History of the mill at Cox Mill
Cox Mill has a history that dates back to the War for Independence.
Evidence points to the fact that one of the Robert Harris's built the mill during
that war and established it as a landmark. There is a reference to Harris Mill
found in the pension files stating, "We marched past Harris's Mill on Rocky
River, Tanner's Mill on Coddle Creek and Caldwell's Mill near South Yadkin."
The original owners of the land were Robert Brevard and his wife Sarah of Rowan
County. They sold the property (600 acres) to Charles Harris in 1758. In 1807,
Samuel Pickens bought 285 acres from Robert Harris and Nathaniel Alexander.
However it is not clear whether this property included the mill site. It is
also not clear as to whether Samuel Pickens or by Robert Harris constructed
the mill which would come to be known as Cox Mill.
The mill was built on the east side of Rocky River. Some of the rocks and timbers
remain to mark the spot. Dr. Charles Wilson Harris who was postmaster at the
time named the mill Mill Grove in 1836. Mr. Frederick Miller, who lists his
occupation as a miller, ran the mill for Dr. Harris. The 1850 census indicates
that he was living at the home of Dr. Harris.
Michael Cox, of Ireland, born in 1788, arrived in America in 1822. He lived
in Wilmington for eleven years before moving to Cabarrus County. The Harris
family hired Michael Cox as a miller.
At a later date, Peter Cox became the miller for Mr. W. S. Harris. A story is
told how the mill became the Cox Mill. Mr. Harris was blind and unable to work;
consequently, he was not able to pay the miller for operating his mill. Finally
he gave the mill to Peter Cox for operating his mill. In 1880, the mill was
listed as Cox and Harris.
John Cox is credited with building the mill into a thriving business. He also
operated a sawmill. The story of Cox Mill ends with the "great flood"
of 1908. In that flood, Rocky River washed away many of the mills along its
banks.