Hood County Texas Genealogical Society
ALFRED COX
1833 - 1866
Alfred Cox has been
a resident of Texas from his boyhood, is familiar with the various phases of
life in this state from its early settlement to the present time, and is now ranked
with the prominent farmers and stockmen of Erath County. It is therefore of
signal consistency that a resume of his life history be given place in this
volume.
Mr. Cox is by birth
a Missourian. He was born November 21, 1833, son of Edward and Hannah
(Williams) Cox, his father a native of Tennessee and his mother of Kentucky.
Edward Cox was a farmer all his life. About 1849 he emigrated to Texas and
settled in Hopkins County. Later he moved to Johnson county, spent six years
there, and then came to Erath county, this county at that time being on the
frontier and having but few settlers within its borders. Here he engaged in the
cattle business, started with a fine herd and had excellent success until the
opening of the war. During the war he sold beef cattle to the government, took
Confederate money in payment and in the end lost heavily. For several years
during the war and following it the Indians were troublesome on the frontier.
They made numerous raids on the unprotected settlers, stole their cattle and
horses, killing or driving them off, and sometimes even killed the settlers
themselves. After one of these raids had been made and a number of cattle
stolen Mr. Cox was one of a party, composed chiefly of boys, who went out in
pursuit of the red men and to secure the stolen stock, and while on this
mission bent he was killed by the Indians, and his horse, saddle and bridle
stolen by them. At the same time they killed a young man by the name of Hollis.
That was in July 1865, in Hamilton County. He was buried in that county. After
his death his family sold the stock they left and quit the business. He had
been married twice. His first wife, the mother of our subject, had died in
Johnson County in 1855, and his second wife survived him. The children of his
first marriage, eight in number, are as follows: Alfred, who is the subject
proper of this review; Sarah E., deceased, was the wife of Gasham Bills; Ann,
wife of E. Miller; Jane, who became the wife of Mr. Bills after her sister’s
death; Alzai, wife of Daniel Moore; Zilsa, wife of Thomas Lane; Derinda, wife
of L. Evens; and Lucy, wife of J. Lane. His second wife bore him four children:
Mary, wife of John Dowty; and John, Hall and Frank, all farmers.
Alfred Cox was in
his teens at the time his parents emigrated to this state. Here he found
novelty and adventure enough to satisfy even the most daring nature. His youth
was spent in the saddle in caring for his father’s stock and in consequence he
had but little opportunity for securing an education. However, he picked up a
varied and valuable knowledge of men and business as he passed along and on
arriving at mature years he was better qualified to do business than are many
whose advantages were superior to his.
He remained with
his father until 1853, when he married and made a home for himself. It was at
that time that he bought the land upon which he now lives, or, rather, a part
of it, for his first purchase was of one hundred and seventy-seven acres. To
this he has since added an adjoining one hundred acres, and now his farm
comprises two hundred and seventy-seven acres, one hundred and forty of which
are under cultivation. He gives his whole time and attention to farming and
stock-raising and his efforts are being rewarded with fair success.
Mr. Cox married
Miss Martha Bills. She was born in Tennessee, February 2, 1837, daughter of
Daniel and Martha (Walker) Bills, natives of North Carolina who removed from
there to Tennessee and in 1846 to Texas. Their first settlement in this state
was in Hopkins County. In 1860 they came to Erath County and subsequently
removed to Hood County. He died on his farm in Hood County in 1866; his wife
passed away in 1879. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Bills were ten children,
namely: Ellen, Mary, Jonathan, Asa, Walker, Susan, Thaney, Deborah, Viley and
Martha. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have been blessed with a large progeny, thirteen
children in all, three of whom died young. Those living are as follows: Daniel,
Elizabeth, wife of B. Havens; Susie, wife of Ed. Jackson; Ed.; Reed; Violet,
wife of A. Shaw; Robert, William, and Cy and Ellen at home. The sons are all
farmers and the daughters are farmers wives.
The parents of both
Mr. and Mrs. Cox were members of the Christian church and both maintained a
membership in the church in which they were reared. Of Mr. Cox’s political
affiliations, it may be said the he is a Populist.
2003 HOOD COUNTY TEXAS
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY