Two possible descriptions of the origin of the area Coon family are given in Ancestry.com records. One names an early ancestor as Heinrich (German for Henry) Kuhn (Coon) who was married to Regula Zahelj. There is a statement that this couple came in 1744 from the Parish of Dielsdorf, Switzerland, to Newberry County, S.C. They brought three small children with them: Heinrich Jr., Felix and Peter.

The other reference names John Henry Coon who was born in 1764 in England. His wife, Johanna Ruth Burt, was born in 1769 in Lycoming, Penn. They both migrated eventually to Southeast Alabama and died in Dale County, Ala., in 1835 and 1842 respectively. This writer is uncertain as to which of these records identify the correct ancestors.

The researchers who proposed the first ancestral line identified a Henry Coon residing in Jackson County, Ga., circa 1798, who was born in South Carolina. This Henry was enumerated in the 1830 census for Dale County, Ala. He is listed on the same page as a James E. Coon and wife and a John Coon and family. The family members do appear to be a part of the same Coon descendants outlined for the above John Henry Coon.

John Henry Coon is the ancestor whose line will be followed in this narrative. He and Johanna Ruth (Burt) reared the following children: Barbara, b. 1787, d. 1850, m. Samuel Farris; William, b. 1790; John, b. 1791; Henry L., b. 1792, d. 1873, m. 1812 Amelia Ann Pinson; James E., b. 1796, d. 1867, m. Sarah Roe; and some records show another son, David, b. 1799, d. 1867.

The oldest daughter, Barbara Coon, was married in 1818 in Twiggs County, Ga., to Samuel Farris. They later settled in the Churchwell Bridge area. They had at least two sons: William H. Harris, m. Mary A. Hall; and James Harris, m. Anna Wise.

The fourth son, James E. Coon, was married to Sarah Roe, and they settled in the Pine Level community of Coffee County, Ala. In fact, they were the first family to build a house there where James appeared to be a cattle farmer. They reared their family there of the following seven children: Mary Jane, b. 1833, d. 1919, m. William D. Neal; John (or Joseph) Marion, b. 1825, d. 1922, m. Lucy Anne Neal; William Jasper, b. 1838, d. 1862, m. Lucy Anne Neal; Julia A., b. 1841, d. 1897, m. Peter Vincent Taylor; Ancil M., b. 1843; Martha E., b. 1845, d. 1923, m. John Clark Bodiford; and Talitha, b. 1851, d. 1895, m. Richard Opey Bodiford. In 1905, many years after James E.’s death, his widow, Sarah, and her heirs donated six acres of land to the Pine Level Primitive Baptist Church, Cemetery and School.

The remainder of this writing will focus on Henry L. (Lewis ?), the third son of John Henry Coon. Henry L. was born in 1792 in South Carolina and later served in the War of 1812 under Captain Robert (Mathew) Hodges’s Company of Georgia Militia. He was married in 1812 in Jackson County, Ga., to Amelia Ann Pinson, daughter of James (1772-1810) and Sarah (Dupree) (1772-1810) Pinson of Halifax, Va. The birthdates and death dates for the couple being the same are questionable, and some records show the Pinson name to be Perison.

It appears that most of the 13 children were born in Georgia, but the family was enumerated as residents in Dale County, Ala., by 1840. They were in Coffee County by 1850 and Covington County by 1860. The children included the following: James Conway, b. 1812, d. 1860; James Jerrell, b. 1814, d. 1860, m. 1839 Winney Ann Bryan; John M., b. 1815, d. 1850, m. Sarah Hudson; Lewis Terrell or Jeneral, b. 1810, d. 1864, m. Jane ?; Isaac L., b. 1822, d. 1892; Daniel Dupree, b. 1823, d. 1892; Sarah Ann, b. 1825, d. 1910, m. Simeon Buford (1810-1900); Mary Jane, b. 1829, d. 1920; Elijah, b. 1830, d. 1862; Hartwell Marion, b. 1833, d. 1913; Thomas Delaney, b. 1837, d. 1920, m. Elizabeth Ann Margaret Holloway; Amelia Caroline, b. 1839, d. 1911; and Henry Clark, b. 1848, d. 1912. (The first child listed, James Conway, is not found in some records of the family.)

Several of the above sons rendered service in the Confederate Army in the War for Southern Independence. In 1860, James J. Coon was a member of the Covington County Company of Volunteers, which was known as the Andalusia Volunteers. In 1862, Thomas Delaney Coon enlisted as a private in Company I, 40th Alabama Infantry Regiment, which was formerly Capt. Gantt’s Company, 4th Regiment Alabama Volunteers Militia Company known as the Covington County Farmers. Lewis served as a private in Company C, 3rd Alabama Battery Reserves. He was badly wounded in early 1864 and allowed to go home to Coffee County where he died later in 1864.

The son, James Jerrell Coon, was married in 1837 to Winney Ann Bryan, a native of North Carolina. They were in Coffee County by 1850 and Covington by 1860 where he died that year. He appears to be the James Coon who owned three slaves in 1840 and 1850. They had the following 13 children: Martha Ann, b. 1837, d. 1903; John H., b. 1838; Elizabeth J., b. 1840; William Thomas, b. 1844; Maryann Winfred, b. 1845, d. 1897, m. 1870 Evan Irvin Robbins (1843-1935); Joseph Jerrell, b. 1846, d.1917; Verria, b. 1847; James Isaac, b. 1848, d. 1946; Sarah Susannah, b. 1848, d. 1916; Lucy Catherine, b. 1850, d. 1926; James Bryan, b. 1850; Joshua, b. 1853; and Milly Frances, b. 1854, d. 1941.

The son, John M. Coon, was married to Sarah Hudson (1816-1851). They had the following five children: Jackson, b. 1841; Caroline, b. 1845; Henry Lewis, b. 1847, d. 1913; Isaac Gideon, b. 1850, d. 1900, m. 1873 Elizabeth “Betts” Hattaway (1853-1939); and Simeon, b. 1850, d. 1900.

The son, Lewis Jerrell (or Jeneral) Coon, settled his family on a large farm near Kinston where he worked more than 100 slaves. He was instrumental in building the first mercantile store in Kinston, which was earlier called “Pink.” At his death, he was buried in an unnamed cemetery located southeast of Kinston. While the cemetery has been somewhat overrun, Lewis’s grave still had a headstone standing at last account. He and Mary Jane (Meeks) had the following children before his untimely death in 1864: George W., b. 1849; William M., b. 1851, d. 1932; John Lewis, b. 1853, d. 1927, m. 1873 Clara Emmaline Hataway; Martha, b. 1857; and Tescomiah, b. 1860.

The son, Thomas Delaney Coon, was married to Elizabeth Ann Margaret Holloway, daughter of William Jr. (1802-1859) and Lucinda (Tingle) (1802-1891) Holloway. They reared the following children: Calvin “Cap” Thomas, b. 1883, d. 1969, m. 1905 Martha Elena Schofield; Polly, m. ? Helms; Sarah, m. ? Martin; Jane, m. ? Terrell; Caroline, m. ? Richardson; and Mary, m. ? Edgar.

Thomas Delaney and Elizabeth’s son, Calvin, and wife, Martha, reared the following nine children: Annie Lou, b. 1906, d. 1992; Zackary T., b. 1908, d. 1988; Athan Astor, b. 1909, d. 1956; Perry Selmer, b. 1913, d. 1914; J. Carlton, b. 1913, d. 1967; William Cecil, b. 1917, d. 1986, m. Violet Dot Gibson (1922-2012); Gussie Marvin, b. 1918, d. 1967; Mildred, b. 1921, d. 1986; and K.C., b. 1923, d. 1969.

The sources for today’s column included the following: Ancestry.com, family story by Marta Locklier in The Heritage of Covington County, Alabama, story by Johnny Dozier in The Heritage of Coffee County, Alabama, Gus and Ruby Bryan’s Covington County History, 1821-1871, and Wyley Ward’s Early History of Covington County, Alabama 1821-1871 and Original Land Sales and Grants in Covington County, Alabama.

Anyone who finds any error in the above history or who might have additional genealogy on this Coon family is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.