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Vincent Cox, early settler, Indian fighter, and progenitor of
the Cox family of Westmoreland County,
Virginia arrived in the colony in 1649.
His descendants spread throughout
Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Ancestry of Vincent
Cox has not been established, but
the most likely parent was Henry Cox
who was the father of a Vincent Cox
born, 1632, in Bedfordshire, England.
This would have made him seventeen years
of age when he arrived as an indentured
servant. Passage for Vincent Cox
to the new England was paid for by
William Bulloche. His indenture was
sold or assigned by John Pettitt
to Richard Cole for four years of
service. At the end of his servitude,
Vincent Cox applied for
his freedom and it was disputed by Mr.
Cole. A lawsuit settled the
disagreement in favor of the plaintiff
and Vincent Cox was given
one cloth coat, one pair of shoes and
stockings, one shirt, one hat or cap and
three barrels of Indian corn.
A deposition taken at the
time of the above court case,
established the arrival date of
Vincent Cox, as well as the
ship he sailed on. According to
William Beasley’s deposition
Vincent Cox came into the colony on
a ship called the Honor that came
to anchor in Virginia about the 8th
or 10th of October, last was
four years past.
After his release from
indentured service, Vincent Cox
settled in Cople Parish, on the
Yeocomico River. In 1653, Westmoreland
County had been formed from
Northumberland County, and Vincent
Cox’s land was in the new county.
The surname of Vincent Cox’s wife
has not been determined. It is
generally felt that her surname was
Charnock or Charnock. This
name is continued throughout the
descendants of Vincent Cox. They
raised a family of three sons; Charnock,
Vincent, Jr., and Thomas; and three
daughters, Ann, Martha and Elizabeth who
married into some of the prominent
families of Northumberland and
Westmoreland at that time.
Vincent Cox
was granted considerable acreage in Northumberland
and Westmoreland Counties in 1661, 1662
and 1665. In 1672, he sold land granted
to him, 27 September 1667, to George
Lamkin and his wife, Hannah of
Yeocomico Parish. This land was on a
branch falling into the Nominy River in
Mr. Clay’s line at head of a
branch falling into Yeocomico River.
Records show that he saw
service in the Indian Wars of 1675 to
1682. An allotment to the soldiers at
the Potomac Fort was ordered to go to
Mr. Vincent Cox at Yeocomico. He
was ordered to supply a horse as head of
his "forty", 28 January 1680.
On 25 June 1691,
Vincent Cox was ordered to answer a
petition filed by the Nanziatikor
Indians on behalf of William King,
who was a servant of Vincent Cox.
The petition stated; "In an Indian War
sixteen years ago, a young Indian was
taken prisoner and has lived as a
servant of Mr. Cox’s house.
The Will of Vincent
Cox, filed 5 July 1698 and probated
26 October 1698 in Westmoreland County,
Virginia left the following bequeaths to
his children. His wife was apparently
dead at the time since no provision was
made for her. To his oldest son,
Charnock, he left 300 acres of land,
silver, etc. His three daughters,
Martha, Ann, and Elizabeth were listed
but no specified bequeaths were named.
To his son and namesake, Vincent, he
left the home plantation, 340 acres of
land, silver, etc. No mention was made
of his son, Thomas, in his will. He was
underage, which is proven by his
appearance in court, 20 June 1700. He
chose John Redman to be his
guardian. Thomas Cox’s
sister, Ann, was the second wife of
John Redman of Westmoreland County,
Virginia.
Charnock Cox, Sr., the oldest son of Vincent Cox, and wife,
married Mary Presley, daughter of
Peter Presley, Sr. and his wife,
Elizabeth Thompson. Peter
Presley was the son of William
Presley and Jane Newman of
Northumberland County, Virginia.
Elizabeth Thompson was the daughter
of Richard Thompson and
Ursula Bysshe. Charnock Cox, Sr.
and Elizabeth Thompson Cox
had the following children: Charnock
Cox, Jr., Col. Presley Cox, William Cox,
Peter Cox, Molly, and Elizabeth Cox.
In his will dated 3 March 1751 and
probated, 26 March 1751, Charnock
Cox, Sr. leaves his estate to his
children and his wife, Elizabeth.
Executor of the estate is his
son-in-law, Samuel Rust, husband
of his daughter, Elizabeth.
Vincent Cox, Jr., second son of Vincent and Elizabeth
Cox, married Anne Payne,
daughter of William Payne of
Westmoreland County, Virginia. They had
one daughter, Winnifred Cox. The
Will of Daniel Sullivant,
of St. Stephen’s Parish dated 19 August
1704 and probated 22 February 1704/5
lists a number of bequeaths to the
family of Vincent Cox, Jr. He
was left a servant boy, Richard Baker,
and ½ of 4031 acres, excepting 200 acres
to James Thomas; and additional
bequeaths were made to his wife, Anne
and daughter, Winifred. Vincent Cox,
Jr., married the second time, Jane
whose last name is unknown. They had
daughters, Anne and Jane.
Ann Cox, oldest daughter of Vincent Cox, Sr.
and Elizabeth Thompson Cox,
married John Redman, as his
second wife. Their children were
Vincent, Daniel, Ann, Sarah, Jeremiah,
and Elizabeth Redmon.
Martha Cox, second daughter of Vincent Cox, Sr.,
and Elizabeth Thompson Cox, married
John Footman, Jr. It is believed
that she died in childbirth leaving no
issue.
Elizabeth Cox, third daughter of Vincent Cox, Sr. and
Elizabeth Thompson Cox, married
William Lewis. William and
Elizabeth Lewis had two children,
Vincent and Elizabeth. Elizabeth Cox
Lewis married the second time,
John Payne and had a daughter, Mary.
The Children of Vincent
Cox and his wife Elizabeth
Thompson Cox:
1. Charnock,
b. c. 1675
2. Vincent Jr., b. c. 1677, m.
Anne Payne 2d, Jane?
3. Ann, b. c. 1680, m. John
Redman
4. Thomas, b. 1682
5. Martha, b. 1685, m. John
Footman, Jr.
6. Elizabeth, b. c. 1688 m. (1)
William Lewis, (2) John
Paine (Payne) |
