Lewis County, West Virginia Biography of Joseph B. COX ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , July 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 159 JOSEPH B. COX is one of the most substantial business men and citizens of Weston. His business interests and activities have taken a rather diversified form during his active career, but for many years have been directed in the furniture business at Weston. Mr. Cox was born on Sand Fork in Lewis County, West Virginia, June 7, 1857, son of Thomas and Margaret (Gil- looly) Cox. His father who was born in County Roscom- mon, Ireland, April 26, 1815, was reared in Ireland, liber- ally educated, and was a teacher both in his native coun- try and after coming to the United States. He was also a surveyor by profession. When he came to this country he located at Fairmont, West Virginia, where he met and mar- ried his wife. She was a native of the same county in Ire- land, and after coming to the United States had lived in New York City for a time. After his marriage Thomas Cox worked with Owen Gillooly at Fairmont and later moved to Sand Fork, West Virginia, in 1855, and bought a farm. Farming was his vocation the rest of his life. He and his wife died in the same year, she in January and he in Decem- ber, 1892. They were faithful Catholics, and he was a demo- crat in his political affiliation. There were eleven children, and the five now living are: James W., a retired oil pro- ducer in Weston; Patrick, a former coal miner, also living at Weston; John H., of Hot Springs, Arkansas; Miss Mary A.; and Joseph B. Joseph B. Cox spent his early life on the farm on Sand Fort and attended the local public schools. He remained at home until he was twenty-three, and after leaving home he secured employment as a carpenter at the State Hos- pital at Weston. Altogether he was in the service of the hospital for seven years. After his first period of employ- ment he went into business for himself for a time, and hav- ing saved some capital he bought a farm of 183 acres on Sand Fork. He still owns that property, though he occupied it and operated it only for a year and a half after his marriage. On November 24, 1884, he married Ella Mellett. On leaving the farm he resumed hia connection with the hos- pital and subsequently bought a property on the ground where his present furniture store is located. He built a business room there in 1896, and for seven years was asso- ciated in the furniture business with his brother. He then bought out his brother's interests and has since conducted one of the best stocked and most prosperous enterprises of its kind in Lewis County. He owns one of the finest homes in the city, at the corner of Third and Main streets, and has a number of other improved properties. His pros- perity is the direct result of his great energy and good management, since he started life with practically no capi- tal. He is a democrat and his family are all Catholics. His first wife died in 1899, leaving two daughters, Mary and Ella, both of whom finished their educations in Mount de Chantel Academy at Wheeling. Ella is a graduate nurse but is now the wife of Charles Green in Mississippi. Mary is the wife of H. P. Henry, of Weston. Mr. Cox subse- quently married Catherine Tully. They have five children: Margaret, James, Joseph, Catherine and Nora A. Margaret is also a graduate of Mount de Chantel Academy.