James David Coon (Mormon Pioneer)

A Sketch of his life by his daughter, Mamie Mary Coon Thomas

My father, James David Coon was born in Green County, Illinois in the year 1842, the day, December 7^th. He came with his father, Abraham Coon, to Utah in 1849.

They settled close to the Jordan River. Grandfather homesteaded a place there and built a two-story adobe house which is still standing and occupied by families. They helped in various ways to pioneer and build up the valley. As Father grew up he worked with his father in the canyons getting out logs and hauling stones for building purposes such as the Temple and other buildings.

They took up stock raising and also horses. They had some of the finest horses in the Valley. Grandfather was a coppersmith by trade. In the year 1856 Grandfather was called by Brigham Young to go to Carson Valley to help colonize that place and my father, James David went with him. He was then 14 years old. Those were the days when polygamy was practiced by the Mormons. Grandfather had more than one wife. My father's mother, Elizabeth Yarbrough, was his first wife. His second wife was Elizabeth Wilson. It was she who went with Grandfather to Carson Valley. She had four children and just a small baby. After arriving there she took sick and died, leaving these little children without a mother. They had to make her a coffin out of a wagon box to bury her in. In those early days there was nothing else available. My father had to take care of these little children most of the time. Grandfather hired a woman to help take care of the children. They called her Scotch Ellen. She didn't know much about cooking or caring for the children but between her and my father together, they got along.

Father said one time she turned in and baked up nearly a whole sack of flour at once in what they called cold water cakes and put them on a shelf for them to eat cold. When Grandfather came in and saw them he was stunned. He said to my father, “Dave, you will have to go back to cooking. We can't stand that.” Flour and food was scarce and that kind of bread would be a waste. They could not eat it.

My father, James D. Coon, married my mother, Mary Worthington [on] 10 March 1866, in the Old Endowment House in Salt Lake City. They lived in Huntsville, Ogden Valley, for quite a few years. Part of there family was born there. They had lots of good friends and neighbors among their close friends was Apostle David O. McKay's parents. They all went to dances together and had enjoyable times.

Their first four children were born in Huntsville, James David, Abraham, Joseph, and Rose.

They later moved back to Salt Lake and lived in Grandfathers adobe house by the Jordan River. We lived there for about ten years and my father worked for grandfather on the place. It was in this house I was born, as were also five others of my brothers and sisters, namely, Jacob, Effie, Frank, Mamie, Sarah, and Hyrum.

In those days the Indians were camped all around us. Grandfather was always friendly to the Indians. He said it was better to be good to them than to fight them. They always liked Grandfather and respected him.

We later moved out to Pleasant Green, now called Magna. Father did farming and stock raising and worked in the canyon and helped to get the water out of the canyon for irrigation purposes. We had a wonderful spring with the best water in the country right on our place which Father homesteaded. We had beautiful gardens and fruit trees and an alfalfa field all watered from this spring. Father and Mother lived on this place the rest of their lives. My parents had a family of 18 Children. Six of them were born at this home, Maud, Walter, Alonzo, Albert, Flossie, and Wilford.

Father died 11 February, 1921, Mother, 8 December 1932. Grandfather, Abraham Coon, born April 3, 1910, Heron Creek, Ohio died March 27, 1886, Salt Lake City. Grandmother, Elizabeth Yarbrough, born 22 December 1808, Montgomery County, Tennessee, died Jan 15, 1894, Pleasant green, Utah. Mother's father James Worthington died in England, we suppose. He never came to this country. My father's own brothers and sisters were John Coon, William Coon, James David Coon, Elizabeth Coon Hawkins, Francis Coon Hardman, Rachel Coon Cooley, Permelia Coon. His half-brothers and sisters were Jane Coon Baker, Isaac Coon, Jacob Coon, Mary Coon Gardner.

Obituary Notice of James David Coon, Sr., in a Salt Lake Paper.

James David Coon Sr., 78 years old, passed away at his home in Pleasant Green Friday, Feb. 11, 2:00 P.M. Death resulted from infirmities incident to old age.

Mr. Coon was the son of Abraham Coon and Elizabeth Yarbrough Coon. He was Born Dec. 7, 1842, in Green Co., Ill. He joined the L.D.D. Church when a boy and came to Utah in 1849. First settling on the Jordan River, he later moved to what is now known as Pleasant Green. Mr. Coon grew up under the hardships and trials of pioneer life. As a farmer and stock raiser he helped to construct the first canals and ditches to water the fields of Pleasant Green. In the early days he also aided in the construction of the railroad. He was a member and worker in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Mr. Coon is survived by his widow, 8 sons and 5 daughters, besides numerous grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Sons of the deceased pioneer are: James D., Jr., Joseph, Jacob, Hyrum, Walter, Alonzo, Albert, Wilford: the daughters who survive him: Mrs. Rose Kelson, Mrs. Effie Sugden, Mrs. Mamie Thomas, Mrs. Maud Wilson, and Mrs. Flossie Rasmussen. Funeral services will be held Sunday Afternoon at 2:00 P.M. In the Pleasant Green Ward Meetinghouse. The body may be viewed at the Larking Undertaking Parlors until 10:00 O'clock Sunday morning and at the residence of his son, Joseph Coon, Pleasant Green, from 11:00 until 1:30 on the day of the funeral. Interment will be in the Pleasant Green cemetery.