Individual Details

From Ancestry FamilyTree:
According to 1777-78 census records, our James Cox had 90 acres of land in Washington County, near Jonesboro, Tennessee. He was given his land by the state of North Carolina. According to the Washington County Tax List, James Cox must have moved there in 1777. Records show he served on a Jury in Jonesboro in 1782, and again in 1778. On November 17, 1790, North Carolina granted him 90 acres in Washington County, Tennessee at 50 schillings per acre next to George Millhorn and another man named Scott. In 1790, he laid out a road. James Cox sold his land to a William Bean in 1791. James Cox's will was written in 1810. At that time his youngest daughter, Dorcas, was 10 years old. His will was recorded in 1812. His father was perhaps James Cox (born about 1740) and Richard Cox (born about 1720) was probably his grandfather. His final resting place was in Boone's Creek, Tennessee.
There were three North Carolina land grants in Washington County, Tennessee. It is not known if it was all to the same person, or if one of these three is our James Cox. In 1792 James Cox was granted 90 acres adjoining Scott and Milburn's lines. In 1791, James Cox was granted 173 acres on the side of the Nolachucky River, Green County, Tennessee, just below Pleasant Valley. In 1791 James Cox was granted 35 acres above the mouth of Flatt Creek. His father or brother may have been William Cox who had 500 acres of the south fork of Boones Creek on November 10, 1784 paying 50 schillings per acre. Richard Cox had a North Carolina grant on October 24, 1782 as a planter selling 199 acres for 100 pounds of North Carolina money.
SOURCE OF NOTE #1: Courtesy of Charlsey O'Hara
2. January 1755, James Cox added to list of tithables. May 16, 1755, James Cox appt. Constable, served on a jury, appointed to site rad from Sandy River to Leatherwood Creek. October 21, 1757, James Cox and Jerh Morroh sued for debt, and lost. March 25, 1768____on the petition of James Cox etting forth that he is owner of land on one side of Cascade Creek, and being desirous to build a water grist mill thereon, ordered that the sherif sumon twelve able discreet freeholders of the vicarage to meet on the land where such mill is proposed to be built____to view the asame and the lands adjacent thereto together with the timber and other conveniences which may be affected or laid under water by reason of building such mill and report the same under their hands and seals together with the true vale of the damages to the person or persons here to the next court. June 1773, James Cox is a defendant in a suit for debt against the estate of William Compton decd. He is ordered to pay three pounds 1 shilling 9 pence and interest.
SOURCE OF NOTE #2: Mabry Benson
3. James Cox father of Dorcas Cox, was born ca 1748, it is believed, in Lunenburg Co., in what later became Halifax Co. VA. James married Mary Eva Mabry, daughter of George and Sarah (Williamson) Mabry. [My Note: There is no proof whatever that George Mabry Jr was married to a Sarah, much less a Sarah Williamson.] There is a difference of opinion among some Cox family researchers regarding the wife (or wives) of James Cox. Some say her name was Winifred Mabry and there is a document in which Winifred relinquished her dower rights to a parcel of land in Henry Co., VA which was sold after their removal to Tennessee. Winifred was unable to travel back to Virginia so the document was executed in Tennessee and taken to Virginia, in August 1786. "Hattie" Jackson, a great-granddaughter of James and his wife, and Sudie Jackson, a gr gr granddaughter (who lived to be 104) both told me that their ancestress was Mary Eva Mabry; perhaps he was married first to Winifred; they may have been sisters.
SOURCE: Claudia Agiular
4. It is my belief that Winifred was the mother of all the children of James Cox, except Dorcas. I have also been in touch with some researchers of the Mabry family, and the general concensious, at the time I contacted them, was that Mary Eva Mabry was the mother of Dorcas, and Winifred was the mother of the other children. [My note: The Mabry research does not recognize a daughter Mary Eva in this family,.]
In making study of the will of James Cox, it is clear that it was written in order to protect and provide for the care of Dorcas. This could be because she was a half-sister of the others.
SOURCE: Janelle Jackson

In the name of God, Amen;
I, James Cox of the State of Tennesse, Washington County, revoking all other wills do appoint this as my last will and testament, in the following manner. 1st. I give and bequeath to my son George Cox one fether bed, and one negro called Peter and one hundred dollars in property, to be paid to him when my two youngest daughters come of age or marries. 2nd I give to my son Mayberry T. Cox my young stud horse called Flaglator got by gown fannon, my saddle bridle and saddle bags, Bailey's dictionary, and fisher's Arithmetic. 3rd. I give to my daughter Susanna all the plantation and improvements thereon where I now live when my youngest daughter Dorcas comes of age or marries by my will that they all live together until then I also give to my daughter Susanna one feather bed and furniture and all my pewter and looking glass. 4th I give to my daughter, Dorcas my two negroes, called Hannah and Tom, a bed, and furniture, and my trunk. 5th. I give to my son James Cox two notes due from him to me: one hundred dollars and the other one hundred and six dollars and fifty dollars in property to be paid to him when my youngest daughter Dorcas comes of age or marries. 6th, I give to my daughter Mary Hale wife of Nicholas Hale twenty dollars in property to be paid to her when my youngest daughter Dorcas comes of age or marries. 7th, I give my son John Cox fifteen dollars to be paid to him in property by my executer when she shall think proper. 8th I give to my daughter Sarah Strong the following books the life of Wesley and second volume of his sermons and Fletcher's fifth volume, Newton's Hymns and my small dictionary and ten dollars in property to be paid to her when my youngest daughter Dorcas comes of age or marries. 9th, I give to my daughter Fanny Hale the wife of Gideon Hale the sum of ten dollars in property to be paid to her when my youngest daughter Dorcas comes of age or marries. Should there be any of my personal estate undisposed of by my last will and testament, I leave it to be equally divided between the following persons (Vis). My son George and my son Mayberry Tucker and my daughter Sarah Strong the wife of Obediah Strong. And my daughter Mary Hale the wife of Nicholas M. Hale and Fanny Hale the wife of Gideon Hale except one woman saddle that I give to my youngest daughters Susanna and Dorcas.
I appoint Jacob Hoss, Senr, Joseph Crouch, Senr, and Charles Daryworth, Senr, to be executors of this my last will and testament, as witness my hand and seal on the 13th day of November 1810. Signed and sealed and delivered by the testator, in the presence of us
James Cox (seal)
Peter Hoss
Henry Bowers
Thomas C. Buckingham
The foregoing will was proven in court by the oathes of Peter Hoss, Henry Bowers and Thomas C. Buckingham the subscribing witnesses thereto at February Sessions, 1812, and ordered to be recorded.

Birth	1760
Death	1810
Marriage		Winifred Mabry

Spouse	Winifred Mabry (1760 - 1810)
Child	Dorcas Cox (1798 - 1856)