NOTE: Dates after 1925 will not be posted here
unless the individual is deceased.
p. 223 --
Sarah (Hardegree) Cox
Edwin Fort Cox, husband of Sarah Hardegree, was born circa 1800 in VA to Thomas and Rebecca (Johnston) Cox and died 18 Feb 1843 in Greene Co., GA. This Cox family was an old prominent family and married into the Bouldin family, even more prominent and connected with Lord Delaware and the settlement of Elizabeth Citte in 1610 as part of the early Virginia Company colony. Edwin’s grandmother, Francine Bouldin Cox, was an early GA pioneer. His father, Thomas Cox, did not move to GA with his mother and younger adult siblings but stayed in the home plantation in Charlotte-Lunenburg area of VA. Edwin moved as a young man into GA and settled near his aunts and uncles where he eventually met and married Sarah Hardegree.
[SOURCE: Sylvia Ross (Oct 2007).]
NOTE from Sylvia Ross: "For any other descendants of Sarah and Edwin Fort Cox that may turn up, there is documentation all the way back to the 1624-25 Jamestown Muster on the Cox family. I've proven that Edwin was the son of Thomas, grandson of John Cox, Jr. and Francinia Bouldin Cox. John Cox, Jr. is approved as a patriot by DAR. From there back, any descendant only needs to go to the books on the Virginia Colony's descendants or check with me. There are wills and deeds that prove the line all the way back." Sylvia Ross can be reached at thistles@ocsnet.net. Thanks, Sylvia! As of 29 Nov 2007, Sylvia learned that the Cox-Bouldin lineage isn't complete yet. She noted that "although Edwin Cox's great grandfather John Cox (born 1703, died testate before 1764 in Lunenburg, VA) is mentioned in Adventurers of Purse and Person, his link to the Virginia Colony and the 1610 arrival of the ship Godspeed is disputed. He is only in a footnote on p. 733, footnote #69." She added that all the researchers studying this line BELIEVE John to be the son of Bartholomew Cox of Henrico Co., VA, but the author of that definitive book still doesn't accept the line without question. Hopefully before long some documents will be discovered to solve the dispute. Contact Sylvia if you have more on this.
p. 224 --
10. Nathan Fort Cox, the youngest child of Edwin Fort and Sarah (Hardegree) Cox, was born 20 Aug 1843 in
Gwinnett Co. [per death notice], GA and died at age 44 on 21 Dec 1887 in Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA.
Nathan F. Cox worked on a farm / plantation in New River Co., FL for David J. Futch where he was found
on the 1860 census [#335, p. 505a]. It is not known why he went to FL. He may have gone there for a job.
Sylvia Ross, a descendant and researcher, found through some research years ago that Benjamin Curtis
owned Dog Island in FL and 920 acres of Carrabelle and sold it in 1877. Nathan’s sister Charlotte married
Benjamin F. Curtis as her second husband during late 1860s. It is not known if these two men are the same
individual or at least related.
Nathan enlisted in the Confederacy during the Civil War as a private in Co. B, 2nd Regiment FL Infantry.
He served for ten months, then was sent home when they found he was under age. The next year he
re-enlisted, served and was captured. As a prisoner of war, he was transferred from New Orleans to a prison
camp on the Louisiana-Arkansas border then was exchanged at Red River in July 1864. At the end of the war
he as a First Sergeant was mustered out in Shreveport.
He remained in LA and was sharing a room with Lyman Griswold, a school teacher, on the 1870 Bossier
Parish, LA census in 6th Ward, Bellevue [#507, p. 294 as N. A. Cox]. On that census he listed his job as
deputy sheriff. There he met and courted a music teacher, Josie Roscoe, from Filmond district of Bossier
Parish working at the same boys’ seminary where Griswold taught. They married on 24 Dec 1870 in Bossier
Co. Marion Josephine “Josie” Roscoe was born 1838 in Marion Co., AL to William and Caroline Elizabeth
Tucker Roscoe (Rasco). The Roscoes moved to LA when Josie was about 2.
Shortly after their marriage, Nathan and Josie moved to New Orleans, then to Atlanta. They had four
children. Two of their sons, William and Edward, died as children in Atlanta; the other two, Ernest and Sallie
went back to Louisiana by 1880 with their mother when she left their father. Back in LA Josie resumed her
teaching career at the same school where Lyman Griswold was teaching. Josie and her three year old
daughter Sallie were listed on the 1880 census as living in the boys’ school in Bossier Parish [#645, p. 162B].
It is not known where four year old Ernest was staying. Later, Josie made a brief trip to Atlanta and divorced
Nathan on 11 Oct 1883. Their divorce was mentioned in The Atlanta Constitution paper on 11 Oct 1883, with
verdict for the plaintiff, Mrs. M. J. Cox vs. Nathan Fort Cox.
Afterwards Nathan worked a various jobs. In 1876 per Atlanta city directory he worked as a clerk in
the Tax Collectors Office and was a salesman “commercial traveler” on the 1880 Fulton Co., GA census
[p. 202b]. On this census he was living with his married sister Charlotte Curtis and her family. He then held
numerous jobs as a driver, watchman, flagman, and brakeman per the city directories.
His death was reported in Atlanta’s newspaper, The Atlanta Constitution, on Thursday, 22 Dec 1887:
FOUND DEAD IN HIS BED
___________________
Fort Cox, an Old Watchman, Dies Suddenly of Heart Disease.
Fort Cox, a one-legged man, who was watchman at the Peters street railroad crossing for
several years was found dead in his bed yesterday morning at his boarding house, on Brick street.
Mr. Cox died of heart disease.
Tuesday evening Mr. Cox went to his home, and after supper took a short walk. He returned
to his home early in the evening, and at his usual bedtime went to his room. Mr. Cox's duties
required him to rise early, and his absence from the breakfast table, an unusual occurrence,
caused one of the household to go to his room. The watchman was in his bed apparently asleep,
but in reality was dead. The coroner was notified, and decided that Mr. Cox's death was due
to heart disease. The watchman was a native of Georgia. He was born in Gwinette County, but
had been a resident of Atlanta for many years. A number of years ago, while working with
a surveying party he cut his leg with an ax, and the wound became so serious that amputation
was necessary. A week or so ago he gave up the position as watchman at the railroad crossing
in order to accept a position as bookkeeper with Stewart & Co, of Griffin, and would have gone to
that place some days ago but for a slight indisposition.
In the same newspaper appeared this funeral announcement:
COX - Died, Wednesday morning about 3:30 o'clock. Mr. N. F. Cox, aged 44 years. Funeral
from the residence of Mr. B.F. Curtis, 123 Walker street, at 2 p.m. today. Friends and acquaintances
are invited to attend. Burial at Oakland cemetery.
Nathan Fort Cox was buried in the Historic Oakland Cemetery in the family plot where eventually his mother
Sarah Hardegree Cox, his sister Charlotte Cox Curtis and several of Charlotte’s family members were buried.
After divorcing Nathan, Josie (Roscoe) Cox married Robert Doyle in the spring of 1884. Nathan’s
children, Ernest Bolden Cox and Sallie Roscoe Cox each received a good education, and were simulated
to go to college. Josie Roscoe Cox Doyle died circa 1896-97 after bearing four children for Cox and five
for Doyle. [ Click here to see a photo of Josie Doyle.]
Children of Nathan Fort and Marion Josephine (Roscoe) Cox:
[NOTE: The first two children were born between 1871 and 1875 and died as children. They are believed to be
buried in Oakland Cemetery.]
25a.iWilliam “Willie” Cox
25b.iiEdward “Neddie” Cox
25c.iiiErnest Bolden Cox (1876 – 1943) married Irene Ethel Jones. [See below.]
25d.ivSarah Roscoe “Sallie” Cox (1877 – 1964) married first to Robert Ricketts and second
to Henry P. Justice. [See below.]
--------------------------------------------
25c. Ernest Bolden Cox was born 11 May 1876 in Orleans Parish, LA and died 18 Mar 1943 in
Madera Co., CA. He worked as a surveyor and served during the Spanish American war. He moved
to CA where he married Irene Ethel Jones on 5 Aug 1906 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA.
They owned a small ranch in Madera Co. CA. Irene was born 24 Jan 1884 in CA to Pleasant Richard
Jones and Sarah McFadden (per marriage record; Oc-chee-lee per BIA records) and died 18 Apr 1913
in CA. [Click here to see Ernest's photo.]
1) Sarah Ellen Cox (26 Oct 1908 Fresno, Fresno Co., CA – 19 Jul 1991 Las Vegas, Clark
Co., NV) married Waldo J. Stephenson on 28 Mar 1936 in NV. Waldo was born 18 Jun
1890 in OR to John Weller Stephenson and Mary Amanda Isabelle Harper and died 10 Feb
1937 in CA. After Waldo’s death, she married Joseph Stigmon on 18 May 1940 in AZ.
Joseph was born 3 Apr 1892 (Hungarian by birth, American citizen) to Istvan and Erzebeth
Stigmon and died 22 Nov 1954 in CA.
25d. Sarah Roscoe “Sallie” Cox was born 1877 in Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA and died 31 Jul 1964 in
Glendale, Los Angeles Co., CA. A granddaughter has her birth date as 18 Aug 1876 but it is
believed she was born in 1877. Sallie had a degree in from Baylor University, and had majored in
music. Sallie married first to Robert Ricketts and they had three children. After her divorce circa
1902, she moved to California, keeping custody of her daughter. Her husband took their boys.
Around 1907, Sallie married Henry Phillip Justice, an English importer, and moved to England where
she stayed through the First World War. Henry died circa 1935-43 in CA.
Children of Robert and Sallie (Cox) Ricketts:
1) Robert Bolden Ricketts died in 1920s.
2) Russell Cox Ricketts (6 Dec 1901 New Orleans, LA – 6 Mar 1985 Los Angeles, CA)
3) Viola Roscoe Ricketts (b. 11 Jul 1899 New Orleans, LA) married Harry Moore Fenton
[Information from Sylvia Ross (Oct 2007).]
