Camden People - Charles W. Cox

CHARLES W. COX, who was not related to Camden's Mayor Charles Cox, was a prominent builder in Camden. In 1890 alone he built 87 new homes in North Camden.

According to the 1900 Census, Charles W. Cox was born in Pennsylvania in September of 1833 to William Cox and his wife, the former Sarah Braddock, who were both natives of Burlington County, New Jersey. William and Sarah married in Gloucester County in September of 1832. The Cox family returned to Burlington County not long after his birth, as his younger brothers Richard, Asa, and William and a sister, Hannah, were born there, Asa in Rancocas in November of 1937. William Cox died in the 1840s and his widow in time married William Jones, who passed away prior to the 1860 Census. Asa and Richard were living on separate farms in Newton Township, Camden County, New Jersey when the Census was taken in 1850. The family reunited in Philadelphia during the 1850s. The 1860 Census shows Charles W. Cox living in Philadelphia with his widowed mother Sarah and younger brothers Asa and Richard, and a step-sister of their mother, Elizabeth. Charles and Asa were working as carpenters, Richard as bricklayer. Charles Cox appears to have been living in Philadelphia and working as a carpenter when the Census was taken in 1870, although he was not living with his siblings at the time, who were also in Philadelphia. Charles W. Cox is listed in Philadelphia City Directories from 1873 through 1875 at 803 Columbia Avenue, occupation builder.

The family moved to Camden in the 1876 and the four brothers formed a partnership, which broke up in September of 1876 when William Cox withdrew. Asa went into the grocery business and later in life moved to Pennsylvania, while Charles, Richard, and William stayed in enterprises relating to building and real estate. After the partnership broke up Charles Cox and Richard Cox continued to trade as Cox Brothers into the 1880s. Charles Cox and Richard both continued in Camden as builders, although as of this writing what their business relationship was is unclear. Richard left Camden after the 1896 City Directory was compiled. He returned in 1906 and was living at 117 North 21st Street in East Camden as late as 1924.

The 1877 and 1878 City Directories show Charles W. Cox at 213 North 3rd Street. In 1878 he was at 27 North 2nd Street. The Cox brothers built numerous three-story brick houses at Eighth and Federal Streets in 1879 and it is likely that they lived in a few of them, once built. The 1880 Census shows him, his mother Mrs. Sarah Jones and her sister Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jones at 826 Federal Street, where he remained into 1891. Brother Richard lived at 822 Federal Street in the 1880s and 1890s, William lived with Charles at 826 Federal in 1888, then moved to 802 Federal where he remained until 1894. Sarah and Lizzie Jones lived at 119 North 9th Street from 1899 until Sarah's death in 1901.

A bachelor for most of his life, Charles W. Cox married Miss Ray Beckley of Franklinville, New Jersey at the home of her parents on May 4, 1887. The marriage produced no children, but it did have a long term impact on Camden. Charles Cox. either in partnership or alone, was responsible for building literally hundreds of houses in Camden, a great deal of it in North Camden between Penn and Vine Streets and east of North 8th Street. It is highly probably that Ray Street, a one block street that runs between Pearl and Elm Street, was named after Mrs. Cox, and that Borton Street, was named after his best man, lawyer Joshua Borton. He also built houses in other parts of the city and in Philadelphia.

The 1893 City Directory shows that Charles W. Cox had moved to 902 Cooper Street, the corner house at North 9th and Cooper Street. He would remain at this address for the rest of his days. Charles W. Cox passed away on January 18, 1908 and was buried at Bethel Cemetery on Pennsauken, New Jersey. Mrs. Cox was still living in Camden as late as 1923. The home at 902 Cooper Street was destroyed on July 20, 1940 by flames that had spread after the explosion at the nearby R.M. Hollinghead factory.

While not politically active, Charles W. Cox was a member of the Camden Republican Club. He also was a member of the Old Guard State Fencibles of Pennsylvania.