History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 128

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104

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Declining to serve further as superintendent in 1911, after twenty-five years' connection with the schools, he withdrew to devote his time to business enterprises with which he was connected. In 1908 he was chosen president of the Nashville State Bank, which position he held until 1911, when he as- sumed the duties of cashier, which position he now holds. He has proven a capable, efficient banker, thoroughly familiar with all details of the banking business.

Mr. Coffey has been a lifelong Democrat and always enthusiastic about his party's success. He is president of the city school board, elder in the Presbyterian church, superintendent of the federated Sunday-schools of Nashville, member of the Masons, K. of P. and Modern Woodmen of America.

On July 2, 1893, Mr. Coffey was married to Rosa B. Clark of Brown county, the union resulting in the birth of five children, two girls and three boys-L. Marie, William Wendell, Alton Powell, Arthur Livingston and Eugenia Marguerite.

CHARLES A. COLE

Charles A. Cole, a leading attorney of Miami county, and the holder of various positions of trust during the years since he attained his majority, is highly esteemed throughout the legal pro- fession of the state as legislator and jurist.

He is a native of Indiana, born on the 21st day of March, 1855. He attended the district school of Peru township, Miami county, and later graduated from the Peru High School with the class of 1872. Then followed a course of study at Indiana University. He studied law in the office of Lyman Walker at Peru, Indiana, and in the year 1878 was admitted to the bar and entered the practice of

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his profession in Peru. In 1880 he was elected to the legislature of Indiana as representative from Miami county. He also served as county attorney for four years, and was a member of the Peru School Board from 1904 to 1907. In 1908 he became the senior member of the law firm of Cole and Cole, the junior member being his son, Albert Harvey Cole. He is now judge of the Miami Circuit Court, to which position he was elected in 1914.

Mrs. Cole, to whom he was married December 3, 1884, was formerly Miss Elizabeth Shirk.

HUGH COLVIN

An honored public official of Scott county for many years, Hugh Colvin is well known in this locality.

He was born in this county on the 11th day of December, 1856, and attended the public schools of Scott and Clark counties. On the 17th of September, 1877, he was united in marriage to Miss Annettia Hartman and their home was established in Scottsburg, where he became the proprietor of a thriving blacksmith and implement business. In the year 1886 he was elected township trustee, and in this position served until 1890, at which time he was elected to the position of county treasur- er; and at the expiration of two years was re-elected to this position. Again, on the 1st day of Janu- ary, 1913, he assumed the duties and responsibilities of this position, and in the campaign of 1914 was the candidate for re-election.

He has been an active party worker and has missed but two state conventions in the past twenty- five years.

JOSEPH COMBS

The ancestors of the Combs family were of Holland descent, and set- tled in New Jersey prior to the Revolutionary war. One of the earliest known, John Combs, served as a captain in the struggle for independence. Joseph Combs is a native of Clinton county, Indiana, and was born on a farm in Washington township, November 15, 1860. His father was Nathan B. Combs, Sr., and was one of the pioneers in that county, locating there in 1856, when the country was one vast forest. He came from Butler county, Ohio. The family has been Democratic from the time of the formation of the party under Thomas Jefferson.

Joseph grew up on the farm and became used to all of the hardships of the early pioneer. About nine months of every year was spent in helping to clear and improve the farm, and about three months in the district school, where he obtained a common school education. He attended several terms of the local county normal, and the state normal school at Terre Haute, and prepared himself for teaching. He taught in the district schools for six years, and then began the study of law in the office of Judge J. C. Suit, in Frankfort, and was admitted to the bar in 1886. In 1890 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the 45th Judicial Circuit, and served in that office for two years, making a very creditable record for efficiency and ability. Later he entered the practice of law in the firm of Brumbaugh & Combs, which continued for eight years, and where he was successful as a lawyer. From 1901 to 1908 he practiced law alone, and was city attorney for Frankfort from 1906 to 1908.

In June, 1908, he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for judge of the Clinton Circuit Court, after a hard contest with four members of the Clinton county bar. The county was then very close po- litically, and after a spirited and exciting campaign he defeated Judge Claybaugh, the Republican can- didate, for re-election, by a plurality of 100. From the first his record on the bench has been creditable to himself and his party. He at once gave evidence of his desire to be fair and impartial to all, re- gardless of whether they had been for or against him in the contest for election. He became a hard worker and gave close attention to all of the business of the court, and long before his first term ex- pired he had practically the unanimous support of his own party, and many warm friends in the Re- publican party. He was re-nominated by acclamation by the Democrats in 1914, and re-elected by over 900 plurality, the first judge to be re-elected in the district for forty years. He received the sup- port of many Republicans, Progressives, and other parties, leading all the other candidates by many hundreds. .

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ISAIAH CONNER

Isaiah Conner, one of the most favorably known citizens of Fulton county, was born near Marion, Ind., August 4, 1838, the son of Nelson and Sarah (Boots) Conner, the father being born in South Carolina and the mother in Scotland. They had seven children who survived infancy, Isaiah being the third. He was brought up mostly on a farm. His early education was obtained in the Quaker school near Marion, a school supported by subscription funds, and unquestionably the best in the county. After leaving here he took an academic course at Marion, following which he began the study of law at Marion with the firm of Van Devanter & McDowell, and was there admitted to the bar. He chose other pursuits, however, until 1867, at which time he took up the practice of law, locating in 1869 in Rochester, where he soon had a large clientage and won a good reputation as a lawyer.

In November, 1884, he was elected judge of the Forty-first Judicial Circuit, composing the coun- ties of Fulton and Marshall. He held the office one term, six years, and upon retiring from the bench in November, 1890, the bars of both counties adopted resolutions in which the high esteem in which he was held was expressed, and on the same occasion he received from the Marshall county bar a gold-headed cane and from the Fulton county bar a fine office desk and chair. Since retiring from the office of judge he has continued in the active practice of law and became the head of the well-known firm of Conner & Rowley, which for many years stood in the front of the law practice of northern Indiana.

Mr. Conner has always, since he was old enough to take any part in politics, been a Democrat, and is a great admirer of one of the greatest and most democratic presidents who ever filled that office-Woodrow Wilson.

On January 26, 1862, Mr. Conner married Miss Talitha Line, who was the daughter of Jacob and Nancy (Wallace) Line. She was born near Marion, October 15, 1841, and died at Rochester, July 18, 1895, having been an invalid for many years. No children were born of this marriage and therefore the husband bears alone the sorrows of the greatest grief which can come upon anyone in this world.

JAMES MILO CONAWAY

The name of Conaway is familiar, not only to the adherents of Democracy in Dearborn county, but to the community at large; for the family, consisting of the father and five sons, have for many years been active in the councils and work of the party. One of the brothers, James Milo Cona- way, a prominent business man, with whom this review has to deal, has given generously of his time as well as his means to further the Democratic cause in his community. He was born on the 9th day of February, 1882, in Ohio county, Indiana, and received his education in the public schools of Ohio and Dearborn counties. In the year 1904 he cast his first vote for William J. Bryan and since that time has served his party actively in each campaign, attending the various conventions held in the county, district and state, and laboring diligently for the success of the cause.

In March, 1907, Mr. Conaway was united in marriage to Miss Lyda Phillips and they have gath- ered about them a large circle of friends.

Mr. Conaway has taken a deep interest in the fraternal affairs of Aurora, and is now presi- dent of the fraternal order of Eagles, and an active member of the Mutual Aid association. Throughout his career, whether in his own affairs or in the affairs of the public, he has been ag- gressive and progressive, keeping abreast of the times and evincing a deep interest in all movements tending toward the betterment of the community.

HOMER L. COOK

The official records during his term as secretary of the state of Indiana, and dur- ing all the time he served the people as a public official, are sufficient commenda- tion for the good work of Homer L. Cook of Indianapolis. An investigation of the records for the administration of Mr. Cook, and a comparison of these with the rec- crds of others in the same place, makes the Cook service stand out conspicuously for its excellence in line of efficiency and economy of management.

Homer L. Cook was born in Wabash, Indiana, in 1867, a member of a large family. It was due to his individual effort, work and ambition that success came to him. When he moved with his parents to Indianapolis, the same industry, energy, amoition and vision carried him forward. He became interested in school work and was elected county superintendent of schools.

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This work led into other fields. He was always an active worker for the Democratic party. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives, 1911 and 1913, where he served as speaker during a session in which there was more constructive legislation placed upon the statutes of Indi- ana than during any other term of any legislature ever assembled. It was all good Democratic leg- islation, the result of the best thought and combined efforts of the Marshall and Ralston adminis- trations.

Mr. Cook became the candidate of his party for secretary of state and was elected to the term beginning in 1914. Following his retirement from this office he returned to the management of Cook's Educational Agency in Indianapolis.

WALTER DOUGLAS COOK

Since his great-grandfather journeyed from Guilford county, North Carolina, the family of Wal- ter Douglas Cook has been numbered among the representative citizens of Wayne county.

Mr. Cook was born on a farm in this county on the 28th day of October, 1885. Here he attended the schools of his district, graduating from the high school. Later he graduated from the Univer- sity of Valparaiso with the degree of B. S., and continued his work with a three-year course at the State Normal School of Terre Haute. Special work was also taken at Earlham College, and he en- tered the educational field well equipped for the work. For twenty-eight years, in Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, he taught in the public schools, but in 1911 became a traveling salesman.

In 1898 he was elected representative for Wayne county to the legislature, polling the largest vote ever given this official in the county.

Mrs. Cook, to whom he was married October 28, 1885, was formerly Miss Cora Lycan; and as the presiding genius of their home she has drawn about them a wide circle of friends.

ALLEN F. COOPER

Has served as county treasurer of Hancock county, coming to the position well equipped for the administration of its affairs, and conversant with municipal mat- ters and their requirements.

Mr. Allen F. Cooper is a native of this state, born in Hancock county on the 10th day of November, 1862. He attended the public schools of Greenfield, and has since remained in the home of his childhood. In the year 1893 he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Conn, and she has been his faithful helpmate through the years that have passed.

In 1899 he was elected a member of the city council, serving in this capacity for two years, assuming the duties of the position with the beginning of the following year. In 1912 he was elected county treasurer, his term of office to extend for two years, beginning with 1918. He was re-elected in 1914, thus serving four years in this capacity.

During his long residence in Greenfield, he has won a large circle of friends, and his devotion to the duties entrusted to him is a matter of note in the community.

WALTER G. CORY

Walter G. Cory was born in Marion county, Indiana, July 23, 1874. He attended the public schools and was employed as a messenger boy in Indianapolis. In this capacity he had the honor of carrying to Hon. Benjamin Harrison the notice of his nomination to the presidency of the United States in 1888. Later Mr. Cory found employment in a grocery, but at the age of twenty-four years located upon a farm in Jefferson township, Boone county. Here he was married to Miss Eva Hill, also a resident of Boone county, and here their permanent home was established. The grandfather of Mr. Cory was the first judge in the old court house; his father was in the mail service under President Cleveland; and he himself was a member of the county board of tax re- view, appointed by Judge Parr. He is now a member of the orders of F. and A. M. and the Knights of Pythias.

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JUDGE CHARLES E. COX

In politics one of the most earnest, active and best grounded in reasons for the faith, as an attorney one of the ablest, as a judge recognized by the people of all parties as one of the best jurists who ever sat as a member of the su- preme court of the state of Indiana. Nothing could better describe the recognized standing of Judge Charles E. Cox, and the esteem in which he is held by the people.

Charles E. Cox was a native Hoosier, born on a farm in Hamilton county, February 21, 1860. His paternal great- grandfather was one of the patriotic fighting Quakers of North Carolina and a warm friend of General Greene. The family conducted a water-power mill on Deep river at the time of the Revolutionary war and before.

At this mill "The Regulators," an organization born to resist the tyranny of the royal governor of North Carolina, was formed and was responsible for the "Tryon" rebellion in 1769. As a result this great-grandfather, with others, was arrested and charged with treason to the English government. A maternal great-grandfather was a Virginia surveyor and moved into Kentucky with Daniel Boone.

The immediate ancestors of Charles E. Cox were Aaron Cox and Mary A. Skaggs, who were married in Ohio in 1844 and shortly thereafter came to Indiana, where they reared a large family and died in the fullness of years with the respect of all who had known them. Among the children were three who especially made their impress on the history of the state as Democrats, lawyers and judges. These were Jabez T. Cox of Peru, Indiana, the oldest, who served two terms as judge of the circuit court of Miami county; Millard F. Cox, one time judge of the criminal court of Marion county and long actively connected with the publicity bureau of the Democratic state central committee; Charles E. Cox, of whom this brief historical sketch is written.

Charles E. Cox was educated in the public schools of Indiana, and at the age of nineteen moved from the farm to Indianapolis to study law. For this career he had had aspirations which persisted from the time when, as a very small boy, he haunted the court rooms at every opportunity to listen to trials. Shortly after locating in Indianapolis he became a reader of records, briefs and law books per- taining to cases before the supreme court. This work he did for Judge William E. Niblack, then a justice of the state supreme court, this service being required because the sight of the judge was greatly impaired.

Judge Niblack became the kindly and able preceptor in the law of his young aid and the mutual help formed a friendship which continued very close till the death of Judge Niblack. Through this friendship and the young man's interest in the supreme court library, Charles E. Cox was made su- preme court librarian and served in this capacity from 1883 to 1889, in which latter year he began the practice of law.

From 1891 to 1894 he was chief deputy under Prosecuting Attorney John W. Holtzman in Marion county. In 1895 he was elected city judge of Indianapolis, the same election in which Thomas Tag- gart was first elected mayor of Indianapolis. He was elected for a second term, but declined a third term as he wished to return to the practice of his profession.

In 1910 he was elected a judge of the Indiana supreme court, serving in that judgeship for six years. He was nominated for a second term by the Democratic party, but that was the year in which the entire Democratic ticket went to defeat in Indiana, and he lost with the others.

Among the many important cases decided by the supreme court during this period, cases in which Judge Cox wrote the opinions, there were two that attracted especially wide attention, these being the so-called "Marshall constitution" and the "Technical Institute" case.

An intense patriotism, a belief in our governmental structure as being the most effective for the common good ever devised, and in the Democratic party as the most effective instrument to ad- minister it in the spirit in which it was instituted, always characterized Judge Charles E. Cox.

Charles E. Cox and Emma M. Cooley were married in 1884 and have three children: Mrs. Elinor C. Karsten of New York, and two sons, both of whom volunteered in the war against Germany in the

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first month after the declaration of war and served until its close-Samuel L. Cox as an infantry lieutenant in the National army and Charles E. Cox, Jr., as a lieutenant pilot of a combat plane in the air service.

IRVIN A. COX

The subject of this brief review is a well-known Democrat and prominent business man of Co- lumbus, Indiana. His birth occurred on the 25th day of October, 1868, near the city of Noblesville, in Hamilton county. He attended the schools of Columbus, taking the full high school course, and later attended the normal school of that place. He married Miss Hallie E. Hunt, of Bartholomew county.

That Mr. Cox is held in high esteem by his constituents is evidenced by the fact that he was twice chosen sheriff of his county, serving in that capacity for four years. For five years he was marshal of the town of Hope. Later he served as local statistician for the United States Agricul- tural Bureau. For the past seventeen years he has been carrying on a large business in live stock.

In the various positions to which he has been called Mr. Cox has served conscientiously and faithfully, and has at all times consistently stood for the principles of Democracy.

JUDGE JOHN E. COX

In the legal profession of Indiana the name of Judge John E. Cox is recognized as that of a leader; while his de- cisions from the bench have won for him an enviable repu- tation for strict integrity and broad knowledge of judicial procedure.

Judge Cox is a true son of Vigo county, born within its borders and educated in the public schools of Terre Haute, graduating from the high school of that city in the year 1886. In the same year he entered DePauw University for work in the higher branches, and three years later was graduated from that institution. During his years in college, he also read law with the firm of Smiley & Neff, and later entered the office of I. N. Pierce of Terre Haute. In 1889 he was ad- mitted to the bar of Vigo county and entered upon the active practice of the law, later forming a partnership with Ora D. Davis. His ability as a jurist soon became apparent, and his loyalty to the interests of his clients won for him a rapidly increasing and lucrative practice.

In the year 1906 John E. Cox was elected to the position of judge of the Superior Court. He assumed the duties of that office with the beginning of the following year and at the expiration of his term of four years was re-elected, his conscientious zeal in the conduct of the affairs of the public having won for him an enviable place in the esteem of the people.

Judge Cox retired from the bench January 1, 1915, and again began the practice of law, form- ing a partnership with Henry Adamson, the firm name being Cox & Adamson. Business came to such an extent that in 1917 T. P. Gallagher became the junior member of the firm, with offices in the Star Building.

In the campaign of 1918 Judge Cox again became a candidate for judge of the Superior Court of Vigo county against his wishes, being drafted by his party, and was easily elected. He again went on the bench January 1, 1919, for a term of four years.

Politically, Judge Cox has stood firmly for the principles promulgated by Jefferson, and has consistently labored for the furtherance of the Democratic cause. He was one of the original or- ganizers of the Jackson Club in 1884, a unique organization which did excellent work for the cause of Democracy between the years 1884 and 1900, changing uniforms each campaign, but invariably distinguished by the carrying of hickory canes by its members. During the campaigns of 1900 and 1902 he served as county Democratic chairman.

During his years in college Judge Cox became affiliated with the Greek letter fraternity Delta Tau. He is an Elk and belongs to a number of orders.

Judge Cox's hobbies are farming and pure bred cattle, hogs, sheep and bird dogs.

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JABEZ THOMAS COX

Holding high rank among the leaders of Indiana Democracy is Judge Jabez Thomas Cox, of Peru. He is a native of Clinton county, Ohio, but was brought by his parents to Indiana in the year 1850, at which time they located in Hamilton county. He attended the public schools, Westfield Academy and later received his legal training at Noblesville and Tipton.

In the year 1864 he enlisted in Company B, 136th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until his regiment was mustered out. In 1867 was solem nized his marriage to Miss Jennie Price, of Tipton, and in 1875 their home was established at Hutchinson, Kansas. Four years later they emigrated to Colorado, where Mrs. Cox was called from his side by death. During his residence in Kansas he was the Democratic candidate for attorney-general and ran more that 30,000 votes ahead of the Democratic candidate for governor of that state. Returning to Peru in 1883 he resumed his practice, and four years later became a member of the state legislature. In 1884 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Meinhardt, of Peru, who died in 1893. In 1890 he was elected judge of the circuit court of Miami county for a term of six years, and in 1896 was re-elected to that office.

The present Mrs. Cox, to whom he was married July 9, 1905, was formerly Miss Addie Alleman of Huntington.

He has two children living: Edward E. Cox, postmaster at Hartford City and editor and proprietor of the News and Telegram, and Mary Elizabeth Cox, who is a kindergarten teacher at Indianapolis.

JAMES COX

James Cox was born on the 8th of October, 1837. He was a native Hoosier. Early in life he was married to Mary Engle and they were the parents of John E. Cox, who was afterwards elected judge in Vigo county. James Cox was one of the best known men and members of the Democratic party in the early days of Vigo county.

He spent his boyhood in Parke county, attending the district schools of the locality, moving later in life to Vigo county, where he continued to reside.

He was elected and served a term as treasurer in his county. During his incumbency of his office-in fact, prior to his election-because of his scrupulous business methods he became known as "Honest Uncle Jimmy Cox," a title which went with him through his entire life.

WILLIAM ELIJAH COX

William Elijah Cox is one of the most conspicuous political figures in the state of Indiana, holding public offices of importance from the time he began practicing law. His most conspicuous services were as prosecuting attorney of the 57th Judicial District composed of DuBois, Pike and Gibson counties, and for 12 years in the Congress. He was born on a farm near Birdseye, DuBois county, September 6, 1861. His father being James Cox. He was one of eleven children, four boys and seven girls, he being the sev- enth child. He attended the country school and entered the normal school for a while, retiring to teach in 1880. He taught six years in a country school and graduated in the law department of Lebanon, Tennessee, in June, 1887, taking a post-graduate course in law at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, which he completed in June, 1889.

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History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 128

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104