Linn County Republic, Friday, Mar. 7, 1913, Pg. 1

Vol. 29, No. 48

James W. Cox

James W. Cox was born January 10, 1844, in McLean county, Ill. His father was George W. Cox, son of William Cox, of Norway, Me, who traced their ancestors back to Wales.

J. W. the eldest of five children, was reared on his father’s farm. He attended school in the state of Maine and was a student at the State Normal, Ill. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in Co. C, 33rd Illinois infantry, in 1861. His health became impaired through hardships incident to the service. A tubercular deposit in the apex of his right lung gave him an honorable discharge at St. Louis in 1863. He was then only 18 years of age.

About one year after this his mother died. There seems to have been a great tie of affection broken at her death. He became a church member at this time in life. His health regained, he returned to the State Normal, Ill, and secured an education as good as the curriculum of that time afforded. He taught school two years. September 5th, 1867, he was united in marriage at Bloomington, Illinois, to Mary E. Turpin. Four children, all living, were born to this union, Jennie Broady, L. Zanner, Viola Crozier of Covina, Calif., and Aura C. Curry. Two brothers and one sister survive him, Henry W. Cox and Chas. S. Cox, of Elsmore, Kansas and Mrs. Mary Bower Smith, of Stillwater, Okla.

After his marriage he lived on a farm for six years near Kappa, Ill. In 1874 he moved to Savonburg, Kansas, and engaged in farming and stockraising. In 1881 he represented his district in the state legislature. In 1882 he moved to Blue Mound, and with his brother, C. S., was engaged in the hardware business when the store was destroyed by fire in 1883. He then bought the farm five miles northwest of town, which he has since owned. He has made Blue Mound and vicinity his home for over 30 years.

About ten years ago, when his health became impaired he ceased his life long business activities and has been under a physician’s care here and elsewhere, most of the time since.

Seven years ago he realized the frailty of human life and spent much seriousness on things eternal. He then united with the Baptist church in Blue Mound and was a regular attendant at all religious services as long as his health permitted, which was until only the last few weeks.

He has been a member of the National Military Home, Leavenworth, Kans., since 1909. Most of the last three years he has been a patient in the hospital ward. In the late fall 1912, his physical health was failing so fast that his physician decided to transfer him to the National Hospital in Washington, D. C., as there remained a chance to cure him, where the government requires the highest efficiency of its physicians and nurses. Six weeks were spent before it was determined his case was incurable. The last six weeks he failed rapidly with chronic heart and kidney trouble.

On February 17th, 1913, aged 69 years, 1 month, 6 days, his spirit ascended to the God who gave it, and to the mother, fifty years gone, he has answered, “I’ll be there.”

His remains were brought to Blue Mound, Saturday, February 22nd where funeral services were held at 2 o’clock that afternoon by Rev. Moles Ellsworth. Interment was made in the Pleasant View cemetery.