Birth: 1760
Surry County
North Carolina, USA
Death: 1828
Surry County
North Carolina, USA

On October 7, 1780 the foundation that would forever change the world was established. Fewer than one thousand American Heroes, through skill, luck, and the leadership of cunning strategists, defeated Patrick Ferguson, a brilliant star of the British military might. Joseph Cox was one of the Heroes who fought in the Battle of King's Mountain.
His participation in the Battle of King's Mountain was documented by his Application for Revolutionary War Pension, S41494. The application was transcribed by Will Graves.
(Parenthetically, historians, genealogists, and descendants owe thanks to Will Graves for his hours spent transcribing the pension applications of American Revolution veterans. These papers were fragile and difficult to read, so this was a most difficult task, but so many people benefit from his efforts. Thank you, Will Graves.)
Southern Campaign
American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of Joseph Cox S41494 fn24NC
Transcribed by Will Graves rev’d 12/13/10
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber— besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. I welcome and encourage folks to call those and any other errors to my attention.]
State of North Carolina, Surry County
On this 14th day of August 1821 personally appeared in open court it being a Court of Record so declared by the laws of the State of North Carolina and opened and held as such this day for the County of Surry Joseph Cox aged about 61 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the 18th of March 1818 and 1st May 1820 that he the said Joseph Cox enlisted for the term three years in May as well as he recollects in the year 1775 or 1776 in the County of Surry & State of North Carolina in the 2nd Regiment of North Carolina regular troops commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Martin and in the Company commanded by Captain John Armstrong being the first or among the first Regular Troops ever raised in North Carolina in the Continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said Corps until his time expired in 1778 or 1779 according to the exact period of his enlistment when he was discharged from service at the High Hills of the Santee in South Carolina; that he was in the battle of Stono in South Carolina about thirty miles from Charleston, in the battle or skirmish at Bacon's Bridge in South Carolina when he was wounded by a musket ball and two Buck Shot in the left leg;
that after his discharge from the regular service he served as a substitute in the Militia and was in the battle of King's Mountain and Tarleton's defeat and Eutaw Springs; that he has not now any other evidence of his said services except his own oath having after his serving in the Revolutionary War lived in the State of Georgia where he left his discharge and other papers in the possession of one Edward Murphy in Richmond County; that on sending by a friend to said Murphy for his papers he the said Murphy had removed about twenty miles from the place of his former residence and his friend therefore did not procure the papers.
And in pursuance of this act of the 1st May 1820 I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval services of the United States in the Revolutionary War passed on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities, contracts or debts due me or any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed: (to wit) one foot addz [adz]; one drawing knife; five plains; one frow altogether worth about four or five dollars; 3 hoes; one mattock; one axe; 2 ploughs worth about 6 or 7 dollars; that he is by occupation a farmer; has neither Land, horses, hogs nor cattle; that his family consists of himself and wife only; that his children are all of age and live for themselves; that he has lately been much afflicted with rheumatism which with his age and other infirmities greatly incapacitate him for labor; that his debts amount to 50 or $60 which at present he has no means of discharging.
Sworn to and subscribed in open court.
S/ Joseph Cox {Seal}
Test: S/ Jos. Williams, Clk 1
The name of Joseph Cox appears on the Rolls of Captain Fenners Company of the 2nd Regiment and it is there stated that he died in 1778.
Given under my hand this 31st December 1821
S/ Wm Hill Secretary of State North Carolina
North Carolina Stokes County:
This day Joel Merritt planter came before me the Subscribing Justice of the peace for the County aforesaid & made oath that Joseph Cox of said County did press a horse beast of him which belonged at that time to his father Edward Merritt & was pressed & taken by said Cox in company with another man acting as Continental Soldiers in the Revolutionary troops for the use of the Army of the United States in the time of the old Revolutionary War, which horse was not considered to be fit for service in the Army & was afterwards given up to said Merritt &c.
Sworn & subscribed this 1sr day of July A.D. 1822 before me
S/ C. Banner, JP
S/ Joel Merritt
State of North Carolina Stokes County:
This day came Christopher Eaton planter a respectable Citizen of said County & made oath before me the Subscribing Justice of the peace for the County aforesaid that a certain Joseph Cox who is now present before me did actually enlist as a Soldier in the Regular troops of the United States Army of the Revolutionary War at Richmond then Surry County in the State aforesaid under Captain John Armstrong this deponent does not recollect the date but saw said Cox received the bounty of the aforesaid Captain Armstrong.
Sworn & subscribed this affidavit this 13th day of June 1822 before me.
S/ C. Banner, JP
S/ Christopher Eaton, X his mark
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of eight dollars per month commencing August 14th, 1821, for three years service as a private in the North Carolina Continental line.]
1 I am suspicious that this is not the real signature of the veteran since the handwriting is identical to the balance of the document.]
Joseph Cox was the son of Benjamin Cox and Martha Garretson. He married Dinah Rich and they had several children:
William Cox
Moses Cox
Benjamin Cox
John Cox
Nathan Cox
Miriam Cox
Dinah Cox
Martha Cox
Sarah Cox
Joseph Cox
While the actual burial site for Joseph Cox remains unknown, there is a cenotaph in his honor in the Cantrell Gilliand Memorial Garden. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude we owe him for risking his life and braving the unknown to help build a new country: our America.


Burial:
Cantrell Gilliand Memorial Garden
Spartanburg
Spartanburg County
South Carolina, USA

Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?]


Created by: Vonnie L Cantrell
Record added: Mar 01, 2015
Find A Grave Memorial# 143224782
On Ancestry from pettiet.

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