Jehu and Elias Cox in the Blackhawk war

Elias was involved in the Blackhawk Indian war. In 1864 some of the Cox boys were herding sheep near Fairview when a band of Indians surprised them and drove the sheep off. The boys ran quickly into town to tell the adults. Jehu and Elias, heavily armed, rushed out after the Indians. When the Indians saw the coming, they quickly left the sheep and fled into the mountains. This was probably one of the first incidents of the Blackhawk war. On May 29, 1865, Elias and his brother-in-law David H. Jones were riding together out on guard against Indian attack. At one point they had to ride single file through some willows. The Indians attacked and David H. Jones was killed. Elias expected to be killed but managed to escape to bring back help, but the Indians had fled. Later in his life Elias was presented a badge at one of the Blackhawk war reunions.

Jehu and Sarah's sacrifice

On June 15 Jehu and Sarah's daughter Lucretia, then six years old, fell off the front of one of the wagons and was killed as the wagon passed over her neck. The company stopped briefly; a grave was dug; and the little girl was placed in it. The family received many expressions of support and sympathy from others in the company, but they had to move on, leaving the little grave behind them on the plains. A short but moving statement from the diary Jehu wrote many years later "...when we were coming up on Platte River to the valley she was run over with a wagon and died June 15, 1848," tells much of pioneer suffering and fortitude.


The Coxes joined the church in difficult times and left a grave as monuments to the most of the important historical places and events in Mormon pioneer history: the baby Nephi (1846) in Nauvoo, the City Beautiful; the baby Joshua (1847) at Winter Quarters; Lucretia (1848) on the plains of Nebraska on the epic trip to Zion, Henderson (1848) at Tragedy Springs near Donner's pass after the famous Mormon Battalion march. Later Elisha (1856) a baby was buried at Union during the difficult early years in the Salt Lake Valley.

Jehu and Elias Cox at the transfiguration of Brigham Young

According to his son Albey, Elias reported that on one occasion as a young child he sat on Joseph Smith's knee and talked to the prophet. After the martyrdom of Joseph Smith and during the height of the Illinois persecution, the family moved into Nauvoo during the winter of1845-1846. Here on February 2, 1846, Jehu and Sarah were endowed in the Nauvoo Temple. It was also reported that Elias Cox and probably other members of the family attended the meeting at which Brigham Young was recognized as the rightful head of the Church despite the claims of Sidney Rigdon. Elias reports that he said to his father while they were at the meeting, "Brother Joseph's come back." His father explained the transfiguration to him. According to those present, Presidents Young's voice and mantle were transfigured into those of Joseph Smith and the people who saw and heard him knew he was to be their leader.

Jehu Cox Blackhawk War Memorial

Jehu Cox

Jehu Cox

Jehu Cox and Sarah Riddle Pyle Headstone

Jehu Cox and Sarah Riddle Pyle