Rev. Ivan L. Cox was born in Wise County, Virginia, April 22, 1878. He was married to Miss Nora Almeda Elliott, November 13, 1903. They were the parents of seven children, six of whom are still living, three sons and three daughters.
Brother Cox grew up in the Christian faith from childhood. He often said that he could not remember the time when he did not love Jesus Christ, and desire to live for Him and serve Him. This splendid Christian background conditioned his entire ministry, particularly, in his approach to the children and young people. Before the church in general was giving much attention to what we now know as Christian education, he was finding his own way to lead children and young people in the churches he served into a vital friendship with Jesus Christ that brought them into a saving relationship with Him. Many young people found in his ministry their best understanding friend and their greatest inspiration to live the Christian life. The writer himself as a lad eleven years old made his decision for Christ and the Christian life under the ministry of Brother Cox. Along with a large group of young people he had this good man lay his holy hands on his head in baptism, and was brought into a rather meaningful relationship to the church.
Brother Cox joined the Holston Conference in 1912 after a practical background as a mining engineer. The charges he served were: Niota 1913; Wytheville 1914-15; Greendale 1916-18; Wytheville 1919-20; Radford 1921; Nicklesville 1922-25; Glenford 1926; Nicklesville 1927; Baileyton 1928-30; Fall Branch 1931-32; Surgoinsville 1933; and Gate City 1934. He retired in 1935 and until his death, March 5, 1940, lived in the Rock Springs community near Kingsport, Tennessee.
His funeral service was conducted in the Rock Springs Methodist Church by his Pastor, Rev. .H. Johnson, assisted by Rev. Carroll Skeen, Rev. James E. Milburn and Rev. Mark M. Moore. Burial was in the church cemetery. — Mark M. Moore
Source: Methodist Episcopal Church. Official Journal of the Holston Annual Conference of the Methodist Church. 1940.
