John Burton Cox Family


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Title	John Burton Cox Family
Author	Mercer County Pioneer Traces Vol I, Page 210, Submitted by Beverly Cox
Text	John Burton Cox Family John Burton Cox was born on November 14, 1900, in Mercer County, Missouri, to Jasper Alexander and Eliza Augusta (Duncan) Cox. He attended Duncan Elementary School, except for a year when he went to the Ilia School. That year he lived with his brother Wyona Cox who was teaching at Ilia School and his sister Iona (Cox) Gibson who was attending Mercer High School and keeping house for the boys. When Johnnie was just a baby, the family moved to Oklahoma to try to escape the drought, which had hit Missouri. Land was available for homesteading for a small fee. Jimmie, his brother, was only two years older but he looked after Johnnie. Their mother tied a rope around Johnnie and tied it to a clothesline so he would be kept safe. Jimmie was sure there were gypsies who wanted to kidnap baby Johnnie. After a short time, they returned to Mercer. Johnnie didn't get a chance to go to high school because he was busy helping his father at home on the farm. His father was not well and he depended on his boys to help. Johnnie was only 19 years old when his father died, thus much of the farm work fell to him. In fact, all the boys worked together and got the spring planting done along with all the other chores, which had to be done. They were a great consolation to their mother in this time of great sorrow. On June 23, 1923, John Burton Cox married Nina Opal Brees, the daughter of Frances Marion and Martha Eleanor (Jennison) Brees. Nina was a school teacher and taught part of their married life. Johnnie enjoyed being a farmer. They were parents of two daughters, Norma Jeanne, born on February 11, 1927, and Marilyn Edythe, born on December 9, 1930. John and Nina Cox were honored on June 24, 1973, by their family with an open house at the American Legion Hall in Mercer,. Missouri, to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married on June 23, 1923, at the Methodist parsonage by the Rev. Lawrence E. Wheeler. John and Nina lived most of their married life on a farm north-east of Mercer, Mercer County, Missouri. In 1974 Johnnie and Nina sold their farm and built a house in Mercer. John died on June 3, 1975. Nina Opal Brees celebrated her 80th birthday with an open house with her children, family and friends. Nina taught ten years in Mercer County rural schools. She has written a book of poetry and a Brees family history book. Nina celebrated her 95th birthday on January 9, 1997. Submitted by Beverly Cox