Peter Myndert Dox (September 11, 1813 – April 2, 1891) was an American politician who served the state of

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

in the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

between 1869 and 1873.

Early life

Dox was born in

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

Ontario County, New York Ontario County is a county in the U.S. State of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 112,458. The county seat is Canandaigua. Ontario County is part of the Rochester, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2006, ''Progressive ...

on September 11, 1813. He was the eldest child of Abraham Dox and Anne Cary ( Nicholas) Dox. Among his siblings were John Nicolas Dox, Mary Blair Dox (wife of Timothy Fales Wardwell), Anne Nicholas Dox, and Ernest B. Dox. His paternal grandfather was merchant and skipper Pieter Dox, who served in the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

and the Revolutionary War. His paternal uncles included Myndert M. Dox, Collector of the Port of Buffalo, and

Gerrit L. Dox Gerrit Lansing Dox (December 13, 1784 in Albany, New York – August 2, 1847 in Waterloo, Seneca County, New York) was an American politician. Early life He was born on December 13, 1784 to Pieter Dox and Cathalyntje Lansing. He was baptised on ...

New York State Treasurer The New York State Treasurer was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1776 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the ...

. His maternal grandfather was

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

John Nicholas from Virginia's 18th district. He graduated from Hobart College at Geneva in 1833.

Career

He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced at Geneva. Dox served as a member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

in 1842, and as a

Know Nothing The Know Nothing party was a nativist political party and movement in the United States in the mid-1850s. The party was officially known as the "Native American Party" prior to 1855 and thereafter, it was simply known as the "American Party". ...

judge of the Ontario County courts from November 1855 until his resignation on March 18, 1856. He then moved to Alabama and settled in Madison County, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. Dox was a delegate to the Alabama constitutional convention of 1865. In 1868, he was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the U.S. House of Representatives, and reelected for the following term, serving until 1873.

Personal life

On October 12, 1854, Dox married Matilda Walker Pope (1826–1871). After the death of his first wife in 1871, he married Margaret Simpson. He retired from public life, and died in Huntsville on April 2, 1891. He is buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dox, Peter Myndert 1813 births 1891 deaths Politicians from Geneva, New York Members of the New York State Assembly New York (state) lawyers New York (state) state court judges Hobart and William Smith Colleges alumni People from Madison County, Alabama Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers