The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-03-19
The First White lnhabitant of this

The First Whlte mnaDitiAt VI LIZ
County.
The Sandusky Register gives the
first white inhabitant of our county,
which we doubt not will be of inter-
est to our readers
"Ne have been shown a manu-
script embracing an account of the
first white inhabitant of Hancock
county. tits from the pen of Joseph
Cox, of Wood county, who says his
father, Benjamin Cox, was born in
Virginia in December, 1873. His
early life was spent in pursuing
troublesome Indians on the frontier.
After getting married, being very
much opposed to slavery, he resolved
to leave his native State and settle
where freedom and equal rights were
enjoyed. Consequently, in 1904, he
removed to this State, settling in
Greene county. In 1907 he removed
to Logan county, where he remained
until the war of 1912. Immediately
after the declaration of war he joined
an independent cavalry company.
although free from military duty,
having lost his right eye by gun
shot in early life. While in the
service he visited what is now Han
cock county,a and was SO well pleased
with the appearance of the country
that he removed in February, 1918,
TO Fort Flndlsy, on the south bank
of the Blanchard fork of the Auglaize
River. At this time he had eight
three boys and five girls
Thomas, Joseph, John, Deborah,
Nary, Elizabeth, Rosanna, and Je
nina. In July, 1918, Lydia was
oorm, being tn first white child born
IN Hancock couty.
"There was some travel through /
TO Detroit, and Benjamin Cox was
persuaded to keep a public house.
The great distance from mills and
he lack of facilities for getting
groceries of any kind, made it very
lifficult for him to provide even the
,lainest food for such guests as
to stop with him. At that
ime there was an Indian village at
he Fort. OF course the family OF
.Ir. Cox and the Indians became
iuite intimate. A few days after
anding at : the Fort, Mr.. Cox
,illed hog and took pains to send
piece of the pork to each of the
indian families at that point. This
pleased the Indians very much and
made them his friends at once
Ever after that, when the Indians
TILED anything large enough to di-
tide, Cox was certain to get por-
ion of it. They proved excellent
If they borrowed sny-
hing, it was sure. to be returned in
ue time, and if any of them saw
nything wrong abont the stock or
remises of Mr.. Cox, they would
lake haste to inform him of the fact.
hey were very temperate and op- ,
osed drunkenness most earnestly.
he next Spring after Mr. Cox set
ed In Findlay, he and his SONS un-
ertook to clear off piece of ground =
Or corn. In consequence of their o
aving to 60 to Urbana for most of
heir provisions. they were delayed ,
4 their work and the season for
lanting was likely to pass before
heir work would be finished. The $
indians saw how matters stood and |,
he Chief went to Dir. Cox and pro- !.
osed 10 assist him. remarking that
efore he could burn of the brush
nd plow, it would be very late, as
be Indians were already done plant
ng. Mr.. Cox gladly accepted the
roffered aid and, the next morning 4,
be Chief mounted a stump and called
pom the whole village to turn out
nd help Watermelon flor that was +,
THAT they called Mr.. Cox) plant his
orn. All responded, men and wo-
nen, and soon they were on the
,remises of Mr.. Cox, armed with
oes and planting bags, and they
rent to work with great cheerfulness.
he writer says it was one of the
most pleasant bees he ever saw.
"In 1928 Mr.. Cox moved into
Y BOD county, and from thence to
Ind. where he died, near
Goshen, in 1876, in the 7Sd year of
lis age.' 1Cd ET0