From the Archives - August 2026

1795 Survey Map Per John Cox

John Cox surveyed and drew this survey map on the nineteenth of September in 1795. His description “Map of a farm at Rhinebeck in the possession of Geo. Ring.” was succinct. Since the scale is “Four Chains to an Inch”, we know that Cox carried a chain for measurement. He drew the directional needle with an S for South and his depiction of a fleur de lis rather than an N to represent North.

Cox used a variety of colors and lettering to enhance the image. The large rectangular shaped division included the text, “Containing 50 Acres as per Lease.” On the top left, he drew and labeled “8 acres in the possession of Geo. Ring.”, and on the bottom right, “6 acres in the possession of Geo. Ring.” Cox included direction and length in both these areas and above the rectangular shape. Until I noticed the four tiny buildings at the top of the map, I focused on the land, the acreage. Cox clearly showed the reader of this ancient map where the buildings were in 1795. Three of the four buildings had chimneys.

An early map drawn by John Cox Jr., but surveyed by Alexander Thompson and Ben V. Steenberg was completed on the 8th of December 1815.

John Cox Jr’s name appeared as Rhinebeck Town Supervisor in Volume 14 of Rhinebeck Town Records, and he was buried with other Revolutionary War soldiers at the Rhinebeck Reformed Church Cemetery.

Cox’s stone farm house is on the National Register of Historic Place and remains standing. Hudson River Historic District documentation and photos follow the survey map.

Note: George Ring (1752-1818) was buried in Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Peter Cemetery.

Did the same John Cox complete both maps? Do the signatures match?

View the 1815 Historic Red Hook Map. According to records on FindAGrave, father John P. Cox (1735-1825) with no photo of gravestone and son John Cox, Jr. (1756-1825) with a photo of his gravestone (illegible) died in the same year.