BIO: John Irwin COX, Cumberland County, PA
    
    Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
    OCRed by Judy Banja
    
    Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
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    >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
    Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, page 160
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    160	CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
    
    JOHN IRWIN COX, a retired farmer of Shippensburg, was born Feb. 20, 1824,
  in Southampton township, Franklin Co., Pa., a son of John and Martha (Paden)
  Cox, and grandson of Samuel and Mary (McComb) Cox.
    Samuel Cox was born in 1755, at Shippensburg, Pa., and married (first) Mary
  McComb and (second) Annie Peebles; he was her third husband. Col. Hugh Paden,
  the maternal grandfather of John I. Cox, was born near Mount Joy, Lancaster
  Co., Pa., married a Miss Boggs, and reared a family of seven daughters and
  two sons. The family is of Scotch-Irish extraction.
    John Cox, father of John Irwin Cox, was born June 17, 1781, in Franklin
  county. He carried on, in connection with his farm, the manufacture of woolen
  goods at Middle Spring, using water-power, and the same site is now the
  location of the Shippensburg electric light plant. Mr. Cox died March 6,
  1854, in his seventy-third year, survived by his widow until Aug. 25, 1858;
  she was born Feb. 17, 1807, in Mount Joy, Lancaster Co., Pa. They were buried
  at Middle Spring in what is known as the lower graveyard. Their family
  consisted of the following children: Mary L., wife of Charles McClay; Sarah
  Jane, wife of Francis McClay, of another family; Martha Ann, wife of John J.
  Young; Samuel P., unmarried; William A., who married Jane A. Young and is
  deceased; John I., of this sketch; and Hugh Paden, who died at San Francisco.
    John I. Cox spent his youth on the farm and attended the district school.
  At that time the sessions were held in an old log structure which has given
  way to a handsome brick one. Mr. Cox recalls Robert Hunter as his first
  teacher. Later he attended the Shippensburg Academy, where he was prepared
  for entrance to Jefferson College, at Canonsburg, Pa., where he was graduated
  in 1848. After graduation he began the study of medicine, but on account of
  failing health engaged in farming in Southampton township, Franklin county.
  He then formed a partnership with Hugh Paden, and they engaged in the
  manufacture of lumber at Lyons City, Iowa, for some time. Tiring of this
  business, Mr. Cox disposed of his interests in that locality. The next eight
  years were spent in farming in Whiteside county, Ill., and he then returned
  to Shippensburg, where he has been connected with several business
  enterprises, conducting a store for the sale of agricultural implements, and
  later a boot and shoe store. Since 1881 he has lived retired.
    Mr. Cox was married, April 13, 1858, to Keziah M. McCune, of Middle Spring,
  who was born Oct. 1832, daughter of Alexander and Mary (Colwell) McCune. There
  have been no children by this marriage.
    In political sentiment Mr. Cox is a Democrat, but in late years has cast
  his vote with the Prohibition party. Both he and his wife are members of the
  Presbyterian Church of Middle Spring, of which he has been a trustee many
  years. Although in the evening of life he is in command of all his faculties
  and not only enjoys good health, but the respect and affection of his fellow
  citizens.