COX, HENRY J. AND MABELL (OSENBAUGH)

by Mabell Cox

Entry F97 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Henry Cox Family - 1961 R-L-Erik, Henry, Mabell,
Lou Ann, and Suzanne.

Mabell, Henry and LouAnn Cox-1977.

Henry J. Cox was born on September 15,
1915 to Alexander B. (Eck) and Minnie L.
(Kirk) Cox in their Kinkaid shack on Calf
Creek in south Cherry County. Dr. Adams
had been called but with the roads as they
were at that time the stork wouldn't wait and
Henry arrived before the Doctor could get
there. However, Eck, being the good cowman
he was, had no trouble.

Henry (or Hank as he was called) grew up
on the family ranch and attended one room
country schools through the eighth grade,
riding horseback the two miles to school. He
came into Mullen for high school and boarded
with several different families during his four
years. He stayed with Alice Pool, Ross
Hungerfords, and the E.P Eriksens. Hank
graduated with the class of 1932.

After graduation he returned to the ranch
and worked for his father and began to get
his own herd of cows. However, this was
interrupted by the bombing of Pearl Harbor
and on December 8, 1941 he and Harry Sweet
joined the Navy. Hank went in as a Aviation
Ordinance man First Class. He spent 3 years
in the Combat Zone of the South Pacific.
While in service he married Wilamene
Ericksen in November of 1944. Hank was
discharged from the Navy at Astoria, Oregon
on September 12, 1945.

He returned to the Sandhills and Calf
Creek Ranch. At this time "Eck" and Minnie
decided to retire to Mullen and sold the ranch
to their sons, Henry and Donald. Each of the
boys ran their half separately with Hank
using the "Quarter Circle Seven L" brand.

Hank and Wilamene had four children,
Judith born 1946; Kay Louise born
1947; Alexander Bryant II (AB)
1948; and Erika Christine (Chris)
1955. Wilamene moved into Mullen
with the children in the early '50's for school
and later resumed her teaching career at
McCook, Nebraska. She and Hank were
divorced.

Hank continued to live on the ranch where
he raised Angus cattle and was one of the first
area ranchers to begin raising black white
faced cattle. He was active in the American
Society of Range Management and won
several awards.

On August 2, 1958 Hank married Mabell
(Osenbaugh) Ericksen, a widow with 2 small
children, Suzanne and Erik. Mabell was
teaching school in Mullen and she continued
teaching while Hank commuted between the
ranch and town.

On 1960 they had a daughter, Lou
Ann and Mabell stopped teaching for a few
years. About this time Hank leased his ranch
to Tilbert Wright and retired to Mullen
where he opened a Gun Shop, later adding
fishing gear and lapidary articles. He also
continued to pursue his life long interest in
hunting and fishing.

Mabell was active in church and commu-
nity affairs but went back to teaching school
in 1969. She and Claudia Tompkins were the
first traveling Art and Music teachers in
Hooker County. They traveled four days a
week to Hooker County and South Cherry
County schools where Claudia taught art and
Mabell taught music. They did this for
several years until all of the children were
bussed into the Mullen School. It was an
interesting and fun experience.

All three children graduated from Mullen
High School, Suzanne in 1965, Erik in 1966,
and Lou Ann in 1979. Suzanne graduated
from Nebraska Wesleyan with a B.S. degree
and an R.N. from Bryan Memorial. She is
now a nurse in Tucson, Arizona. She married
Steven Vallentine in June of 1971 but they
are now divorced. Erik served 4 years in the
U.S. Navy, 1 year of Airline Training and 1
year of Saddle Making School and now has
his own Leather and Boot Repair Shop in
Ennis, Montana. He married Mary Kay Eby
in August of 1971. Her parents are Ed and
Annabel Eby of Valentine. They have three
children, Tyler Rick born 1972;
Brad Luke born 1976; and Jessica
Jo born 1980.

Lou Ann graduated from Kearney State
and teaches Special Education in Elwood,
Nebraska. She is married to Neal Dennis
Fornander who also teaches in Elwood. His
parents are Neal and Margurite Fornander of
Chappell, Nebraska.

Henry has been very active in the Mullen
E.M.T. program and has served on the squad
for over 15 years, part of that time as Captain.

Mabell went to Chadron State College and
got an M.A. in Special Education and is still
teaching. She is active in the Hooker County
Historical Society, Cactii Arts Council, Girl
Scouts, Eastern Star and various community
activities as well as the United Methodist
Church of which she and Hank are both
members.

In 1987 they had an exchange student from
Monterray, Mexico, Norma Cantu, the
daughter of Reynaldo and Sylvia Cantu. She
was a delightful addition to their family and
the community.