Thomas and Martha Smith Cox

Based on his pension application, and that of his wife, Martha, Thomas Cox was born in 1762 in Halifax County, Virginia. By 1780, he was living in Washington County, Virginia. He volunteered for service at that time, serving under Captain Looney in the French Broad of Virginia (French Broad River is in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, flowing into the Tennessee River near Knoxville), Holston River, Powell’s Valley, the Cumberland Mountains, and he was discharged at Long’s Island (Kingsport, Tennessee). He lived there until about 1783, then moved to Lincoln County, North Carolina (about 60 miles east of current Asheville). He then moved to the Greenville District of South Carolina, and apparently left there before 1807 when, as a widower, he married Martha Smith in Franklin County, Georgia. By 1818 he was living in Gwinnett County, Georgia. He applied for the pension in 1832 while in Gwinnett, and he died on October 1, 1853. Martha was living in Dalton, Georgia in the 1860’s, apparently with her son, R. D. Cox. Martha was born around 1789.

Based on the 1850 census, Thomas and Martha had children living at home named John, 21 (b. 1829), Charles, 25 (1825), Olympia, 38 (1812), Elmira, 20 (1830), and Robert, 15 (1835). There could be a number of children who have left home at this time. Samuel Cox, 24 (1826) is living next door. Thomas and Martha have been married 43 years. Thomas could have several children born by a previous wife. His last child was apparently born when he was over 70 years old. This child, Robert D. Cox made a pension claim for Martha, his mother, in 1869.

Thomas has a descendant who matches The Y-DNA structure of Jacob Cox descendants. A second person who descends from Jacob Cox and Sarah Wilkins may also be a descendant of Thomas. The Y-DNA is a match, and there are land records suggesting that Jacob could be a child of Thomas and his first wife (name unknown). Thomas’ migration pattern is similar to that of Phillip Cox in getting to South Carolina. His home in Gwinnett County, Georgia is in the county neighboring Hall County, where Phebe Cox, widow of William Cox, was living in 1830. She later moved her family to Paris, Tennessee, and a descendant is also a Y-DNA match with the Jacob Cox family. Thomas’ service in the Revolutionary War is near where Jacob Cox received a land grant in 1780.

The Pension Application

Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters

Pension Application of Thomas Cox W10303 Martha Cox VA

Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris.

State of Georgia } Inferior Court October the 5th 1832

Gwinnett County }

Personally appeared in open court (now sitting) it being a court of record Thomas Cox a resident of the State and County aforesaid, aged seventy years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to avail himself of the benefit of the act of Congress passed 7th June 1832 – That he entered the service of the United States and served as herein after stated under the following officers viz. that he entered as a Volunteer soldier in the latter part of the year 1780, under

Capt. Robert Looney (subalterns not recollected) that he was employed in said service until about the

middle of the year 1781, in various manners, such as guarding Indian prisoners &c. and was in a skrimish

with the indians near the French broad in Virginia where a number of indians were killed and taken

prisoners, who were exchanged, or kept until a treaty of peace and released – that he resided at the time

of his Volunteering in that part of Virginia now called Washington Co, as he believes; that in the course of his services he was marched to Rye Cove station where he remained as he believes two or three weeks,

thence to Powell’s Valey, thence to Cumberland Mountain, thence to Holstein’s River [sic: Holston River], no great distance from which, his company consisting as he thinks of about sixty Horsemen, encountered a party of indians put them to flight and gained several stand of arms which were thrown aside by the fugitives – that his term of service amounted to something about eight months, believes he was regularly discharged at Long island on Holstein river in Virginia [at present Kingsport TN], but does not recollect what has become of said discharge – that he (the said Thomas Cox) then returned to his former place of residence at which he was living at the time he Volunteered, where he remained he believes about two years, thence he removed into Lincoln Co. N.C. thence to Greenville Dist. S.C. thence to Franklin County, Georgia, thence to Gwinnett his present residence, having lived in the latter Co. about fourteen years.

That he was born in Halifax County in the state of Virginia in the year 1762 as he believes, and he the

(said Thomas Cox) hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to any pension or annuity except the

present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.

Thomas hisXmark Cox

Georgia } Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in & for Gwinnett County } said State & County Thomas Cox who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades. For eight months he served as a private militia soldier and that the time & manner of his entering & performing said service will as he thinks be seen by reference to his original declaration subjoined. That he knows of no person by whom he can prove his said services and that he has no documentary evidence whereby to establish the same. That he has no record of his age in his possession. That Radford Gwin & William Green Esqr. who have certified for him and divers other of his neighbors to whom he is known can testify as to his character for veracity and as to their belief of his revolutionary services. For the above services he claims a pension.

Sworn & subscribed before me this 4th June 1833. Thomas hisXmark Cox

NOTE:

On 11 Sep 1856 Martha Cox applied for the pension due to Thomas Cox up to the date of his

death on 1 Oct 1853. She stated that as Martha Smith she married Thomas Cox on 27 April 1807 in

Franklin County GA. She was said to be 66 and living in Whitfield township, and the marriage was said

to have been performed by Frank Calloway, a Baptist minister. On 28 Jan 1857 Francis Callaway of

Chambers County AL stated that his father, Francis Callaway, had married Thomas Cox, a widower, and

Martha Smith.

On 19 Sep 1866 Martha Cox, 77, applied for the restoration of her pension, which was suspended

during the Civil War, during which period she lived within a mile of Dalton entirely dependent on

relatives. On 10 Dec 1868 Martha Cox applied for an increase in her pension. On 13 June 1869 R. D. Cox of Dalton GA inquired why his mother, Martha Cox, had not received her pension since 1861.

Additional Notes for Thomas Cox

Thomas Cox indicates that he served under Captain Robert Looney in Washington County, Virginia, though it appears more likely that it was David Looney. However, there was a Robert Looney who was in Pendleton County, South Carolina, who said he served in the Revolutionary War according to a pension application by Thomas Holmes. Robert and John Looney both vouched for Holmes. It could be that Thomas Cox knew Robert Looney while in South Carolina and confused first names when he made his own application.

David Looney received land grants in Sullivan County, Tennessee, in 1784 at the same time that Jacob Cox, John Talley, Lewis Widener, Edward Wade (a name out of Halifax County, Virginia) Stokeley Donelson, and Moses and Benjamin Looney received grants. The Looney’s received grants in multiple years.

Thomas Cox’s wife, Martha, died in Dalton, Georgia, in 1870. Jacob Ralston Cox, died in Resaca, Gordon County, Georgia, in 1877. The two towns are only 10 miles apart. They could literally have been next-door neighbors if they were living on farms outside of the towns.

The Ludwig Widener family appears to have been in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Eva Widener married John Raccoon Miller, who was a good friend of Jacob Cox, Sr. Mary Widener, sister of Eva, married Jacob Cox, Jr. More investigation is needed in this area. In addition, Hannah Sharp, daughter of Samuel Sharp and Hannah Humbert, married Matthias Widener, grandson of Ludwig. Hannah Sharp’s sister, Sarah, married James Ailor, and their granddaughter married into the Cox family in Union County, Tennessee.

John “Raccoon” Miller’s widow, Eve (Whitener/Widener) reported that John had served under Colonel Joseph Martin in Virginia. John Looney, of Washington County, is said to have been a captain under Col. Joseph Martin, and Evan Shelby, while David Looney was a major under Isaac Shelby. These people all served in the area of John Miller and Thomas Cox. John Miller married Eve Whitener in 1776, so it was probably in Washington County, Virginia, area. There are people named John Miller, Jacob Miller, and Henry Miller in Lincoln County, North Carolina in the 1780’s, and there are several people with the Whitener name. It is difficult to tell whether any of these are the same people as the folks mentioned here.

Jacob Cox married Sally Wilkins, daughter of John Wilkins, Sr.

Elbert County, Georgia, Abstracts of Wills, 1791-1919, 975.8163 M246W, Page 72, Item 218: John Wilkins, Sr. 10 October 1828, rec. 8 January 1829.. I lend unto my wife Nancy Wilkins the whole of my estate during her natural life or widowhood and at her death I give to my son Clement Wilkins the tract of land and premises whereon I now live, lying and being in the said county on the waters of Falling Creek adjoining George Wicke John Butler, and others containing three hundred acres more or less which land I give to my son Clemment Wilkins extra for service heretofore rendered me and then the balance of my estate to be equally divided or sold and the money equally divided between all my children,, to wit, Thomas Wilkins, Elizabeth Sutton, Polly Sneed, John Wilkins heirs, Sally Cox, Rebecca Dye, and Clemment Wilkins. Ext. Clemment Wilkins Isaac Christian Wit.: Robert B. Christian, Thomas fortson, John Christian.

Franklin County, Georgia Tax Digests, Volume 1, 1798-1807, 975.8135 AC57FC V. 1

1798 (Page 4) Tho’s Cox lives in and owns a home on 376 acres of land in Franklin County, Georgia. John Cox is also listed as the occupant and owner of 143.75 acres of land. George W. Foster is in this list. John, sr. and Jr., Tho’s, W’m, Charles, Tho’s Sr., Champ, Barry, John (Big) and Joseph Payne are in the list.

Ben. Barton is listed (Page 13) as owner of 4 slaves, most of the Payne’s listed above are slave owners.

( P. 23) Thomas Cox has 370.5 acres of land in the 1800 tax digest. It appears the land was first granted to Canon & Clarke, and it bordered land of W. Nix, and Eastanola in Captain John Stonecypher’s District. He is listed again as a poll without property in Captain John Barnet’s District (P. 31) very near to John Cox who has 160 acres, and also close to Thomas, John, and Samuel Payne.

(Pages 79-84)In 1802, Thomas is listed next to Arris Cox and they are only paying poll tax. They are in Captain John Martin’s Company, along with John Cox who has 143 acres of land, and Matthew Cox, who has 300 acres of land on Freeman’s Creek. (P 92) Thomas has 200 acres on Gumlog Creek. (Perhaps there is a father and son named Thomas Cox?) Benjamin Barton is on this page on land that borders Thomas Cox and Julian Nail, also on Gumlog Creek.

(Page 135) Tho’s Cox is listed as poll only, listed next to Aris Cox with 225 acres and Matthew Cox with 300 acres, both on Grags Creek. This is the digest for 1803. On page 145, Tho’s Cox is listed with 200 acres on Gumlog Creek.

(Page 176) 1805, Tho’s Cox has 100 acres on Eastanolly, and on the next page Tho’s Cox has 200 acres bordered by Joseph Pullum and Ben Bartin on Gumlog Creek. Thomas Barton is also on this page with land also bordering Jos. Pullum on Gumlog Creek

Page 187 1806, Tho’s Cox has 50 acres on Gragg Creek, near Joseph Payne. Mathew Cox is on the same page with 300 acres on Gragg’s Creek with a lot in Ivie, in Wilkinson County. Aris Cox is on the next page with 70 acres on Gragg’s Creek bordering Michael Box.

(Page 209) Tho’s Cox has 1 slave with 200 acres bordering Benj. Barton on Gumlog Creek. Thomas Barton is on the same page with 3 slaves, 143.75 acres plus another 300 acres.

Benjamin Echols is a large landowner in 1801. Page 63: 4 slaves, 455 aces on Eastanolly; 277 acres on Leatherwood; 600 acres near John Johnson and Thomas Payne on Stephens Creek;; 355 acre on Turky Creek; 500 acres on Turky Creek; 473 acres on Turky Creek; 287.5 acres in Jackson County;; 230 acres in Jackson County; 230 acres in Jackson County.

So it appears that we have two people named Thomas Cox. One lives on Gumlog Creek near Benjamin Barton and Thomas Barton. He is probably the older Thomas. The second Thomas begins as just a poll, but acquires land on Gragg’s Creek, and he seems to be closer to Aris and Matthew Cox.

Baker Ayres shows up as a poll in 1800 next to Daniel Ayres and Amon Ayres who has 340 acres on B. River and next door to Th. Payne. This is repeated in 1801. In 1802, Baker owns 100 acres of land on Garretts River and appears to have moved away from his family. In1803, Baker has 100 acres on Grove River. He is listed on the same page as W’m Pain, John Pain, thom’s Pain, all of whom have land on Garrets River. In 1805, Baker has 200 acres on Garret’s River near Jno Payn, Jr. In 1805, Baker is listed as poll only next to Ruben Pain and Jno. Payn on Payne’s Creek, as well as Nathaniel Payn on Garrets River. In 1806, Nathaniel Payne pays the poll tax for Baker Ayres, and there is a Garland Ayres next to them. However, on the next page Baker Ayres has 200 acres that was first owned by Tho’s Ayres on Lightwoodlog? Moses Ayres and Moses Ayres, Sr. are near him. Again in 1806 (Page 215) Baker Ayres has 200 acres of land on Nails Ceek and 202.5 acres on Glady Creek in Baldwin County. John Cox is on the same page with his 143.5 acres on Garretts River. Samuel and W’m Payne are also on the page., and Tho’s Payne and Obadiah Ayres are nearby. Two pages later, Baker Ayres pays the poll for Daniel Ayres. (Page 217)

Volume 2

Thomas

1808, 135 acres on Gragg’s Creek—near Arris Cox on Graggs and Mathew Cox on Freeman’s Ck.

1808, 200 acres bordering Pulliam and Barton on Gumlog plus 202.5 acres and lot 87 in Baldwin County.

1810 250 acres on Gragg’s Creek (Robert Malone and David Lowery are nearby). So is John Cox on Grove River.

1810, same as listing for 1808 on Gumlog

1811, 150 acres on Gragg’s Creek; Mathew Cox is nearby on Freeman’s Creek

1811, Essentially same as above but last acreage is now 250 acres and both are listed as N.F.B. R (North Fork of ? River?)

1813, 3 slaves, 200 acres on Gumlog Creek and 150 acres on Eastanola Creek. (The first Thomas has no listing for 1813.) There is a W’m. Cox listed as a poll. Richard White, who serves as an executor for Thomas Payne’ Jr.’s will in 1787 is living nearby. There is also a Robert Bruce who pays tax on behalf of David Slone, bordering on Jno Payne and Thos Payne on the Tugalo River, and bordering Zeb. Payne on Reed Creek.

Jacob

1813 Pays poll (no land but near John Stonecypher on Gumlog Creek, who bought land from Thomas Cox.

1818 100 acres bordering Pulliam and Finch on Gumlog Creek. This could be half of the land that Thomas owned. We know that Thomas sold land to Jacob.

William

1810, Defaulted on land on Captain Hollingworth’s Return

1813, pays poll tax; listed close to Thomas Cox on Gumlog Creek

1818, 150 acres of land bordering J. Hunt, McDonald, on Eastanola Creek; listed near Jane Willis and Willis Cox; also borders with John Williams. He may have purchased this land from Thomas Cox, as shown in 1813 listing.

Aris

1808 5 acres on Gragg’s Creek bordering Thomas Cox plus 202.5 acres and a lot in Wilkinson County, and another lot in Wilkinson County.

1810, 70 acres on Gragg’s Creek and 110 acres on Graggs Creek; listed next to Mathew Cox and not far from John Cox on Grove River. Thomas Cox on Graggs Creek is also close.

1811, 282 aces on Gragg’s Creek (Robert Malone is nearby, as is John Cox on Grove River; James Cox pays a poll.

1811, Aris and Mathew Cox default on land under Capt. Lloyd Thomas

1813, 282 acres at Hickory Level bordering M. Box

1818, 282 acres at Hickory Level bordering J. Payne

Volume 3

Thomas—no listings for either Thomas

Jacob

1819, 100 acres on Gumlog Creek (Willis is nearby paying a poll and Jane Willis is also on Gumlog Creek; W’m Cox is a few listings down on Eastanolle Creek

1820, 100 acres on Gumlog Creek

1821, 100 acres on Gumlog Creek and 490 acres in Irwin County, District 13; Caleb Barton is nearby

1822, same as in 1821, except Lewis Barton is nearby; Jain Willis is still nearby, but she is paying for the heirs of Willis. Robert Bruce is next to her in the listing

1823, same as in 1821, except that now it is James H. Barton who is nearby; Lewis Barton is still there, as is Jane Willis

William

1819, 150 acres on Eastanolle Creek, borders Hunt and McDonald

1820 150 acres on Eastanola Creek, borders Hunt and McDonald

1821, same as 1819

1822, 100 acres on Gumlog Creek, borders on Cox and Todhunter

1823, William J. Cox pays a poll, but William Cox is not listed as owning land

Willis

1819, Pays poll

1822, 150 acres on Eastanolle Creek bordering Williams, plus a lot in Early County (This is land that he purchased from William Cox, apparently in 1821, that William purchased from Thomas)

1823, unknown acres on Eastanolle Creek bordering Hunt and Williams

Gumlog Creek and Eastanolle Creek are as close as four miles from each other. Both flow into the Tugaloo River that borders Georgia and South Carolina. Both are a relatively short distance from where Philip Cox lived in Pendleton/Pickens County, South Carolina. It is 20 miles from Gumlog Creek to the Keowee River. Certainly, it would be easy for the William Cox in Pendleton, South Carolina, to move to Franklin, County, Georgia, before going to Hall County, Georgia. It is no more than 30 miles from Gumlog Creek to the northeastern edge of Hall County, Georgia.

In looking for the above, I found the following reference suggesting that Thomas received land in Franklin County as early as 1787:

DEEDS OF FRANKLIN CO GA 1784-1826; Martha Walters Acker, 1976
DB C, p.50 19 Nov 1789; Rec. 16 Jun 1790 Benjamin Echols & wife Sabra to Clement Walters, all of Franklin Co. £30. 100 acres both sides Estanolle Crk adj David Brown, Benjamin Echols. Part of land granted Thomas Cox on 10 Jan 1787 & conveyed by Cox to Echols. Wit: Samuel Payne, Edward Camp, Larkin Cleveland.
[p.16b is the 1787 deed from Thomas Cox & wife Mary to Benjamin Echols. 350 acres both sides of Eastanolle Crk. Wit: Larkin Cleveland JP]

This provides us with Mary as Thomas’ first wife. This may also suggest that Thomas received this land but did not live on it, selling it instead to Benjamin Echols. However, it is only part of Thomas’ land, so he may have come later to live on the rest of the land.

Index to Deeds of Franklin County, Georgia-1784-1860, 975.8135 Ac57, shows a number of land transactions by Thomas Cox. Among other people, he sells land to Jacob Cox and William Cox. Jacob is also listed as Jacob R. Cox. William Cox not only buys land from Thomas, but he also sells to Willas Cox. Aris, John and Matthew Cox have transactions, but none among other people named Cox.

Page 69

Jacob Cox from Thomas Cox (Book HH 199-200) Dated between Oct 5, 1816 and Apr 11, 1818

Jacob Cox to Gabriel Finch (Book BBB 33-34) 1829-1832

Jacob R. Cox from David Dumas, Adm’f. (Book DDD 256) 1837-1841

Jacob R. Cox from David Dumas (Book CC 11) 1841-1847

Page 70

Thomas Cox from John and Nancy Stonecypher (NN 99-100) Sept 29, 1800 and April 13, 1802

Thomas Cox from Elijah Williamson (O 85-96) Feb 3, 1798 and Feb 24, 1803

Thomas Cox to William Nix (O 100) Feb 3, 1798 and Feb 24, 1803

Thomas Cox from Charles Warren (TT 11-12) Oct 29, 1811 and Apr 30, 1812

Thomas Cox fr Josiah and Verlender Burgess (TT 55-56) Oct 29 1811 and Apr. 30, 1812

Thomas Cox fr John and Polly Burgess (TTT 33-34) May 5, 1812 and July 30, 1814

Thomas Cox fr James Blair HH 182-183) Oct 5, 1816 and Aprl 11, 1818

Thomas Cox to Jacob Cox (HH 199-200) Oct 5, 1816 and Apr 11, 1818 (Jacob shows up on tax list of 1819 as having 100 acres on Gumlog Creek, Pulliam Wilkins.

Thomas Cox to William Cox (HH 216) Oct 5, 1816 and Apr 11, 1818

Thomas Cox to Gabriel Finch (HHH 46-47) 25 Apr 1818 and Nov 3, 1819

Thomas Cox to James Echols (HHH 47) Apr 25, 1818 and Nov 3, 1819

Thomas and Mary(Wife) Cox to Benjamin Echols (C 17b) May 2, 1786 and Jan 25, 1792

Thomas and Mary (Wife) Cox to John Stonecypher (N 123) May 13, 1799 and Sept 30, 1800

Thomas and Mary (Wife) Cox to John Stonecypher (NN 50-51) Sept 23, 1800 and Apr 13, 1802

Thomas and Mary Cox to John Simmonds (TTT 19) May 5, 1812 and Jul 30, 1814

Thomas and Patsy (Wife) to John Burgess (HH 93-94) Oct 5,, 1816 and Apr 11, 1818

Transactions above re-ordered by date (Purchase in Green, and Sell in Red)

Thomas and Mary (Wife) Cox to Benjamin Echols (C 17b) May 2, 1786 and Jan 25, 1792

Thomas and Mary (Wife) Cox to John Stonecypher (N 123) May 13, 1799 and Sept 30, 1800

Thomas Cox from Elijah Williamson (O 85-96) Feb 3, 1798 and Feb 24, 1803

Thomas Cox to William Nix (O 100) Feb 3, 1798 and Feb 24, 1803

Thomas and Mary (Wife) Cox to John Stonecypher (NN 50-51) Sept 23, 1800 and Apr 13, 1802

Thomas Cox from John and Nancy Stonecypher (NN 99-100) Sept 23, 1800 and April 13, 1802