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Harry L. Cox Oral History Interviews

 Collection
Identifier: CN 512

Scope and Contents

Oral history interviews with Harry Luther Cox (1906-2004) in which he describes his youth and family, conversion and spiritual growth, call to missionary work, service with Sudan Interior Mission in Nigeria, relations with and evangelism among Muslims, tribal characteristics, Kano, language study, establishing a leprosy station, medical missions, the Magazawa and Fulani peoples, raising a family on the mission field, furloughs, death of his sons, World War II, animists, children of missionaries, Evangelical Church of West Africa and its mission board, Great Britain's colonial administration of Nigeria, national church leadership and ministry, E.J. Cummins. The time period covered by the interviews is 1918 to 1995.

Harry Luther Cox was interviewed by Paul A. Ericksen on January 25 and 26, 1995 at his home in Sebring, Florida.

Dates

  • Created: 1995

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical Information

Full Name: Harry Luther Cox

Birth: August 26, 1906, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Death: March 31, 2004

Family:

Parents: Luther E. and Esther J. Cox

Siblings: Two younger brothers: Paul and Elsworth

Marital Status: Married Cornelia “Cora” Renkema, March 23, 1937, at Moody Church, Chicago

Children: Peter (1940- ), Paul (1941-1947), Murray (1946-1994)

Conversion: Public confession at age 14

Education:

1924 -Graduated from high school with a third class certificate

1929 - Graduated from a high school in Quarryville, Pennsylvania with a first class certificate

1929-1932 - Graduated from the missionary medical course at Moody Bible Institute (MBI)

1934 - Language school

ca. 1936 - Northern Baptist Seminary (one term)

Career:

1924-1928 - Work on his father’s farm

1929 - Called to mission work

May 1933 - Accepted by Sudan Interior Mission (SIM)

Dec. 1933 - Sailed to Africa

1934-1975 - Missionary with SIM to Nigeria in Kano, Katsina, and Jos doing evangelism, church planting, and teaching

1948 and 1953-1956 - Interim pastor at Black Rock Congregational Church, Bridgeport, Connecticut (1953-1956 he was on furlough in the United States with non-infectious leprosy)

1975- (several years) - Minister of visitation at Black Rock Congregational Church

ca. 1980s - Moved to SIM Retirement Village in Sebring, Florida

Other significant information:

1933 - First missionary to be supported by Black Rock Congregational Church

1947 -  Death of son Paul, age six, by drowning in a well at Matazu, Nigeria

Extent

6 Audio Tapes

372 Minutes

Language of Materials

English

Custodial History

Accession: 95-20

  • December 11, 2003
  • Wayne D. Weber
  • Provenance

    The materials in this collection were given to the Billy Graham Center Archives by Harry Luther Cox in February 1995.

    Title
    Collection 512 Oral History Interview with Harry L. Cox
    Description rules
    Describing Archives: A Content Standard
    Language of description
    English
    Script of description
    Roman Script

    Repository Details

    Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

    Contact:
    501 College Avenue
    Wheaton IL 60187 US
    630-752-5910