George B. Cox

George Barnsedale Cox
(Boss)

• Born April 23, 1853 in Cincinnati, OH USA
• Died May 20, 1916 in Clifton, OH USA

Biographical Information

"I am the Boss of Cincinnati. I never dodged that statement in my life. I've got the best system of government in the country. If I didn't think this system was the best, I would consider that I was a failure in life". - George B. Cox

George B. Cox was a political boss in Cincinnati, OH who was part of the ownership group of the Cincinnati Reds starting in 1902.

After his father died when he was only 8 years old, he was a self-made man, becoming a saloon owner in a rough part of the city nicknamed "Dead Man's Corner" without too much exaggeration, and being first elected to Cincinnati's city council in 1879, serving on the Board of Public Affairs. He soon became known as a ward boss who could reliably deliver his district's votes to the Republican Party candidate, and became close to a number of influential politicians, including James G. Blaine whose local campaign he ran in the 1884 presidential election; Charles Phelps Taft, editor of the Cincinnati Times-Star, and half-brother of future President William Howard Taft; August Herrmann, President of the city's Water Works Commission; and Julius Fleischmann, who became the city's youngest mayor at age 28 in 1900. While the image of political boss tends to be associated with graft and corruption, he was someone who also strongly believed in effective public government and improving parks and educational facilities in his city, even if he ruled it from behind the scenes with the unsubtle touch of an absolute monarch.

In 1902, he, Herrmann, Julius Fleischmann and his younger brother Max Fleischmann, formed an ownership group that purchased the Reds from John T. Brush, who needed to sell his interests in order to concentrate his energies on becoming principal owner of the New York Giants. The sale was finalized on September 9th for a reported $200,000. However, Cox did not take an active role in running the club, those duties falling to Herrmann who would soon become one of the most influential figures in professional baseball as President of the National Commission.

As for Cox, he continued to be active in politics, although it's not clear how much he really helped William Howard Taft to be elected President in 1908, given Taft was wary of Cox's reputation and tried to steer clear of him as much as possible. His influence waned considerably after his favored candidate for mayor lost the 1911 election, and after being indicted for perjury. He died in 1916 of a debilitating stroke followed by pneumonia. His former mansion is now a branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Further Reading

• Joel M. Beall: "Cincinnati Icon: George 'Boss' Cox", The Cincinnati Enquirer, Fenruary 26, 2015. [1]

Related Sites

• Ohio Historical Society biography
• Find A Grave Memorial