Martin Cox
Martin Cox was one of the solid men of the Irish Bottoms in Greene Township. He was born August 6, 1811, in Sussex County, New Jersey At the age of four years, his parents brought him to Ohio and settled near Sandy Springs. Here Mr. Cox resided nearly all his life. On April 18, 1834, he married Catherine Murphy, daughter of Recompense Murphy. Our subject raised to manhood and womanhood, eight children, six daughters and two sons. Mary C. the eldest daughter, is the wife of the Rev. J. W. Dillon, Presiding Elder of the M. E. Church in the Portsmouth District. They have a family of sons and daughters, grown up and married. Anna M. married George M. Lafferty, of Rome, and they have three sons and a daughter. She died in August. 1874. Matilda J. married Race Wikoff, of Rome. Rebecca Emily married Jonathan Tracy, son of Noah Tracy, long a resident of Adams County. They reside in Columbus. Ohio Juliette is the wife of Nelson Fisher, a prominent business man of Vanceburg, Ky. Amy White married Capt. Bruce Redden. They now reside in Columbus. James Alonzo married a daughter of John Elliot. He died in 1889, leaving her with three small children, two daughters and a son. They reside in West Union. John M., the youngest, is a prosperous business man of Vanceburg, Ky. His wife is a daughter of Captain John Bruce.
Martin Cox was an honest, industrious man. In early life, he followed the business of boat building and gave employment to a number of men. He owned the farm now occupied by Mr. Dryden in the Irish Bottoms. Here he reared his family and spent most of his life. In 1880. he sold his farm and moved to Rome, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1888. He was gentle and kind to his family, a good neighbor, honorable in all his dealings, loyal to his country, and was a Christian gentleman. He read much and kept himself well informed on public affairs. He was a good and acceptable member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years and died in its communion. His widow survives at the age of eighty-five and is quite active. She resides in Rome, Ohio. Mr. Cox raised a family of sons and daughters, all fine looking and all good men and women. Among his grandsons and granddaughters are some of the finest specimens of manhood and womanhood. While his life was an uneventful one, yet his family and descendants speak well for their training. All are doing well in the activities of this life.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900