from The History of Hendricks County (Indianapolis: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1914)--pages 800-802
He whose career now comes up for review has for many years been a citizen of this county and a brief sketch of his life will show what any young man can hope to accomplish who has in his mind a definite aim and steadfastly pushes toward that goal. His career has been a most commendable one in every respect. Beginning life under none too favorable auspices, he allowed nothing to deter him, and by persistent industry and the exercise of sound sense in his operations, he has gained the rewards for which he labored and is today numbered among the substantial and influential men of his community.
Alfred Cox is a native of the Buckeye state, born on February 27, 1853, in the suburbs of Cincinnati. He is the son of William and Ann (Reeves) Cox, the former born in Londonshire, near the city of London, England, and there grew to manhood. He was twice married, his first wife being a native of his county and when they came to America they had a family of two daughters and one son. The wife died while they resided near Cincinnati, and there some time later he was united in marriage with Ann Reeves. She, too, was a native of England, having been born in Yorkshire, and was brought by her parents to America when a small child of three years. To this union were born three children, among them being the immediate subject of this sketch. All the children were born while the family lived in Cincinnati, where the father was a gardener and florist and also interested in fruit growing. He was also a landscape gardener of no mean ability and it was he who laid out Spring Grove cemetery on the north side of Cincinnati. Later he removed to a place near Chicago, but only stayed there three years when he came to Marion County, this state, and located his family about three miles south of the city of Indianapolis. There his death occurred in 1966, at the time the subject of this sketch was fourteen years old. Young as he was, Alfred Cox assumed his position as “man of the family” and, under the guidance of a wise mother, carried on the business his father had left. The mother lived a widow for a good many years, passing away in 1892. In October, 1882, the subject, together with his mother and her brothers and sisters, purchased an eighty-acre tract in the southeast portion of Lincoln Township, Hendricks County, and there resided for some time. Later on, however, the subject purchased the interests of the others and held the land under his own title. When the family purchased the tract in question, there were but twelve acres cleared of timber and fit for cultivation. The subject has cleared the balance of it and set out a large orchard numbering some two thousand trees. These are mostly apple, but there are a few specimens of pears and cherries. He also carries on general farming on a tract of one hundred and sixty acres which he owns and which lays partly in Lincoln and partly in Washington Townships. He also owns a farm of two hundred and five acres north of Clermont, Marion County. In his earlier days he did considerable gardening and has attended the city market of Indianapolis from the time he was eight years old and has the distinction of being the oldest attendant on market in point of years of service. At one time he handled cut and potted flowers, also live and dressed poultry, but now confines his efforts mostly to fruits, having made for himself an enviable reputation among the patrons of the market.
In June, 1888, Alfred Cox was united in marriage with Anna Anderson, who was born at Milk Creek in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. She was a daughter of Abner and Catherine (Householder) Anderson, the former of whom was of excellent Scotch-English ancestry and the latter of sterling German strain. They came to Indiana in the year 1870 and located at Knightstown, where they remained for a year and then moved to Indianapolis where the father passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring about 1873. In early life he had been a farmer, but later took up carpentry. His widow still resides in Indianapolis on Beville Avenue and is enjoying good health and clear faculties at the advanced age of seventy-eight.
Mr. Cox's religious affiliation is with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a consistent member, giving of his time and means to further its good works. His fraternal affiliation is with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he has been a member for a number of years in the local lodge at Brownsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have an attractive and comfortable home in Lincoln Township, the excellent condition of the farm land attesting the thoroughness of the owner, while the air of the home is that of genuine hospitality. Throughout his life, Mr. Cox has shown himself entirely worthy of the high esteem in which he is held. His life has been filled with activity and usefulness, while his untiring energy and ability have secured him a conspicuous place among the citizens of his community. In 1911 Mr. Cox agitated the proposition of good roads in Lincoln Township and secured a successful petition for an improved road running two and a half miles south from Brownsburg, thence two and a half miles east; also three miles on the county line, running north from the Crawfordsville Road. When it was decided to build the roads, he was made superintendent of the work. His strict integrity and unpretending bearing have elevated him in the confidence of his fellow citizens and his influence has always been exerted in the interests of those things which help to elevate his fellowmen in any way.