Cox, Jesse bio

History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 911, Vermont Township
Jesse Cox, retired, was born in Chester Co., Pa., in 1807, of Quaker parents, who were of English descent. Thomas Cox, the father of Jesse, grew to manhood in Penn., where he followed the two callings of carpenter and farmer; he married Elizabeth Messer, and they had 5 children, of whom Jesse was the third. The parents died in Penn. Jesse learned the carpenter’s trade; married Theodosia Mershon, daughter of Henry Mershon, of N. Y., July 27, 1829, in Penn.; came to Vermont in 1837, followed carpentering, built the first store (of any note) in Vermont, and both grist-mills; he was the first Justice of the Peace, serving 8 years in this capacity; has been Supervisor; in 1841 he purchased 1/4 sec., and afterwards 1/2 sec. more, and one year he raised the largest crop of wheat ever raised in the county, shipping 350 barrels to St. Louis one day. Mrs. C. died July 8, 1871, leaving 4 children, - Samuel, Henry, Rebecca and Mary.