Sarah P. (Worrell) Cox (abt. 1795 - 1849)

Born about 1795 in Grayson County,Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of John C. Phillips — married before 1812 (to about 1820) in Montgomery, Virginia, United States

Wife of Luke Cox — married 7 Sep 1842 (to 1849) in Floyd, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Dec 1849 at about age 54 in Indian Valley, Floyd County, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Sarah was born about 1795 the daughter of Amos and Ellen Roberts Worrell. She died on 1 December 1849 in Floyd County, Virginia.^[1] Sarah was first married to John C. Phillips (1775- ?) in 1812. "She had four children by John before she left him for Luke Cox."^[2] It was rumored that John Phillips "disappeared", Elza Cox noted, in his book, he may have went to England. She then took up with Luke Cox in about 1820 - most likely based on the birth date of Amos Cox. She's buried in the Wade-Phillips Cemetery along with her son Robert Phillips and youngest daughter Ruth Cox Wade.^[3]

Research Notes

Elza Cox noted her middle initial as P. in his cemetery book. Her grave marker needs to be found to verify but there is no doubt Elza recorded the information correctly while doing his cemetery surveys. Is Sally's middle name Penelope after her mother?

See Luke's profile for much more detail on his and Sally's relationship.
There is a marriage bond dated 21 September 1841 in Floyd County and a minister's return that dates Luke and Sarah's marriage as 7 September 1842.^[4] Several court records substantiate Elza Cox's book reference to Sarah and Luke and prove a relationship much earlier than their marriage.
March Term 1825, Tuesday the first day of March
"The grand jury returned into court ..." (continued) "... and an Indictment against Luke Cox and Sally Phillips, wife of John Philips for adultery "a True Bill" and having nothing further to present were discharged."
(continued) "... Luke Cox and Sally Philips wife of John Philips who severely stand indicted by the grand jury be summoned to appear here on the first day of June court next to answer the said indictments respectively."
Present John Pepper Gent.^[5]

There are additional court records in addition to the order books that include summonses and some more detail concerning this indictment.^[6] The charge is eventually dropped in March 1826. Although their marriage took place years later, the court records and DNA evidence prove a relationship much earlier.

Birth year should be researched. FamilySearch has 1790, data field for the profile says 1791, Find A Grave Memorial says 1795 (no source), biography states 1795. There's conflicting unreliable sources for these dates. The U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 from ancestry. com (cited below) are questionable at best. A better guess for her birth year would be to fit her in with her siblings known birth years.

Another note, DNA supports Sarah being the mother of all seven of Luke's children. Besides sources indicating Sarah as mother on the children's records that required a mother's name. Amos Cox for example, born 1821, Luke and Sally are recorded as his parents on his death certificate in 1896. And she is the mother of John's four children. Luke and Sarah not being married before 1842 seems irrelevant. Luke also signs marriage bonds for his 4 step children and both Luke and Sarah appear on a marriage consent for Robert Phillips in 1833.

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62679802/sarah-cox: accessed 9 August 2023), memorial page for Sarah “Sally” Worrell Cox (1795–1 Dec 1849), Find a Grave Memorial ID 62679802, citing Wade - Phillips Cemetery, Indian Valley, Floyd County, Virginia
2. ↑ Ambrose N. Cox Sr. Descendants 1772-1972 by Elza B. Cox, Copyright 1973 by Elza B. Cox, page 16
3. ↑ Cemeteries, Floyd (Montgomery) County, VA: Indian Valley District, Volume 1, page 9, by Elza B. Cox and Phyllis G. Phillips Published in 1979
4. ↑ Floyd County Virginia Court Clerk, loose marriage bonds, minister's returns, 1831-1842, FCVA 1841-27, FCVA 1842-07
5. ↑ Montgomery County Virginia Order Book no. 23, 1825-1827, pages 16, 61, 82, 85,153
6. ↑ Montgomery County Court Clerk, Superior Court of Law, Judgements File, 1823-1826

• FamilySearch person ID, LHKF-6KP

• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
  View record Record details

Name Sarah Worrell Gender Female Birth Place VA Birth Year 1801 Spouse Name John C Phillips Spouse Birth Place VA Spouse Birth Year 1775 Marriage Year 1812 Number Pages 1

• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
  View record

Record details Name Sarah Worrell Gender Female Birth Place VA Birth Year 1790 Spouse Name John C Phillips Spouse Birth Place VA Spouse Birth Year 1775 Number Pages 1

• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
  Name: Sarah Worrell

Gender: Female Birth Place: VA Birth Year: 1801 Spouse Name: Luke Cox Spouse Birth Place: VA Spouse Birth Year: 1794 Marriage Year: 1820

Note, especially for the above records;
These marriage records, cited from ancestry.com, are flawed in what they used to compile the data, relying on family trees also for information. These records do not exist in Montgomery County or Virginia state vital records for that matter. These so called records are misleading and just a compilation of several sources, whether the source is fact based or not. The marriage record in 1820 for Luke and Sarah absolutely does not exist and was sourced from family trees that obviously lacked any evidence whatsoever. There has not been an actual marriage record found for John Phillips and Sarah Worrell to date. She is recorded as "wife of John Phillips" in court records. A possibility to search is Grayson county marriage records.

Acknowledgments

This person was created through the import of Blickensderfer.ged on 09 February 2011.