| WilliamM. Cox, M.D. |
WILLIAM M. COX, M. D., one of the leadingmembers of the medical profession in Brown county, Illinois, was born fivemiles from Jacksonville, Morgan county, Illinois. His father, Charles Cox,was a native of Virginia, and removed from that State to Kentucky, wherebe married; he afterward removed to Indiana, and thence to Morgan county,Illinois, where he was one of the early settlers; he located there previousto the “winter of the deep snow” (1830-’31), and experienced all the hardshipsand privations of that year. His brother, Hon. Jerry Cox, settled thereat the same time. He entered a tract of Government land, on which he erecteda log cabin. For several years after his settlement there wild game wasplentiful, and the merchandise was brought from St. Louis by teams. Thefirst railroad in the State was the one from Jacksonville to Naples, andthe cars were first drawn by horses. Mr. Cox improved his farm, built goodframe buildings, and resided there several years. He removed to Adams countyand bought a farm, on which he made his home one year; at the end of thattime he sold and moved to Hancock county, where he purchased a large tractof land opposite Keokuk; there he was extensively engaged in general farming,raising and feeding large numbers of live-stock, and carrying on a profitablebusiness. He married Rachel N. Craig, who was born in Kentucky and diedat her home in Hancock county; his death also occurred at the home farm.They had a family of seven children, six of whom grew to mature years.William M., their son, received his education in the public schools, andat the age of nineteen years turned his attention to the study of medicine;his first work was done under the direction of Dr. McGougin, of Keokuk,and he afterward entered the medical department of the Iowa State University,from which he was graduated in 1860; ten years later he received a diplomafrom the College of Physicians, New York, and in 1878 he was graduatedfrom the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk, Iowa. He began thepractice of his profession at Bloomfield, Iowa, in 1860, and upon the breakingout of the Civil war he entered the United States service as First Surgeonof the Third Iowa Cavalry; after three months he was stricken with typhoidfever and was compelled to resign his position. In 1862 he settled in Liberty,Adams county, and remained there until 1877, when he came to Mount Sterling,where he has since been in active practice. He has been an indefatigableworker, a close student, and has kept fully abreast of the times upon allsubjects pertaining to the great science.The fire of May, 1892, destroyed his library,which was one of the most extensive and valuable to be found in Illinoisoutside the city of Chicago.
Dr. Cox was united in marriage to Effie M.Morris, who was born in Payson, Adams county, Illinois, a daughter of Israeland Emily H. Morris. Of this union one child has been born, Eleanor M.The mother and daughter are members of the Presbyterian church. Politically,the Doctor affiliates with the Democratic party. He is a member of HardinLodge, No. 44, A. F. & A. M.; of the Chapter, R. A. M., and of DeltaCommandery, No. 48, K. T. He belongs to the Adams County and American MedicalSocieties, and is highly esteemed in professional, business and socialcircles for his many excellent traits, his ability as a physician, andhis unswerving devotion to his country’s interests.
Biographical Review of Cass,Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review PublishingCo., Chicago, 1892, pages 164-165.
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