Edward S Cox II^1,2,3,4,5 (known as Edward) son of Edward Cox and Unknown woEdwardCoxI was born on Feb 7, 1775 in Ninety-Six Dist, SC.^2,5

He was possibly listed in the household of Edward Cox in the census in 1790 in Pendleton Co, 96th Dist, SC. male 1<16 or 1>16. He was born about 1775.⁶

In the Georgia land lottery in 1805, drawer(s) in Hancock Co, GA: Edward S Cox - one blank. This indicates that he was single when he registered during the period between May 1803 and March 1 1804.⁷

C. 1806 the family of Edward moved from an unknown location (Hancock Co maybe) to the part of the Creek Nation that became Stewart Co, GA in 1829.

Edward S Cox age 31 married Nancy Cox age 21 daughter of Unknown2 Cox c. 1806. Probably Georgia if he was the Edward Cox in the 1805 land lottery. Marriages were not required to be recorded in Georgia until 1807. Date is based on birth of first known child William being born in 1807.²

According to his Bounty Land application on Nov 15 1850, Edward began military service on Aug 25, 1814 in GA. when he volunteered in Eatonton Putnam Co GA for 6 months during the Seminole Indian War; that he was discharged at Fort Hawkins about March 1, 1815. Following appeared on the pay roll of Captain Varner's Co, Freeman's Squadron, Cavalry. Term paid for: 5 months and 8 das. Pay per month $8.00. Amount of Pay $42.85. Number of horses: 1 - Additional pay per day: 40 cents. Amount of additional pay: $65.20. Whole amount of pay: $108.50. (National Archives Bounty Land Applicaton). Edward signed with his mark.^8,9

In Jan, 1816, while the land was still inhabited by wild beasts,fowl, and Indians, George and Robert Gamble, and William Brown, undertook to 'spy out the land', and crossed the Chattahoochee River with their families at what was later Fort Gaines GA and old Franklin AL. They were the first known settlers to come over into the future Henry Co area of AL. They settled on the south side of what afterwards was called Patterson's Mill Creek (still later called McRays Mill Creek) about two miles below the point of crossing. They jointly made a crop that year (1816) on an old field already cleared but abandoned by the Indians.¹⁰

In the spring of that same year, 1816, Col Robert Irvin, Jarred Patterson, Edward S. Cox, George Keith, Jonah Keith, and James Keith came across the river and settled in the same neighborhood. Irvin and Patterson made a crop that year where Franklin was later located. Edward Cox and James Keith settled south just below a small stream later known as Watson's Branch. Jonah Keith settled above the mouth of the creek only a mile below the point of crossing. As they came through the Indian nation and were asleep one night, the Indians killed one of their oxen, took the hide off one hind quarter, built a fire and 'jerked' it in the road.¹⁰

Two years later in 1818, Green Beauchamp (brother of one of my Culver ancestors, William Beauchamp) wrote in his journal that there were less than 100 white people living in the area which was to become south east Alabama.¹⁰

The State of Alabama was created in 1819.

In the late summer of 1820, Nancy moved to the safety of the stockade at Ft Gaines GA where their daughter Nancy Norris Cox was born on 20 August 1820. She was one of the first children born in the new state of Alabama.

The census records of Henry Co AL for the 1820 census have been lost and are no longer available.

The state legislature of 1821 declared a voting place on the Pea River where a Mr. James owned a ferry, and also fixed a voting place at the houses of John Turner and Edward Cox on the Chattahoochee River.¹⁰

Pike Co AL was established on Dec 17 1821 from Montgomery and Henry Counties. The city of Troy was established in August 1838.

In 1829.On 24 Oct 1829, Edward Cox purchased 80 and ? acres of land from the government land in T10 R25 E2 SW 1/4 Sect 35 which is NW of a line between Lousville and Clayton in present day BarbourCo AL.

Edward S Cox was the Head of Household in the census in 1830 in Pike Co, AL. Edward Cox: males 2 5-9 (Edward, ?), 3 10-14 (?, ?, Henry), 1 15-19 (Jesse), 1 50-59 (Edward); females 2 5-9 Nancy, Sable), 3 10-14 (Sarah, Cordelia?, ?), 1 40-49 (Nancy) ; 3 slaves males 1 10-23, females 1 10-23, 1 24-35.⁴

Barbour Co AL was established on Dec 18 1832 from former Creek Indian lands and a portion of Pike County.

In the 1833 Barbour Co AL census, there is an Edward Cox with 1 males > 21 and 1 female > 21. No children are listed.

Beginning in in 1837, Edward served against the Indians during three different periods for a total of 7 months.

Edward S Cox was the Head of Household in the census on Jun 1, 1840 in Barbour Co, AL. Edward Cox: males 1 50-59 (1771-1780) involved in agriculture; no females; no slaves. According to family legend, Edward and Nancy separated when the children were young and Edward moved up to Echo. Old Edward became too fond of the grape and also chased after the ladies.¹

Edward S Cox was the Head of Household in the census in 1850 in Division 23, Barbour Co, AL. Edward Cox 70 SC farmer, Mary Cartwright 58 NC. Mary's relationship to Edward is unknown.³

Edward was a widower, died of asthma in May, 1860 in Pike Co, AL.⁵

In 1862.RESEARCH NOTES:

In a newspaper article from the Ozark, Dale Co AL Southern Star dated 5 Aug 1903, William Fletcher Cox writes of old times. He states: '

My great grandfathers came over from Ireland at an early day. They were of Scotch and Irish blood, and settled in North Carolina about the middle of the 18th century, the sir names of both being Cox. My grandfather Edward Cox married Nancy Cox, and they moved to Georgia where they lived awhile and then moved to AL on the Pea river.

My grandfather had three brothers. They followed Daniel Boone's track west. My grandmother had two brothers who moved to AL, Charles Cox settling in Russell Co and Manuel (probably Emanuel) Cox in Barbour Co in about 1816 or 1817.

COMMENTS/QUESTIONS:

Many researchers have stated that the wife of Edward Cox was Nancy Bryant. Was she a Bryant who married Edward Cox, Nancy Bryant who married a Cox before Edward, or was she really Nancy Bryant Cox and researchers have assumed that her married name not her maiden name was Cox.

There is a Emanual Cox who lived in Barbour Co and was very prominent in Clayton. Russell Co AL was not created until after the Indian wars of 1836-1837. He probably would not have lived in the Russell Co area before 1837.

Nancy Cox^2,11 was the daughter of Unknown2 Cox (1750- ). She and Edward S Cox had the following children: