The Smuteye Grit Paper

2003 Cox Family Reunion Photo

Family reunites at old homestead

This past weekend, I took a peaceful ride down two-lane highways through Union Springs and beyond. I eventually pulled onto an expansive grassy knoll and parked along with lots of other cars with license plates from all over the country.

On this great Easter Saturday, I walked up a small hill and found John Moore at a grill preparing lots of chicken and hot dogs, and just beginning to do something he confessed he'd never done before — barbecue ribs. One would have never suspected that he was a novice, especially considering the volume of succulents he was helping to prepare.

John and his wife, Paula, and I were just some of the guests at this afternoon party. We had the chance to meet and mingle with the descendants of Confederate Army veterans Charles Martin Cox and his wife, Margaret Smart, a freed slave, and his younger brother, Hamilton Cox and his wife, Mary Shackleford, also a freed slave. The more than 75 family members had gathered at the 1837 Cox Family Farm and Plantation in Smuteye for the 20th annual Cox family reunion.

This main event was the center of an outdoor weekend get-together, as everyone spent time exploring, enjoying campfires, playing games, enjoying great food, catching up on each other's lives and listening to tales of the old days.

Major Cox, a sixth-generation family member, and his wife, Margaret, established the reunion in 1984 to maintain and pass on the unique history of the family for future generations. His brother, Charles Cox, and wife, Phyllis of Santa Barbara, Ca. helped host the weekend event. Major and Margaret gave tours of the "Big House," which they are personally restoring to perfection as the center of a larger renovation project.

At the plantation's pavilion, the 85-year old family patriarch, Alfredo Cox, reigned with his wife, Catherine, as locals John D. Cox, Linsie Pride, and Ira Cox sat nearby. Margaret and other local relatives including Emma Tate and Ella Mason laid out goodies on a long buffet board.

Vincent Cox, who attended with wife, Johnnie and their daughter, Mary, helped Margaret to provide horse rides for all the potential cowboys and cowgirls. Joanna Cox Jones introduced her daughters, Jada and Jasmine, as her husband, recently retired NFL pro Henry Jones, shared football plays with the youngsters.

Lionel Mason and family arrived from Glen Alien, Va.; John Pride and his daughter, Leandra, arrived from Silver Springs, Md.; James Mason brought his granddaughters from Cleveland, Ohio; and Jackie and Donald Cox and their children, Teri and Michael Cox and Tracy Cox Berry, arrived from Cincinnati with many of the eighth-generation grandchildren, as did Catherine Cox and Ed and Mary Cox Beatty. . Their son, Ed Beatty Jr., and friend, Paula, both of Columbus, Ohio, also joined them. Vesta Cox arrived from Florida where she and son, Christian, had been vacationing.

Other out of town guests included Emma Tate and daughter Liz and her husband Eric of Elkhart, Ind., Ira Jean Salls and her children, David and John of Louisville Ky., John Blair and family of Stone Mountain, Ga. David Cox and children, Lauren and Dylan of New Hampshire visited earlier in the week.

Other local guests included John McGowan, Wilbert and Margaret Jernigan with their daughter, Estella and sons, Nicolas, Mack, and Jefferson Jernigan, Toshay and Gwen Lewis and their daughters, Cheryl and Karen, who attend Tuskegee University on The Distinguished Presidential Scholarship majoring in biology. Renee Rogers, a long time family friend who recently returned to the area, was able to join the reunion as were Hobson and Ramona Cox, who joined the group for the Friday reception.