1 NOTE The following is from the web site of Susan Irish.

The subject of this sketch was born at Berlin, Rensselaer, NYMay 8, 1823. His educational advantages were quite limited, yetthrough the efforts of himself and parents he managed to acquirea pretty thorough English education.

At the age of 16 he commenced teaching school, which professionhe followed mainly for the next 10 years,and during that timehe attended the New York State Normal School, and fitted himselffor a state certificate. He was for a time Superintendent ofSchools in the town of Berlin.

In Feb. 1847, he was married to Eliza M. Greene, of hisnativetown, and soon after, on account of his failing health, he quitteaching and moved to Adams, Jefferson, NY where he engaged inthe nursery business, and finally in general farming.

In the spring of 1865 he emigrated to Farina, ILand settled on80 acres of raw prarie a little more than a mile northeast ofthevillage. Here he gave the most of his attention to fruitgrowing. Having studied surveying while at school he also foundopportunities to exercise his acquirements in fixing thelocation of the numberous new roads that were annually beinglaid in this new country.

In 1867 he was appointed to fill a vacancy in the office ofSupervisor of Laclede township, and in the 5 succeeding years hewaselected to that office. During this period he manifestedunusual ability in attending to the interests of his town andcounty and for two or more years he waselected chairman of theBoard of Supervisors, although his party was in the minority.

In the fall of 1873 he was nominated by the Republicans for theofficeof county clerk and ran so far ahead of his ticket as tobe elected by a smallmajority. His administration of thatoffice was quite satisfactory to the people. He introducedorder where chaos had existed, placing the office in acreditable condition, which has been well maintained by hissuccessor. During his clerkship Mr. Coon drafted the form of ablank book for the Probate Record which wasadopted by thewell-known publishing house of Culver Page & Hoyne, who paid hima royalty on it's sale for several years. When his term ofoffice expired Mr. Coon returned to his farm, which he soon madeone of the most desirable homes inthis vacinity, and there hespent the remainder of his days.

His first wifedied in March 1873. During the 26 years of theirhappy life together she and Mr. Coon had 5 children, 4 of whichsurvive. Mr. Coon married his second wife, Lizzie Zinn, Oct. 4,1874. She and their only child, Clifford, Mrs. Helen Irish andMr. R.G. Coon, were able and willing attendants to Mr. Coon inhis last illness. He died March 17, 1885.

1. Elbert COON b. 28 Oct 1847, Berlin,Rensselaer Co.,New York; d. 14 May 1929, Nortonville,Jefferson Co.,Kansas.
2. Ann Elizabeth COON b. 17 Apr 1849, Berlin,Rensselaer Co.,New York; d. 23 Oct 1885, Adams Center,Jefferson Co.,New York.
3. Helen Esmeralda COON b. 26 May 1852, Berlin,Rensselaer Co.,New York; d. 19 Apr 1931, Farina,Fayette Co.,Illinois.
4. Ella M. COON b. 18 Oct 1854, Adams,Jefferson Co.,New York; d. 3 Dec 1857.
5. Raymond Greene COON b. 14 Jan 1860, Adams Center,Jefferson Co.,New York.