b. April 7, 1825; Hanover Township, Ohio
d. February 26, 1906; Columbiana County, Ohio
(first wife) CATHERINE SCATTERGOOD
b. 1826
d. after 1860; Columbiana County, Ohio
(second wife) MARY CATHERINE HOFFEE
b. May 7, 1842; Dungannon, Columbiana Coumty, Ohio
d. November 19, 1916; Columbiana County, Ohio
The following information was written by my mother about Reason FOX, his marriages and his 15 children.
Reason or "Rezin" FOX was the fourth child born to Henry, Jr. and Rachel (RUPERT) FOX. According to the entry in the baptismal records of Trinity Church, Hanover Twp. "Rezin" was born 7 AP 1925 and baptised 3 AUG 1825. (page 16, "Trinity Church", Simon)
There is some conflict among the various records about this birth date. A copy of Rezin's death certificate says he died 26 FEB 1906 and his age was 80yr-9mo-3da at death. (Probate court, Columbiana County, Ohio). That would mean he was both 18 MAY 1824. There was a newspaper obit for Reasin FOX in the Buckeye State of 2 MAR 1905 and it was even farther afield. It gave his age as 84. The Recorder's office of Columbiana County has a Registration of War Veterans Graves, and teh birth date there doesn't agree with any of the others. It says Reason Fox was born 18 MAY 1821. Reason Fox is buried in the Grove Hill Cemetery in Hanoverton and his grave marker reads 1821-1905. It is interesting that all these records have the correct death date As far as the birth date goes, I feel that since the baptismal date is the one which is closest to the event, it is probably the one which is correct.
Reason FOX was married twice and fathered 15 children by his two wives. The Reason FOX family was living in Carroll County, Ohio in the 1850 census. In 1860 they are in Columbiana County, Butler Township, and after that they are living in Hanover Township, Columbiana County. Reason Fox is listed as a stone mason in the census records. But on this death certificate his occupation was called a "R.R. Engineer." As mentioned before, this was the status symbol of that era, but it is very doubtful (according to some relatives who knew him) that he was in service of a railroad
My grandmother (Eva FOX) used to say that Reason FOX could keep his children and grandchildren enthralled with his exciting war stories In researching this, I found that Reason was drafted and sent to "boot" camp, but the Mexican War was over before he could serve. Nevertheless, there is a government Mexican War "marker" on his grave.
Reason FOX married Catherine SCATTERGOOD on 18 SEPT 1847 in Columbiana County, Ohio. She is shown with him in the 1850 and 1860 census, but disappears after that. They were the parents of five children:
- Martha Ann FOX (1848 to 1922) and is buried with her father in Grove Hill Cemetery. Marth Ann was born blind and my grandmother Eva FOX said she could cook over a wood stove as well as a sighted person. Martha Ann could also wash and iron clothes (using a "sad" iron which had to be heated on the hot stove). She never married, but with so many siblings, I feel sure she was kept busy all of her life.
- George W. FOX (1850 - ?) - - he was crippled by a gunshot wound in this youth. Never married.
- Rachel FOX (1852 - ?) She appears with her family in the 1860 census when they were living in Butler Twp. Family tradition says that the Peter Ward family of Butler Twp. raised her. On 4 DEC 1871 Rachel FOX married John WHITACRE, the son of Edward and Rachel (TAYLOR) WHITACRE. They were the parents of five children.
- (David) Wesley FOX (1854-1918). He was buried with his wife in Minerva, Ohio. Wes married Elvira/Vira Vernon about 1875. They had one daughter who never married Wesley followed the trade of balcksmith.
- Frank FOX (1857 - ?) Family tradition says he became a minister and lived in Elkhart, IN. I have found no proof of this.
Reason and March C. were parents of ten children.
- Mary Elizabeth (1864-1936) - called Lizzie, she was married twice. First to Albert V. Johnson, a lawyer, then Samuel Kurtz.
- Jesse Whitfield (1866-1938). He married Anna Shearer and they resided in Salem Ohio. They had six children and are buried in Grove Hill Cemetery.
- Anna (1867-1867)
- Walther Abraham (discussed below)
- Twins stillborn
- Twins stillborn
- Mary (1874 - ?) She married John Reiser. They had four children and resided in Canton, Ohio. He worked for the Pennsylvania RR and later the police department.
- Jefferson (1877-194?) He married twice. First in 1897 to Nellie Barnes with whom he had six children. He then married Mae Staben. Resided in Alliance, Ohio.
- Harriet (1888-1960) Married to Charles Anthony. One child. Resided in Alliance, Ohio
- Viola (1883) and died young
Simon, Trinity Church, unpublished records of the Trinity Reformed church in Hanover Township, Ohio.
Columbiana County, Probate Court, Vol. 4, p57
1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900 Federal Census, retrieved from http://ancestry.com Hanover, Columbiana County, Ohio
GEORGE ABRAHAM FOX
b. July 5, 1844, Columbiana County, Ohio
d. December 8, 1922; Columbiana County, Ohio
ELMIRA COMBS
b. January 13, 1849; Stark County, Ohio
d. January 27, 1935; Kensington, Carroll County, Ohio
George Abraham FOX, the son of Henry and Lydia MILBOURNE FOX, was born on July 5, 1844. He married Elmira COMBS on September 17, 1874 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Little has been written by my mother regarding this side of the FOX family. We do know that they had 3 children:
l. Eva Leona (1877-1932) who married Walter Abraham FOX, a second cousin once removed. It was this marriage that started my mother on her genealogy quest to determine the relationship of the two FOX families.
2. Daisy (1879-1978) married Charles ROWLAND and they had 1 child
3. Ross Marion (1885-1941) married Grace BARNES and they had 1 child
Citations:
1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 Federal Census Index; retrieved from http://ancestry.com, Columbiana County, Ohio
Personal papers and pictures in Possession
WALTER ABRAHAM FOX
b. June 9, 1869; Columbiana County, Ohio
d. June 17, 1933; Kensington, Columbiana County, Ohio
EVA LEORA FOX
b. May 16, 1877; Columbiana County, Ohio
d. February 18, 1932; Kensington, Columbiana County, Ohio
The following article was written about Walter Abraham Fox in 1926 in the "History of Columbiana County."
"W.A. Fox, who has been in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad as station agent at Kensington for 36 years, is a member of one of Columbiana County's honored pioneer families. He was born at Hanoverton, Columbiana County, June 9, 1869, and is the son of Reason and Mary (HOFFEE) FOX, both of whom are deceased.
W.A.Fox received his education in the schools of Hanoverton, and when a boy learned telegraphy in the Kensington station, of the Pennsylvania Railroad, at that time operated by Oliver Miller. He later served as clerk under M. Leonard, local agent, and since 1908 has been station agent.
On November 12, 1894, Mr. Fox was united in marriage with Miss Eva. L. Fox, the daught of George and Myra (Combs) Fox, of Robertsville. To them were born six children, as follows: Esther, married Wyland Jones and lives in Rochester, NY; Gladys, married Wade Robinson, levies at Whittier, California, and they have a son, Jack (later had a second son, Albert); Fern, married Earl Yoder, lives at Minerva, Ohio, and they have a daughter, Dorothy; Margaret, married Dwight Glass, levs at Alliance, Ohio; Earl and Curtiss, both at home. (NOTE: Earl eventually married Erma Hoopes and had 3 children; Curtiss married Louise Aiken and they had 1 child).
In politics, Mr. Fox is identified with the Republican party. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is affiliated with the Masonic Lodge. He is a representative citizen of the community and is well and favorably known."
My mother made the following notes about her grandparents. Eva was not allowed to marry Walter until she was very pregnant with their first child. Her father was a second cousin to Walter, her husband - thus the same name "FOX."
Citations:
1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 Federal Census Records, retrieved from http://ancestry.com Hanover, Columbiana County, Ohio
Personal papers in possession
Personal memories from Dorothy Yoder Coffman, granddaughter
FERN DAISY FOX
b. February 16, 1897, Kensington, Carroll County, Ohio
d. July 7, 1981, Minerva, Stark County, Ohio
My grandmother also loved hats! I remember her hats, and when I found this picture taken in 1947, I realized that this had been her obsession for a long time.
I asked my sister her memories of grandmother, and here are her thoughts.
I used to spend a week every summer at Grandma and Granddad Yoder’s. I remember Grandma Yoder making his lunch every day and we’d walk it out to him in the fields.
She was an amazing cook and would lay out a feast when we went to visit. I especially remember her roasts that you could cut with your fork, and her creamed corn. I used to watch her stir that in her kitchen.
I must have been very small when we started to visit them. I remember walking, and walking, and walking, and walking to get from the dining room to the living room. As an adult, I’ve seen the house and it wasn’t that large.
She loved to play cards. Played bridge (but I don’t know how often). She taught me Canasta. Also she had a Chinese checker board made out of metal with round marbles for the slots. I thought that was pretty cool. I think we also played dominos.
She was a wonderful seamstress. She made some magnificent curtains for the windows of her house made out of white frilly material – yards and yards of it so they were fuller than any curtains I’ve ever seen since. She also gave me a round basket one time that she’d filled with sewing equipment – scissors, needles, thread, etc. I think I remember she gave me a book where you practiced doing the different stitches. She also made doll clothes for my Madam Alexander doll that I still have.
I think when she passed and mom was going through her things, mom found a drawerful of old lottery tickets. She never told anyone she was playing the lottery, and I doubt if it was very often or very much, but she probably wanted to win some money to give mom.
She and granddad used to keep liquor in the bathroom “for medicinal purposes.”
She was an excellent housekeeper. She put up two Christmas trees - one in each window. She also made lots and lost of plastic flowers to decorate her house. I used to pick purple violets on the hill way out by the barn by myself. It seemed so far away, I don't know how far it actually was. Grandma also had a huge flower garden at the bottom of the road where you turned off from the main road. She grew tall, colorful flowers.
Grandma and Granddad had a tenant farmer and his family who lived in the little house next to them. Their son's name was "Buddy" and he and I used to play together. Finally, the cellar in the house had a dirt floor. They kept apples in bushel baskets down there, and man, did the cellar smell good - just like apples.
Grandma and Granddad had a tenant farmer and his family who lived in the little house next to them. Their son's name was "Buddy" and he and I used to play together. Finally, the cellar in the house had a dirt floor. They kept apples in bushel baskets down there, and man, did the cellar smell good - just like apples.
One memory we both have is the experience twice each year, when we bought 1/2 of a cow and butchered it together with our grandparents and parents. The men did the cutting and the women wrapped the meat and labeled it. It was an all day production.
Citations:
1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 Federal Census, retrieved from http://ancestry.com, Hanover, Columbiana County and Minerva, Stark County
Probate Court Court, Docket #489, 1919 - marriage license
Personal papers in my possession
Memories from Dorothy Yoder Coffman, daughter of Daisy Fern Fox
Memories from Sarah Jane Coffman, granddaughter of Daisy Fern Fox
