
Nancy Katherine Cox Brumley is my great-grandmother. She was born sometime in October of 1869 in Bedford, Lincoln, Missouri. Her parents were Ralph H C Cox, Jr. (1822-1907) and her mother was Nancy (Kat) Elizabeth Baugh (1828-1920). She was the tenth and last child born to Ralph and Nancy. They are as follows. Sarah Elizabeth (1848-1898), Thomas Henry (1850-1911), Sophia Jane (1854-1927), Jose M (1855-?), Jesse Cox (1858-1890), Mary Ellen Cox (1858-1923), James William (1860-1928), Ralph Henry, Jr. (1863-1903, and Anne Perlina (1866-1905).
The Missouri 1850 Census shows that her parents were living in Bedford, Lincoln, Missouri, right next door to Ralph’s father and siblings. Ralph’s family consisted of his wife Nancy Baugh Cox and Sarah and James Cox.

In the 1860 Missouri Census Ralph’s family was living near Troy, Lincoln, Missouri. During this ten-year span the family grew to Sarah Hannah, Thomas Henry, Sophia Jane, Nancy Emily, Jesse N and Jose M Cox. Nancy Emily and Jesse N were twins.

The years between 1860 and 1870 Katie’s father served in the Missouri Militia from 1862 until 1865 in Company A 37th Regiment. The family remained around Troy, Missouri and to their family William, Ralph, Paulina and Nancy Katherine Cox (my great-grandmother).

The 1880 Missouri Census shows that sometime during that ten-year period Ralph moved his family to Miller Township, Maries County, Missouri. Ralph and Nancy Baugh Cox remained in Maries County until Ralph’s death July 16th, 1907, and is buried in the Fairview Cemetary in Maries County, Missouri.

Nancy Katherine (Katie) Cox married Isaack Walter Brumley (my great grandfather) on January 13, 1895, in Maries County. His father had to give consent for them to marry because he was not of legal age. Later that year my grandfather, John Leo Brumley was born on November 16, 1895, in Dixon, Pulaski, Missouri.

The family expanded after 1895 to William Ralph born August 5, 1897, and Thomas Clinton born July 1, 1899. The Missouri Census finds them living in Miller Township, Maries, Missouri.

The 1910 Missouri Census places the family in Pulaski County, Missouri where Nancy Beatrice (Bea) was born October 10, 1901, Henry Elmer Raymond born July 11, 1905, and Walter Willis Brumley born July 23, 1908.

It was after 1910 that Nancy Katherine Cox Brumley probably began to suffer from Pellagra. Pellagra was a disease caused by the lack of the vitamin niacin (vitamin B3). Symptoms are inflamed skin, diarrhea, dementia, and sores in the mouth. This disease became so bad that and without a cure at the time or that they could afford, she was sent to the Nevada State Hospital in Nevada, Vernon, Missouri.


I cannot imagine suffering from a disease like Pellagra, no matter what the cause was that lead to her death. My mother Nancy Gertrude Brumley Weik and I knew of her death but at the beginning of our research in 1983 came up with nothing as to what happened or where she was buried. We wrote to the Neveda State Hospital, and they gave us next to nothing on information on her condition or her death.
My mother remembered that one time she was with her siblings, and they were trying to find where she was buried. She told me later that she vaguely remembered bits and pieces of the cemetery. Later on, in years we went back to the Fairview Cemetery but could not find her grave marker.
My mother died in 2005 with some answers to her questions but not all of them. I have carried on the family genealogy and have since communicated with family members who have confirmed she is buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Maries County, Missouri.


I only have the one picture of her that was given to us back in the 1980’s. I would welcome anyone who could share any other pictures of her.
After her death, my great grandfather Walter Brumley had to raise a family by himself plus work, it became a challenge for him. The family was spread out at this time over Missouri and Kansas. My grandfather John Leo Brumley was the first born so he became the father like parent as his father kept working to support everyone. Even though they were apart they always kept in touch with each other as they began their own life path.
The family was like most families back then and they did what they needed to do to survive. I am sure that those survival skills have been passed down to me.
If anyone has any more information to add to Nancy Katherine Cox Brumley, please contact me. Thank you for reading my blog post.

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