This page last edited on 23 Aug 2006.
The Cox family reunion was held at the Dandridge Senior Citizens Center in Dandridge, Tennessee. The reunion brought together descendants of Grandpa and Grandma Cox - George Jackson Cox and Clarissa Loretta (Rett) Nichols. With rare exception, everyone who attended the Cox family reunion was either descended from George Cox and Rett Nichols or else was married to somebody who was.
George Cox was from Greene County. Reuben Cox founded the Cox family in Greene County when he moved there from Wilkes County, North Carolina in the 1820's. George himself was born in Greene County, and George and Rett were married in Greene County. But they moved to Jefferson County a year or two after they were married, and lived the rest of their lives in Jefferson County.
Rett Nichols was from Sevier County, although some of her roots were also in Jefferson County. Rett's grandmother was Sally Nichols of Sevierville. Sally had her three children with James P. Catlett. But there was a feud between the Nichols family and the Catlett family. The feud led to an 1850 lawsuit in Sevier County. The result of the lawsuit was that Sally was separated from James P. Catlett, and she and her children were required to keep the Nichols name. We don't really know if Sally was forced to divorce James P. Catlett, or if she was never allowed to marry him in the first place. But except for the Nichols/Catlett feud, Grandma Cox's name would have been Rett Catlett instead of Rett Nichols.
Rett Nichols married George Cox when she was 12 years old, and she had her first child when she was 14 years old. It is a well known story in the family that she continued to play with her dolls after she was married, and that her mother had to come and make her stop because married women were not supposed to play with dolls.
Here is another little anecdote from family history. George Cox's parents were John Tivis Cox and Nancy Ann Pierce. After Nancy died, John Tivis Cox married Martha P. Reneau. Rett Nichols' parents were John Nichols and Martha P. Reneau. After Martha and John were divorced, Martha P. Reneau married John Tivis Cox.
For couples back in the 1700's and 1800's, I often wonder how they met because roads were so bad and there were no cars. People often married someone who lived nearby. This question would be especially important for George and Rett since he was from Greene County and she was from Sevier County. But George's father married Rett's mother in 1882, and George and Rett were married in 1883. So George and Rett met because their parents were married. Indeed, George and Rett were living in the same household as stepbrother and stepsister before they were married. The more interesting question would then be how did John Tivis Cox from Greene County meet Martha P. Reneau Nichols from Sevier County. I don't know the answer.
None of the children of George Cox and Rett Nichols are still living, so the Cox reunion consists of the grandchildren (the Cox cousins) and families of the grandchildren. The Cox children were Minnie, Thersie, John, Ethel, Martha, Wyatt, Ruby, Eunice, and Robert.
Thersie died age 0, Martha died age 2, Wyatt died age 1, Eunice died age 3, and Robert died age 20. Minnie, John, Ethel, and Ruby married and had children. So all the grandchildren are from one of their four families.
Minnie Cox married Port Slaton. Their children were Eula Mae, Alma, George, Eunice, Ralph, Conard, Loretta, and Bill.
John Cox married Mary Jane Slaton. She was Port Slaton's sister, so the children of Minnie Cox and John Cox were double first cousins, first cousins as Coxes and also first cousins as Slatons. The children of John Cox and Mary Jane Slaton were Mildred, Hazel, Anna, Dot, George (little George), Ollie, Ethel, Vern, Fern (twin of Vern), and Johnnie.
Ethel Cox married Dan Harrison. Dan Harrison was a first cousin of Port Slaton and Mary Jane Slaton (Dan's mother was Susan Slaton before she was married). So the children of Ethel Cox were first cousins to the children of Minnie Cox and John Cox as Coxes, and they were second cousins to the children of Minnie Cox and John Cox as Slatons. The children of Ethel Cox and Dan Harrison were Amos, George, Turner, Clarissa, Frank, Cora, Ruby, and Margaret.
Ruby Cox married Emmert Bryan. This gets really complicated. Emmert was the first cousin once removed of Port Slaton and Mary Jane Slaton (Emmert's grandmother was Susan Slaton). So the children of Ruby Cox were first cousins to the children of Minnie Cox and John Cox as Coxes, and they were second cousins once removed to the children of Minnie Cox and John Cox as Slatons. Emmert was the nephew of Dan Harrison (Emmert's mother was Nannie Harrison). So the children of Ruby Cox were first cousins to the children of Ethel Cox as Coxes, and first cousins once removed to the children of Ethel Cox as Harrisons. The children of Ruby Cox and Emmert Bryan were Jack, Lena, and Bob.
Most of the information for this family history came from Jack Bryan (my Uncle Jack). Also, Eunice Slaton Franklin and Hazel Cox provided me with a lot of good information. In addition I found information in the Nichols Book by Wyatt Nichols, and in a book about the Harrisons called Settlers by the Long Grey Trail. All credit for this information goes to them. I'll take responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. If you do see any mistakes, do let me know and I'll do my best to correct them. Also, if you have any additional information which could be added, please let me know.
Jerry Bryan
30 July 2000
This page last edited on 23 Aug 2006.