Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

George Koons

Male 1782 - 1849  (66 years)


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  • Name George Koons 
    Born 12 Aug 1782  , Randolph, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 26 Mar 1849  , Henry, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Messick Cemetery, Messick, Henry, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I2419  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Family Mary Eller,   b. 12 Oct 1784, , Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Oct 1873, , Henry, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 89 years) 
    Married 27 Jun 1801  , Wilkes, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Elizabeth Martha "Massie" Koons,   b. 1806, , Randolph, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1839, , Adams, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 33 years)
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F238  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Catherine Koons, who married Johannes (John) Stocker, is George's first cousin. George's father, Gasper Koons, and grandfather Devault Koons were in Frederick Co., MD prior to NC. John Koon, another son of Devault Koons, was the father of Catherine Koons per his will. See notes for the immigrant Johann Michael Stocker, b. 1730, for information about the common origins of several Kuntz families and our Stocker family in Preuschdorf, Germany. One of these Preuschdorf Kuntz immigrants, Hans Michael Cuntz, is possibly the same one who was with Dewald Kuntz on the 1750 immigrant ship "Phoenix." The following is my abstract from Anna Burgert's book "Eighteenth Century Emigrants of the Northern Alsace":
      Entry #92. This is entry is for "Cuntz, Hans Michael" who was from Preuschdorf and is possibly the same person shown on the ship "Dragon" arriving 17 Oct 1749 (Strassburger-Hinke I:423) or on the ship "Phoenix" arriving 1750 (S-H, I:440) with Dewald Kuntz. The name Dewald Kuntz is significant because this is the immigrant whose progeny marries with our family (see the next note below). As for Michael Cuntz who was born Dec 1710, he was the son of Hans Diebold/Theobald Cuntz of Preuschdorf and his second wife Anna Logel. Michael marries 9 May 1730 Anna Eva Bender, dau. of Hans Jacob Bender of Langensoultzbach. Their marriage record has a later notation indicating "went to the new land. Michael had 8 children with half born in Preuschdorf and the other half in Langensoultzbach. In America he is later found in Philadelphia. The book does not give the whereabouts of Dewald Kuntz, but we do find that name in Frederick.

      2. Variation on last name per 1907 biography of grandson Stephen Smith cited below uses Koonts. Other variations in various genealogies include Koontz, Koonce, Coonce, Coons, Kuntz, and Kountz.

      3. Entries found for Koons family in the "Minutes of the Ashe County, North Carolina Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1806" per website http://www.ls.net/~newriver/nc/as1806co.htm. [Note. Despite the fact that Ashe County, North Carolina was created in 1799, the first extant court records begin in 1806.] State of North Carolina.
      A. Ashe County May Term 1806. In a County Court begun and held for the County of Ashe on the second Monday being the 12th day of May A.D. 1806:
      a. "Grand Jury sworn and empanneled as follows (towit): Sidniah Maxwell, foreman, James Sturgill, Allen Woodruff, Saml Griffith, Seth Osborn, George Koons, John Green, James Dickson, Levi Pennington, Benj. Hubbard, Charles Kelly, James Mulkey, William Harris, ... FairChilds. Grand Jury Charged, Edward King constable to attend during court."
      b. "A deed from John Koons to Fredrick Severs to 100 acres was duly acknowledged in open court by John Koons. A deed from John Koons to Frederick Severs for 200 acres was duly acknowledged in open court by John Koons."
      c. "The court proceeded to the election of a sheriff, the justices present were: William Weaver, Micajah Pennington, Jno. Calloway, Jno. Koons, Wm. McNeil, Bendent Baird, Wm. Reeves, Joseph Doughton, Alexr. Smith, Jno. McBride, Nathan Horton, James Bunyard, Thomas Testerman, Solm. Baker, Elijah Pope, Charles Tolliver, & Joseph Rolland, Esqrs, after counting out the vots it appears that Martin Gambill was duly elected - and entered into bond of two thousand pounds for his faithful performance of the duties of sheriff and also in another bond of the same sum for the collection and payment of the publick taxes with John Cox and Jesse Reeves securities in both bonds and qualified as the law directs."
      B. "State of North Carolina, Novr. Term 1806. At a County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions begun and held for the county of Ashe at the court house in Ashe on the second Monday being the 10th day of Novr. A. D. 1806:
      a. "Ordered by the court that the sheriff advertise at the court house the making of stocks & whipping post to be undertaken by the lowest bidder on the 2d day of next court and paid out of the county treasury. [I included this for general interest only; it is the entry right above the following one below."
      b. "Ordered by the court that John Koons, John Ellar, Abram Shearer, George Sells, Jonathan Baker, Henry Michael, Wm. Pennington, Junr., Christian Shearer, David Earnest, Jno. Henson, Conrood Grubb, Wm. May, Jacob May, Petter Eller, Micajah Pennington, Esqr., or any 12 of them be a jury to view and lay of a road from Petter Ellars across the Phenix Mountain to Christian Searer and make report to next court."

      4. Per website <http://www.ls.net/~newriver/nc/ashegrnt.htm>: Ashe County, North Carolina Land Grants 1799-1936, filed in NC Secretary of State Land Office from NC Department of Archives Index. [To obtain copies from NC Dept. of Archives see http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/archives/arch/default.htm#Topics]. The following is by NC Dept. of Archives reference file number, name, then dates [no other explanation given except that first date may be when the transaction occurred and the second date could be when registered]: Unsure if this is the right George Koons or not. Note that there are also a lot of John Koons in the records as well.
      12.14.28.94 - 94 - George Koones - 1780 - 1801
      12.14.28.414 - 414 - George Koons Coln. - 1800 - 1802
      12.14.28.618 - 618 - George Koons - 1802 - 1806
      12.14.28.983 - 983 - George Koons - 1813 - 1814
      112.14.28.1009 - 1009 - Geo. Koons - 1815
      112.14.28.1676 - 1678 - George Koons - 1828 - 1830

      5. Per website http://www.ls.net/~newriver/nc/ashe1815.htm: "Ashe County, North Carolina - 1815 Tax List. Ashe County, North Carolina was formed in 1799 from Wilkes County. From 1799 until 1859, Ashe County included the most of the land now included in Alleghany and Watauga Counties, and part of what is now Avery County, North Carolina. In 1815, Ashe County was bounded by Carter County, Tennessee on the west, Grayson County, Virginia on the north, by Surry and Wilkes Counties on the east and Burke County, North Carolina on the South. This list was abstracted and totals were combined for brevity for individuals with multiple tracts of land. I abstracted this document years ago and omitted portions that I wish I hadn't now. Don't take it as absolutely accurate. Five categories are given: Name, number of acres of land, valuation in dollars, polls, and local situation or name of neighbors. I added the number of tracts of land in the consolidation process." [He did not get the parts of Ashe County that are now part of Alleghany and Watauga Counties. Also no Stokers found.]:
      Henson, Nancy 100, 50, -, Long Branch, 1 [Nancy Mary Graybill?]
      Graybeal, Henry 200, 255, 1, Laurel Fork, 3
      Koons, Gasper 150, 150, 1, Charles Francis, 1
      Koons, George 205, 200, 1, North Fork, 1
      Koons, John 90, 130, 1, North Fork, 1
      Koons, Devault 150, 200, 1, North Fork, 1
      Graybeal, David 350, 212, 1, Old Field Creek, 2
      Eller, Jacob 300, 200, 1, Horse Creek, 2
      Eller, Henry 250, 200, 1, M. Carpenter, 1
      Eller, Peter 215, 320, 1, 1
      Pennington, William 103, 150, 1, 1
      Burket, Chris. 1260, 1800, 1, Buffalo [Father of the two Burkett girls who md. Graybills.]
      Judd, John 196, 250, -, Pine Swamp [Father of Margaret Judd?]
      Koonts, Mary 340, 600, 3, S.F. New River [Mary Eller?]
      Koonts, Geo. 250, 150, 1, Pond Mountain

      6. Censuses:
      1800 US: Ashe County, North Carolina. The total population for Ashe County, North Carolina in 1800 was 2785, including slaves. The 1800 Ashe County Census was the first for the northwestern most county in the Tar Heel State. This county was formed in late 1799 and included all of Wilkes County west of the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountain. The 977 square miles that then composed Ashe County has been further divided, first in 1849 to form Watauga County, North Carolina and again 10 years later to form Alleghany County. This record includes families who may have been living in those areas at the time. The original census was in rough alphabetic order, and this does not facilitate the research of particular communities. I include all interrelated families of this time and place to better show relationships. A word of explanation on some of these families:
      A. Mary and Barbara Burkett who married Peter and David Graybeal, had a father named Christian - unsure as to which is correct of the two.
      B. Elizabeth Eller appears to be Elizabeth Dick, the wife of Peter Eller who had just died per his probate of 1799.The one daughter is probably Mary; unsure who the two boys are since there should be three: Jacob, Henry, and George. John Eller would be Elizabeth's eldest son and married to Susannah Kerns.
      C. Henry Graybeal would have recently married Celia Henson and also the eldest son of [John] Peter and Christina [Wampler] Graybill who also appear to be in this same census. Note that Peter evidently had owned slaves at that time - the census does not say how many.
      D. One of the William Hensons could be somehow related to William Henson who marries Nancy Graybill and to Celia Henson who marries Henry Graybeal.
      E. The two Koons are probably brothers and are sons of Devault Koon judging from their ages. This would make them uncles to George Koons who eventually marries Mary Eller.
      F. James Lewis, b. abt. 1790, marries Christena Graybill in 1807 - there may be a connection with these two James Lewis.
      G. William Pennington marries Barbara (or Elizabeth) Eller and may be the younger of the two here listed.
      H. Michael Stucker is a misspelling for Michael and Catherine Eller Stoker with their three oldest children: Polly, David, and Elizabeth.
      Head of Family; Males 0-9, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+; Females - 0-9, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+:
      Burkett, Christian; 1-2-0-1-0; 1-0-2-0-0
      Burkett, Christian; 4-1-0-1-0; 1-0-1-0-0
      Eller, Elizabeth; 1-0-1-0-0; 0-0-1-0-1
      Eller, John; 3-0-0-1-0; 1-0-0-1-0
      Graybeal, Henry; 0-0-1-0-0; 2-0-1-0-0
      Graybeal, Peter; 2-1-1-0-1; 3-1-0-0-1
      Henson, William; 0-1-1-0-0; 2-0-1-0-0
      Henson, William; 3-0-0-0-1; 1-1-1-0-0
      Koons, George; 0-0-1-0-1; 0-0-0-0-1
      Koons, John; 0-0-1-0-1; 0-1-2-0-1
      Lewis, James; 2-2-1-0-1; 4-1-0-0-1
      Lewis, James, Jr.; 1-0-1-0-0; 1-0-1-0-0
      Pennington, William; 0-1-0-1-0; 1-2-1-0-1
      Pennington, William; 0-0-1-0-0; 0-0-1-0-0
      Stucker, Michael; 1-0-0-1-0; 2-0-0-1-0

      1810 US: Ashe County, North Carolina; I include several related families in my database for this time and place. Some notes:
      A. One of the two William Penningtons is married to an Eller - I assume it is the one with a younger wife.
      B. One of the two Christian Burketts is probably the parent of Barbara and Mary who married Graybeal brothers.
      C. James Lewis married Christina Graybill.
      D. The older Peter Graybill would be John Peter and Christina Wampler Graybill. The other Peter and Henry would be their sons.
      E. Adam Wilker could be Adam Welker, father of James Welker who later marries Elizabeth Stoker.
      F. Surprisingly there is no Michael Stoker who should be there unless in adjoining county.
      G. One of the two George Koons should be the George Koons of this database.
      H. Not sure why two J. Ellers unless the transcriber inadvertently named the "J." as both Jacob when in fact the older one is John. Peter Eller would be a brother.
      I. The older Peter Graybill would be John Peter Graybill, father of the other two Graybills: Henry and Peter [Jr.].
      Head of Family; Males 0-9, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+; Females - 0-9, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+; Slaves:
      Pennington, W. (William); 1-0-1-0-0; 2-0-1-0-0
      Bourket C. (Christian); 2-2-2-0-1; 5-1-1-1-0
      Wilker, A. (Adam); 0-1-2-0-1; 0-1-0-0-1
      Graybill, H. (Henry); 3-0-0-1-0; 2-0-1-0-0
      Lewis, J. (James); 1-0-1-0-0; 1-0-1-0-0
      Graybill, P. (Peter); 0-1-0-1-0; 0-1-0-0-1
      Graybeal, P. (Peter); 1-0-1-0-0; 1-0-1-0-0
      Graybill, H.; 2-0-1-0-0; 3-0-0-1-0
      Koons, G. (George); 2-0-0-1-0; 2-0-0-1-0
      Pennington, W. (Wm); 2-0-1-0-0; 2-0-0-0-1
      Eller, P. (Peter); 3-0-0-1-0; 2-0-0-1-0
      Eller, J. (Jacob); 2-3-1-0-0; 2-0-0-1-0
      Burket, C. (Christian); 4-1-0-0-1; 0-1-0-0-1
      Koontz, G. (George); 1-0-0-1-0; 2-0-1-0-1; 3
      Eller, J. (Jacob [John?]); 2-0-0-1-0; 1-0-1-0-0

      7. The book "The Brethren in the New Nation, A Source Book on the Development of the Church of the Brethren, 1785-1865," compiled by Roger E. Sappington and printed by the Brethren Press, Elgin, IL, FHL 973 Kzch gives background on the Dunker or the Brethren religious movement and some family ancestors as follows:
      Pp. 10-11: "The Brethren, frequently known as the Dunkers (from the German, tunken, to dip) from their pattern of baptizing adult believers by three separate complete immersions forward. They are distinctly different from other groups which use the term Brethren, including the Moravians, the Plymouth Brethren, the United Brethren, and the Brethren in Christ or River Brethren. In 1836 they became known officially as the Fraternity of German Baptists, which was changed in 1871 to German Baptist Brethren and in 1908 to the Church of the Brethren... these Brethren had been organized in Germany in 1708 under the leadership of Alexander Mack, a young German miller. They were influenced by the Pietistic movement of the late 17th and early 18th centuries and by the earlier Anabaptist movement, which was currently represented in Germany by the group known as Mennonites. Beginning in 1719 and for about the next fifteen years almost all of the Brethren emigrated to America, landing in William Penn's city of Philadelphia. From that port they moved west and south, primarily into the mountain valleys of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas, all of which had settlements of Brethren before 1785. They shared the German fame for agricultural skill, generally settling on limestone soil and building large bank barns to take care of their livestock. The Germans developed the Conestoga (from a stream in Pennsylvania) workhorse and the Conestoga wagon (the famed covered wagon of the American frontier)... [Information on the Brethren from] 1785 to 1865 is very limited, which was evidently the way the Brethren intended it to be... at present, a fixed principle with them, to make no communication; and that they feel hurt when interrogated respecting their society. Indeed, they have always been shy of the English, and suspicious of encroachment and exposure... [It has been observed that they] altogether neglect any records of their proceedings, and are opposed even to publishing their numbers, lest it should seem to savor of pride..."
      P. 15: "During the years from 1785 to 1865... [the] Brethren were engaged [in emigrating] from their homes in the Atlantic seaboard states to the new territory of the U.S. that was being opened to settlement on the west side of the Appalachian Mountains... [due to] the dissatisfaction with one's status in the present location and the call to move to new areas because 'the grass might be greener...'
      P. 17, 26-29: "North Carolina. Although there were Brethren living in in North Carolina at least as early as the 1740's and 1750's... none of these settlements became the basis of a permanent Brethren congregation. They usually came to an end as the result of the loss of leadership, either by death or by emigration. By the end of the 18th century, however, Brethren had established settlements in two areas which would survive across the years and become permanent congregations. The older of these settlements probably began in the 1770's in an area south of the present-day city of Winston-Salem. The Moravians had purchased a large piece of property on which they established several different communities, including Salem... In addition to the Brethren settlement known as the Fraternity congregation which developed on the south side of the Moravian territory, the Brethren also put down permanent roots before 1800 in the mountainous northwestern corner of North Carolina in Ashe County. When the first Brethren arrived in this area is not known, but certainly they were there by the 1780's, for numerous Brethren names were reported in this area in the census of 1790. The number of brethren in the settlement increased during the 1790's, and in 1801 many of them placed their names on a petition to the government of North Carolina dealing with land problems. [The petition is as follows:] 'To the Honourable House of the General Assembly. The distressed Situation in which your humble petitioners by the late Act of Assembly for the Year 1801 in the Second Section, in respect to the Land Law's is reduced: it is impossible without flowing Tears the Grievances thereof to prescribe! it is evident, that the County of Wilkes before its division, that part of it, which is called now the County of Ashe, being first inhabited with Hunters, made their living by Hunting game. Ulrick Kessler, a Dunkard Preacher coming from the North, was the first inhabitance of the Germans who bought his land for 300 £, and paid for it, and by his persuasion, drawing his congregation hither, till this Wild Country became inhabited with industrious farmers, Purchasing their land, and give their Money, Horses, Waggons and nearly all their living for their Possessions. Then this part of the Country being Granted by the Legislature unto a party of Speculators, who by their granted Authority, oppressed this people very much, to make themselves rich of their Labour. The first Settlers and Hunters could not endure to live amongst Labouring and industrious farmers, Sold their rights, moving to the West Country's, Cumberland, Kentucky, etc. The Germans who had bought their Possessions, labouring with industry, clearing Land, building Houses, Barns, planting Orchards, made Meadows, raising Stock, building Gear Mills, Saw Mills, fulling mills; that this Wild Country became fertile Utility, by the blessing of the Supreme being, who made all things; paying their taxes annually, and living peaceably and quietly in their Possessions, under the Protection of the legislature of the State; till this present juncture of the above mentioned late Act, when the Speculators Grants and Rights was broke, and the Land Office for to make Entry's upon Land was estblish'd. Some of them made Entry's upon Vacant Treasury, getting their Grants; improved it by their families, without hearing of any other Claim of any other person of persons, of their possessions till now. at the time when Wilkes County was divided, and this Country became the Name the County of Ashe, the Commissioners faithfully Purchasing Fifty Acres of Land, laying it out in Lot's, Sold them, and Builded a Court House, made a Contract for to Build the Prison, out of the Surplus of that Money, which gave the date to Conceive and bring forth a New-Birth of the infernal part of Self Interested party Speculators. Robert NaIl, Surveyor who. had undoubtedly a View of this Speculation; for the former Benefit, made him Sure of the New, that by his influence, to the Committee of this County, under a Cloak that it was beneficial for the poor inhabitance, to petition for that Law; no Sooner that Law came in existence; than he had a Store of Old Warrants, which was bought for a trifle, having the Books of Fletcher, forming a Body of party Speculators, claiming the Town Land and all the plantations within Six Miles round, near the Court House, Surveyes the Land and especially where a German lives without distinction. For this Speculators Say, they had the Oldest Warrant, it was their Right and Title, and in any Court of justice and Equity they could keep it, for the Word: previous of that date give it to them by the Said Act. and not in one clause of Said Act is left a iota of reserve, for the defence of a Labouring industrious Citizen; it is impossible that your humble petitioners can believe, that the Legislature could be so Tyrannical to pass Such Act and Law, with an intent; that Honest Citizen should be cheated and defrauded out of their property and Possessions for the Cause of a few Speculating individuals. Therefore your Humble petitioners beg the Honourable House of Assembly to take the Grievances of the foregoing Circumstances into Consideration; and Consider at first That the Established Land paid into the Treasury, and that the Grants for said Land is Lawfull and Ought to be protected. Secondly That the Warrants, with which the Speculators will Cheat and Defraud, to drive honest Citizens out of their Possessions; if they had not be revived by the late Act, being all Dead and out of date, and then to make a Conclusion for a remedy of redress. Thirdly That an Additional Act, that it the meaning of the Legislature not is, that honest Citizen should be cheated, defrauded and deprived out of their Possessions by the said Act, and that the Older Grant should be protected in any Court of justice and equity for ever in which hopes your humble petitioners is in duty bound, and will for ever pray.'
      [Signed {Kerry's note: the ones with asterisks are in this database and related to me}:] Michajah Pennington, Wm hubbart, Peter Hart, Jos Rowland, James Mulkey Capt, David Connelson, John Johnson, John Byrket, Andrew Fouts, Jacob May, Christian Byrket *, Wm May, George Grubb, William Migapha, Moses Toliver, George Eberly, Allen Noulin, William Pennington *, G Koons *, John Phillips, Henry Miller, George Miller, Henry Dulheur, John Kessler, David Engrum, Lewis Bonner, Andrew Sheets, Peter Dick *, John Dick jr *, Conrad Grubb, Luke White, John Koons *, Daniel Miller, Leonard Baumgarner, Michael Stocker *, Jacob Fouts, Wm Shepperd, Emmanuel Croster, Henry Michel, Andrew Rowland, Jonathan Miller, Wilm Henson Junr *, Jacob Grimes, benja manhubbire, Woller Weaver, Jacob Reese, John Ford, John Norris, Gilbirt Norris, Barnet Owen, Henry Graybeal *, John Whit, Jacob Eller *, Peter Eller *, John Maxwell, Zacariah Harwood, James rowrick, Jacob Pfau, Samuel Wilcocken, John Sturgin, Charles Williams, John Miller, Jas Bunyard, Samuel Taylor, Isaac Weaver, Id manhubbire, Landrine Eggers, John Ress, Henry agrer, Wm Morris, Ephrim Norris, Wm Owen."

      8. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 17-31, clarifies early North Carolina counties and land grant practices:
      "Land grants in North Carolina originated with an entry application which was filed in the county where the land was situated and if not lost are now on file there. This was followed, sometimes soon and sometimes years later by an order from the land office for the tract to be surveyed. Sometimes soon and sometimes years later the survey was made and a surveyor's plat filed with the Secretary of State in Raleigh. Then came the grant which may have been issued reasonably near the date of the survey or sometimes several years later. These grants, orders to survey and the survey itself are on file now in the Secretary of State's office at Raleigh...
      Many counties were formed from what originally was Rowan County, namely Surry and Guilford in 1770, Burke and Wilkes in 1777, Randolph in 1779, Iridell in 1788, Stokes in 1789, Buncomb in 1791, Ashe in1799, Davidson in 1822, Yancey in 1833, Davie in 1836 and Yadkin in 1850. Some of these counties were grandchildren of Rowan County; for instance Wilkes was taken partly from Burke and partly from Surry, Randolph from Guilford, Buncomb and Yancy form Burke, Ashe from Wilkes and Stokes and Yadkin from Surry. These facts must be kept in mind when tracing early Rowan County families."

      9. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 17-31, in speaking about Peter Eller Sr.'s [b. abt. 1746, d. 1799] estate settlement, the following quotes refer to family members involved with the settlement. Note that sons-in-law William Pennington (wife Barbara or Elizabeth Eller?) and George Koons (Mary's husband) do not show up at the estate sale of 1799 but do show up from 1809 to 1817 when the inherited land of Peter Eller is sold. Of the younger sons, Henry and Jacob appear in the later land heirship land deeds, but they would have been only minors at the estate sale of 1799. George, the youngest son, never shows up which may be indicative of an early death. The older sons- John and Peter - and the eldest daughter - Catherine Eller Stoker thru her husband Michael - show up in both 1799 and the later land deeds. Elizabeth Eller Jr., the unmarried dau. shows up only in the 1799 purchaser list buying household items as if she were preparing for an imminent marriage (see her notes for more detail on her purchases). The open-ended question of who married Elizabeth and who married Barbara is not resolved by these documents except the assurance that William Pennington was definitely a husband of one of them. There is no Bumgardner listed in the later heirship deeds but there are two listed early in the estate purchasers - Michael and Leonard - but if Elizabeth really married a Bumgardner and had a son Simeon in 1807, why is there no listing of a Bumgardner on the heirship deeds. The various quotes are as follows:
      "Peter Eller died before 29 July 1799 as evidenced by an entry in an old court record book found by this writer in the courthouse at Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC in October 1954. It reads as follows: 'Betsey Eller and John Eller having made application for Administration on the estate of Peter Eller gave Bowers and John Koons for security who were bound in the sum of 800 pounds and qualified as the law directs.'
      Betsey Eller doubtless was Peter's widow and John his eldest son. The time was 1799 when Ashe County was being set off from Wilkes and the year just preceding the one in which the first federal census of Ashe Co. was taken...
      Three deeds in the courthouse at Jefferson, Ashe Co., NC record settlement actions on the property of Peter Eller deceased. In brief they are:
      1. Deed Book M, p. 163, dated 7 July 1809 shows Peter Eller, Jacob Eller, George Koontz and William Pennington of the county of Ashe in the state of NC, heirs of Peter Eller, deceased, selling to Leonard Fantz 200 acres of land in Ashe Co. the same apparently being the tract Andrew Baker had deeded to Peter Eller 3 Aug 1789. The deed was signed by all the said heirs except William Pennington. Why Pennington did not sign is not clear.
      2. Deed Book F, p. 414, dated 17 Sep 1816, shows John Eller, Peter Eller, Jacob Eller, Henry Eller, Michael Stocker (Stoker), George Koontz and William Pennington all of the County of Ashe in the State of NC, heirs of Peter Eller deceased, selling Luke White Sr. 122 acres of land located on the south fork of New River at the mouth of Rones Creek etc. This deed was signed by all the said heirs named as party of the first part in the deed except George Koontz. Why George Koontz did not sign is not clear.
      3. Deed Book F, p. 83, dated 11 Feb 1817 shows John Eller, J.A. (Jacob) Eller, Henry Eller, Michael Stocker (Stoker), George Koontz and William Pennington all of the county of Ashe in the state of N.C., heirs of Peter Eller, deceased, selling to Frederick Black, 25 acres of land on the south fork of New River the land being that warranted to Peter Eller, 3 May 1793 and granted to him 27 Dec 1797. All of these heirs signed the deed.
      This writer believes that other heirship deeds exist probably of earlier dates and, if found, would show a Bumgardner heir. The above three deeds distributed only 347 acres of Peter Eller's estate when it appears that it consisted at his death of at least 470 acres. The Bumgardner connection is suggested in an ancient family Bible in which the birth dates of seven children of John Eller, eldest son of Peter and Elizabeth (Dick) Eller was recorded. Another birth entry in this old Bible is that of Simeon Bumgardner, born 8 Jan 1807. This child probably was a son of a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Dick) Eller who had marred a Bumgardner, probably James Bumgardner.
      The old Bible was printed in the German language at Halle, Germany in 1770 and is now in the possession of Mr. Wade E. Eller of Warrensville, Ashe Co., NC. It may be the Bible which George Michael Eller willed to his son Jacob because on page 17 is written 'Jacob Eller his Bible.' On page 15 of the vorrede or preface is also written 'The Holy Bible Peter Eller.' The only information of genealogical value in the Bible are the dates of birth of all but the youngest child, Mary, of John and Susannah (Kerns) Eller… and of Simeon Bumgarner above mentioned.
      The personal estate of Peter Eller was sold and an accounting reported to the Nov. 1799 court of Wilkes Co., NC by John Eller, Adr. The property, 111 individual sales, consisted of household utensils and furniture, farm yard tools and accessories, including one tomahawk, ten sheep, fifteen head of cattle, among which were a yoke of yearlings and one yearling bull, hogs, geese, bee hives, etc. The widow took a good deal of the furniture and household accessories including interestingly enough a trumpet which indicates that the early Ellers possessed musical interest. Other items taken by her were one lot of books, a chest, five head of hogs, four cows, one mare colt, two sheep, oven, hammer and anvil, and a pair of saddle bags. Other purchasers were John Eller, Peter Eller, Elizabeth Eller Jr., Michael Stucker (Stoker), Michael Bumgardner, Leonard Bumgardner, John Dick, Leonard Pfouts, Jacob Huntsinger, Daniel Dickson, James Dickson, James Cash, William Cash, Henry Michael Sr., Henry Michael Jr., Daniel Michael, Thomas Baker, Alexander Smith who purchased the tomahawk and some of the farm animals and other items, David Smith, Frederick Younce, Christian Shear, Abraham Shear, Coonrod Coldiron, David Ingram, Balsar Raime, Conrat Grub, William Colward, George Miller, John Calloway, Allen Nowlin, John Holman and John Tirey. The amount of the sale, including the items taken by the widow totaled 300 pounds, 18 shillings, 7 pence. (Will Book 1, pp. 540-41, Wilkes Co., NC.)"

      10. Partial transcription from an article entitled "Michael Stoker and Catherine Eller." from the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. See notes of Michael Stoker for full transcription of this article:
      "Settling New Territory.
      After the French and Indian War new territories were opened up to European settlers. Michael moved south locating just inside the North Carolina state line on or near the head waters of New River in Wilkes County. Country side events that were going on at the time shaped the settlement patterns and life styles. In the book German New River Settlement: Virginia by Rev. Ulysses S. A. Heavener, the author goes into detail about life for the German settlers in the New River territory. Rev. Heavener states that the Germans of this area were not used heavily in the Revolutionary War because of the language barriers. It is known from parish records of these early years that the people still spoke and wrote in their native language, although English influences can be noted. Reverend Heavener further states that the military titles found among the Germans were from their fight with the Indians. But that is not to say that the Revolutionary War was not around them. "In the movements and battles of Cornwallis and Tarrelton about Greensborough, North Carolina, in the Revolutionary War, menaced the people of the Northern part of the Colony of North Carolina as well as those of the southern part of Virginia. In fact they were seriously threatened" (Heavener 1976)...
      Picture, pg. 103: "First actual survey of the State of North Carolina David Stone & Peter Brown Esq. 1808." (North Fork of New River and Naked Creek are labeled.)
      Land Records
      James Hook states that Michael Stoker had a farm on the North Fork of New River in Ashe County. Then on 29 December 1792 Michael (Strucker) purchased: "100 acres from John Dick of land on Naked Creek in Ashe (Wilkes) Co. which creek flows west into the South Fork of New River" (Hook). The Morgan district, in which this land was located, in 1799 became part of the new Ashe County, North Carolina and was the same district where Peter Eller, John Koons and Conrad Dick lived. All now related by Michael's marriage to Catherine. There are two other reasons why Michael may have traveled south:
      Living in North Carolina at this time was Jacob Fah born 1765. He was the son of Jacob Faw (Pfau) and his second wife. Jacob Faw (Pfau) was Elizabeth Fah's father.
      Michael grew up around a religious group called the Moravians. They migrated a very large colony into northwestern North Carolina. (See John Michael Stocker story for more details.)
      Michael (Strucker) is listed on the 1800 Ashe Co. census records as 'head of family' with one male age 0-9 yrs (David), one male age 26-45 (Michael), two females age 0-9 (Mary [Polly] and Elizabeth), one female age 26 (Catherine). The Eller, Koonz, and Graybill families are also listed.
      On the 13 March 1806 Michael applied for 150 acres of land on the North Fork of the New River adjoining his existing land. The land was then surveyed and on the 27 of November it was granted to Michael (Ibid). Copies of these land transactions can be obtained by writing to the North Carolina Department of Archives.
      The town of Jefferson became the main hub area for Ashe County during this time frame. The territory of New River is described as an area of: "hills and ridges and intervening valleys along the creeks and rivers. The supply of water is abundant. The north and south forks of New River pass through the county with their tributary streams. There is scarcely a plat of land to be found large enough for an ordinary farm that is not supplied with springs of clear, cold water and streams running through them. The productions are wheat, rye, corn, oats, buckwheat, sorgum-cane, tobacco, potatoes, flax, and a great variety of garden vegetables. The fruit-productions are apples, peaches, pears, quinces, and plums, with many varieties of small fruits, such as cherries, currants, whortleberries and gooseberries. Beautiful groves of timber, oak, hickory, ash, poplar, maple, walnut, pine and cherry. The climate and soil is well adapted to the growth of different grasses, as timothy, clover, red top, bluegrass, and evergreen" (Cox 1900)...
      The 1810 census record [for Ashe County, NC] list members of the Eller and Graybill families but there are no names of the Stoker family. This is only a side note as there were many reasons why their names were or were not listed at this time...
      In the minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of February 1807 Michael Stuckard is listed record as a witness to the Last Will and Testament of John Koons. In 1808 he was witness for a land exchange between John Dick and Seth Osborn. In August of 1809, Michael Stoker sold 110 acres to William Colvard. Ashe County, North Carolina Records Inventory. Original Records. www.ls.net/~newriver/nc/asherec.htm. Note the different spellings of the last name on three different records within the same office."

      11. Website http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/ashe/deeds/deedsabs.txt accessed 14 Dec 2008:
      "Ashe County, NC - Deeds - Abstracts of selected deeds." This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kyle R. Graybeal krgrebiel@verizon.net, 37 Spring Lake Drive, Stafford, VA 22554. Revised 9 October 2001. This file contains abstracts of selected deeds from Ashe County, North Carolina Land records, mostly involving Graybeal family members. The information contained herein does not constitute the sum total of deeds in the Ashe County records involving Graybeal individuals. There are a few incomplete fields in some records especially in acreage, land description & witness names. This means that I have not copied them, not that the information is missing from the court records. The file now includes more deeds and has been corrected for errors dealing with land grants appearing in the original file. In the original file, the entry date and the date the deed was signed were reversed. This new file corrects that problem.
      Information sorted in date order, which is yyyy-mm-dd. Grantee & Grantor names are [last], [first]. Witness names are [first], [last]. NFNR = North Fork of New River. Mn and Vn means Deed Books M new and V new respectively. Information in [] inserted by me and correct to the best of my knowledge. Information in () added for clarification. Price paid, proven date, and registered date not included to save space. I have this information on most deeds in case it is desired. Some compass directions are indicated by N, S, etc., rather spelled out. Deeds for state grants did not require witnesses' signatures. The indication that a particular person signed with an "x" is not consistent from record to record in this transcription. {Kerry's note: I have refined the list so as to cut it off after whom I think may be the first generation after John Peter Graybill and Christina Wampler; see that more complete list with John Peter Graybill - this partial list are for those only including the name of Koon}:
      Walder, William to: Henson, Wm. 100 a.; Signed: 1802-01-10; Head of a branch, Wm Smith's line, Smith's corner; Book: B, 467; Witness: George Koons, Seth Osburn.

      12. See notes of son-in-law John Smith for extensive biography on entire family including this individual.

      13. Massie Koons was the second child of George Koons and Mary Eller, born in 1806 in Randolph County, North Carolina. George Koons, also born in Randolph County, in 1782, was a Quaker who was disowned by his family for marrying Mary Eller, a Dunkard. George and Mary Eller Koons left North Carolina in 1819, moving Wayne County, Indiana, and finally settling in Liberty Township, Henry County, Indiana, in 1821. There Massie Koons met and married John Smith. Their first six children were female - Mary born in 1823, followed by Patience, Hannah, Elizabeth, Lydia Rhoda, and Anna. The first son, Stephen, was born in 1836. John and Massie settled on 80 acres of land in Liberty Township, Henry County, Indiana.

      14. FHL book 929.273 P684pn: "Graybill/Stoker/Eller/Smith/Koons/Pitt Connections," by Norman E. 'Gene' Pitt, 1996, pp. 119-123: "Mary Eller, b. abt 1785/8, Rowan Co., NC; d. 1872, Henry Co., IN; md. bef 1804 to George Koons (also spelled Koontz, Koonce, and Coonce in some records). He was b. abt 1785/6, probably in Randolph Co., NC; d. 25 (or 26?) Mar 1849, Henry Co., IN. He probably was the s/o Gasper Koons and Abagail ___ and the gs/o Devault Koons and Margaret ___ (or Susan Dick). The Koons were Quakers and George was disowned by his family when he married outside of his church to Mary, a Dunkard. Mary and George emigrated from Ashe Co., NC to Wayne Co., IN in Sep 1819, then settled in Henry Co., IN. Their children were Elizabeth, Massie (md. to John Smith), Henry, Absolom, Alice, Davault, Catherine, Gasper, Martha, George and Peter."

      15. The book "The Howard Leytham Stoker Von Dollen Family Histories," FHL 929.273 H833a, by Doris Lewis, 2017 So. 80th Ave., Omaha, Nebraska, 68124:
      P. 89: "Peter was the first son of George Michael Eller. Because there were a number of years between Peter's birth and the others, the question arises if he might not be a child of a first marriage. He grew up in North Carolina and married Elizabeth Dick in 1766. His land grant was close to other Ellers, beginning at the spruce pine on the Upper Ford on Rones Creek. In 1797 he bought the 70 acres which had been granted to his father-in-law, Conrad Dick. This land had been surveyed and chain carriers were listed as Michael Stoker and John Eller, neighbors. Peter had 470 acres at his death... Their oldest daughter, Catherine, married Michael Stoker and their youngest daughter, Mary, married George Koons and their great granddaughter, Betty Oman married Orson Hyde Stoker. Children:
      a. John, b. 1767 or 1769; d. 1823; m. Susanna Kerns.
      b. Catherine, b. 6 Mar 1773 at Rowan Co., NC; d. 1850 at Council Bluffs, Iowa; m. Michael Stoker.
      c. Elizabeth, b. 1780; m. William Pennington.
      d. Barbara, b. 1782; m. Pertune.
      e. Mary, b. 1783, NC; d. 1872; m. George Koons (a Quaker who was disowned for marrying Mary, who was a Dunkard). She was 18 and he 19.
      f. Jacob, b. 1784; d. 1855; m. Catherine White.
      g. Henry, b. 1788; d. 1876; m. Elizabeth Johnson.
      h. George."
      Pp. 112-113: Speaks of George's grandfather Devault Koons, father Gasper Koons, and himself. Also mentions various other spellings including Coons, Kuntz, Koontz, and Kountze:
      a. Devault Koons: "Devault Koons came from Germany to Pennsylvania, where he took his oath on August 28, 1750. Devault was in Frederick County, MD in 1751, where some deeds list his wife's name as Margaret and some Susan. They may be the same person or Margaret may be his first wife and Susan Dick his second wife. Susan Dick was a widow when she married Devault, her first husband having died on the ship while crossing the ocean to America. I do not know the relationship to Conrad and Katherine Dick [if any], also [to] my ancestors also at this time." [Lists five children: Devault Jr., John, Gasper, and George Koons.]
      b. Gasper Koons, b. 8 Nov, 1759 at Frederick Co., MD and d. 8 Nov 1820 at Henry Co., IN. Married Massie Presnell and (2) Abigail Piggoth. "When the first Quaker Church was organized in Back Creek, Randolph County, NC, Gasper and Massie were listed as members. After Massie's death, her oldest three children were disowned for marrying outside the Quaker faith. Gasper remarried another Quaker, Abigail Piggoth and had 12 more Children. In the spring of 1808, the family left Randolph County and on June 25th of that year, they requsted a Quaker transfer to the Miami County, Ohio branch. The trip from NC to Ohio took six weeks by wagon. Later they moved to Henry County, Indiana. Massie's real name may have been Massa or Mercy. Both names have been given as probabilities on Utah geneology charts. [Lists 7 children of first marriage: Devault, George Koons b. 1782 disowned for marriage to Mary Eller, Martha, Gasper Jr., John, Mary, and infant daughter. From second marriage: infant, Jeremiah, William, Nathan, Henry, Samuel, Joseph, Benjamin, Jesse, Rachel, Susannah, and Hannah.]
      c. George Koons, b. 1782 at Randolph Co., NC, d. 26 Mar 1849 at Henry Co., IN, m. Mary Eller, b. 1783 at Rowan Co., NC, m. 27 Jun 1801, d. 1872 at Henry Co., IN. "George Koons, Gasper's second son, stayed in North Carolina when his father's family moved to Ohio. In 1819, George and Mary moved first to Wayne County, IN, and later to Henry County, IN where they are listed in the Biographical History as early pioneers in that county. George was disowned by his father at the age of 19, for marrying Mary Eller, a Dunkard. A Dunkard was the common name for a member of the Church of the Brethren, which was organized in Germany in 1708, but after suffering persecutions there, it took root in Germantown, PA in 1719. Being disowned for religious reasons did not seem to hamper family affection, for the children were named after family members and they all settled in Henry County in Indiana. Children:
      i. Elizabeth Koons, named after her grandmother Elizabeth Dick Eller, b. 1803 at NC.
      ii. Massie Koons, named after her grandmother, Massie Presnell Koons, b. 1806, m. John Smith.
      iii. Henry Koons, named after Mary's younger brother, b. 1807.
      iv. Absalom Koons. Baptized by cousin Michael Stoker, Jr., a Latter Day Saint Elder.
      v. Alice Koons.
      vi. Devault Koons, named after great grandfather Devault.
      vii. Catherine Koons, named after Mary's older sister, who married Michael Stoker.
      viii. Gasper Koons, named after grandfather.
      ix. Martha Koons.
      x. George Koons, Jr.
      xi. Peter Koons, named after his grandfather, Peter Eller."

      16. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 141-171: "Mary Eller was born in Rowan Co., NC and, according to the 'History of Henry County, Indiana, 1884,' by the Interstate Publishing Co., 'died in Henry Co., Ind. in 1872, aged 84, making 1788 her birth year.' The 1860 Federal census of Henry County, Indiana, where the family lived after 1819, states her age as 76, making her birth year 1784 which probably is correct. She married before 1804, when her daughter Elizabeth was born, George Koons, b. 1785/86, in Randolph Co., NC probably, and died in Henry Co., Ind., 25 Mar 1849. The date of his death by family record was 26 Mar 1849. The 1810 census of Ashe Co., NC shows them both to be aged over 26 and living in that county with four children, two males and two females, all under 10. This would indicate that both George and Mary Eller Koons were born as early as 1784. The 1850 census of Henry Co., IN, however, gives Mary Eller Koons the age of 57 years which doubtless was an error and should have been 67.
      George Koons may have been a son of John Koons who was settled in Ashe County, NC as early as 1790 although most believe he was a son of Gasper Koons, John's brother of Randolph Co., NC. Others might think that he was a son of George Koons who probably was a brother of John and Gasper and living in Ashe County, NC as early as 1800 and a prominent citizen there. This George Koons, however, had no son. The 1800 census of Ashe Co. shows him at age over 45 with wife of same age and one daughter, aged between 16 and 26. John Koons on the other hand is known to have had a son George, (Book C, p. 478, Ashe Co. Deeds), but this son probably was the George Koonce (sic) whose will was proved in Ashe Co., 11 Nov 1855 naming children John, Jacob, George, Sally, Polly, Catherine, Milly and 'the heirs of Elizabeth Koonce.' (Will Book D, pp. 20, 21, Ashe Co.) John Koons lived near the farm of Mary Eller's father, both on Reedy Creek in Rowan Co., now Davidson Co., where his name was spelled John Coonce and on Rones Creek in Wilkes Co., now Ashe Co., where his name was spelled John Koons. John Koons and Peter Eller witnessed deeds for each other in Ashe County and John Koons was one of the sureties for Peter Eller's widow and his son John when they took administration of Peter Eller's estate in 1799.
      As for George Koons, who married Mary Eller, being a son of Gasper, the evidence is very strong. They named no son John, unless one was so named and died young, but they did name a son Gasper. The also named one of their daughters Massie which was the given name of the first wife of Gasper Koons who would have been George's mother if Gasper was his father. Moreover, George and Mary Eller Koons removed to Henry Co., IN where Gasper and his second wife and children settled in 1808/9. These facts, coupled with the Back Creek Friends Meeting Records in Randolph Co., NC which show that Gasper and Massie Koons had a son George, is pretty convincing. This son, George, of Gasper, on 27 Jun 1801 was disowned by the Back Creek Friends Meeting for 'marrying out of unity.' The date of this disownment showing that George Koons was already or about to be married on 27 Jun 1801means, if the ages of George and Mary Eller Koons shown above are correct that they married at extremely tender ages. As stated above, however, the 1810 census of Ashe County, NC shows both George and his wife at ages over 26 and with four children, two boys and two girls, all under 10. Later records show only three children, two girls and one boy, who were born before 1810 and one may surmise that the missing boy was born probably in 1802 indicating that his parents were married in 1801 at ages, if we accept the above census records, of about 17 years each. Their first Child, Elizabeth, was b. in 1803/4 according to the 1860 census of Henry Co., IN which gave her age as 56.
      George and Mary Eller Koons seem not to have been Quakers as Gasper was, but that fact only bears out the disownment of 27 Jun 1801 of George Koons, son of Gasper, for marrying out of unity, i.e. for marrying someone other than a Quaker. Mary Eller was a Dunker or Baptist.
      John, Gasper and George Koons were sons of Devault Koons, who, according to the Henry County Histories above mentioned, settled first in Pennsylvania. [The book continues with extensive history on Devault and Gasper Koons.]
      As for which of John or Gasper was the father of George Koons who married Mary Eller this writer is certain in his own mind that it was Gasper and that his grandparents were Devault and Massie Koons of Randolph County, NC and Henry County, IN.
      George and Mary Eller Koons, according to 'Hist. of Henry Co., IN,' by Interstate Pub. Co., p. 550, emigrated to Wayne Co., IN in Sep 1819. The Ashe Co., NC records show that he sold 90 acres of land to Henry Eller, 9 Dec 1819 (Deed Book C, p. 68). Two years later, in 1821, he and John Koons, his brother, doubtless, took up land in Liberty Township of Henry Co., IN and a year later both entered land in Blue River Township of the same county. Hazzard's History of Henry Co., IN says however, that George Koons lived on his land in Liberty Township for 16 eyars then sold it and removed to an 80 acres farm in Blue River Township where he built a log house that was his home until his death on 25 Mar 1849. (The correct date is 26 Mar 1849.) It also stated that he was a Repbulican in politics and that both he and his wife belonged to the Baptist Church.
      [The book continues with George's will which I have already quoted in his notes from a different source.]
      One of the settlement papers of the estate of George Koons of Henry Co. shows payments of $1.00 each to (1) Main Koons who was probably Massie; (2) Catherine Koons, wife doubtless of William Harvey; (3) George Koons; (4) Henry Koons; (5) J.R. Millikan husband, doubtless, of Martha Koons; (6) D. Koons; (7) Parnell Bales and wife, the wife doubtless being Elizabeth Koons, and (8) Jacob Harvey, husband, doubtless, of Alice (Allie) Koons. The sons Absolom, Peter, and Gasper were not mentioned, Absolom being deceased, Peter having been denied the 1.00 payment by his father's will and Gasper probably being omitted in the record in error. That there was a son Gasper is proved by the settlement papers in his own estate in 1865 when his brother Henry petitioned the court to be appointed executor and presented Peter and George L. Koons as security. The petition stated that Gasper Koons (son of George and Mary) died intestate on or about 7 March 1865. (Common Pleas Court Complete Record #13, p. 520, Henry Co., Ind.) Also see 'The History of Henry Co., Ind.,' pub. in 1884 by the Interstate Publishing Co. of Chicago, p. 550.
      The children of George and Mary (Eller) Koons were, order of birth not certain:
      Elizabeth Koons, b. 1803/4; m. 14 Jul 1822 in Wayne Co., IN, Parnell Bales (Wayne Co., Ind. Marriages). She probably was the Elizabeth Bales, age 56 who is shown in the 1860 census of Henry Co., IN, taken 28 Jul 1860, as having been born in NC and living with Joseph Bales. This would mean that she was born in North Carolina in 1803/4 and that her parents were married as early as 1802/3. The Federal Census of 1830 lists the family of Parnell Bales at age between 20 and 30 with wife and same age and with three male children all under 10. The 1840 census shows Parnell Bales and wife with ages advanced ten years with three male and four female children all under 15. Two of the females were aged between 10 and 15 and since they were not listed in the 1830 census very likely were children of other parents. [Biographies of their children and grandchildren follow in the book.]
      Massie Koons, birth and death dates not found but born, probably, about 1806 and d. about 1840. She married as his first wife, John Smith, born 13 Feb 1799 and died in 1870 at the age of 72 years. He lies buried in the cemetery of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grove Township of Pottawattamie Co., Iowa. He married as his second wife in Adams Co., IL, Miss Sarah Winegar who d. in 1882. [Biographies of their children and grandchildren follow in the book.]
      Henry Koons, b. 1807/08 in NC; d. after June 1866; m. 24 Dec 1829, Elizabeth Harvey, b. 1812/3. The Federal census of Henry Co., IN, Prairie Township, shows children as given below and lving with the family, one Ellen McCollam, aged 67 who was born in NC. The 1860 census shows Nellie McCollam, aged 78, doubtless the same, living with James Harvey. She probably was the mother or Elizabeth Harvey having married a McCollam after her first husband's death. [Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      Absalom Koons, d. bef. 24 Oct 1836 when admin. of his estate ws given to John Smith and Henry Koons. (Probate Records, Henry Co., IN) He m., lic. issued 19 Mar 1828, Nancy Russell who married, 14 Jan 1838, as her second husband, James Duke. Richard Haynes, on 15 Feb 1837, was appointed guardian of Mary Ann Koons and James Koons, minor heirs of Absalom Koons, deceased, and on 15 May 1838 filed an estate settlement with James Duke and his wife Nancy called the widow of the said Absolom Koons. The settlement provided that the said James and Nancy should keep and maintain the said minor children until they reached the ages of 13 years, free of charge except that said guardian would pay school fees. (Order Book B of Book AB and Complete Probate Record B, Henry Co., Ind.) [Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      Alice (Allie) Koons, b. in NC about 1813; date of death not found. She m. 4 Sep 1828, Jacob Harvey, b. 1810/11; date of death not found. The sketch of their son Mahlon D. Harvey in the History of Henry County by Hazzard states that Allie and Jacob Harvey had a family of 14 children. The census of Henry Co. for 1850 and 1860, the latter taken Sep 1860 lists eleven of these Children... [Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      Devault Koons, b. 12 Oct 1814 in Randolph Co., NC; d. probably after 1883; m. 30 Oct 1845 Polly Canaday, b. 1822 and d. 26 Apr 1883. She was a dau. of William and Hannah (Milliken) Canady. According ot the 'History of Henry Co., IN,' by Interstate Pub. Co., p. 550, Devault and Polly Koons lived on his father's farm for two years after their marriage, then on an adjoining farm until 1850, then on the farm of 151 acres of well imprved land where he lived for 26 years. He served one term as township trustee, and belonged to the Baptist Church. He wife belonged to the the Christian Church. He is recorded as having been a very athletic young man, once having negotiated a standing jump over a stick held by two men as high as his head. [Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      Catherine Koons, b. in NC 22 Jan 1816; d. 3 Nov 1903; m. 1 May 1834, William Harvey, b. 1812/3; d. 7 Nov 1890 at new Castle, Ind., aged 79. The Federal census of 1850 and 1860 give their children as shown below and in 1850 show one Mary Koonts (sic) aged 57, born in NC living with them. Very likely Mary Koontz was the mother of Catherine (Koons) Harvey, her age being misstated as 57 when it should have been 67. Mary Koons born in NC, aged 76, was living with Martha (Koons) Milikan in the 1860 census.[Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      Gasper Koons, b. about 1819/20; d. 7 mar 1865. He m. 1st 15 Jul 1838 Lucinda Hedrick; m. 2nd 12 Apr 1849 Marie Houck, dau. of George Houck of MD. Mariah (Marie) Koons, the second wife of Casper (sic) died, according to her death certificate, 17 Aug 1913, aged 95. Her age in the 1850 census was given at 21 probably meaning 31. His age in the same census was 29. Admin. of his estate was given to Henry Koons 22 Mar 1865. (Appearance Docket 166, Henry Co., Ind.) [Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      Martha Koons, b. in Indiana, 19 Jan 1821; d. 25 Jun 1900, aged 79 years, 5 mo. and 6 days. She m. 5 Aug 1838 John Russel Millikan, b. 27 Apr 1814 in Jefferson Co., TN, d. 12 Sep 1895. He removed to Henry Co., IN in 1835 at age 21 where he became prominent, serving as Justice of the Peace 8 years, member of the State Legislature and as one of the organizers of the Citizens National Bank of New Castle, Indiana. Living with the family of John Russel Millikan in 1860 was Mary Koons, b. in NC, aged 76, the mother, doubtless, of his wife. [Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      George Koons, Jr., b. 29 Aug 1822; d. 28 Jul 1906. He m. 21 Sep 1843, Hannah Millikan, b. 1818/19, a native of Tennessee. She predeceased her husband. His will mentioning all living children was written in Henry Co. 28 Feb 1905 and probated there 21 Aug. 1906. It mentioned no wife and stated that he was then living with his daughter Martha Hewit. Executors were George E. Koons and George Hewit. (Will Book H, p. 548, Henry co., IN.) [Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      Peter Koons, b. 4 Jun 1826 in Liberty Twsp., Henry Co., IN; d. 5 Oct 1908, aged 82 years, 5 mos. and 9 days; m. 27 May 1847, Catherine Rinard, b. 10 Oct 1828; d. 14 Jan 1902, aged 73 yrs., 3 mo. and 4 days. She was a dau. of George Rinard, b. in NC and his wife Catherine Reedy, b. in Kentucky. [Biographies of their children follow in the book.]
      The Koons Family of Randolph and Ashe Counties, North Carolina probably descended from Dewald Kuntz who came to Pennsylvania on the ship 'Phoenix' and took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennslvania 28 Aug 1750. (Penn. Archives, 2nd. series, Vol. 17.) According to an account of the family in the 'History of Henry County, Indiana,' p. 1163, by George Hazzard, 1906, Devault Koons, a native of Pennsylvania, married the widow Susan Dick, a native of Germany, whose husband died at sea while crossing to America. The account continues my naming three of their sons... The above account on the origin of the family is rendered doubtful, in one or two respects, by certain records found in the courthouse of Frederick, (Frederick Co.) Maryland. There we find a deed dated 21 Nov 1755 in which Devall Conce (sic) and his wife Margaret sold 70 acres of land on Grooses branch in Frederick Co. to Jacob Gallman. (Book E, p. 916) Another deed dated 2 Feb 1756 (Book E., p. 990) shows Devault Coons (sic) and Richard Kee leasing from Edward Matthias 100 acres of land on Abraham Creek at the foot of Kittocton Mountain called 'Davis Delight.' Still another deed dated 22 Aug 1770 (Book N, p. 305) shows Devalt Coons (sic) and Margaret his wife selling a lot in Sharpsburg to William Flick. The variation in the spelling of the name was due perhaps to the fact that the signatures were by marks making it necessary for the scriveners to write the name according to the way it sounded when spoken.
      It could be said, of course, that the Dewald (Devault, Devall, Devalt) Kuntz (Koons, Conce, Coonce, Coons, Koontz) of Frederick Co., Md. was not the same as Devault (Davault) Koons of Hazzard's 'History of Henry Co., IN,' but when one notes that the Eller, Dick and Stoker families also lived in Frederick Co., MD contemporaneously with the Koons family and that members of all of these families later removed to the same county in North Carolina and intermarried and considering the uncommon name of Devault that appeared in both places, we can hardly escape believing that they were the same. This writer believes that the History of Hazzard errs in saying that Devault Koons the first, was a native of Pennsylvania, implying that he was born there and suggests that the Susan Dick account by Hazzard probably should have included the statement that she was Devault Koon's second wife or that her full name was Margaret Susan Dick, not just Susan Dick.
      Devall Coonce (sic) was living in Frederick Co., MD as early 29 May 1751 when he, together with John Coon and Peter Apple, witnessed the will of Ballish Fought.
      [The book continues with a will of another Devalt Koontz dated 8 Jan 1786 in Frederick Co., probably a son of the original DeVault and who did not join his brothers in NC. It also gives extensive biographies on the two sons that went to NC, John and Gasper and their progeny.]"

      17. Land transaction and proximity mentioned in biography of Henry Eller, son of Peter Eller and Elizabeth Dick per FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 172-176: "Henry Eller, b. 1786/1788; family records said he died about 1876 at the age of more than 90 years. The 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses of Ashe Co. give his age as 62, 72 and 80 respectively. These records indicate a birth year of 1786/88 and a death year of 1876. He married, about 1812/1813, Elizabeth Johnson, b. according to the 1850 census of Ashe Co., NC, in 1791/92, her age being given as 58 years. The 1860 and 1870 censuses give her age as 68 and 80 respectively. She was born in Iridel Co., NC. Henry Eller entered 250 acres of land on the North Fork of New River, 16 July 1812. This land was surveyed 8 Sep 1813 and granted to him 23 Dec 1813. (Grant 840, Secy. of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.) The land was on the north side of 'feneck' (Phoenix) Mountain and bordered the 150 acre farm surveyed to Michael Stucker (Stokard, Stoker). The survey, dated 8 Sep 1813, was attested by Peter and Jacob Eller. Henry Eller figured in several land transactions in Ashe County after 1812. In one, dated 9 Dec 1819, he purchased 90 acres of land from George Koons for $150.00. This land was in Ashe county on the south side of the North Fork of New River 'to my south line and down to the conditional line made between Abraham May and John Dick Jr. against the mouth of Piney Creek being part of the 150 acre tract where Thomas Brooks Mill formerly stood.' George Koons, doubtless, was Henry's brother-in-law, the husband of Mary Eller, shown in... herein [see notes in this database for George Koons and Mary Eller]. The sale was made about the time that George and Mary Koons left North Carloina for their new home in Henry County, Ind. Mary Koons' name does not appear in the deed but this is not strange becasue the dower rights of wives were often not mentioned in early deeds of Ashe and Wilkes Counties. Later deeds indicate that Henry Eller's farm in 1845 consisted of 240 acres.
      The records show that Henry Eller's brother-in-law, Michael Stoker (Stokard, Stucker) as well as his brother-in-law, George Koons, lived on farms adjoining his on the North Fork of New River. His brothers, Peter and Jacob, lived near by while his brother John lived on the south fork of New River near where Peter Eller Sr., their father, late deceased, lived. About 1816 John and Peter moved to lower altitudes in Wilkes County, John to Lewis Fork Creek west of Wilkesboro on a farm of 451 acres and Peter to a farm on Ceroles Creek."

      18. The following LDS ordinances were done in Nauvoo by Michael Stoker acting as proxy for his family as follows per the book "Annotated Record of Baptism for the Dead, 1840-1845, Hancock County, Illinois - [7 volume set] ," by Black, Susan Easton & Black, Harvey Bishchoff, Provo, UT, BYU Press, 2002, pp. 1452-1453, with additional biography by editors:
      "Deceased: Absalom Koons. 1841. Absalom (Abraham) Koons, b. abt. 1810 of Ashe Co., NC, son of George Koons and Mary Eller. Michael Stoker was the cousin of Absalom Koons. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead, Book A94; Family Search, Ancestral File."
      "Deceased: Barbary Pertune. 1841. Maiden name Eller, b. 1782 in North Carolina to Peter B. Eller and Elizabeth Dick, md. to William Pennington Jr. in NC, d. 1810 in Ashe Co., NC. Michael Stoker was the nephew of Barbary Pertune. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead, Book A128; Family Search, Ancestral File."
      "Deceased: Michael Stoker. 1841. Michael Stoker was the grandson of Michael Stoker. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead, Book A156."

      19. FHL book 929.273 D55h "History of Peter and Christina Shutt Dick Family; Frederick Co. Maryland; Wilkes Co. North Carolina; Muhlenberg Co. Kentucky; Sangamon Co. Illinois; Cass Co. Illinois," compiled by Muriel M. Hoffman; Anchor, Illinois; 1970; Chapter II "Ancestry of Peter Dick":
      "Elizabeth Dick, daughter of Conrad and Catherine Dick married Peter Eller, son of George Michael Eller, who moved to what is now Ashe County, N. Car. from Frederick County, Md. Their land adjoined that of her father and presumed brother, John. They had at least 8 children:
      1. John Eller, b. abt 1767 d. 1823, m. 5 Nov. 1792 Susannah Kerns, who died 10 April 1853 age 87 years.
      2. Catherine Eller b. Rowan Co. 6 Mar. 1773 d. aft 18