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ISAAC W. COX, one of the most prominent
of Carroll County’s prosperous agriculturists, is a native of the same, born in
East Township, January 22, 1839. His grandfather, Joseph Cox, who was born in
Ireland in 1769, came to this country when a young man (it is supposed) and
settled in Beaver County, Penn., where he married his first wife (whose name is
not now known), and had children as follows: James, John, Isaac and Nancy, of
whom James became the father of our subject; Isaac resided in Beaver County,
Penn., all his life, and John went to Illinois, where he died. The second wife
of Joseph Cox was Mary Bettis, who bore him the following named children:
William, who grew to manhood in East Township, Carroll Co., Ohio, and then moved
to Williams County, Ohio, where he died; Margaret, who was married to David
Holmes, and lived in Carroll County, Ohio, all her days, and Joseph, who went to
Williams County, Ohio, enlisted in the Civil War, and died at Camp Dennison.
The father of these children had come to Ohio in 1818, and entered 160 acres of
land in what is now East Township, Carroll County, part of which land is now
owned by Jacob Gamble. On this place he erected a log house in which he passed
the remainder of his days, dying in 1854. In religion he was a member of the
Disciples Church, and in politics he supported the principles of the Whig party.
James Cox, father of our subject, was born in Beaver County, Penn., in 1800,
where he received a common-school education. In 1818 he came to Ohio with his
parents and helped to clear and improve the land entered by his father. In 1821
he was married to Mary Smith, who was born in 1797 in eastern Pennsylvania near
the Susquehanna River, a daughter of Robert Smith, a native of Ireland. To this
union were born ten children: Jane, wife of the late William Davis, of East
Township, Carroll Co., Ohio; John, who resides in Bergholtz, Ohio; Mary A., wife
of Andrew Rash, of Van Wert County, Ohio; Ellen, widow of the late Andrew
Kennedy, of East Township, Carroll County; James, who resides in East Township; Elizabeth, deceased wife of Albert Bettis; Isabelle,
wife of Alex Cunningham, in Augusta Township, Carroll County; Sarah, wife of
John R. Shaw, of East Township, Carroll County; Isaac W., our subject, and
William H., who reside in East Township. After his marriage James Cox settled
on part of the land which was entered by his father, where he remained until his
death, which occurred in 1856, at which time he owned 276 acres of land in East
Township. His widow passed her last days at the home of her son, Isaac W., and
died in 1875. Both had been members of the Presbyterian Church for many years,
and politically Mr. Cox was first a Whig and afterward a Republican.
Isaac W. Cox was reared to manhood on the farm and educated at the district
school. On May 30, 1859, he was married to Lydia A. Pottorf, who was born in
Augusta Township, Carroll Co., Ohio, April 6, 1842, a daughter of Henry and Mary
(Hewitt) Pottorf, and to this union were born eight children, all living in
Carroll County, viz.: Alpheretta, wife of Robert Graham, of Lee Township; Mary,
wife of Homer Manfull, of Augusta Township; William H., in Washington Township;
Seymour, at home; Benjamin L., in East Township; James, in Augusta Township, and
Frank and Eva, at home. After his marriage Mr. Cox remained on his father’s
farm a short time, and then moved to Muddy Fork, whence, after a brief
residence, he returned to the home farm, where he remained till 1871, when he
purchased the farm he now owns which contains 212 acres on Sections 13 and 18,
East Township. In 1881 he erected one of the finest barns in Carroll County, in
size 40x72 feet, with basement, etc. His elegant gothic residence, 40x54 feet,
which is built of brick and finished with walnut, cherry, white ash, chestnut,
oak and red elm, was erected in 1886. It is surmounted on the southwest corner
with a tower sixty feet in height, a flight of stairs leading to the top. The
timber the house is finished with grew on the farm, the brick was made from clay
taken from the farm, and was made on the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are members of
the Presbyterian Church of Augusta, and in politics he is a Republican.
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