Then on to Urbana and Marjorie gave me a permanent. Cost me $4.00. Then on to White Heath and got to Atha’s about three in afternoon. Char: & I & Stella walked around town. Saw several old friends. After supper Luther Atha Char: Mrs. Cowherd and I went to Monticello to a band concert. Saw Faye, Cloyd, Hazel and children. Came home and now for bed.” This was just about 4 months before Eva died. In fact, Marie mentions that on her entry for December 3, 1940...”Had a letter or card today telling of Eva’s death on Dec. 1st.”

      • notes...I had to laugh about the perm...remembering that Marie complained about the cost of a perm she had got a few years before and $4.00 must have seemed like an enormous price! Especially when it was her niece giving it to her. She does not say another word about the perm. The only Stella I can think of that went walking around White Heath with Marie and Charlotte would have been my great aunt Stella Bushee, my grandmother’s sister. Faye must have been my aunt Faye...and Cloyd, Hazel and children are Fisher’s.

I can’t tell you much about Eva’s children either. Lyle, born March 15, 1914 at Seymour evidently never married, wound up in Mattoon, Coles co., Illinois where he died July 5, 2001. I can’t find anything about Mildred or Marjorie at this time...but I will keep looking! Maxine Laverne, born October 31, 1920 at Urbana, died January 28, 2007 at St. Joseph, Champaign co., Illinois. She was married to Harold Henry Ruwe who worked on the railroad and died August 27, 1988. I do not know whether or not they had children. And I know nothing about the youngest....Dorothy Robbins.

Elmer Daniel Cox, born December 15, 1895 at Piatt co., Illinois. He is the grandfather of one of our members; Christine Cox Jewell. Elmer married Olive Edith Cooper December 30, 1925 at Champaign county, Illinois. Elmer served in WWI in the 1st Machine Gun Battalion both in France and Germany. He served his country honorably and I thank him sincerely for his service. Elmer and his family lived in Sidney, Champaign county, Illinois for quite a while until they moved to Pontiac, Livingston co., Illinois where he worked as a prison guard. Olive preceded Elmer in death. She died in 1954. They had 4 children together; Delores Maxine Cox, Lois Mae Cox, Willard Ray Cox & Wayne Elbert Cox (the father of Christine Cox Jewell). Delores, born February 6, 1921 at Piper City, Ford co., Illinois, died June of 1991 was married first to John Darrell Webber. She married the 2nd time to Leslie E. Krutsinger. I cannot find that Delores had any children.

Lois Mae Cox, born October 25, 1926 at Sidney, Champaign co., Illinois. Lois died November 10, 2012 at Savoy, Champaign co., Illinois. She was married to Marion M. Brownfield who preceded her in death. They had 3 children together; Sherry Lee, Claudia Lois and Mark...all 3 have passed away.

Willard Ray Cox, born May 5, 1928 at Champaign county, Illinois. Willard died September 4, 2013 at Champaign, Champaign co., Illinois. Willard served in Korea with the United States Army. He was married to Dorothy Kinnaird.

Wayne Elbert Cox, born March 23, 1930 at Sidney, Champaign co., Illinois. , Wayne died November 3, 1980 at Champaign. He was married to Janet Murrey. They had 5 children together; Max Wayne, Martha Jane, Christine Elaine, Matthew Wayne and Daniel Wayne.'





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