Thomas is said to have been born 16 September 1845 in Elkhart Co., IN. He is also found in that county with his family in the 1850 census, although his parents lived most of their adult lives in Wood County, Ohio, before and after the date of his birth.
Portions of his life are delineated in this Flushing Michigan newspaper obituary of June 1934, which reads in part:
"Thomas Cox had a long and honorable record, both as a soldier in the service of his country in the Civil War and in the ministry. At the outbreak of the war he offered his services to his country, but was rejected because of his youth, being at that time but sixteen. The next year, Sept. 21, 1862 he did enlist in Co. M, Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and served in most of the major battles until the end of the war. Mr. Cox remarked many times that he was a very lucky man, not to have been wounded or taken prisoner, although in the thick of the fight many times and having several very narrow escapes.
He received his honorable discharge from service on Aug. 4, 1865. He was the youngest of five brothers in the service, one of whom was killed in action.
Previous to enlistment, Mr. Cox and Miss Cecelia Krouse (sic) had been married May 13, 1862 at Chillicothe, Ohio (note: marriage record to Cecillia Knouse is in Wood Co., OH) and to the young wife he hurried home after the war. Soon after this he decided to enter the ministry and affiliated himself with the Church of God and became a traveling minister, which work took him throughout the territory of lower Michigan and the northerly parts of Indiana and Ohio.
It was his practice to hold meetings whereever there was an opportunity. Often times it was in a school building or vacant store and frequently in the homes of friends.
The trips throughout the territory was made by Rev. and Mrs. Cox, when she accompanied him, on horseback, or with horse and cart and he had no regular schedule, stopping to minister and preach whereever he found a need. This service and his genial and sincere manner and personality won for him a wide acquaintance and many true friendships, so that he was always welcome to come back to the place where he had helped to spread the work of Christianity. This traveling work interspersed with pastorates held at various places, including Adrian, Blissfield, Tecumseh and Coleman occupied the period of time up to about 15 years ago, when owing to advanced age he was obliged to give up the work, although he did whenever possible, preach and fill vacancies. His wife passed away December 18, 1923.
On March 8, 1926 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Carrie Davis of Flushing and came here to reside and was the only living Civil War veteran here during the last few years.
In addition to the widow, there are left to mourn, three daughters, Mrs. Tillie Cratsenburg of Idaho; Mrs. Jessie Criner of Elsie, Mich; and Mrs. Leo Handy of Toledo, Ohio; three brothers, John and Manson Cox of Bowling Green, Ohio and Charles Cox of Lyons, Ohio also 24 grand children and 35 great grand children and a great host of friends whom he has met and served during a long and useful life.
Final services for Rev. Cox were held from the Wheeler Funeral Home on Tuesday afternoon with Reb. James Ruehle of Toledo, officiating. Interment was made in Flushing cemetery."
There are a number of references to "Uncle Tom" in the diaries of his brother John's wife, Naomi:
April 7-10, 1911 "Uncle Tom & Aunt Cellia Cox visiting".
Apr 9, 1911 Well this has been quite a nice day but rather cool, we all four went down to Elzas, but instead of leaving them down to Libs we brought them back with us and had a very nice visit.
Feb 5, 1913 " Got letter from Uncle Tom"
Feb 16, 1913 "Pa & I went to Uncle Tom's for dinner. It was Aunts Birthday"
Fri 6 Mar 1914 in Toledo we went over to Uncle Toms this PM. Had a nice visit and staid to supper
Mar 9, 1918 Pa went to Uncle Toms but they had moved to Michigan.
Jan 12, 1920 Uncle Tom Cox came tonight. R.E. took him to the Hotel as were full.
Jun 22 1922 Uncle Tom & Aunt Cilla came down.
June 23 1922 Fanny Finneys funeral, went with Uncle Tom.
Feb 4, 1924 Mon- Bertha Cook phoned this morning her father had got hurt had a fall or something was in a hospital up in Mich. dont expect him to get well. she was going right out.
Feb 6, 1924 A card from Carrie says her father had to have operation. is bad off
Feb 13, 1924 letter from Carrie Uncle Tom is doing fine.
Feb 15, 1924 Card from Carrie- will move Tom today Jessies
May 3, 1925 Toms came to Elmer Lowells funeral.
Apr 6 1926 A letter from Ethel, Uncle Tom is married.
Sept 4, 1927 Cox reunion. Tom & wife were there.
June 29 1933 We got a letter from Tom's folks he is getting very deaf & nearly blind I guess. he can't see to read.
June 4, 1934 Jason got word from Clyde that Uncle Tom was dead he came over & told us & said he would drive.
June 5 ,1934 They brought Manson down & Jason drove our car took him & Pa it was about 150 mi.
The children of Thomas are:
Matilda Jane (Tillie) (24 Apr 1864-1940). She married Warrington Cratsenburg Jan 1, 1885 in Gratiot Co., MI. She owned a restaurant in Middleton MI in 1900, was in Lane, Idaho in 1930 and 1934. (The Cratsenburgs were a family that moved to Michigan from New York. Click here to email Dale Cratsenburg, a descendant of Warrington's brother Chester.)
Mary Ann (6 Jun or Jul 1866-31 Jul 1872)
Joseph Edward (14 May1868-ca1930) He lived in Flushing Michigan.
Effa Almeda (24 Apr 1870-1933). She married Lewis Fales. She lived in Crawfordsville OR. at some point. She had a daughter named Helen.
Viola (Sarah Viola) (26 Apr 1872-20 Jun 1900 Metamora, OH). She married Mr. Basore.
Jessie Ordency (30 Dec 1873-). Jessie married Sam CRINER. There are mentions of their family in the Cox reunion minutes. There was a Preston Criner who served in World War II. In 1934 the Criner family lived in Elsie, Michigan. Her name may have been "Jesslyn". Her children may have included Iva who married Mr. Parker or Parks, Ina who married Mr. Lyons, Gilbert who married Pearl Neoma Moore in 1926, Neoma who married Orrin Moore and Lelia who married Barney FAILS or FALES in 1925. Lelia may have first married Mr. Paulos and lived in Chicago, Illinois. Thomas Cox and his wife lived with Jessie and Sam Criner in their elderly years according to family notes. My information of this family is sketchy, pieced to gether from notes of Cox reunions and diaries. There is more to be learned about various CRINER families by going to the CRINERING.
Bertha May (10 Jul 1876-24 Jul 1929). She married Willard or W.L. Cook. The reunion notes the birth of birth of their daughter in 1927.
Carrie Maude (24 Jan 1879-15 Jul 1963). She was married to Ed Roach and also later to Leo Handy. She had three children with each of her husbands. One of her daughters married Mr. Pearsall and another daughter married Mr. Russell and their are many notes of their families.
Alice Rosetta (12 Mar 1881-1882)
I believe that Thomas Cox married Cecilia KNOUSE rather than KRAUSE, as is written in his obituary. There is a KNAUSE girl of her age living with her family near Thomas Cox and his parents in Wood County Ohio in 1860. According to the marriage record he married Cecillia KNOUSE. It is difficult to read her last name in the family Bible. There are a number of references to the KNAUSE family in the diaries of Naomi Cox.
Please send additions and corrections of this family. What you read above is based on a scattering of information from the Bible, vital records, diaries and reunion notes and is in need of clarification and verification. Have a number of addresses of these folks through the years- for the most part, they lived in Ohio and Michigan into the 1930s.
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