UNKNOWN JESSE COX IN TENNESSE MILITIA
A Jesse Cox served in Capt. John Crawford's Company of Mounted Militia in the Tennesse Militia from June 9, 1812 to August 27, 1812. There is no evidence that this is our Ashe County Jesse Cox. Source: National Archives.
JESSE COX IN 3RD REG US RIFLES
Our Jesse Cox served in the War of 1812 as a corporal in W.C. Parker's third regiment of Rifle. Source: National Archives.. His discharge certificate issued April 6, 1815 shows that he enlisted on the August 13, 1814 at Jefferson. He then went to Charlotte, NC where he was mustered into service about 15 Sep 1814. His regiment spent time in Virginia and Carlisle PA where he was discharged. The discharge certicate states he was born in Ashe County, was a farmer when enlisted, was about twenty three years old, and was physically five feet eight 1/2 inches high, of fair complexion, hazel eyes, dark hair. Click here to view Jesse Cox 1812 records.
One other reference to his war experience comes from the manuscript A Brief History of Russell County by William Settle which includes the following quote:
"He was a sargeant in the war of 1812."Jesse does claim to have been a second sergeant in an declarations dated 1856 and 1871. However, his discharge certificate states he was a corporal.
JESSE COX LAND BOUNTY
A bounty for service in the War of 1812 was issued to Jesse for land in the Illinois Military Tract. The patent was issued in Washington D.C. on 21 Sep 1818 and delivered to Jesse at "Mount Trial Wilken County, N.C." on 09 Oct 1818. It was warrent number 8647 for land located at NE4 S25 T1S R5W. (See Lineages Record for Jesse Cox.)
However, we find that in 1852, while Jesse still lived in Ashe County, he made a sworn declaration that he never received the patent for the land. Later we have is correspondence from a New York law firm. The second letter clearly responds to his claim that he never received his land. It is unclear whether he had originally contacted them. Later, when Jesse lived in Russell County and his pension was being processed, he again claimed to have never received the patent. So what happened to the patent?
The Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database contains a record of Jesse's land. The information contained there says that the purchaser was Jesse Cox, sale type MT (Military Tract), legal description NE, section 25, township 01S, range 05W, meridian 4, acres bought 160, price per acre 000.0, total price: Warrant, Soc. Stat MALE, date purchased 09/21/1818, Co. or State of Purchaser: North Carolina, Vol. 808, page 549, county ADAMS.This land was located in what is now Concord Township in Adams County. The Military Tract is a web site that offers more information on military tract lands in Illinois. Townships of Adams County, Illinois, USA located at the ILGenWeb Adams County site contains a township map showing Concord township.
Mark Christian found a hand-written copy of the following deed at the Washington County, Virginia Genealogical Society. This deed, dated 09 Feb 1819, is the sale of Jesse's land grant to Donald Koons. It read:
Jesse Cox Deed to Donald Koons 160 Acres Bk. 7 p. 224
This indenture made the 9th day of Feb. 1819 between Jesse Cox of the County of Ashe and State of N.C. & Dovalt Koons of the State of Indiana witnesseth that for & in consideration of the sum of three hundred and 20 dollars to him the said Jesse Cox in hand paid he hath granted bargained and sold to the aforesaid Koons one hund & 60 acres of land lying & being in the State of ? it being one quarter section granted to the said Jesse Cox State a corporal in Parkers Company third Redgment of Rifle men it being the north east quarter of section twenty five of Township one south in range five west in the tract appropriated by the act aforesaid for military bounty in the Territory of Illinois. Issued at the City of Washington the twenty-first day of Sept. in the yr of our Lord 1818 and of the Indep of the U.S. of Am the 43rd. Together with all and singular my right to which I bind myself my heirs, ? Admins? will cause to warrant and forever defend to aforesaid premises to the said Dovalt Koons, his heirs & assignees forever free and clear from an encumberance & claims of any person whatever, in testimony whereof I the said Jesse Cox herunto set my hand & seal the day & yr. above written. Test-
Thomas Calloway Jesse Cox (Seal)
A. McMillan
One assumes that the book and page number shown are from an Ashe County record.
If Jesse's later assertions included in sworn declaration were true, then it would appear that he was swindled out his land bounty. Jesse apparently lived in Ashe County at the time the bounty was mailed to him in Wilkes County, so perhaps somebody else received it.
JESSE COX PENSION
The Act of February 14, 1871 provided for pensions for the veterans of the War of 1812. Jesse quickly applied for this pension, but confusion over his war record delayed the pension authorization for a one and one-half years. Many records associated with his application were obtained from the archives, including notification of his death on 04 Jan 1884.
Action. Determine the location of "Mount Trial" in Wilkes Co. NC. Status. Open. Roy Earls has been making local inqueries in Western NC about Mount Trail or Mount Trial with no success so far.
Action. Locate record of Jesse Cox deed to Donald Koons. Status. Open
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