Middletown Times Herald, Middletown, New York
March 29, 1940
Cox, Mayor Here Five Terms, Dies
The versatiel career of former Mayor Rosslyn M. Cox as a public figure, attorney, crusader for power rate reductions, newspaper publisher and Masonic leader, was closed by death at seven o'clock last night. The distinguised appearing, white-maned man who had served five times as mayor of Middletown, died in the presence of his immediate family at their white, Colonial residence at thirty-four East Avenue.
Death was the climax of an illness that had forced his withdrawel from public life during the last four or five years. Lately he had been confined to his hom with rare exceptions, and those only to stop briefly at his law office at seven North street.
As mayor for ten years Mr. Cox established a record unapproached by any other chief executive in Middletown's history. All the more remarkable was the fact that Mr. Cox, a staunch Democrat, achieved his repeated success at the polls in a city overwhelmingly Repulican. Twice, however, he was unsuccessful at the polls as the Democratic nominee for representative in Congress against Hamilton Fish.
During the administration of Governor John A. Dix, from 1910 to 1912, Mr. Cox was special counsel for the State Conservation Commision.
All his life he was a keen student of municipal affairs. He was one of the founders of the important New York State Conference of Mayors. Twice he served as the Conference president. It was under his leadership that the Conference founded the Bureau of Municipal Information, a clearing house of statistics and information on municipal administration in the State. At the time of his death Mr. Cox was an honorary president of the Mayors Conference.
His last intensive public effort was a crusade from 1931 through 1934 to force rate reductions by the Rockland Light & Power Company in this area.
The son of Martin B. and Sophie Penny Cox, Mr. Cox was born on a Mount Hope township farm near Middletown February tenth, 1869. His primary education was obtained in Mount Hope schools, and in 1886 he was graduated from the old Wallkill Academy here.
After High School, Mr. Cox was an aspirant for appointment to the Military Academy at West Point. Although he received the highest rating in mental examinations, he was denied the appointment, a circumstance he later attributed to political unfairness. Beyond high school he studied law in the office of Charles G. Dill, Middletown attorney, with whom he became associated after his admission to the bar in 1892. Theirs was a law partnership under the firm name of Dill & Cox, which continued until 1908. Mr. Cox frequently commented jocularly on his lack of formal education that he had, in effect, "graduated from the College of Hard Knocks in 1890".
In 1908 he joined William Vanamee and Thomas Watts to form the law firm af Vanamee, Watts & Cox which became, until 1910, the firm of Watts & Cox. In that year he withdrew from the partnership and continued private practice. He was attorney or associate counsel in several important legal actions.
As special counsel to the Conservation Commision under Democratic Governor Dix, Mr. Cox drafted the Land & Forests laws on which the entire structure of conservation laws has been predicated. In that same capacity he wrote and obtained the adoption of the first tax laws in the United States exempting taxation the trees in State forest preserves or wood lots until the timber was cut and marketed.
Mr. Cox embarked on his long service as mayor of a normally Repulican city in 1910 and served through 1915. He returned as Mayor in 1918, this time to serve through 1921. While Mayor in 1920, he first opposed unsuccessfully Mr. Fish for a seat in Congress. At the end of his tenth year as mayor Mr. Cox retired from public office by choice, not by defeat.
Early in his mayorality he conceived the idea of an organization to bind together mayors and other officials of New York municipalities for study and discussion of problems of mutual interest. He sounded other mayors, received favorable response and became one of the organizers of the State Conference of Mayors.
As the leader of the Mayors Conference, Mr. Cox addressed gatherings of city officials and citizens in virtually every city of the state. He aided municipal groups establish scientific tax assessment systems, not only New York, but as far west as Texas.
Mr. Cox's brief venture in journalism occurred in 1918 when he started The Middletown Herald, with Thomas Pendell. Mr Cox was publisher of the daily, an ancestor of The Times Herald. His newpaper affiliation was terminated in 1924 by collapse of the company and subsequent sale of the assets to Orange County Independent Corporation.
His fraternal activity was concentrated largely within the orders of Masonry. he was a member of Hoffman Masonic Lodge, Midland Chapter, Cypress Commandery, New York Consistory, the Royal Order of Jesters, and Mecca Temple of the Shrine. He served as ?? of ?? Temple during the building of the Shrine Mosque in New York City in 1924. Mr. Cox also was an Elk and a longtime member of the Monhagen Hose Company. His religious affiliation was with Grace Episcopal Church.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Loomis Stratton Cox, to whom he was married at Carthage November twenty-ninth, 1917; and one brother, Frank P. Cox.
The funeral service will be conducted by the Rev. Harold DeWindt of Webb Horton Church at the family home at two p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Hillside Cemetery.
March 29, 1940
Cox, Mayor Here Five Terms, Dies
The versatiel career of former Mayor Rosslyn M. Cox as a public figure, attorney, crusader for power rate reductions, newspaper publisher and Masonic leader, was closed by death at seven o'clock last night. The distinguised appearing, white-maned man who had served five times as mayor of Middletown, died in the presence of his immediate family at their white, Colonial residence at thirty-four East Avenue.
Death was the climax of an illness that had forced his withdrawel from public life during the last four or five years. Lately he had been confined to his hom with rare exceptions, and those only to stop briefly at his law office at seven North street.
As mayor for ten years Mr. Cox established a record unapproached by any other chief executive in Middletown's history. All the more remarkable was the fact that Mr. Cox, a staunch Democrat, achieved his repeated success at the polls in a city overwhelmingly Repulican. Twice, however, he was unsuccessful at the polls as the Democratic nominee for representative in Congress against Hamilton Fish.
During the administration of Governor John A. Dix, from 1910 to 1912, Mr. Cox was special counsel for the State Conservation Commision.
All his life he was a keen student of municipal affairs. He was one of the founders of the important New York State Conference of Mayors. Twice he served as the Conference president. It was under his leadership that the Conference founded the Bureau of Municipal Information, a clearing house of statistics and information on municipal administration in the State. At the time of his death Mr. Cox was an honorary president of the Mayors Conference.
His last intensive public effort was a crusade from 1931 through 1934 to force rate reductions by the Rockland Light & Power Company in this area.
The son of Martin B. and Sophie Penny Cox, Mr. Cox was born on a Mount Hope township farm near Middletown February tenth, 1869. His primary education was obtained in Mount Hope schools, and in 1886 he was graduated from the old Wallkill Academy here.
After High School, Mr. Cox was an aspirant for appointment to the Military Academy at West Point. Although he received the highest rating in mental examinations, he was denied the appointment, a circumstance he later attributed to political unfairness. Beyond high school he studied law in the office of Charles G. Dill, Middletown attorney, with whom he became associated after his admission to the bar in 1892. Theirs was a law partnership under the firm name of Dill & Cox, which continued until 1908. Mr. Cox frequently commented jocularly on his lack of formal education that he had, in effect, "graduated from the College of Hard Knocks in 1890".
In 1908 he joined William Vanamee and Thomas Watts to form the law firm af Vanamee, Watts & Cox which became, until 1910, the firm of Watts & Cox. In that year he withdrew from the partnership and continued private practice. He was attorney or associate counsel in several important legal actions.
As special counsel to the Conservation Commision under Democratic Governor Dix, Mr. Cox drafted the Land & Forests laws on which the entire structure of conservation laws has been predicated. In that same capacity he wrote and obtained the adoption of the first tax laws in the United States exempting taxation the trees in State forest preserves or wood lots until the timber was cut and marketed.
Mr. Cox embarked on his long service as mayor of a normally Repulican city in 1910 and served through 1915. He returned as Mayor in 1918, this time to serve through 1921. While Mayor in 1920, he first opposed unsuccessfully Mr. Fish for a seat in Congress. At the end of his tenth year as mayor Mr. Cox retired from public office by choice, not by defeat.
Early in his mayorality he conceived the idea of an organization to bind together mayors and other officials of New York municipalities for study and discussion of problems of mutual interest. He sounded other mayors, received favorable response and became one of the organizers of the State Conference of Mayors.
As the leader of the Mayors Conference, Mr. Cox addressed gatherings of city officials and citizens in virtually every city of the state. He aided municipal groups establish scientific tax assessment systems, not only New York, but as far west as Texas.
Mr. Cox's brief venture in journalism occurred in 1918 when he started The Middletown Herald, with Thomas Pendell. Mr Cox was publisher of the daily, an ancestor of The Times Herald. His newpaper affiliation was terminated in 1924 by collapse of the company and subsequent sale of the assets to Orange County Independent Corporation.
His fraternal activity was concentrated largely within the orders of Masonry. he was a member of Hoffman Masonic Lodge, Midland Chapter, Cypress Commandery, New York Consistory, the Royal Order of Jesters, and Mecca Temple of the Shrine. He served as ?? of ?? Temple during the building of the Shrine Mosque in New York City in 1924. Mr. Cox also was an Elk and a longtime member of the Monhagen Hose Company. His religious affiliation was with Grace Episcopal Church.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Loomis Stratton Cox, to whom he was married at Carthage November twenty-ninth, 1917; and one brother, Frank P. Cox.
The funeral service will be conducted by the Rev. Harold DeWindt of Webb Horton Church at the family home at two p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Hillside Cemetery.
Middletown Times Herald, Middletown, New York
March 29, 1940
Cox, Mayor Here Five Terms, Dies
The versatiel career of former Mayor Rosslyn M. Cox as a public figure, attorney, crusader for power rate reductions, newspaper publisher and Masonic leader, was closed by death at seven o'clock last night. The distinguised appearing, white-maned man who had served five times as mayor of Middletown, died in the presence of his immediate family at their white, Colonial residence at thirty-four East Avenue.
Death was the climax of an illness that had forced his withdrawel from public life during the last four or five years. Lately he had been confined to his hom with rare exceptions, and those only to stop briefly at his law office at seven North street.
As mayor for ten years Mr. Cox established a record unapproached by any other chief executive in Middletown's history. All the more remarkable was the fact that Mr. Cox, a staunch Democrat, achieved his repeated success at the polls in a city overwhelmingly Repulican. Twice, however, he was unsuccessful at the polls as the Democratic nominee for representative in Congress against Hamilton Fish.
During the administration of Governor John A. Dix, from 1910 to 1912, Mr. Cox was special counsel for the State Conservation Commision.
All his life he was a keen student of municipal affairs. He was one of the founders of the important New York State Conference of Mayors. Twice he served as the Conference president. It was under his leadership that the Conference founded the Bureau of Municipal Information, a clearing house of statistics and information on municipal administration in the State. At the time of his death Mr. Cox was an honorary president of the Mayors Conference.
His last intensive public effort was a crusade from 1931 through 1934 to force rate reductions by the Rockland Light & Power Company in this area.
The son of Martin B. and Sophie Penny Cox, Mr. Cox was born on a Mount Hope township farm near Middletown February tenth, 1869. His primary education was obtained in Mount Hope schools, and in 1886 he was graduated from the old Wallkill Academy here.
After High School, Mr. Cox was an aspirant for appointment to the Military Academy at West Point. Although he received the highest rating in mental examinations, he was denied the appointment, a circumstance he later attributed to political unfairness. Beyond high school he studied law in the office of Charles G. Dill, Middletown attorney, with whom he became associated after his admission to the bar in 1892. Theirs was a law partnership under the firm name of Dill & Cox, which continued until 1908. Mr. Cox frequently commented jocularly on his lack of formal education that he had, in effect, "graduated from the College of Hard Knocks in 1890".
In 1908 he joined William Vanamee and Thomas Watts to form the law firm af Vanamee, Watts & Cox which became, until 1910, the firm of Watts & Cox. In that year he withdrew from the partnership and continued private practice. He was attorney or associate counsel in several important legal actions.
As special counsel to the Conservation Commision under Democratic Governor Dix, Mr. Cox drafted the Land & Forests laws on which the entire structure of conservation laws has been predicated. In that same capacity he wrote and obtained the adoption of the first tax laws in the United States exempting taxation the trees in State forest preserves or wood lots until the timber was cut and marketed.
Mr. Cox embarked on his long service as mayor of a normally Repulican city in 1910 and served through 1915. He returned as Mayor in 1918, this time to serve through 1921. While Mayor in 1920, he first opposed unsuccessfully Mr. Fish for a seat in Congress. At the end of his tenth year as mayor Mr. Cox retired from public office by choice, not by defeat.
Early in his mayorality he conceived the idea of an organization to bind together mayors and other officials of New York municipalities for study and discussion of problems of mutual interest. He sounded other mayors, received favorable response and became one of the organizers of the State Conference of Mayors.
As the leader of the Mayors Conference, Mr. Cox addressed gatherings of city officials and citizens in virtually every city of the state. He aided municipal groups establish scientific tax assessment systems, not only New York, but as far west as Texas.
Mr. Cox's brief venture in journalism occurred in 1918 when he started The Middletown Herald, with Thomas Pendell. Mr Cox was publisher of the daily, an ancestor of The Times Herald. His newpaper affiliation was terminated in 1924 by collapse of the company and subsequent sale of the assets to Orange County Independent Corporation.
His fraternal activity was concentrated largely within the orders of Masonry. he was a member of Hoffman Masonic Lodge, Midland Chapter, Cypress Commandery, New York Consistory, the Royal Order of Jesters, and Mecca Temple of the Shrine. He served as ?? of ?? Temple during the building of the Shrine Mosque in New York City in 1924. Mr. Cox also was an Elk and a longtime member of the Monhagen Hose Company. His religious affiliation was with Grace Episcopal Church.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Loomis Stratton Cox, to whom he was married at Carthage November twenty-ninth, 1917; and one brother, Frank P. Cox.
The funeral service will be conducted by the Rev. Harold DeWindt of Webb Horton Church at the family home at two p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Hillside Cemetery.
March 29, 1940
Cox, Mayor Here Five Terms, Dies
The versatiel career of former Mayor Rosslyn M. Cox as a public figure, attorney, crusader for power rate reductions, newspaper publisher and Masonic leader, was closed by death at seven o'clock last night. The distinguised appearing, white-maned man who had served five times as mayor of Middletown, died in the presence of his immediate family at their white, Colonial residence at thirty-four East Avenue.
Death was the climax of an illness that had forced his withdrawel from public life during the last four or five years. Lately he had been confined to his hom with rare exceptions, and those only to stop briefly at his law office at seven North street.
As mayor for ten years Mr. Cox established a record unapproached by any other chief executive in Middletown's history. All the more remarkable was the fact that Mr. Cox, a staunch Democrat, achieved his repeated success at the polls in a city overwhelmingly Repulican. Twice, however, he was unsuccessful at the polls as the Democratic nominee for representative in Congress against Hamilton Fish.
During the administration of Governor John A. Dix, from 1910 to 1912, Mr. Cox was special counsel for the State Conservation Commision.
All his life he was a keen student of municipal affairs. He was one of the founders of the important New York State Conference of Mayors. Twice he served as the Conference president. It was under his leadership that the Conference founded the Bureau of Municipal Information, a clearing house of statistics and information on municipal administration in the State. At the time of his death Mr. Cox was an honorary president of the Mayors Conference.
His last intensive public effort was a crusade from 1931 through 1934 to force rate reductions by the Rockland Light & Power Company in this area.
The son of Martin B. and Sophie Penny Cox, Mr. Cox was born on a Mount Hope township farm near Middletown February tenth, 1869. His primary education was obtained in Mount Hope schools, and in 1886 he was graduated from the old Wallkill Academy here.
After High School, Mr. Cox was an aspirant for appointment to the Military Academy at West Point. Although he received the highest rating in mental examinations, he was denied the appointment, a circumstance he later attributed to political unfairness. Beyond high school he studied law in the office of Charles G. Dill, Middletown attorney, with whom he became associated after his admission to the bar in 1892. Theirs was a law partnership under the firm name of Dill & Cox, which continued until 1908. Mr. Cox frequently commented jocularly on his lack of formal education that he had, in effect, "graduated from the College of Hard Knocks in 1890".
In 1908 he joined William Vanamee and Thomas Watts to form the law firm af Vanamee, Watts & Cox which became, until 1910, the firm of Watts & Cox. In that year he withdrew from the partnership and continued private practice. He was attorney or associate counsel in several important legal actions.
As special counsel to the Conservation Commision under Democratic Governor Dix, Mr. Cox drafted the Land & Forests laws on which the entire structure of conservation laws has been predicated. In that same capacity he wrote and obtained the adoption of the first tax laws in the United States exempting taxation the trees in State forest preserves or wood lots until the timber was cut and marketed.
Mr. Cox embarked on his long service as mayor of a normally Repulican city in 1910 and served through 1915. He returned as Mayor in 1918, this time to serve through 1921. While Mayor in 1920, he first opposed unsuccessfully Mr. Fish for a seat in Congress. At the end of his tenth year as mayor Mr. Cox retired from public office by choice, not by defeat.
Early in his mayorality he conceived the idea of an organization to bind together mayors and other officials of New York municipalities for study and discussion of problems of mutual interest. He sounded other mayors, received favorable response and became one of the organizers of the State Conference of Mayors.
As the leader of the Mayors Conference, Mr. Cox addressed gatherings of city officials and citizens in virtually every city of the state. He aided municipal groups establish scientific tax assessment systems, not only New York, but as far west as Texas.
Mr. Cox's brief venture in journalism occurred in 1918 when he started The Middletown Herald, with Thomas Pendell. Mr Cox was publisher of the daily, an ancestor of The Times Herald. His newpaper affiliation was terminated in 1924 by collapse of the company and subsequent sale of the assets to Orange County Independent Corporation.
His fraternal activity was concentrated largely within the orders of Masonry. he was a member of Hoffman Masonic Lodge, Midland Chapter, Cypress Commandery, New York Consistory, the Royal Order of Jesters, and Mecca Temple of the Shrine. He served as ?? of ?? Temple during the building of the Shrine Mosque in New York City in 1924. Mr. Cox also was an Elk and a longtime member of the Monhagen Hose Company. His religious affiliation was with Grace Episcopal Church.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Loomis Stratton Cox, to whom he was married at Carthage November twenty-ninth, 1917; and one brother, Frank P. Cox.
The funeral service will be conducted by the Rev. Harold DeWindt of Webb Horton Church at the family home at two p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Hillside Cemetery.
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