“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves,
and, under a just God cannot retain it."
― Abraham Lincoln
WashingtonCounty, Pennsylvania, was created from Westmoreland and Fayette Counties in 1781. Originally it was a part of Virginia. Washington County split into Allegheny, Greene and Beaver Counties.
An early American tavern(or ordinary) was an important meeting place and they were strictly supervised. Innkeepers were respectable members of the community. Taverns offered food and drink. An inn also offered accommodation.
Captain Charles Fox was born in 1759 in Loudoun County, Virginia. He was the oldest son of Absalom Fox and Christian Bonham. He was a tavern keeper.
In 1786 a return of the militia officers elected in the county of
Washington, First Battalion, First Company, included Ensign Charles Fox.
He married Mary in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Mary was born in 1755.
Charles and Mary's children included:
Christian Fox (1787, married John Adams),
Eliza (Betsy) Fox (1790, married William Lowry),
Margaret Fox (1792),
Sarah Fox (1794, married William McLean), and
David Fox (1795).
In 1789, tavern keeper, Charles Fox, was assessed 83 cents in Washington County, Pennsylvania.
The family appeared in the 1790 census of Washington County, Pennsylvania. The household consisted of three females and two males.
In 1794 Charles signed the oath to support the Constitution.
In 1796, Captain Charles Fox appeared on the return of the first First Regiment, 1st Company of the Washington County brigade. The return recorded the election of militia officers whose commissions were signed by the governor.
In 1797, his father's heirs transferred land to him. Charles received the part of land called Prospect Hill near David Sutton, David Fox, and Tobias Friend.
They were still in Washington County in 1800. The household consisted of
a man between twenty six and forty-five - Charles age 41
a woman between twenty-six and forty-five - Mary
a boy/man between sixteen and twenty-six -
two girls between ten and sixteen - Christian age 13 and
Eliza age 10
two girls under ten
- Margaret age 8 and Sarah age 6
a boy under ten - David age 5
a slave.
The records of Genevieve Hawk from September, 1944 say that Caroline Adams said that he and John Adams, his son-in-law, had been in business in Washington County before moving to Ohio. They made trips between Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
They family left Pennsylvania for Ohio about 1803.
1803. Book S L, page 265. William Seaman of Washington, and Charles Fox, and Pentecost, Trustees of the new market. Sum of $10. paid, also yearly reserved rent of ½ cents to be paid April 1 if demanded every year. Hath leased to -------- and rest of subscribers to New Market, being part of lot numbered one in the plan of Washington.
James Dunlap begs to inform the public and his friends that he has just opened a Public House at the sign of "General George Washington" (lately that well-known stand "The Black Horse," occupied by Capt. Charles Fox) in the town of Washington, where he intends to lay in a choice assortment of wines and spirituous liquors. The Western Telegraph,
February 3, 1804
After moving to Ohio, Charles ran an inn on the Cincinnati waterfront.
His wife Mary died in 1821. She was 66. Her death was recorded in the Adams family Bible,
published by Mathew Carey, Philadelphia, in 1809. "Mary Fox, mother of
Christian Fox, died in Lebanon, July 23, 1821, aged 66 years."
No record of Charles' death has been found. He was alive within the remembrance of his granddaughter, Caroline S.
Adams, who was born in 1841. She remembered seeing him in her childhood home and said that he was the last man in the vicinity of Lebanon to
wear knee buckles and a queue.
A Charles Fox between seventy and eighty years of age was recorded in census for Deerfield Township, Warren
County, Ohio in 1840.
TheUnited States Constitutionis the supreme law of the United States of America and was ratified in 1789.
Champaign County, Ohio was created March 1, 1805 from Greene and Franklin counties. On March 1, 1817 the present boundaries were established when Logan and Clark counties were formed. An 1800 census counted 100 settlers.
Warren Countyis in southwest Ohio and was formed in 1803 from Hamilton county. Lebanon is the county seat.
