Sacramento County
Biographies
FRANK M. COONS
FRANK
M. COONS.--With the history of the development of Sacramento
County, Frank M. Coons is
thoroughly familiar, for he has spent his entire life within its borders and
represents one of the oldest families of the state. For the past ten years his attention has been
given to agricultural pursuits and his farm on the Auburn
road is one of the desirable properties of this district. He was born at Elk Grove, Sacramento
County, August 1, 1860, a son of George W. Coons,
a native of Maryland. The father grew to manhood in St.
Louis, Mo., and in 1849 started for California,
lured by the discovery of gold, making the journey across the plains with
ox-team and wagon. He built the first
quartz mill used in the vicinity of Hangtown, but
subsequently abandoned mining and turned his attention to the cultivation of
the soil. He purchased a farm near Elk
Grove, and there his marriage occurred.
Frank
M. Coons is the sixth in order of birth in a family of ten children. He acquired his education in the schools of Sacramento
County and when seventeen years of
age began working on the grant owned by J. B. Haggin,
in whose service he remained for twenty years.
He was promoted from time to time and at length was made superintendent
of all the stock-raising operations of his employer, having charge of the
mighty Salvatore, the pride of the Haggin stables. The horse-breeding business sprang into
prominence in 1880, at the time Mr. Coons brought in the first two carloads of
horses to the Haggin grant. Among the
most valuable of the stock owned by Mr. Haggin was the horse O’Mondy, which he brought from the British Isles,
paying for the animal the sum of $150,000.
In 1904 the business began to decline, and in that year Mr. Coons
resigned his position as superintendent, entering the service of the state in
the capacity of guard at the Folsom prison.
For nine years, he faithfully discharged the duties of that position,
and in 1913 purchased the Coyle place, a forty-four-acre tract situated thirteen
miles northeast of Sacramento, on the Auburn
road. He specializes in the raising of
grain, and takes justifiable pride in his ranch, which is a well-improved
property, reflecting the care and labor bestowed upon it by its owner.
Mr.
Coons married Miss Mary Ellen Coyle, a daughter of the late Edward G. Coyle, a
pioneer of 1852, and they have become the parents of three children: Millie, who married Earl Ford of Sacramento;
Rose, the wife of Clarence Sturgis; and Edith, who is employed as a
stenographer in the corporative department of the state.
Mr.
Coons is a member of the Native Sons of the golden West. His political support is given to the
Democratic party.
Throughout his career he has made each day count for the utmost,
improving the opportunities of the hour and discharging to the best of his
ability the tasks that have devolved upon him.
Therefore the years have chronicled his progress along lines leading to
success, and he merits and receives the respect and confidence of this
fellowmen.
Transcribed
by Barbara Gaffney.
Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With
Biographical Sketches, Page 361.
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles,
CA. 1923.
© 2007 Barbara Gaffney.