Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Five Generations Gather For Party

Conway Coon was honored with a birthday gathering at the home of Steve and Wanda Coon of rural Gurdon on Saturday, June 20, the day of Mr. Coon's 88th birthday.

Forty-one were in attendance for the celebration, including six of his children and nine grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild, Bubba Dishong, from Blair, Neb. Also, two very special guests were in attendance, Maggie Nolan, one of Mr. Coon's sisters, and Reeda Evington, a sister of his late wife, Effie Brown Coon. These two aunts are two very special people to the Coon family.

Mr. Coon is a direct descendant of Gasper and Anna-Maria Koone who were born in Switzerland and immigrated to South Carolina with a Rev. Geissondannet, a Lutheran minister, and other families from his church in Switzerland. The Rev. Geissondannet then converted his church people to the Church of England so that they would be better accepted by the people of South Carolina.

Gasper Koone recorded his will with the Probate Court in Richland County, S.C., on February 15, 1792. He signed his will as Casper Coon. Apparently, he Americanized his name, as he did his religion, to get better acceptance by the people of South Carolina.

Mr. Coon's branch of the family tree went from South Carolina to Mississippi to Louisiana to Texas to Arkansas.

When his grandfather, Jacob Coon, died in Jacksonville, Texas, his grandmother, Jane Coon, not taking time out to sell out the family farm, moved her five children to Arkansas so that she could be with a sister who lived in Arkansas. Earl and Grover Kuhn of Gurdon are also direct descendants of Casper Coon (Gasper Koone). They are first cousins to Mr. Coon.

Mr. Coon married Effie Brown on July 25, 1931. They had nine children who have given them 20 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren.

His nine children and their spouses are Joyce and Douglas Quillin of Gurdon, Clois and Wilma Coon of Blair, Neb., Conrad and Martha Coon of North Little Rock, Joel (passed away in 1996) and Donna Coon, Donald and Linda Coon, and Myrle and Boyce Pierce, all of Arkadelphia, Billy and Wanda Coon of Mabelvale, Steve and Wanda Coon of Gurdon and Theresa and Gary Thorton of Bismarck.

Mrs. Effie Coon passed away in 1977 and Mr. Coon married Johnnie Buchanan (Grandma Johnnie to the Coon family) in May of 1980. Grandma Johnnie and her late husband Glynn have four children, 13 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Arkadelphia is home to Mr. Coon and Grandma Johnnie. They are members and attend Third Street Baptist Church; however, Mt. Zion Baptist Church of rural Arkadelphia is very much a church home to them.

Mr. Coon was a self-employed painter when he retired, and Grandma Johnnie was a dorm mother at Henderson State University.