Samuel Cox, son of Jacob Cox and (probably) Mary Coleman, was born in Halifax County, Virginia, in 1770. During his early years, his family moved back and forth across the Virginia/North Carolina border, and before he was old enough to remember, his oldest brother, Phillip was getting married.
It was a time of upheaval in the world around him. Those living where his parents had settled were often in danger of attack from Native Americans. There was talk of overthrowing the government so that the colonies could establish a country of their own. Emotions ran high wherever people gathered, and before Samuel was 10 he had two brothers who had gone off to fight in the War of Independence.
At about that time, 1780, Samuel’s father had gotten a land grant in new territory that was, again, on the edge of the world that separated European settlers from Native Americans. The new land was officially North Carolina, but that would be in dispute for the next decade or so as it first became the declared State of Franklin before finally becoming Tennessee. It appears, in fact, that Samuel and his father may have signed the petition requesting separation from North Carolina and the establishment of Franklin.
In 1788, Samuel turned 18, and his father sold him the land where the family was living. We don’t know why Samuel had this opportunity. Phillip had come back to live nearby, but about this time decided to head to the southern border of North Carolina where his in-laws lived. Thomas, the second brother to have fought in the war, was also living a good distance away, never having migrated to Tennessee with his family. Jacob, Jr., another brother, who was just a couple of years older than Samuel, had chosen to settle a few miles further north. Maybe Samuel was just the next son in line who could take care of the place as Jacob, Sr. neared his 60th birthday. We know that a brother-in-law, John Talley, witnessed the deed, and later bought land very where Samuel’s land. For whatever reason, Samuel now owned 200 acres of land but had no family.
Two years later, Samuel traveled back to Halifax County, Virginia, to get married. This is another mystery from his life. Catherine Bruce was about his age, but it would seem that they would not have spent time together since at least 1780. We know that a neighbor, Larkin Seamore, had married Catherine’s sister, Sally. Maybe Samuel and Caty met each other when she made a visit to see them. Perhaps the families had known each other and stayed in contact. The truth of the story may never be known. We aren’t even sure whether they tried to live in Virginia for a time, or whether Caty moved to Tennessee with Samuel immediately. The marriage was recorded in Halifax County, Virginia, in 1790, and we know that by 1793, when their second child, Coleman, was born, they were back living on or near the land that Samuel had purchased from his father.
The next few years were lived as a normal family of the day. Children were born, and more land was bought and sold. Samuel seems to have prospered. At the time of his death, he had a good bit of land, and he had several slaves, the greatest signs of wealth in that time.
Tragedy struck in 1806 when Caty died at the age of 36. The oldest child was 15 and the youngest was three. Samuel must have quickly realized he could not raise the children alone. Less than two years later, he married Margaret Crippen. It was not a decision that worked out well. The next spring, 1808, Samuel had a dispute with Margaret’s brother, and the dispute led to a fight. Samuel was beaten so severely that he lived only a few months thereafter.
Samuel lived long enough to write a will. Margaret was already pregnant, but it is not clear whether Samuel lived long enough to see his last child’s birth. George Washington Campbell Cox was born on September 10, 1808, and five days later a complaint was filed against John Crippen by Samuel’s son, John. Before the year was over, the family held an estate sale, and the children were divided among five guardian families. The household that had appeared so full of promise in early 1806 was no more.
Court battles over the estate that Samuel had left continued for several years. One of Samuel’s children was especially bitter as he wrangled with what seems to have been Samuel’s siblings over whether the children should have rights to the land. We have not been able to find records of who won those court cases. Some of the children remained in the area that eventually became Union County, Tennessee, and their descendants are still there today. Others left for other areas, as was often the case in this point in American history.
Ironically, Samuel had two brothers who survived the Revolutionary War, and he had a son who survived the War of 1812, but he lost his own life, not in battle against foreign enemies, but in a dispute with family.
The following is a timeline for Samuel Cox
1770 Samuel is supposedly born in Halifax County, Virginia
1788 Samuel purchases land from Jacob Cox in Sullivan County, NC (Now Tennessee) as follows:
On November 22, 1788, Jacob Cox, Snr., of Sullivan County, NC (now TN) sold Samuel Cox, of Sullivan County, 200 acres in Sullivan County, NC, including the plantation where the said Jacob Cox now lives on the head waters of Horse Creek and Lick Creek. Beg. Above a large spring. Wit. Isaac White, Qurat. John Talley /Tatley [Sullivan County Deed Book, 1-2, 1775-1795, 976.896 Su53]
March 24, 1790 Samuel marries Catherine Bruce in Halifax County, Virginia. The ceremony is conducted by Rev. James Watkins.
1791 John, first child, is born
Jan 16, 1793 Coleman is born, notes say “near Jonesborough”
1794 Jacob is born
1795 About this time Sarah is born
October 24, 1795 Samuel sells the land he purchased in 1790
Samuel sold the land to William Millner on October 24, 1795, and it is said that that this is the land on which Samuel was now living. It is also witnessed by Isaac White, along with James Johnston [Page 80 of Deed Book 3].
1796 Polly is born
October 14, 1796 Samuel purchased land in Grainger (Became Knox, then Union) County
On October 14, 1796, Samuel Cox bought 600 acres of land in Knox County, Tennessee (now Union County, Tennessee) lying on both sides of the north fork of Bull Run Creek just south of Maynardville (on Johnson Road off Highway 33) from Alexander Outlaw of Jefferson County, Tennessee for 200 pounds of English money. This became the home place (Alexander Outlaw, b. 1738, received multiple land grants in the area in 1786 when the county was still Greene County. He served as a Captain during the Revolution, fighting at the Battle of King’s Mountain.)
Dec. 10, 1798 Rachel is born
Jan. 10, 1801 Bruce (Brewis) is born
1803 Samuel is born
Feb. 8, 1806 Catherine dies
Dec. 9, 1807 Samuel marries Margaret Crippen, with Matthias Talley providing bond
April 10, 1808 Samuel is injured in a fight with John Crippen, brother of Margaret
April 27, 1808 Samuel writes his Will as follows:
An instrument of writing purporting to be the Will and Testament of James Cox deceased was probated for probate whereupon this issue was made by the Court, to wit, whether a paper wrote in the following words-
In the name of God Amen. I, Samuel Cox of Knox County and State of Tennessee being through the abundant mercy and goodness of God, though weak in body, yet of a sound and perfect understanding and memory do constitute this my last Will and Testament and desire it to be received by all as such.
As to my worldly estate, I will and positively order that all my debts be paid, that my burial be decent without pomp or state at the discretion of my dear wife and my Executors hereafter named, whose fidelity I doubt not.
First, I bequeath unto my beloved wife, one tenth part of all my personal property.
Item, I also will and demise unto my well beloved daughter, Sarah Bylant, one negro girl named Jenny and also an equal part in all my Estate both real and personal to her, her heirs and assigns forever.
Item, I also will and demise the real and residue of all my estate both real and personal without any further exceptions to my well beloved children, to wit, unto John, to Coalman, unto Jacob, to Polly, to Rachel, to Bruce and unto Samuel and also to the child or children whom my wife shall lawfully bear unto me, to them, their heirs and assigns forever. I also constitute and appoint my true and trusty friends and dear and kind relations, Jacob Cox Sr Matthew Tally and Presley Buckner, whom I appoint and authorize to sell and dispose of any of my goods and chattels, to discharge my legal debts and where they shall think the personal property of my estate to be cumbrous to the family or in any danger of loss or damage, to sell it as they deem most advantageous and when my wife or any children mentioned in this Will shall make due application according to the law for their part contained in this my last Will and Testament, then and in that case I desire these, my Executors, to nominate and appoint or cause it so to be not less than three disinterested men of honest sober fame to attend on the premise and there make out a valuation of all the property then belonging to the estate, except the negro girl bequeathed to Sarah Bylant, and render unto the applicant the part allotted them by this Will.
And in witness of this, my last Will and Testament, I have herunto set my hand and seal this twenty seventh day of April 1808.
Samuel Cox, (Seal)
is expressive of the last Will and Testament of Samuel Cox deceased or not, whereupon came a Jury, John Dearmond, Joseph Rodgers, Francis Casteel, Sam’l Bowman, Roland Chiles, wm Anderson, Wm Cunningham, Thos Gillespie, Jeremiah Jacob, Moses Looney, Jonathan Douglass, John Meek say said instrument is expressive of the last Will and Testament of Sam’l Cox dec’d.
Sept. 10, 1808 George Washington Campbell Cox is born
September 15, 1808 Complaint is filed against John Crippen by John Cox. This might suggest that Samuel died just prior to this time since the complaint is filed by John, or, perhaps, they were waiting for the child to be born before filing the complaint.
Fall of 1808 Estate sale for Samuel is held. Nine slaves are sold. Names of interest at the sale include Presley Buckner and Matthew Tally who sign the completion of the sale, Jacob Tally-brother of Matthew, several people named Condra (Matthew’s wife’s family?) Larkin Simore (part of the Bruce family), John Miller-involved in the legal proceedings, Rice Buckner, Lewis Whitner, David Clap, John Sally, Jacob Cox, John Cox.
Resources found online from debicox1 on ancestry.com, debiec@gmail.com.
Vol E1 p139 3 Dec 1797 Stokely Donelson to Samuel Cox of Knox Co. 100 acres Hinds Ridge for 100 dollars wit Iaal? Cox and James Thompson rec. May 16, 1798
Vol E1 p144 14 Dec 1797Stokely Donelson to Jacob Cox of Hawkins Co. 400 acres for 400 dollars land in Grainger Co. rec May 17 1798
Vol N1 p286 Margaret Cox widow of Samuel Cox for $525 to J. Miller, G. Perry, B. Condra, A. forgey & J. Reynolds, by guardians on behalf of heirs, sell quit claim, & convey, claim on dower land of Samuel Cox. [This appears to be the people who were guardians for the children of Samuel and Catherine.]