James Middleton Cox was born in Jacksonburg, Ohio, March 31st, 1870, the son of Gilbert and Eliza A. Cox. Jacksonburg is about six miles west of Middletown, Ohio, which was the business center for the district and the place which is today looked upon as the Governor’s home. The old house is still standing. It is of brick, two stories, with a pitched roof. Although Jacksonburg is a small village, rather deserted at the present time, the house looks as if the family was in average circumstances for those days.

Cox’s Family

Gilbert Cox, the Governor’s father, operated a small farm which he had inherited from his father, whose name was also Gilbert. There were seven children, of which James was the youngest. All seven children are still living. William keeps a store at Dayton; Scott is in the office of the Dayton News; John is also in Dayton; and Charles works in the automobile industry in Detroit. Of the two sisters, one is Anna—the wife of Mr. John Q. Baker—and the other is now Mrs. William Kroskopp, of Dayton. According to the neighbors, Gilbert Cox was a severe man and brought up his son to work, although this applies to most boys brought up on a farm. It was largely all work and no play for children in those days. From early morning until late at night boys were then kept busy. Moreover, history shows that such hard work has hurt very few.

The chief recreation was to go down in the evening to Shafer’s store, which still exists on the corner. When the weather was good, the boys used to play outside of the store in the moonlight; but when the wet and cold weather came, they were allowed inside to talk with the older men or watch them play checkers. All of the residents remember James as a boy, and several of them remember his characteristics. When he got into Shafer’s store, he would either be discussing with the men political problems, or else would be over in one corner, under the old kerosene lamp, with his head buried in a good book.

He attended the little red brick schoolhouse of the neighborhood, but the people say his father often could not let him attend in the fall until sometime after the classes had begun. It was necessary to keep him home to help husk the corn. Some of his teachers can still be found. These teachers speak well of the boy, and one especially remarked upon his memory. He also seems to have then shown some interest in questions relating to social justice. While international problems and industrial problems were not at that time prominent before the American public, the boy apparently took a keen interest in the minor events which were reported in the newspapers of their day.

The neighbors like to tell of the boy’s integrity and courage. It apparently was very noticeable. The Shafers, who owned the country store, are still alive, and they comment upon the boy’s energy. Experience has taught me that the elderly are apt to remember only the good things about their children and grandchildren as the years roll by. Therefore, one is prepared to hear a good deal of such talk. But in the case of Cox there is a distinctly impressive earnestness about these comments of the elders.

His Mother

When the boy was in his teens, his mother left Jacksonburg and went to Middletown, Ohio. What the reason for this was I do not know. Later a formal separation took place and the father married again. He is now living at Camden, Ohio. Although James has always been fond of his father and now often motors over to Camden to see him, his real friend was the mother. The tie between the boy, the man, and the mother was quite exceptional. She lived to the ripe old age of eighty-one, having died only three years ago. Mr. Cox says that the greatest pleasure he ever obtained from being Governor was to have his mother witness his inauguration. In this connection, I shall mention a story which I heard in Dayton.

Mr. Cox was nominated for the Presidency at the San Francisco Convention late on the night of July 6th. He was sitting in the office of the Dayton News with his wife, watching the press dispatches as they came over the wire. Finally, the news came that he had been nominated on the final ballot. He seemed stunned for two or three minutes, and then rose, went across the room, kissed his wife, took her by the arm, and the two went home. The people of Dayton knew nothing about it until they read the papers the next morning. Therefore, the Governor had a few hours to himself. How did he use them? I am told that he got up early, ate a light breakfast and went out to his mother’s grave. There he stayed for a few moments in meditation and prayer. Then he came quickly back to where the people already were gathering to meet him. From that moment up to this writing, he has been in a whirl of excitement, but those few moments at his mother’s grave apparently gave him a start in the right direction. This right start has enabled him to meet squarely and answer honestly the pressing questions which continually come to him.

The United Brethren

The United Brethren in Christ have their headquarters in the Otterbein Press Building at Dayton, Ohio. Bishop A. T. Howard, D. D., and other prominent men in that denomination live in Dayton and vicinity. There are a great many adherents to this denomination thruout Ohio and adjoining states.

The United Brethren is distinctly an American religious sect, which was originated in the latter half of the Eighteenth Century under the leadership of Philip William Otterbein. Altho this man was pastor of the Second Reformed Church in Baltimore and had for his associate Martin Boehm, a noted Pennsylvanian preacher, the movement worked westerly to Ohio and Indiana. Otterbein and Boehm did a great work and their followers and teachings distinctly influenced the early life of Mr. Cox.

The ecclesiastical policy of the church is Wesleyan; but its theology is Arminian. Arminius was a Dutch theologian who was one of the first to oppose the stern teachings of Calvin which had been carried so far as to almost eliminate the freedom of will. Arminius started a new sect in Europe which took a much more liberal position, which insisted that man can have the assistance of God and man, but is of himself free and able to perform right or wrong.

The United Brethren believe in the sovereignty of God, but that it is so exercised as to permit the freedom of man. Thus James M. Cox spent his early years in an atmosphere which was saturated with this spirit of freedom as opposed to the arbitrary use of force or even legislation. Without doubt this early teaching influenced Mr. Cox’s entire life. As one reads his speeches on Internationalism, Industrial Relations, and especially Prohibition, the theology of Otterbein and Boehm is quite apparent. Altho he is now attending with his wife the Episcopal Church, he is still a member of the United Brethren and instinctively a follower of that religion.

Joins the Church

Just before reaching the little village of Jacksonburg, there is an ancient brick church which James M. Cox’s grandfather and another relative, James Craig, helped to build. Here James’ father was superintendent of the Sunday School. It was in this little old church that the boy received the early religious training to which I have referred. The pastor was a consecrated man of evangelistic tendencies, and the boy’s heart was apparently reached early in life. While in his teens he joined the church. They state he was an active worker for a boy of his age, although doubtless many other boys have as good or better record. In addition to his speaking and teaching in Sunday School, he rang the bell, swept out the church, and did other things to make himself useful.

When asked about the old church, Mr. Cox said:

“There were two churches in our township: the Presbyterian and the United Brethren. Both father and mother belonged to the United Brethren Church and father was trustee. As you know from your visit to Jacksonburg, this old United Brethren Church is still a running institution. I became a member of it when I was about fifteen and was baptized in Elk Creek, a stream two miles east of Jacksonburg. I have always felt indebted to the old church and have never transferred my membership. The pastors when I was a boy were Reverends Mayne, Dunkleberger and Kilbourne. The Reverend Fout came after I went to Middletown but I remember him as well as the presiding elders, Reverends McKee, Burkett and others. I even remember the visits of dear old Doctor William J. Shuey, who is well known among the United Brethren people altho others may not know him.”

After going to Middletown, he attended there with his mother the Methodist Church, as no United Brethren Church then existed in Middletown. He gave to the church and his mother all the time which his work and study would permit. He was especially interested in the church library and became its best patron. He was instrumental in having the church give a dramatic entertainment entitled “The Hoosier School Master” for the benefit of the church library. Many other anecdotes are told which show his interest and energy.

In Middletown he lived with his sister Anna, at what is now 105 Third Street. She married John Q. Baker, who is today postmaster of Middletown, Ohio. Various stories have been published about the boy’s poverty and struggles; but these are not justified by the existing evidence. He had as good an opportunity as most boys brought up on a farm. He perhaps made better use of them than many boys have; but to no great extent. The truth probably is that he was sick of farm work and wanted to get to the city. He also perhaps wanted more schooling than Jacksonburg provided. He perhaps also wanted to be near his mother.

As a sidelight on his interest in his mother, I will record one more incident which was told me in Middletown. The day following his nomination for the Presidency, and after receiving congratulations at his home in Dayton and speaking to his workmen on the Dayton News, Mr. Cox motored to his old home in Middletown. The friends and neighbors of his boyhood days insisted on giving him a reception. They wanted it to be held in the Sorg Opera House; but he suggested that they have it in front of the old home where he and his mother lived at the corner of Third and Broad Streets. The good people of Middletown took the suggestion and erected a platform in front of the old house. It is now occupied by Kessel’s Clothing Store and law offices. From this platform the Governor spoke. Strange to say, this old house was the birthplace of former Governor Campbell of Ohio, who led the Cox delegates at the San Francisco Convention.

Mr. Baker—the sister’s husband—was somewhat older and was a teacher at the High School in Amanda, which is three miles south of Middletown. It was this Amanda School which the boy attended. “If there ever was a boy who went to school for business, it was Jimmy,” says Mr. Baker. “Not only did he work very hard at school, but he continually plied me with questions as we used to walk back and forth along the Miami Canal.” According to Mr. Baker, his only recreation seemed to be arguing. “He did like to argue,” says Mr. Baker. “If there were no debates at school or at the country grocery store, he would seek the street corner.”

His Schooling

For some reason or other, the boy attended school in Middletown for only a year. I think he did not graduate. Perhaps they did not have graduations in those days. The school, however, was the best in that section of the country. The old farmers tell me it was called the “Gilt Edge School” by the taxpayers, because it always required so much money. Certainly it paid good wages for such days, as the records show that Mr. Baker got one hundred dollars a month. It contained three large rooms.

In short, Mr. Cox’s boyhood was similar to that of most boys brought up on a farm. The magazine writers like to embellish it with tales of misfortune and struggle; but the facts do not justify such stories. He had a fair chance and was especially fortunate in receiving the help which came from his brother-in-law, Mr. Baker.