WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
WILFORD CHARLES COX DDS
(early dentist in St. Georg)
BIOGRAPHY
Wilford Charles Cox was born on March 21, 1881 in Cedar City, Iron County, Utah Territory.Elizabeth Leany was born on February 22, 1890 in Harrisburg, Washington County, Utah Territory.
Wilford was a self educated man. He tended sheep in Cedar City most of his formative years. During that time, he
would check out from the Cedar city library as many books as they would let him have. He would take them into
the mountains to read while he tended the sheep. When he would come back to town to resupply, he would get
more books.
The hearsay story was that some gentleman came to town in the early 1900’s looking for a dentist. Finding none,
he asked around about who was the brightest young man in town and ended up with Will Cox who was teaching
at the Dixie Academy. The gentleman had a great influence on Wilford, encouraging him to become a dentist
since there were no dentists within a 300 mile radius of St. George.
Wilford applied and was accepted into the Northwestern University Dental School (NUDS) where he trained with
G. V. Black. Wilford graduated in 1911 as the valedictorian of his class.
Wilford & Elizabeth were married in St. George on April 23, 1916.
Dr. Cox discovered the effect of Flouride on the teeth. Several people came from Leeds with yellow mottled teeth
and no cavities. So he went and took several samples from wells in Leeds and had them assayed. He found there
was a high Flouride content in their drinking water. Elizabeth said he reported that to the Utah Dental Society. No
record has been found of him being credited for that discovery.
Dr. Cox's office was listed at 27 S. Main St. with the phone number, 15, in the 1941 telephone book. His home
address was listed at 361 N. Main St. with the same phone number.
Wilford died in St. George on November 26, 1953. His funeral was held in the St. George Tabernacle on
November 30 and he was buried in Plot C_25_20_2 of the St. George City Cemetery.
Elizabeth died on August 17, 1983 in Logan, Cache County, Utah and was buried in C_25_20_3 of the
St. George City Cemetery.
FAMILY
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Wilford's Parents and Siblings:
Edwin Charles Cox Elizabeth Mary Reid Cox Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Wilford Charles Cox Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
(5/21/1838-6/24/1916) (married 10/13/1867) (5/30/1842-1/22/1896) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (3/21/1881-11/26/1953) (married Elizabeth Leany) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) |
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Elizbeth's Parents and Siblings: Hyrum Leany Mary Margaret Woodbury Leany Elizabeth Leany Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
(8/26/1852-5/1/1945) (married 5/15/1889) (7/12/1870-6/28/1950) (2/22/1890-8/17/1983) (married Wilford Charles Cox) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) |
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Wilford & Elizabeth's Family: Wilford Charles Cox Elizabeth Leany Cox Ila Cox [Baby] Cox Everard Francis Cox Carol Cox ElMyrrh Leany Cox John Bevalere Cox |
(3/21/1881-11/26/1953) (married 4/23/1916) (2/22/1890-8/17/1983) (5/1/1917-8/4/2001) (married DeVere Richard McAllister) (2/6/1919-2/6/1919) (11/27/1920-9/7/2015) (married Lela Sullivan) (12/25/1922-10/2/2004) (married Howard Elvin Watkins) (10/19/1924-6/13/1965) (married Adele Ransbottom) (12/7/1926-2/14/2014) (married Beth Atkin) |
PHOTOS
Back (left to right): Carol, Everard, Ila, and ElMyrrh
Front (left to right): Elizabeth, John, and Wilford
WCHS photos:
WCHS-05268 Photo of a medal Wilford Cox DDS received upon graduation from dental school
REFERENCES
FamilySearch entry for Wilford Charles CoxDeath certificate for Wilford Charles Cox
Obituary for Wilford Charles Cox ???
Find-A-Grave entry for Wilford Charles Cox
FamilySearch entry for Elizabeth Leany
Obituary for Elizabeth Leany Cox ???
Find-A-Grave entry for Elizabeth Leany Cox