The owner of two hundred and twenty acres of productive land in
Macoupin county, James Madison Cox has made ample provision for himself
and family for the years to come and as a result of his energy and
foresight enjoys the confidence of his neighbors and the respect of all
with whom he comes in contact.
He was born in Mount Olive
township, December 4, 1852, a son of Emanuel and Eliza G. (Biggs) Cox,
the former of whom was born in Stewart county, Tennessee, and the latter
in Nashville. The parents were married in Kentucky, to which state they
had removed earlier in their lives, and in 1837, having decided to cast
their lot in the promising region north of the Ohio river, they came to
Macoupin county, Illinois. This was in pioneer days when roads were few
and accommodations such as we have at present for travelers were
unknown. Mr. Cox filed upon government land in Mount Olive township and
set himself industriously to work, becoming as the years passed the
owner of six hundred acres of good land in this county. For a number of
years he lived near a mound on a farm which he rented as a pasture and
this mound is known as Cox’s Mound. He was a worthy representative of
the early settlers of this section and performed his part in its
upbuilding. He died at the old homestead, one and one-quarter miles
south of Mount Olive, and his wife is also deceased.
James M.
Cox was reared under favorable conditions in a country home and early
gained a love for nature and for the agreeable pursuits of agriculture
which he has never outlived. He acquired his education in the district
schools and assisted his father on the home farm until twenty-one years
of age. He and his brother Ezekiel were then given by the father eighty
acres of land between them, which they cultivated to good advantage,
also assisting on the home place. After arriving at the age of
twenty-five Mr. Cox of this review was married and soon following that
event located on one hundred and eighty acres in sections 7 and 8 of
Mount Olive township, which he purchased from his father. He also owns
forty acres in Staunton township. He is industrious and highly energetic
in his work and his well-tilled fields have returned abundant harvests.
He also raises stock for the market and spares no pains to secure the
best results possible from his labors.
On the 3d of February,
1878, Mr. Cox was married to Miss Luella Purdy, a native of Staunton and
a daughter of W. C. Purdy. The father was born ini Madison county,
Illinois, and has now arrived at the age of eighty-five. He makes his
home with his children and his stories of pioneer life are interesting
reminders of experiences of which the present generation has little
conception. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cox: Maud, who
married Charles Irwin, an engineer on the Big Four Railway and resides
at Mattoon, Illinois; Winfred, a farmer of Mount Olive township; and
Hallie, the wife of Stephen Fisher, storekeeper of No. 3 Mine at
Gillespie.
Mr. Cox cast his first ballot for the democratic
party and has never wandered from the party to which he gave his early
allegiance. He has not sought political honors, but has served very
acceptably as a member of the school board of his district. He has
proved enterprising in his calling and entirely trustworthy in all the
relations of life, thus reflecting credit upon himself and those with
whom he is associated. He is largely a self-made man and as he can
always be relied upon to do as he promises, he fully merits the esteem
of his fellowmen.
Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 379-380.
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