George B. Cox

George Barnsedale Cox (1853 – 1916) was a political boss in Cincinnati, Ohio, a member of the Republican Party, and associate of William Howard Taft. Cox was the son of British immigrants. As a teen during the Civil War years, he supported his widowed mother as an errand boy. Later he drove a delivery wagon. Finally, he assisted his brother-in-law by operating the keno portion of the latter's casino. In these days he was already noted for being a physically strong and closed-mouthed man.

As a young man, he acquired a saloon at the corner of Longworth and John, "Dead man's corner", and was elected to the city council in 1879, serving two terms. He served most notably on the Decennial Equaliztion Board where he was able to fix the tax rate for prominent properties like the Shubert Theater, in which he became an investor. He also served significantly on the Board of Public Affairs in this turbulent era of the notorious Court House Riots.

Known as a ward boss who delivered his delegation as promised, he became the executive chairman of the local chapter of the Republican Party. He ran unsuccessfully for Hamilton County Clerk in 1884 and 1888, being the only candidate on his party's ticket to lose in the latter year.

This did not prevent his ongoing rise to local dominance. During his heyday, his chief lieutenants were Deputy County Treasurer Rud K. Hynicka and the President of the Board of the New Water works Commissioners, August Hermann. Hermann became President of the Cincinnati Reds from 1902 to 1927 and is known as the Father of the World Series.

The George B. Cox House at the corner of Brookline and Jefferson Avenue was listed #73001456 on the National register of Historic Places on November 6, 1973.

ources

* Miller, Zane N. "Boss Cox's Cincinnati", Urban Politics in the progressive era. Oxford University Press 1968 LC #68-29722
* Boyden, H.P. "Cincinnati's Battle With the Boss System", New York Times, August 24, 1903

* Society for Baseball Research