Fox Descendants

17 Comments

1. Michael Thomas Fox
   January 9, 2011 @ 12:33 am

   Amos FOX Birth 7 SEP 1739 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey Death 1806 in Fox’s Mills, Fairfax County, Virginia

2. Michael Thomas Fox
   January 9, 2011 @ 12:45 am

   Fox Mill’ This mill was located near the source of Difficult Run. The mill was also known as the Difficult Mill and the Waples’ Mill. The mill was located near the intersection of 664 and 665 (Waples’ Mill Rd and Fox Mill Rd.).
   Amos Fox, in 1784, petitioned the courts to build a mill on this site. For some reason there was opposition to this petition. His petition remained in the court until 1787 when he obtained permission to build a mill on this site. At this time, Amos built a mill at this site. The mill was profitable for Grist Mills of Fairfax County and Washington, DC two decades. When Amos died, his three sons, Morris, Isaac, and Gabriel inherited the mill around 1806. The sons replaced the mill with a modern more complex gristmill and sawmill. The sons did not have the same business skills as did Amos. A neighbor, Thomas Fairfax, took them to court in
   1803 concerning the encroachment of the mill on his lands. Another neighbor, in 1812, filed the same complaint in court. The suit claimed that the millpond encroached on his land. In 1813, Gabriel got sole possession of the mill.
   Not much is known about the operation of the mill from 1813 to 1850. Gabriel’s wife died sometime during this period. Around 1840 he married a Mrs. Summers. Gabriel was listed as a very wealthy man. He owned lots of land and slaves in Fairfax County. He had three mills that were well known.
   When Gabriel died, his wife’s son, William Thomas Summers, was the superintendent of the mills that consisted of a woolen mill, a grist mill and a flour mill. The flour mill was a large three story building with a large millpond that was formed by the dammed up creek. The pond was about one fourth mile wide and one half mile long. There was a long millrace to the mill. The mill had a very
   large water wheel. The mills were about three miles from the old court house.
   Around 1850, Gabriel’s widow was listed as the owner of the mill complex. Henry Waples, a neighbor, ran the mill for Mrs. Fox. Sometime in the 1850’s the mill was bought by Henry Waples.
   In 1879 the mill was known as the Difficult Grist and Sawmill.

3. Michael Thomas Fox
   January 19, 2011 @ 7:42 pm

   Awesome findings! I wonder what generation I am now.

   • Trish
     February 26, 2013 @ 5:39 pm

     Hi Michael:
     Please contact me about the Virginia Foxes.
     Thanks!
     Trish
     PatriciaStrat@alum.mit.edu

4. Martha Snellbaker
   February 25, 2011 @ 9:52 am

   May 10 1861 Cornelia A. Fox married Ephraim R. Myers. Her father was listed as Absalom Fox. (according to document copy) The name of her mother was not listed.

   Cornelia A. & Ephraim R. had 4 children that lived to adulthood
   George, Charles, Gertrude and Martha Jane. b. 1864 died 1957.

   Martha Jane Myers married Samuel Dean 1887 (Marriage Return document. One of their sons, Howard Arnold Dean Sr, b. 5/25/1897 died 8/25/1978 was my father. My Dad and his siblings as well as his Mom are buried in the family plot in Rosemont Cemetary

   I am Martha Elizabeth Dean Snellbaker. b.4/9/1944 the last of his four children and the only one still alive.

   My question is do you think that my Absalom might be the Absalom you list as son of George Fox and Elizabeth Sherman?

   • Marfy Goodspeed
     February 26, 2011 @ 6:20 pm

     Martha, It looks like you might be right about Cornelia being the daughter of Absalom Fox. In the 1860 census for Kingwood Township, Hunterdon County, Absalom Fox is listed, age 65, living with Catharine Fox 30 and Cornelia Fox 22. Meanwhile, it appears that Ephraim Myers had moved to Branchburg Twp. in Somerset County, for he (or someone with the same name) was counted as a farm laborer living with Gilbert Kershon. However, Ephraim’s family (parents Cornelius Myers and Charity Williamson) lived in Delaware Twp., which is adjacent to Kingwood. Perhaps the two families attended the same church.

   • Chris Gallutia
     January 24, 2013 @ 5:38 pm

     Martha – I cannot say whether that Absalom is yours (or mine), but I can provide some more information about the Absalom who is the father of Cornelia.
     Cornelia’s father was born in New Jersey according to the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. He moved initially from New Jersey to Tompkins County, New York and is enumerated there in 1830. Shortly thereafter, the family relocated to Bloomfield Township, Knox County, Ohio where he is enumerated in the 1840 census.
     The 1850 census has Absalom, his wife Ararat, and Cornelia living in Harlem Township, Delaware County, Ohio. Ararat died in 1854 and is buried in Harlem Township, her tombstone still extant. Sometime thereafter, Absalom returned to Hunterdon County New Jersey along with his two youngest daughters Cornelia and Catherine (see 1860 census).
     In the 1870 census, he is back in Delaware County, Ohio, living with his son Amos and his family. But it appears the pull of Hunterdon was to great as he is listed as having died there on 23 November 1872.
     Confirmed children of Absalom and Ararat:
     Catherine (was blind per 1860 census), Cornelia, Amos W (1828 – 14 Oct. 1905, married Margaret or Margaretta Tucker), Rachel (1821 – 12 Aug. 1900, married Preston Hubbell), Nancy (25 Aug. 1822 – 17 Nov. 1912, married George B. Hubbell – brother of Preston).
     Probable children of Absalom and Ararat:
     Charles W. (1820 – 3 Aug. 1893, married Mary Ann Rogers), George (6. June 1816 – 15 Nov. 1902, married Emeline Gordon, then Ruth Elizabeth Piper Adams), more?
     If you have questions or want more information, please feel free to contact me. cgallutia@yahoo.com

5. Cynthia Weathers
   November 17, 2014 @ 1:48 pm

   Do you have any info on Rose Anna Fox? She married my gggrandfather Moses Thomas. I think her father is Joseph Fox. Thank you, Cindy.

6. cathy fox
   December 20, 2014 @ 2:24 pm

   I was wondering if you by chance know who the parents of John Christian Fox (born around 1760) are? I haven’t been able to find this info. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you

   • Marfy Goodspeed
     December 21, 2014 @ 8:20 am

     Dear Cathy, I have no specific information on a John Christian Fox. There was a Fox family in Pennsylvania at the same time as the family in Hunterdon that I researched, so you might find a lead there. I do have a Christopher Fox in England who was the father of George Fox the Quaker. But another possibility is the German Fox family that came to Hunterdon from Germany. Christian strikes me as a name more likely to be found among German families. Unfortunately, the only John Fox that might fit your time frame and was born in 1754 in Amwell Township, is not known to have Christian in his name. I have a reference note for “The Genealogy of the Fox Family” by William A. Fox, but have not seen this book, so I can’t say whether it would be any help.

     • Ken Jeffries
       December 20, 2018 @ 5:36 am

       Thanks to you and others I have traced my “American” family not only in Virginia but also Pennsylvania. I also have photos of Foxes & their descendants (some facials others their graves)

7. Gary M Fox
   January 7, 2015 @ 6:51 pm

   I enjoy the history you have with the Fox name.
   Christopher Fox 1650 appears to be my 9th Great Grandfather.

8. Willow Winsham
   July 20, 2015 @ 11:23 am

   I’ve discovered your blog during research into whether there is a possibility of a family connection between William Fox, vicar of Ilkeston, Derbyshire from 1633, and George Fox, founder of the Quakers. So far I have drawn a blank, and have no further information on William save for his time in Ilkeston from 1633 until the late 1650s.

   Any information/suggestions you might have in how to prove or disprove a connection would be very much appreciated as it is one of those “brick wall” moments!

   Also, regardless of outcome, I have very much enjoyed reading through your posts, thank you!

   • Marfy Goodspeed
     July 20, 2015 @ 2:40 pm

     Willow, I regret to say I have not done any extensive research in George Fox’s English relatives. My focus is limited to New Jersey. However, I am glad you have enjoyed reading the Fox articles here.

9. Ruth Fox Scott-Wendt
   November 2, 2015 @ 7:12 pm

   I have written two Books – The FOX CLAN & Polly Hannah Johnston who married
   Harvey Lucas Fox my grandfather. Polly is a decendent of Pochahontas which I finally proved in my research and is chronicled in the book
   Trying to figure out how to get a website on the FOX website.

   • Marfy Goodspeed
     November 2, 2015 @ 8:11 pm

     Not sure if this is spam or not.

10. Owen Windrow
    June 24, 2016 @ 7:03 pm

    Who were the parents of Evelyn Fox (17 JUN 1764 – 23 JUL 1831 ) born and died in Hunterdon County, New Jersey? She married Thomas Godown.