Richard Cox (1499 – 1581-07-22)ref was my 12th-great-grandfather, being an ancestor of Phebe Cossitt, and a prominent clergyman who held several religious posts, including Bishop of Ely from 1559 to 1580. He also lived in exile in Germany for several years.
His oldest-known son John Cox is my ancestor and is also an X ancestor, although I have no confirmed DNA match.
Family
No record has been found of Richard’s birth or baptism. Some sources say his father was also named Richard Cox, but it is unclear where this information comes from.
Richard married twice. The name of his first wife is not known, though she is sometimes referred to as Jane; she is also my X ancestor. They had at least seven children. After her death, he quickly remarried to Jane, daughter of George Auder and widow of William Turner, and with her apparently had no children. His marriages, practiced openly, were somewhat scandalous.
His will is dated 1581-04-20ref and names children John, Joanne, Richard, Roger, Rhoda, Jane, and Rachel.
His granddaughter Anstice (Cox) Pardee was the mother of my ancestor George Pardee, who emigrated to New Haven, Connecticut around 1640. George was the great-great-great-grandfather of Phebe Cossitt.
See
- Wikipedia article on Richard.
- Find a Grave, which includes photos of memorials.