Richard Jewell Cox

COX, BREEDEN, ANTLE

Posted By: Dotty Cox Woodruff (email)
Date: 10/2/2008 at 18:29:31

(From the Grinnell, Poweshiek County, Iowa newspaper 4-2-1926.)

Richard Jewell Cox Closes Useful Life

Richard Jewell Cox died at 6 p.m. March 27, 1926 at his home 6 1/2 miles north west of Grinnell. He had attained the age of 85 years, 8 months & 4 days.

Mr. Cox was born August 31, 1840 in Morgan Cty. near Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois. At the age of 8 he left Illinois and Californiame to Iowa with his parents, William Preston & Mary Stanley Cox. In 1849 they settled on a farm which they had purchased near Newton, Iowa. As the second son of a family of 5 sons & 3 daughters, Mr. Cox did much to help his father & mother through the privations and hardships of pioneer days.

On January 27, 1866 Richard Jewell Cox married Milly Emmeline Antle at Newton, Iowa and for several months they lived at his father's home.

Early in the spring of 1866, Mr. Cox bought a forty acre farm 1 mile from his fathers'. Here his children were born and here five of the happiest years of his life were spent. Later he exchanged this farm with his next younger brother, John Cox, for a larger tract of land, to which he moved his family and which has continuously been his home for 54 years. He has developed these acres of unbroken prairie into a fine tract of land. The rugged strength of the beautiful prairies brought him a clear, calm earnestness of spirit and a firm belief in the principle that, "Right is right and wrong is wrong."

Mr. Cox's parents were Primitive Baptists and their son's fellowship and interest were always with the church of his father and mother. He early attained that experience where he found he could truly say, "I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him." In his clearness of vision he had that triumph of faith that conquered death before it came.

Mr. Cox was the last surviving member of the family of 5 sons & 3 daughters. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. A. J. Breeden of Grinnell and a son, Mr. William M. Cox who resides at the family home.

He also leaves 1grandson, Floyd L. Breeden, and 1 great grandson, Lyle Adelbert Breeden, both of Greeley, Colorado. His wife passed away January 26, 1918, at the age of 73 years, 10 months and 6 days.

Mr. Cox was a man of quiet, unassuming, kindly ways. He was always thoughtful and considerate of others and above all deeply devoted to his home and its interests. It is the passing of a good man who will be sincerely mourned by all who knew him.

The funeral was held at the farm home northwest of town on Tuesday afternoon. Elder M. E. Young, a friend of many years, came from Indianola, Iowa to conduct the service. Three songs were sung by Mr. & Mrs. M. E. Phillips of Conrad, Iowa. They were: "We are going down the valley," "It won't be long, it may be soon," "Jesus, Blessed Jesus".

Those attending the funeral from out of town were Clifford V. Cox of Des Moines, Mr. & Mrs. Floyd L. Breeden and Lyle Breeden of Greeley, Colorado.

Interment took place in West Hazelwood.