William Hopkinson Cox

William Hopkinson Cox (October 22, 1856 – October 13, 1950) was an American politician, who served as the 30th lieutenant governor of Kentucky from 1907 to 1911, under Governor Augustus E. Willson.

Early life and family Cox was born October 22, 1856, in Maysville, Kentucky. He was the son of William Hopkinson and Elizabeth R. (Newman) Cox. His paternal grandfather, George Cox, immigrated from London, England, in 1817 and founded a dry goods store in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1819. In 1889, Cox became president of the State National Bank in Maysville, holding this position until 1901. He also owned a housing terrace on Market Street between Third and Fourth Streets in Maysville, which became known as the Cox Block of Maysville. He was the first mayor of the city elected under the new Kentucky Constitution of 1891.

Cox was a delegate to the 1892 Republican National Convention that nominated Benjamin Harrison for a second term as President of the United States. He was chosen as Kentucky's representative to the delegation that officially notified Harrison of his renomination.

Cox was elected to represent Mason and Lewis counties in the Kentucky Senate. He was re-elected once, serving a total of eight years. During his term, he supported the local option solution to the question of prohibition. In 1906, he received every Republican vote in the legislature for the election to the United States Senate, but lost to Democrat Thomas H. Paynter.

Cox was elected Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky in 1907, serving under Governor Augustus E. Willson. He died October 13, 1950.