Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/25

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Samuel J. Cox. His father ^^as a member of the Ohio senate, 1835-39, and his grandfatlier, James Cox, fought at Gex-mantown and Monmouth, gained the rank of brigadier -general in the Con- tinental army, was a member of the New Jersey- state assembly, its speaker, a representative in the 10th U.S. congress, and died at Monmouth, N.J., Sept. 13, 1810. Samuel attended Ohio uni- versity and was graduated at Brown universitj^ in 1846 with honors in classics, history, literature and political economy. He practised law in Ohio, visited Europe and in 1853 became editor of the Statesman, Columbus, Ohio, through which he largely influenced the politics of the state. He refused the secretaryship of the American legation at London in 1855 and accepted a simi- lar position in the legation at Lima, '^ \ Peru. He was a

Wi -'■^fe m^>M representative from

^ -^ l^r Ohio in the 35th,

i, 37th and 38th congresses. 1857-65. His congressional career through the period of the civil war was eminently patriotic. He sus- tained the govern- ment in the prose- cution of the war, while he opposed many of the polit- ical policies of the administration. He was chairman of the com- mittee on Revolutionary claims. He changed his residence to New York city in 1866 and repi'e- sented his district in the ■llst-48th congresses inclusive, serving 1889-85. He was an unsuc- cessful candidate for the speakership of the 45th congress and was thereafter frequently sjieaker pro tempore. He introdAced in the house the new census law and a plan of apportionment adopted by the body. He secured the passage of a bill creating the life-saving service, and one increasing the pay of letter carriers. The latter act lessened the hours of labor and gave to the carriers a vacation with pay, and tiiis service was recognized in the erection in Astor Place, by the letter carriers of New York city, of a statue in bronze of the benefactor. In 1869 and again in 1882 he visited Europe, making his first journey to include visits to Italy, Corsica, Alge- ria and Spain, and his second, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Turkey and Greece. In 1885 President Cleveland appointed hun U.S. minister to Turkey and after one j'ear at Constantinople he resigned in October, 1886, returned to New York, and was elected in November a representative in the

50th congress, serving 1887-89. He was a regent of the Smithsonian institution and a delegate to the Democratic national conventions of 1864, 1868 and 1876. Brown imiversity conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. in 1885. He wrote: A Buckeye Abroad (1852); Puritanism in Politics (1863); Eiyht Years in Congress {l^Qo) ; A Search for Winter Sunbeams (1870) ; Uliy We Laugh (1876) ; Free Land, Free Trade (1876; ; Arctic Sunbeams (1882) ; Oriental Sunbeams (1882) ; Three Decades of Federal Legislation (1885) ; Isle of the Princ€s{1881) ; Diversions of a Diplomat in Turkey (1887) ; and The Four Xew Stars (1889). He died in New York city, Sept. 10, 1889.

COX, Walter Smith, jurist, was born in Georgetown, D.C., Oct. 25, 1826; son of Clement and Mary (Ringgold) Cox; and grandson of John Cox, who settled in Georgetown about 1790- and was mayor of the city for twenty-four con- secutive years. Walter was graduated at Georgetown college in 1843 and from the Har- vard law school in 1847, and was admitted to the bar of the District of Columbia the same year. He was aldei-man, recorder and auditor of the supreme court of the district. In 1875 he became jjrofessor of the law of personal and real property, of contracts and of crimes and misdemeanors, in Columbian viniversity. In 1879 President Hayes appointed him associate justice of the supreme court of the District of Columbia. He presided at the Gviiteau trial (1881-82) which lasted three mouths and severely taxed his judicial forbearance. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Georgetown college in 1845 and that of LL.D from Columbian university in 1875.

COX, William Ruffin, representative, was born in Halifax county, N.C., March 11, 1832; son of Thomas and Olivia (Norfleet) Cox. His an- cestors were English and Scotch-Irish and settled in America early in the eighteenth century. His father died in 1836 and his mother removed to Nashville, Tenn., where he was graduated in letters at Franklin college in 1851 and in law at the famous school at Lebanon, Tenn., in 1853. He was admitted to the bar in 1853 and prac- tised in Nashville, 1853-57. He returned to North. Carolina in 1857 and engaged in agriculture in Edgecombe county. In 1859 he removed to Ra- leigh, N.C., and was an unsuccessful candidate on the Democratic ticket for representative in the state legislature, being defeated by thirteen votes. In 1861 he was commissioned by Gov- ernor Ellis major of the 2d regiment North Carolina state troops, commanded by Col. C. C. Tew. When Colonel Tew was killed at Sharps- burg, Lieut. -Col. W. P. Bynima was promoted colonel, and Major Cox lieutenant -colonel, and on the resignation of Colonel Bynum, Cox became