Obituary - Mr. Matthew Caldwell Cox

11 August 1950 The Murrumbidgee Irrigator (Leeton)

The death occurred at the Leeton District Hospital on August 8, of Mr. Matthew Caldwell Cox, of 38 Wandoo Street, at the age of 62.

The late Mr. Cox had been ill for a little over five weeks. He is survived by his wife, and five children, Margaret; Kathleen, Lawrence, William and Robert; also by two brothers and, three sisters, Arthur J. Cox, of Sydney, Tom, at present; living at Leeton, Mrs. Cotterell, Holbrook, Mrs. Westblade, Wagga and Mrs. Farrar, of Cowra.

He was predeceased by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Cox, of Wagga, and a brother, Herbert Cox, of Bexley, Sydney. 

The late Mr. Cox was born at Wagga and he was married at Sydney to Miss Kathleen Kearney in1916.

His early life was spent at Wagga and then on a farm, 'Beness' at Brobenah for many years, approximately since 1913.

He had lived in Leeton for the past 15 months, and previously lived here for about three years in the early 1930's.

He was a farmer and grazier by occupation   and his chief recreation was bowls. He was a member of the Wade Club.

The funeral left St. Joseph's   Church yesterday afternoon at 3 p.m., the officiating priest being Rev.Fr. Edgehill.

The chief mourners were the widow, children, and brothers and sisters. 

Pioneering Family

The late Mr. Cox came from one of the pioneering families of New South Wales.

His father's eldest sister, Mrs. James Gormley, is said to be the first white woman who was born on the Murrumbidgee, between Tumut and Gundagai.

Her husband was the parliamentary representative for Wagga for a period of 30 years.

The passing of Mr. Cox recalls the greatest flood disaster in the history of New South Wales, and perhaps of Australia, when the town of Gundagai was swept away and many people lost their lives.

Mrs. Gormley's husband had an extraordinary escape from being drowned in that flood, as he was swept for twenty miles along the flooded Murrumbidgee river, riding on logs, and other flood wreckage, before he reached dry land.

The late Mr, Cox's, brother, Mr. Tom Cox states that it was erroneously reported in the 'Sydney Morning Herald' that the death roll in the recent floods, totalling 22, was a record.

He states that the Gundagai flood death roll exceeded that by more than double, and he was told it reached a total of 60. 

The late Mr. Cox's grandfather, Mr. Joe Cox drove his first mob of cattle to Sydney where he sold them for 25/- a head.

His neighbour, a Mr. Keane, also drove a mob of cattle to Sydney at the same time, and they brought £1 a head. On the way back Mr. Keane stopped near Goulburn for a while, and subsequently he related that he hung his stock whip at the side of his saddle. A man came along on horseback, and seeing the stockwhip realised where Mr. Kean had been, and pointing a gun at his head robbed him of every penny that he had.

On one occasion when Mr. Cox's father went to Sydney from Livingstone Gully for stores he arrived back two months overdue on account of flooded rivers. 

Ti-Tree Creek, where the late Mr. Mat. Cox was reared was the only place to receive over 1/- per lb. for wool in the 19th Century. In the year 1899 15¾d was obtained for a parcel of fleece wool from Ti-Tree Creek.