DAVID COONS 

DAVID COONS, rancher, San Joaquin Township. This gentleman’s father, George W. Coons, was a native of Kentucky, and his father, David Coons, was German, but whether born in Germany or not is not certainly known. In early days he was a resident of Kentucky. He afterward moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and kept store at the old Market Ferry, and it was kept for many years after his death by his son George W. David Coons’ grandfather was married twice, and George W. was the son of his first wife. He afterward married a French lady, by whom he had two daughters and one son – Mary Ann, Frank and Virginia; these three are living in the East. After his death he was succeeded in business by his son George W., who was born January 28, 1817, in Kentucky, and moved to St. Louis with his father. In 1849 he came across the plains to this State, with mule teams, locating first in Sacramento, where he opened a general store. He also established a store at Mud Springs, El Dorado County. He carried on this business for two or three years, in the meantime erecting for himself the first quartz mills ever built in California, on Mathenus Creek, a mile and a half from Mud Springs. In 1852 he returned to Missouri, leaving the mill in the care of two uncles, who allowed it to go down and be finally sold by the sheriff, during the absence of the owner. In returning East he went by water, and the steamer was wrecked and lost, and he completed his journey on another vessel, reaching St. Louis in safety. In the spring of 1853 he again crossed the plains, with his wife and four children, being six months on the way. After spending a year in San Francisco, without prosecuting any particular business, he located in the Sheldon grant in this county, on the Cosumnes River, and remained there about two years. He then bought a squatter’s title to what was supposed to be Government land, at $500, but this was proved to be on that grant and he had to vacate. He had the place all fenced, house and stables up, etc., but he had to leave. He finally took up 360 acres of Government land, upon which he remained until his death, which occurred September 14, 1875. He was married in St. Louis January 29, 1839, to Sempronia H. Lanham, a native of Maryland, where she was born January 8, 1823, but was reared in St. Louis County, Missouri, about sixteen miles from the city. Her father’s name was Horatio Lanham, and her mother’s maiden name was Sempronia. By that marriage there were thirteen children, viz.: David, born May 1, 1840; William C.L., April 10, 1842; Thaddeus Eugene, April 4, 1844; Benjamin Franklin, February 15, 1846; Edward L., April 10, 1847; Harry, November 18, 1848; Benjamin Franklin, October 14, 1852; Ninion, January 9, 1855; Collins G., January 2, 1857; Lily, September 14, 1858; Frank M., August 1, 1860; Benjamin F.P., April 5, 1862; Charles B., October 30, 1863. Thaddeus Eugene died July 18, 1845; the first Benjamin F. died September 25, 1851; and the second Benjamin F. died November 7, 1853. Those who are living are residing in this State. David Coons, whose name heads this sketch, was thirteen years old when he came to this coast with his parents. From 1863 to 1866 he was engaged in mining in Idaho, and farmed one year there, and since that time he has made this county his home. He owns all the home place excepting seventy acres belonging to the widow, twenty acres belonging to his brother Harry. Grain raising is his specialty. He also engaged successfully four years in sheep raising, taking the animals up into Modoc County, for free range. He lost about 1,300 head on account of hard winters. In company with his brother, in 1888, he set out thirty acres in orchard. In political principles he is a Democrat, as was his father before him. For nine years his father was justice of the peace in San Joaquin Township.