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Note: In 1820 Michael Coon was living in District 1, Boonsboro Twp., Washington County, MD, next household to his brother John. Michael and his wife were then aged 16-26 years with two children under ten years, one male, one female.
"There is an intriguing story of the Coon migration from Maryland to Ohio which must have taken place about 1827-1828. Michael's daughter Elizabeth Coon was then almost ten years old; many years and thousands of miles later when she was an elderly woman in California, she still recounted with pride the fact that on that first westward journey she was allowed to drive a horse and cart all by herself!
"On January 30, 1829, Michael Coon and wife Sarah of Fairfield County, for $55, sold to Nicholas Messerly of Fairfield County, 16.79 acres with improvements and appurtenances in the northeast corner of the W1/2 NW1/4 of Sec. 29 T14 R18 in Berne Twp., Fairfield County. This parcel part of a larger tract purchased by Michael's brother, Adam Coon on September 10, 1827, from John and Nancy Conner, had evidently passed to Michael by some unrecorded deed. The same land was later inventoried in 1836 as part of the estate of Jacob Troxell. There are no other deeds for Michael Coon indexed in Fairfield County, and it is presumed that he moved to Ross County, Ohio, soon after this conveyance. (Fairfield County, OH, Deeds, R:149; S:386)
"Beginning with assessments for the year 1829, tax lists in Ross County, OH, include Michael Coon, Jr., so designated in deference to his cousin Michael Coon D4, who was older and also a prior resident in the area. (State Auditor's Duplicate Tax Lists, now on deposit at the library of the Ohio State Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio)
"In the 1830 census of Jefferson Twp., Ross County, Michael Coon Jr. aged 30-40 years was listed with a household including two other males aged 15-20 and 10-15; as well as three females aged 30-40, 10-15 and 0-5 years.
"On December 19, 1832, Robert Lucas, Governor of Ohio, conveyed to Michael Coon, Jr. (no residence given), for $103.39, 80 acres of "school land," being the W1/2 SW1/4 Sec. 16 T 8 R 20 in Liberty Twp., Ross County, OH. On April 15, 1841, Michael Coon, Jr. and wife Sarah of Ross County sold this same property for $700 to William Day and John Wesley Williamson of Ross County. (Ross Co., OH, Deeds 49:109; 38: 459)
"In 1840 Michael Coon was living in Liberty Twp., Ross County; he and his wife were listed as 40-50 years with additional males aged 15-20, 5-10 and 0-5 years; also younger females aged 10-15, 5-10. Michael's brother Adam Coon appears in the next listing.
"Sometime in the early forties Michael Coon moved to Illinois, probably in the fall of 1841 just after he sold his Ohio property. In that migration he was accompanied by his brother Adam Coon, his cousin Michael Coon D4, nephew Riley Coon, as well as an assortment of related Troxells, Grays, and Sniders.
"On February 1, 1845, Adam Coon sold for $500 three parcels of land to his brother Michael Coon, namely SW1/4 SW1/4 Sec. 36, part of the NW 1/4 SE1/4 and also the SW1/4 SE1/4 of Sec. 35, both sections in T12 R9 of Coles County, IL; this land was partly in Charleston Twp. and partly in Hutton Twp. (Coles County, IL, Deeds K:14)
"In 1850 Michael Coon aged 56 years, a farmer born in Virginia, was living in Salisbury Precinct (Hutton Twp), Coles County, IL., along with Sarah Coon aged 54 born in Maryland, David aged 20, Sarah aged 15, William aged 14, Barbara aged 10, all four born in Ohio, Elizabeth 32 born in Maryland and her three children born in Illinois, Louisa aged 9, Allen aged 6 and Frances aged one year. This Elizabeth (Coon) Coon was Michael's daughter, wife of William Coon D26 who had gone to California in search of gold.
"When Michael Coon died intestate on January 19, 1854, his son-in-law William Coon was appointed Administrator of the Estate, with Josiah Troxell, another son-in-law, and Isaac Coon as bondsmen. Michaels' widow Sarah (Welty) Coon died on September 29, 1856, and her intestate estate was also administered by William Coon. Her assets were minimal; there was a distribution of $8.87 to each of the following heirs: David Coon, Adam Coon, William Coon (G20), Christian Coon, Barbara Coon, Josiah Troxell (husband of Eve Ann Coon), E. J. Cartright (husband of Sarah Margaret Coon) and William Coon (D26) (husband of Elizabeth Coon). (Coles County, IL, Probate Files #357 and #374)
"Inventory of Michael Coon's estate had included personal property worth $123.31 plus real estate in Coles Co. as follows: 67 acres being the E1/2 and the east part of the W1/2 of Lot 2 in the NW1/4 of Sec. 1 T11 R9; also 95 acres being the SW1/4 SW1/4 of Sec. 36, part of the SE1/4 and part of the NW1/4 both in the SE1/4 of Sec. 35 T13 R9; the decedent had bought this larger tract, located on the Embarrass River, part in Hutton and part in Charleston Twp., from his brother Adam Coon on February 1, 1845.
"Disposition of the real property of this estate was accomplished by separate deeds as follows: On May 31, 1854, David Coon and wife Lucy, Josiah Troxell and wife Ann, Sarah M. Coon wife of Michael Coon deceased, Adam Coon and wife Eunice, William Coon, Sr. and wife Elizabeth, for $150, conveyed to Franklin Niece their interest in 30 acres more or less in Sec. 35 T12 R9, located on the west side of the Embarrass River except a small piece "on the new cut of the channel of the said river made by Michael Coon." On February 2, 1861, Christian Coon and wife Barbara, Josiah Troxell and wife Ann, E. J. Cartright and wife Sarah M. for $800, conveyed their interest in this same 30 acre tract to Michael Hall. (Coles County, IL, Deeds, 5:193; 6:129)
"Land "formerly owned by Michael Coon deceased" located on the east side of the Embarrass River, viz. 100 acres more or less in Sections 35 and 36 of T12 R9E plus 117.23 acres in Sec. 1 T11 R9E, was the subject of the following deed sequence: On February 20, 1857, for $200 from Adam Coon and wife Eunice to Josiah Troxell; on June 6,1857, for $400 from David Coon with wife Lucy, Elizabeth Coon and William Coon "heirs at law of Michael Coon deceased" to Josiah Troxell; on September 31, 1858 for $200, from William Coon and wife Edna, their one-eighth interest to Josiah Troxell; on October 29, 1859, for $200, from Barbary Coon her one-eighth interest to Jackson Cartright; and on November 25, 1861, for $450, from Christian Coon with wife Barbara and Josiah Troxell with wife Evan to Elias Cartright. (Ibid., 3:182, 183; 4:446; 7:49; 8:78)"
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