John Cox (1732-1793)

He was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He established himself at Bloomsbury near Trenton. In 1767, he acquired the Batsto Ironworks and after the outbreak of Revolution he produced cannons for the Continental Army. In 1775, he was appointed a Major in Colonel Joseph Read's Regiment and the following year he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd Battalion, serving throughout the 1776-77 campaign that culminated in the Battle of Princeton. In 1778, he was commissioned Assistant Quartermaster-General of the Continental Army. He was married twice: (1) In 1756, at Philadelphia, to Sarah Edgehill (2) In 1760, at Philadelphia, to Esther, daughter of Francis Bowes, Judge of Hunterdon County, by whom he was survived by six daughters.