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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clay County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Henry B. Cox, a prominent merchant of Rector, Ark., was born February 13, 1843, in Weakley County, Tenn. His parents were William A. Cox and Hiley Cox, natives, respectively, of Buckingham County, Va., and Giles County, Tenn. William A. Cox, the father of our subject, was born March 22, 1815. He was of Scotch-Irish descent. Remaining in his native State until twelve years of age, he emigrated with his parents to Tennessee, which State at that time was wild and sparsely inhabited, and furnished very limited means of education. Still, William A. Cox, in the face of every disadvantage, by his own extraordinary efforts, succeeded in qualifying himself for business affairs, and filled various important stations. In 1838 he was married to Mrs. Hiley Schofield, widow of Thomas Schofield, and daughter of Asa and Nancy Magee, of Tennessee. Resulting from this union were six children: Ballard C., Leamma M., Henry B. (subject of this sketch), William A., Jr., Emily S. and Amanda Cox. Ballard C. Cox was killed at the battle of Chickamauga while in the Confederate service. Amanda and Emily S., late wife of W. S. Blackshare, are also deceased. In 1857 William A. Cox and family emigrated from Tennessee to Greene County, Ark., and settled three miles north of the town of Oak Bluff. The woods at that time abounded in wild animals. School and church privileges were very limited. During the late war William A. Cox remained at home, but he was a Southern sympathizer. In religion he was a Presbyterian, but was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, at the time of his death, in 1871. Mrs. Hiley Cox is still living, and is a resident of Clay County, Ark. (Clay County was formerly a part of Greene County.) The paternal grandfather, John Cox, was a native of Virginia, as was also his wife. He was of Scotch descent, and was a farmer by occupation. The maternal grandparents were of Tennessee. The grandfather participated in the Indian wars. He was engaged in the memorable battle of Horseshoe Bend. Henry B. Cox was thirteen years of age when the family removed to Arkansas. He remained at home on the farm until March, 1862, when he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-fifth Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. G. D. Byers, Confederate army. He was elected third lieutenant at Corinth, Miss. At Readerville, Tenn., he was promoted to first lieutenant. He was in the battles at Richmond, Ky., and Murfreesboro, Tenn., as well as numerous smaller engagements. At Murfreesboro he was wounded in the right foot, which resulted in much suffering and long confinement in the Medical College Hospital, at Atlanta, Ga., of which Dr. Willis Westmoreland was chief surgeon. In 1863, near Griffin, Ga., he was married to Miss Addie E. Lavender, daughter of Judge James Lavender, a native of Georgia. For two years after his marriage he was engaged in farming. In 1867, in Carroll County, Ga., he went into the mercantile business. He emigrated to Greene County, Ark., in 1867, and is still occupied in the same business. By his marriage Mr. Cox became the father of nine children, as follows: Charles M. B., Augusta O., Eugene H., Cora B., Mary F., Annie L., Dreas L., Augustus C. and Hubert D. Cox. Of these there are surviving only Charles M. B., Cora B., Mary F. and Dreas L. Cox. The wife of Mr. Cox, Mrs. Addie E. Cox, passed from this life into the future on July 9, 1880, at the age of thirty-six years. Mr. Cox afterward married Miss Laura I. Cox, a native of Missouri, and daughter of Rev. J. W. Cox, of the Methodist Protestant Church. To this union were born two children: Addie B. and Everett; the last named died at the age of four months. Mr. Cox established his business in Rector in 1882. He was the purchaser of the first lot sold in town, and has been quite successful. Mr. Cox and family are members of the Methodist Protestant Church. He was ordained a minister in 1872. He has been a member of the Masonic order since 1866, and took the Chapter and Council degrees in 1867, at Carrollton, Carroll County, Ga. He is a Democrat in politics; a stanch advocate of the principles of prohibition, he supported Gen. Fisk for president in 1888. In personal appearance Mr. Cox is tall and imposing; is six feet and two inches, and weighs 200 lbs. He has dark-brown eyes, and wears a heavy, full beard.

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This family biography is one of 124 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clay County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Clay County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Clay County, Arkansas family biographies here: Clay County, Arkansas Biographies

View a map of 1889 Clay County, Arkansas here: Clay County, Arkansas Map

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