Résumé

Apprentice architect, Howe and Lescaze, Architects, New York, NY, c. 1932-1934. Howe and Lescaze operated their partnership between 1929 and 1934 in both Philadelphia, PA, and New York, NY. Swiss-born Lescaze managed the New York office.

Junior Draftsman, Reginald D. Johnson, Architect, Pasadena, CA, 1938-1941.

Lieutenant, US Naval Reserve, 1941-1946. He served as one of five commanding officers of USS APc-19, a 103-foot-long, 100-ton, wooden-hulled ship completed in 1942 that transported cargo throughout the Pacific during the World War II. He commanded USS APc-19 between 09/1945 and 02/15/1946.

Principal, Robert Trask Cox, Architect, Pasadena, CA, c. 1940, 1946-1949. Cox operated an architectural practice focused on residential design before and after World War II.

Designer, Baermann and Lewis, Industrial Designers, Pasadena, CA. c. 10/16/1940. Walter Baermann and Hunt Lewis formed this firm in Los Angeles in 1938. The firm operated at 1041 East Green Street in Pasadena, CA, in 1940. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 385, accessed 12/08/2025.)

Associate Project Architect, Kistner, Wright and Wright, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1949- c. 1954

Partner, Cox, Hagman and Meyer, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1955-1957.

Principal, Robert Trask Cox, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1957-1961.

Principal, Robert Trask Cox Associates, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1961- . In 1962, Robert Trask Cox Associates maintained its office at 2410 Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles. (See "Cox, Robert Trask,"American Architects Directory, 1962, George S. Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1962], p. 140.)

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Southern California Chapter, Los Angeles, CA, 1951- .

Member, El Camino Jr. College Advisory Committee, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1956.

Director, AIA, Southern California Chapter, 1960-1961.

College

Coursework, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 1930-1932.

B.Arch., New York University (NYU), New York, NY, 1933-1935.

Relocation

Architect Robert Trask Cox was born to Fred and Elizabeth Cox in Perth Amboy, NJ, on 06/04/1911.Perth Amboy. situated on the Raritan River estuary, that was first settled by Leni Lenape Indians, part of the Algonquin Nation, and then by 1651 by Euro-American settler, Augustine Herman. The town developed into a significant port and was the home of numerous industries, including the Chesebrough Manufacturing Company (founded in 1874) makers of Vaseline petroleum jelly. Despite its industrial character, the town also was a popular summer recreational site for many New Yorkers.

The 1915 New Jersey State Census indicated the three-person Cox household resided in the fashionable resort town of Bay Head, NJ. The census was taken in 06/1915, and this residence in Bay Head was likely a summer house on the New Jersey shore. After the town's connection to Philadelphia and New York in the late 19th century, it grew to become a popular summering spot for wealthy vacationers who built a number of large Shingle Style residences on the coast. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New Jersey State Archive; Trenton, NJ, USA; State Census of New Jersey, 1915; Reference Number: L-17; Film Number: 52, accessed 12/09/2025.)

The Cox Family resided at 154 Rector Street in Perth Amboy in 1920. They owned their own residence, paying a mortgage at the time. The household included eldest son Robert, his parents, sibling Richard Cox and a household worker, a maid, Bridget Butler (born c. 1895 in Ireland). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Perth Amboy Ward 1, Middlesex, New Jersey; Roll: T625_1056; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 33, accessed 12/09/2025.)

The 1930 US Census found the Coxes living in Plainfield, NJ, in their own residence worth a substantial $35,000. A number of nearby houses had valuations estimated between $30,000 and $50,000, making this a high-income enclave. Fred Cox had managed to earn a fine living working in the insurance and real estate field. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Plainfield, Union, New Jersey; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0113; FHL microfilm: 2341123, accessed 12/09/2025.)

As per the 1940 US Census, Cox resided in Kings County, NY, in 1935. A year later, Cox gave an address of 47 West 55th Street in New York, NY.

On 10/16/1940, Cox resided with his wife Lois and daughter at 1570 Poppy Peak Drive in Pasadena. CA. This house had a value of $13,000 in 1940, several thousand dollars more than other dwellings in the immediate vicinity. The architect and his wife could afford a household servant, Marion Morey (born c. 1908 in MN). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00242; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 19-479, accessed 12/08/2025.) In 1949-1950, the Cox Family continued to live at 1570 Poppy Peak Drive in Pasadena. In the latter year, the household consisted of Robert and Lois and their three children: Judith, Thomas and Lucinda. (See Pasadena, California, City Directory, 1949, p. 212 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 5509; Page: 83; Enumeration District: 68-118, accessed 12/08/2025.)

Cox's last address was in the 93105 zip code of Santa Barbara, CA. He passed away on 05/25/1996.

Parents

Both of his parents came from MA. His father Fred Judson Cox's (born 09/25/1880 in Haverhill, MA-d. 02/08/1958 in Perth Amboy, NJ) parents both had come from ME. Fred Cox earned an A.B. from Brown University with the Class of 1903, and, by 1905, he worked for the firm of Boynton Brothers, insurance and real estate agents, located at 87 Smith Street in Perth Amboy. (See Historical Catalogue of Brown University 1764-1904, [Providence, RI: Brown University, 1905], p. 481.) Fred continued to work for Boynton Brothers' Perth Amboy office in 09/1918. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: New Jersey; Registration County: Middlesex Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 12/09/2025.) The 1920 US Census confirmed his stable employment in insurance and real estate. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Perth Amboy Ward 1, Middlesex, New Jersey; Roll: T625_1056; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 33, accessed 12/09/2025.)

Fred married Elizabeth Rand Adams (born 01/29/1879 in Haverhill, MA-d. 1968) on 10/10/1905 in Haverhill, MA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New England Historic Genealogical Society; Boston, Massachusetts; Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911–1915, accessed 12/09/2025.) Her parents were John Frederick Adams (born c. 01/1853 in MA) and Annie Batcheller Kelly (born 10/23/1855 in Haverhill, MA), who had nine children together, of whom six survived in 1900. Like Fred Cox, John F. Adams worked in insurance. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Haverhill Ward 4, Essex, Massachusetts; Roll: 641; Page: 3; Enumeration District: 0297, accessed 12/09/2025.)

Robert had two siblings: Elizabeth Rand Cox (born c. 1908 in NJ) and Richard Nathaniel Cox (born 04/23/1916 in Perth Amboy, NJ). On 10/16/1940, Richard Cox followed in the profession of his father and maternal grandfather, working in insurance for the Home Insurance Company of New York. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Illinois, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 347, accessed 12/09/2025.)

Spouse

His first wiffe was Lois Ambrose Love (born 10/26/1911 in Honolulu, HI), whom he wed in 1934 in NJ. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New Jersey State Archives; Trenton, New Jersey; Marriage Indexes; Index Type: Bride; Year Range: 1930-1935; Surname Range: L - Q; Reel Number: 32, accessed 12/08/2025.)

Children

Robert and Lois had three children: Judith Love Cox (born 03/12/1940 in Los Angeles County, CA), Thomas Batcheller Cox (born c. 1942 in Los Angeles County, CA) and Lucinda "Cindy" Love Cox (born 11/10/1946 in Los Angeles County, CA).

Biographical Notes

Robert and Lois Cox returned to New York, NY, from Cherbourg, France, between 03/11/1936 and 03/16/1936 aboard the Norddeutsche Lloyd's SS Europa.

His World War II draft registration card indicated that Cox was Caucasian, with a light complexion, gray eyes and brown hair. He stood 6-feet tall and weighed 150 pounds. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 385, accessed 12/08/2025.)

Member, Los Angeles County Museum Association, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1958.

SSN: 553-14-5665.