Lt. Col. Thomas COX, (Retired)

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  General Notes:

Thomas Cox, was born in Whitchurch, co. Dorset, on November 9, 1779, and baptized on March 7, 1782. He enrolled as an ensign with the Chidcock, Whitchurch and Wotton Volunteers in June 1798 and was admitted to the ranks of the 14th Madras Native Infantry in May 1803.

In 1819, he entered the ranks of the Madras Native Infantry where he served until his retirement in 1838, having reached the rank of Lieutenant colonel.

Thomas Cox married Elizabeth Anderson, in Alleppey, Travancore (in southwest India) on the 23rd of August 1822. She was the daughter of W. Anderson, Esquire, and of---- (mother unknown).

They had one daughter, Elizabeth Ellen (wife of Francis) and three sons who served with the army in India. The oldest son, Thomas Bernard Cox died in battle at Singapore, on February 16, 1843, at the young age of 19.

A commemorative plate was erected in the Fort Canning cemetery in his honor. The military record of his second son, Major John Anderson Cox shows that he was born on October 8, 1828 at Travancore and made his career in the Royal College of Surgeons starting in 1850.

He served as surgeon in India and Burma and retired in London, where he died on January 6, 1907. Thomas Cox retired on the Isle of Man in north west England where he lived with his family until his death on November 23, 1851. Only a few months separate the death of Thomas Cox and Francis, his son-in-law, who had predeceased him on March 15, 1851.

The census of 1851 shows his residence as Westham House, Douglas, Isle of Man with his wife Elizabeth, daughter Elizabeth Ellen, two grandchildren: Thomas Henry and Elizabeth Frances, and three maids.

His will indicates that he lived very comfortably. He left a sum of approximately 12,000 pounds sterling, a significant sum in those days. It appears that Thomas Henry remained on the island for a while longer. His grandmother died there on April 28, 1866.

A splendid oil portrait of Lieutenant-colonel Thomas Cox in military uniform, by an unknown artist, was brought to Canada when his grandson Thomas Henry immigrated to Canada. It is now the property of the Musée du Québec, Québec City, Canada.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence: Isle of Man.

Thomas married Elizabeth ANDERSON, daughter of W. ANDERSON, Esquire and Unknown. (Elizabeth ANDERSON was born in India.)