Biography of Isaac N. Cox, page 232.  History of Northeast Indiana; 
LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, and DeKalb Counties, Vol. II, under the editorial 
supervision of Ira Ford, Orville Stevens, William H. McEwen, and William H. 
McIntosh. The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York, 1920.  

   Isaac N. Cox.  For nearly forty years Isaac N. Cox gave his best energies 
to farming and is now enjoying a well earned retirement.  His home has been 
at Ashley since 1907.  While accumulating a landed estate he has been active 
in many local affairs, including church, fraternity and civic responsibilities.
   He was born in Smithfield Township of DeKalb County October 16, 1851, a 
son of William and Nancy (Van Aken) Cox.  This branch of the Cox family is 
descended from an Englishman who came to America in colonial times. William 
Cox was born in Pennsylvania in 1811, was married in Portage County, Ohio, 
and in 1850 settled on the farm in Smithfield Township where his son Isaac 
was born.  He acquired 120 acres of land.  He was keenly interested in 
politics, was originally a whig and later a radical republican, and for 
nine year he held the office of trustee of Smithfield Township.  He was 
also prominent in the Cedar Lake congregation of the Christian Church and 
served as an elder many years.  Of his ten children four are still living: 
B.O. Cox, a retired farmer at Coldwater, Michigan; Sarah, widow of Levi 
Freed and living at Ashley; Harriet, widow of John Wilsey, of Traverse 
City, Michigan; and Isaac N.
   Isaac N. Cox grew up on the home farm, attended district schools and 
also the Angola High School and the Waterloo High School.  For two terms 
he was a teacher in his native township, but since then has followed 
farming.
   June 8, 1871, he married Anna Stamets, who was born in Ohio December 2, 
1851. She finished her education in the district schools of Indiana. After 
their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cox rented his father’s place for two years, 
and from 1874 to 1879 lived in LaGrange County.  He then bought forty 
acres of his father’s homestead and subsequently acquired another forty 
acres, given him a good sized farm, for which he earned the greater part 
of his prosperity.
      Mr. and Mrs. Cox had five children, four of whom are still living: 
Emmett, who is married and lives in Waterloo; Anna Rosezettie, a high 
school graduate, wife of John May; Arthur, who is married and lives on the 
old farm; and Harry H., who spent three years in high school and is married 
and a farmer.  The family are leading members of the Cedar Lake Christian 
Church and Mr. Cox has served it as deacon, elder and trustee, and for 
twelve years as superintendent of the Sunday School.  He is a past 
chancellor of Hudson Lodge No. 25, Knights of Pythias, and a member of the 
Grand Lodge, while his wife is a past chief of the Pythian Sister.  Mr. 
Cox has always been identified with the republican party, and has served 
as township supervisor.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com