COX

cox, jacob dolson (1828-1900), american general, political leader and educationalist, was born on the 27th of october 1828 in montreal, canada. his father, a shipbuilder of german descent (koch), and his mother, a descendant of william brewster, were natives of new york city, where the boy grew up, studying law in an office in 1842-1844, and working in a broker's office in 1844-1846, and where, under the influence of charles g. finney (1792-1875), whose daughter he afterwards married, he prepared himself for the ministry. he graduated at oberlin college in 1851, having in the meantime given up his theological studies in rebellion at finney's dogmatism. in 1851-1853 he was superintendent of schools at warren, ohio; in 1853 was admitted to the ohio bar, being at that time an anti-slavery whig; and in 1859 was elected to the state senate, in which with garfield and james monroe (1821-1898) he formed the "radical triumvirate," cox himself presenting a petition for a personal liberty law and urging woman's rights, especially larger property rights to married women. appointed by governor dennison one of three brigadiers-general of militia in 1860, he eagerly undertook the study of tactics, strategy and military history. he rendered great assistance in raising troops for the union service in 1861, enlisted himself in spite of poor health and a family of six small children, and in april was commissioned a brigadier-general, u.s.v. he took part in the west virginia campaign of 1861, served in the kanawha region, in supreme command after rosecrans's relief in the spring, until august 1862, when his troops were ordered to join burnside's 9th corps in virginia. after the death at his side of general reno in the battle of south mountain, and during antietam, cox commanded the corps, and at the close of the campaign (6th oct. 1862) he was appointed major-general,