U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Koon, James K. P. (1847-1906) ------------------------------------------------------------------- The History of Upshur County West Virginia From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time by W. B. Cutright Buckhannon, W. Va., July 1, 1907 Pages 491-492 JAMES K. P. KOON, was born in the year 1847. His parents were poor, his opportunities for education were few, but he was brave and courageous and his patriotism knew no bounds, so when the cloud of war came over the country in '61, he was among the first, desirous of taking up arms to perpetuate the Union and keep it indissoluable. His small size and tender age were against his enlistment, but somehow or other a way was provided for his heart's content and at the next opportunity he passed the examination and his name was placed on the roll of his company, where it remained and daily received the answer present until a cannon ball took off his arm and he lay down the weapons of war to return to the pursuits of peace. After the close of the war he became intensely interested in education and in order to provide himself the chance for the pursuit and possession of knowledge was one of the charter members of the French Creek Institute, a school which disseminated more knowledge and culture throughout Upshur and adjoining counties than any other school of its size in West Virginia. His school days were not idly spent; they were improved and he achieved much, which became helpful to him in his after life. He left school and went into the sewing machine business, which he followed for many years with success. Upon resigning his position with the sewing machine company he went into the lumber business and was active and successful in that. The money which he had made and saved by hard labor and out of his pension stipend, he invested from time to time in timber land on the waters of Middle Fork River, until at the time of his death in 1906, he was the owner of 13 hundred acres of farm and timber land, was a friend to the poor and helpless whereever he found them, strong supporter of church and school and an earnest advocate of right and justice. He was a Republican in politics. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Register of Marriages, Upshur County, WV 1879 (Page 42, Line 11) Jas. K. P. Koon (age 28, born in Marion Co., Va., Farmer) son of Jacob E. & Sarah Koon Sarah J. Grim (age 19, born in Randolph Co., Va.) daughter of Edward & Julyann were married March 13, 1879 by T. B. Hughes ------------------------------------------------------------------- Register of Deaths, Upshur County, WV (Pages 172-173) FULL-NAME: James K. P. Koon AGE-AT-DEATH: 59 years DEATH-DATE: January 27, 1906 DEATH-PLACE: Upshur County OCCUPATION: Farming CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Obstruction of bowels (wife of James K. P. Koon) From Death Certificate, Upshur County, WV #11150 FULL-NAME: Sarah Jane Koon BIRTH-DATE: November 18, 1859 BIRTH-PLACE: Braxton DEATH-DATE: May 2, 1937 (at age 77y-5m-14d) DEATH-PLACE: Buckhannon, Upshur County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Widowed OCCUPATION: Housewife FATHER: Edward Grimm (born in W.Va.) MOTHER: Julia Ann Osborn (born in W.Va.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Coronary disease (found dead) BURIAL: Union Cemetery ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Upshur County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/upshur/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------