The State of Franklin was an unrecognized, independent state in what is now eastern Tennessee. It was created in 1784 with the intent of becoming the fourteenth state. Its first capital was Jonesborough. It existed for about four and a half years and then North Carolina re-assumed control.
William Cox was born in 1755 in Fauquier County, Virginia. He was the son Abraham Cox and Elizabeth Arthur.
William Cox was living in Watauga in 1775.
William Cox was a delegate to the Provincial Congress August, 22 1776.
He married Malinda Madden about 1782.
Asa Cox (1788)
In 1780, William Cox served under Shelby at the battle of Kings Mountain, where he was wounded.
In 1784, he was a member of the convention that organized the State of Franklin.
He received a land grant in Washington County, Tennessee in 1784.
A bond from William Cox to Charles Robertson dated 2 Feb. 1795,
relinquishing the following to Robertson:
bond on Martin Armstrong for 275 pounds Virginia money;
a deed on Mark Mettle for $1100; debt on William Thompson for 2 negroes and $200;
bond on David Allison for a negro,
agreement of Michael Harrison for 40 pounds;
debt on Charles Doke for 100 pounds; and all household furniture.
Void if Cox pays Robertson in two months.
Witnessed by William Willson and Joseph Cobb.
In 1809, Joshua Boring bought 399 acres on a branch of Brush Creek from William Cox near Jacob Bowman’s and Robert Young.
Slavery is an immoral system of forced labor where people are treated as property to be bought and sold. It was legal in the American Colonies and the United States until the Civil War.
