Anne (Cox) O'Neall (abt. 1714 - 1764)

Born about 1714 in New Castle County, Delaware Colony [uncertain]

Wife of Hugh (O'Neill) O'Neall — married 10 Jun 1732 in Christiana Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware Colony

Descendants

Died 1764 at about age 50 in Winchester County, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Anne (also known as Annie) was born around 1714, possibly in New Castle County, Delaware. Her parentage is uncertain, but it is claimed by some that she was the daughter of Captain James (or George) Cox and his wife (whose name is unknown) (see "Research notes -- Anne's parents" below.^[1]

In 1732, Anne married Hugh O'Neall in Christiana Hundred, Delaware. It is claimed that Hugh was the son of either Brian O'Neill or his son "French" John O'Neill, of Shane's Castle in County Antrim, Ireland. He was said to have been a midshipman in the British Navy, who arrived in Delaware around 1730 after jumping from his ship in the Delaware Bay and swimming to shore.

Anne and Hugh had at least 8 children, 7 sons and one daughter^[2]:

• William
• James
• Hugh
• Henry
• John
• Thomas
• Mary
• George

After her husband died, she moved with her son Hugh to Winchester, Virginia, where she died in 1764.

Research notes

Anne's parents

There is no known record of Anne's birth or reliable primary source that confirms the identity of her parents. Set out below is various information that may be relevant to determining who her parents were:

• Around the likely time of her birth in 1714, there is evidence of at least two different families with the name "Cox" living in Chester County, Pennsylvania and neighboring New Castle County, Delaware.

• In the 1670s or 1680s, William Cox (abt. 1657-1742) arrived in Delaware from Gloucestershire, England and settled in New Castle County. Although William's wife was too old to bear children in 1714, they had several sons who could have been Anne's father. Notably, Hugh and Anne's first or second born child was named William.

• In 1708, John Cox (abt. 1650-1735) arrived in Pennsylvania from Berkshire, England with his family and settled in Kennett Township, Chester County, near its border with New Castle County, Delaware. Although John's wife was too old to bear children in 1714, they also had several sons who could have been Anne's father. Notably, John's son Richard had a daughter named Anna who was born in 1713 and of whom no more is known.^[3]

• According to Wesley (O'Neall) Dicks, writing around 1970, Anne, like Hugh, was "also of Irish parentage, her father having been a Captain in King William's Army at the Battle of the Boyne" in Ireland in 1690.^[1] No source is provided for this information.

• According to Elizabeth Andrews Duncan, a family researcher of the Cox family writing about 1984, Anne's father was Captain James (or George) Cox, whose family background was British. She also says he fought in the Battle of the Boyne. Duncan provides no sources for her information on Anne's father, and there is currently no known primary source that confirms that a man named James (or George) Cox resided in Delaware around 1714. Regarding Anne's mother, Duncan reports that her "name is unknown to us."^[1]

• Many family trees on Ancestry.com cite, without identifying a source, that the name of Anne's mother was "Margaret Potts". Many of these family trees indicate that she was married to Captain James (or George) Cox, again providing no sources. However, they seem to be confusing her with Margaret Potts, who married Richard Cox (as noted above, the son of John Cox) in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in 1712. At the time of their marriage, Richard was a member of the Kennett Monthly Meeting and resided in New Castle County, Delaware.^[4] As Richard and Margaret (Potts) Cox had a daughter named Anna, who was born in 1713^[3], she may have been the Anne Cox who married Hugh O'Neall in 1732.

Sources

Footnotes:

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} See, A Glance Back (full citation below), at p. 163.
2. ↑ See, Annals of Newberry (full citation below), at p. 279.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Birth of Anna Cox, daughter of Richert & Margret Cox, recorded at Kennet Meeting, Chester, PA. Images online by Ancestry.com (requires subscription), from Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Births and Deaths, 1686-1739; Collection: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: MR-Ph 267.
4. ↑ Marriage of Richard Cox and Margaret Potts, Abington Township, Philadelphia County PA, 26 May 1712 ("26th of 3rd month, 1712"). Ancestry.com on-line database: "U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Men´s Minutes 1682-1746, Abington Monthly Meeting", image 38 of 154 (accessed 8 Apr 2024) (requires subscription).

See also:

• Dicks, Wesley O'Neall (1903-94). Hugh O'Neall, His Irish Ancestors and American Ancestors. Self-published, poss. about 1970. Republished in "York's Bio of Hugh O'Neall" (full citation below) (aft. 1984). FamilySearch.org (requires free registration) (referred to herein as "O'Neall Ancestors"). Born Wesley Townsend O'Neall, Wesley married Joseph Dicks in 1929 and wrote this tract possibly around 1970.
• Duncan, Elizabeth Andrews, and Karyn EK Schulz. A glance back over our shoulders : pride in our past, faith in our future, from 1720-1984. Self-published (1984). FamilySearch.org (requires free registration) (referred to herein as "A Glance Back").
• O'Neall, John Belton. The annals of Newberry : in two parts. Newberry SC: Aull & Houseal (1892). Archive.org (referred to herein as "Annals of Newberry").
• York, Miriam Korff. Hugh O'Neall. Self-published (aft. 1984). FamilySearch.org (requires free registration) (referred to herein as "York's Bio of Hugh O'Neall").
• U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970
• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900