By Cathy Ingalls, Albany Regional Museum board member
Edward Franklin Sox, a prominent man in a variety of ways in Albany years ago, is a name pretty much lost in the city’s history.
Image of Edward F. Sox Courtesy Paul Huzefka.
The Illinois native, who died in 1928, taught English literature and mathematics at Albany Collegiate Institute, was “principal” of Albany’s public schools, operated a hardware business, was active in civic, church and political affairs and was a veteran of the Civil War.
Here’s a detailed look at the life of Edward Sox.
Sox was born on his father’s farm in Whiteside County on Jan. 28, 1846.
At age 18, he enlisted in the 140th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving in the Civil War until October 1864.
Edward Sox Civil War enlistment July 1 1863. Photo Courtesy Paul Huzefka
His regiment was organized at Camp Butler in Illinois and mustered in for 100 days. He saw action helping repulse Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forest’s attack on Memphis.
There are records of him as the senior vice department commander at the 52nd national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic in Portland in 1918.
Sox attended Wheaton College and the University of Michigan.
He then moved to Portland, where he taught school for a few months before coming to Albany.
He worked at the institute, a Presbyterian college formed in 1867, from 1872-75.
His first wife was Weltha Young, one of his students and a member of the first class to graduate from the college. Her brother was S.E. Young, a well-known and successful Albany businessman.
After three years in Albany, the pair moved to Illinois for two years after which they left for Seattle, returning to Albany in 1886.
Upon their arrival in Albany, Edward Sox became involved in the hardware, implement and insurance business.
Sox operated his hardware store for the most part under the name Stewart & Sox Hardware Co.
The firm sold the business to Barker Brothers Hardware about 1915.
Edward Sox was also the Secretary of the Sugar Pine Mill & Fixture Company. Pictured is certificate of Capital Stock in the Sugar Pine Mill and Fixture Company. Dated 23 Feb. 1899. Stock owned by James Hayne. Signed by Ed Zeyss President and Edward Sox Secretary. ARM Collection ID: 1998-029-156D.
While not at the office, at various times Sox served as a director of the YMCA, president of the Albany Iron Works, treasurer of the Albany Street Railway, director of the First National Bank, a delegate to the 1896 Oregon Republican Convention held in Albany, and he was a church elder.
Weltha Sox died in 1921, and he married Ella Gary Ellis in 1922.
Sox died in Portland and is buried in Albany’s Riverside Cemetery.
Information for this story was provided by Paul Huzefka, a researcher for the Linn Genealogical Society, and the files of the Albany Regional Museum, 136 Lyon St. S.
For information about the museum, call 541-967-7122 or go to info@armuseum.com.
The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.