Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Cox, Jacob Dolson

COX, Jacob Dolson, statesman, b. in Montreal, Canada, 27 Oct., 1828. His parents were natives of the United States, but at the time of his birth were temporarily sojourning in Canada. He spent his boyhood in New York, removed with his parents to Ohio in 1846, and was graduated at Oberlin in 1851. After leaving college he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1853, and settled in Warren, Ohio. In 1859-'61 he was a member of the state senate, having been elected by the republicans. At the beginning of the civil war he held a state commission as brigadier-general of militia, and took an active part in raising troops. He entered the national army on 23 April, 1861, and three weeks later received the commission of brigadier-general and was assigned to the command of the “Brigade of the Kanawha” in western Virginia. On 29 July he drove out the Confederates under Gen. Wise, taking and repairing Gauley and other bridges, which had been partially destroyed. Gen. Cox remained in command of this department, with the exception of a short interval, until August, 1862, when he was assigned to the Army of Virginia under Gen. Pope. He served in the 9th corps at the Battle of South Mountain, 14 Sept., 1862, assuming command when Gen Reno fell, and also at Antietam, three days later. For his services in this campaign he was commissioned major-general. On April 16, 1863, Gen. Cox was put in command of the district of Ohio, and also of a division of the 23rd army corps. He served in the Atlanta campaign, and under Gen. Thomas in the campaigns of Franklin and Nashville. On 14 March, 1865, he fought the battle of Kingston, N.C., and then united his force with Gen. Sherman's army. At the close of the war he resigned his command, and entered into the practice of law in Cincinnati. He was governor of Ohio in 1866-'67, declined the office of commissioner of internal revenue tendered him by President Johnson in 1868, and was secretary of the interior in President Grant's first cabinet from March, 1869, till December, 1870, when, on account of disagreement with certain measures of the administration, he resigned. Returning to Cincinnati, he resumed his legal practice. In October, 1873, he was elected president of the Wabash railroad, and removed to Toledo to take charge of his new work. In 1876 the republicans elected him representative to congress, where he served from 15 Oct., 1877, till 3 March, 1879. The degree of LL.D. has been conferred upon him by the University of North Carolina, and also by Davison university, Ohio. He has published “Atlanta” and “The March to the Sea; Franklin and Nashville” (New York, 1882).