I need some help finding an ancestor?

Question

I am having a fit trying to find the parents of 2 of my ancestors if anyone could help that would be soooo wonderful.

Jesse B Cox (1840-1909) and his wife Flora Jane Cox (Desper) (1841-1912)

I just need the names of both of these people's parent's. And if possible the birth and death dates.

Answer 1

If you know the state they were in when they married you can go to that states genealogy files and see if you can find a marriage certificate or birth certificates for them. Marriage licenses at that time usually had the husbands parents but not the wife's. Sometimes there is a list of births for the state or county if you know the county. These almost always list both parents with the mothers maiden name. It was not a law to register births at that time and though there were some records kept in most places they were not always complete. Just keep looking and don't give up. There are a lot of other places to look but these are good starting places. For the death dates, look for state death index or obituary.

Answer 2

This was the very 1st listing on www.rootsweb.com's World Connect:

Jesse B Cox

Birth: 1 Mar 1840 in Ridgway Gallatin Co ILL

Death: 19 Oct 1909 in Ridgway Gallatin Co ILL

Burial: Gallatin Co ILL

    (Occupation: Farmer)

         Married: 29 Nov 1857 in Gallatin Co ILL  to

Flora Jane Desper

Birth: Apr 1841 in Tennessee  

Death: 27 Aug 1912 in Ridgway Gallatin Co ILL

Burial: Gallatin Co ILL

       Their Children:

1.Martha "Sis" Patsy Cox-- b: Nov 1860 in Gallatin Co ILL

2.James Benjamin Cox-- b: Jan 1865 in Gallatin Co ILL

3.Sarah Catherine Cox-- b: 1866 in Ridgway Gallatin Co ILL

4.Mary Emiline "Em" Cox-- b: 10 Jul 1868 in Gallatin Co ILL

5.William "Bill" Henry Cox-- b: 24 Apr 1870 in Ridgway Gallatin Co ILL

6.John Cox-- b: Mar 1872 in Gallatin Co ILL

7.Kate Cox-- b: 1874 in Gallatin Co ILL

8.Rhoda J Cox-- b: 8 Mar 1875 in Ridgway Gallatin Co ILL

9.Jesse "Alfred" Cox-- b: 24 Sep 1876 in Ridgway Gallatin Co ILL

Jesse's parents:

Father: Benjamin Cox b: 13 Nov 1791 in Holly Springs Randolph Co  NC ; d. Oct 1841 in Gallatin Co ILL***

         Married: 14 MAR 1816 in Lebanon, Wilson Co. TN to:

Mother: Nancy Bean-- b: 1800 in North Carolina; d. 1855 in Gallatin Co ILL

      Jesse's siblings:

1.Elizabeth COX-- b: ABT 1819 in KY

2.Catherine COX-- b: ABT 1821 in KY

3.Brice M COX --b: 14 MAY 1821 in TN

4.Sarah COX --b: JUN 1823 in KY

5.Jonathan COX-- b: 3 FEB 1826 in Washington Co. TN

6.Andrew J COX --b: ABT 1828 in Gallatin Co. IL

7.Joseph Noah COX-- b: 10 JAN 1832 in Gallatin Co. IL

8.John "Henry" COX-- b: ABT 1835 in KY

9.  Benjamin A COX-- b: ABT 1838 in KY

   (Nancy's parents: Father: William BEAN , Jr. b: 8 FEB 1754 in Londonderry, Ireland ; d. 25 SEP 1810 in Elkton, Christian Co. KY ; Married 1st 1776 to:

Mother: Celia WYATT b: ABT 1754)

(NOTES on WILLIAM BEAN @  http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.co...

Flora's parents:

William P Desper

Mary Rollman.

    Flora's brother: Henry Desper b: ABT 1853; d. AFT 1880

Jesse's grandparents:

William Cox--b. 20 Sep 1761 in Holly Springs Randolph Co NC; d. 15 Jan 1845 in Holly Springs, Randolph Co ,NC

Ruth Cox--b. 17 Dec 1761 in Deep River Orange Co, NC, ,; d.

       22 Aug 1826.

         Their children:

1. AMY COX-- b: 16 Oct 1789

2. BENJAMIN COX-- b: 13 Nov 1791

3.MARTHA COX-- b: 15 Sep 1793

4.RUTH COX --b: 29 Aug 1795

5. MARY COX-- b: 7 Aug 1798

6. KATHERINE COX-- b: 19 Sep 1799

7. WILLIAM S. COX-- b: 27 Aug 1801 in HOLLY SPRING, RANDOLPH CO., NC

8.  REBECCA COX-- b: 2 Jun 1803

9.SARAH COX-- b: 20 May 1805

10. JOSEPH COX-- b: 4 Oct 1807

11.SOLOMON COX-- b: 25 Nov 1809

12. JANE COX-- b: 12 Jan 1813

13. NANCY COX-- b: 12 Jan 1813

Jesse's paternal GREAT-GRANDPARENTS:

**Benjamin Cox--b. 1723; d.  1817

    Married: Oct 1751 in Huntington,Adams Co. PA to

            First Cousin  

Martha Garretson--b. 1724 ; d. 1781 (Father: Casparus GARRETSON b: 1676 in Mill Creek,DE ; d. 3 Dec 1726 in ,Chester,PA ; Married: 1713 to  Mother: Ann COX b: 1694 in England; Martha's sisters-- Ann GARRETSON b: 1719/1720 in Hockessin,Newcastle,DE; d. Jan 1801 in Cane Creek,Orange,NC ;  &  Naomi GARRETSON b: 1725)

       Children of Martha & Benjamin

1. Amy COX

2. Benjamin COX b: 1752 in PA

3.Ruth COX b: 26 May 1755

4.John COX b: 22 Dec 1756 in Roan Co. NC

5. William COX b: 2 Sep 1761

6.Jeremiah COX b: 22 Mar 1763 in ,Orange,NC

Jesse's paternal 2nd GREAT-GRANDPARENTS:  

John Cox--b. 1699 , New Castle, Delaware ; d. 1755, NC

           Married 1st:  5 Nov 1720

Hannah Jenkins--b. 1690 ; d. 1740; Parents:  Unknown

        Children

1.Samuel COX-- b: 1723 in London Grove,Chester,PA

2.Sarah COX-- b: 1724 in London Grove,Chester,PA

** 3. Benjamin COX-- b: 1725 in London Grove,Chester Co. PA

4.William COX-- b: 1727 in London Grove,Chester,PA (NOTE--married his 1st cousin, NAOMI GARRETSON, Dec 1748 in Huntington,Adams,PA; daughter Ruth COX b: 1756)

5.Ann COX-- b: 1727 in London Grove,Chester,PA

6. John COX-- b: 1731 in London Grove,Chester,PA

7.Thomas COX-- b: 1733 in London Grove,Chester,PA

8.Hannah B. COX-- b: 1734 in London Grove,Chester Co. PA

      Married 2nd: 1735 in PA

Mary HARLAN-- b: 1714 in Chester,PA; d. 1745 in ,Adams,PA (her Father: Moses HARLAN b: 20 Dec 1683 in Ireland ; d. Feb 1749; Married: 17 Jan 1713 to Mother: Margaret RAY-- b: in Ireland)

        Mary & John's children:

1.Joseph COX b: Apr 1736 in London Grove,Chester,PA

2.Jacob COX b: 1737 in London Grove,Chester Co. PA

3. Dinah COX b: 1738 in ,Adams,PA

4. Naomi COX b: 27 Nov 1739 in ,Adams,PA

5. Rebecca COX b: 1741 in ,Adams,PA

6. Mary COX b: 1743 in ,Adams,PA

7.Ruth COX b: 1744

8. Solomon COX b: 1745 in Warrington,Adams (Lancaster,York) PA

Jesse's paternal 3rd GREAT-GRANDPARENTS:

**John Cox, Sr--b. 24 Sep 1675 ,Drayton, Berkshire, England ; d. 1711 ,Kennett, Chester, Pennsylvania

         Married: abt. 4 Jul 1708

Rachel Embree Carr--b. 1679 ; d. 1736; Parents:  Unknown

           Their Children:

1.Richard COX b: 1690 in England

2.Sarah COX b: 1692 in England

3.Ann COX b: 1694 in England

4.Joseph COX b: 1695 in England

5.Amy COX b: 1697 in England

6.John COX b: 1699 in England

7.Thomas COX b: 1702 in England

Jesse's paternal 4th GREAT-GRANDPARENTS:

Thomas Cox--b. 1641 ,London, England ; d.  15 Jan 1711 ,London, England  

    Married:10 Apr 1672 in Devonshire House ,England to

Christian Matthews--b. 1649; d.  1679; Parents: Unknown

         Their Children:

1.Christian COX b: 27 Feb 1673/1674 in England

2.Thomas COX b: 1674 in England

** 3.John COX b: 24 Sep 1675 in Drayton,Berkshire,Eng. c: 4 Jul 1708

4.Mary COX

5. Richard COX

6. William COX

Jesse's paternal 5th GREAT-GRANDPARENTS:

Thomas Cox,Sr--b. 1626; d. 1711; Parents: Unknown

         Married:

Ann Hind--b. 1625; d. 1664;  Parents: Unknown

www.ancestry.com-- 1850 United States Federal Census  

Name: Nancy Cox

Age: 50

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1800

Birth Place: North Carolina

Gender: Female

Home in 1850(City,County,State): North Fork, Gallatin, Illinois

Household Members: Name-- Age

Benjamin Cox --12  

Henry Cox --14  

Jesse Cox-- 10  

Joseph N Cox --16  

Nancy Cox-- 50  (NOTE:Widowed by then; see above--***)

Polly Cox-- 6  

American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI)

Name: Jesse Cox

Birth Date: 1840  

Birthplace: Illinois  

Volume: 35  

Page Number: 359  

Reference: Genealogical recds, v.2. Port Byron, Il. Recds. By Mary little Deere Chapter, DAR. Moline, ILL, 1951. (16,119p.):90

Answer 3

UK answer.

It would really help the researcher if you gave a location for Jesse and his wife, as Cox is a fairly common surname.

This is the only Jesse B Cox  that I could find, what do you think ? could this be him ? is it likely that you have the wrong birth year.?

1850 United States Federal Census

about Jesse B Cox

Name: Jesse B Cox

Age: 2

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1848

Birth Place: Indiana

Gender: Male

Home in 1850(City,County,State): West River, Randolph, Indiana

Household Members: Name Age

Dulcina Cox 35  

Jesse B Cox 2  

John W Cox 7  

Lewis Cox 31  

Matilda E Cox 12  

Thomas C Cox 10  

William A Cox 4

So according to this census image his dad is Lewis Cox and his mum is Dulcina Cox, they had real estate valued at $700 and Lewis worked as a farmer.

I found only one Flora E Despar born in 1886. THere were three Jane Despar's listed all born around 1840-1844, and there are less than 35 Despar's listed altogether.

Answer 4

This information is from rootsweb.com:

Jesse B Cox

Birth: 1 Mar 1840 in Ridgway Gallatin Co IL

Death: 19 Oct 1909 in Ridgway Gallatin Co IL

Father: Benjamin Cox b: 13 Nov 1791 in Holly Springs Randolph Co NC d. 10 Dec 1841 in Gallatin Co., IL

Mother: Nancy Bean b: 1800 in NC d. abt 1855 in IL

Married: 29 Nov 1857 in Gallatin Co IL

Flora Jane Desper b. Apr 1841 in TN d. 27 Aug 1912 in Ridgway, IL

Flora's Father: William P Desper

Flora's Mother: Mary Rollman

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.co...

In 1870 & 1880 Jesse & Flora lived in New Market, Gallatin Co., Ill.

1900 census says Jesse born May 1841 age 59 married 40 yrs. & lived in Ridgway

------------------------------------

BENJAMIN COX

Birth:  13 NOV 1791   Holly Springs, , Orange, North Carolina

Parents:

  Father:  WILLIAM COX  

  Mother:  RUTH COX  

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/search/f...

Answer 5

Try ancestry.com  You can do a free trial and try to track down a census from 1900 or 1905. It will usually list a country or state that they are originally from along with an ethnicity. Ancestry.com may also lead you to their death certificates which lists the parents names of the deceased.