John Coon UE (abt. 1754)

Born about 1754 in Albany, New York

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in Canada

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Biography

Sgt John "COON" of Rensselaer Co. b 1754 left his leased 100 acre farm and joined Col. John BUTLER in Niagara Disrict. in 1777. After the Rev. War in 1783 Sgt John applied for a land grant. He finally built in 1793 on the Don River in York (Toronto).

In colonial times John Coon a native of America, lived in Normans Kill, Albany County, New York. During the American Revolution he served as a Sergeant in Butler’s Rangers. Following the war John Coon lived in Niagara Township, Lincoln County. The following is his Claim for Revolutionary War Losses heard by the Commissioners of Claims at Niagara on 23 Aug 1787. (AO 12 Vol. 28 P. 1-3)

To Colonel Thomas Dundas & Jeremy Pemberton Esqr Commissioners appointed by Act of Parliament for enquiring into the Losses & Services of the American Loyalists

The Memorial of John Coon, late of Normans Kill in Albany County in the Provce of New York but now of Niagara in the Provce of Quebec

Sheweth

That your Memorialist at the beginning of the late unhappy disturbances in America was Settled in Albany County in the Province of New York where he was in possession of a good Farm with buildings thereon erected Live Stock Household Furniture Farming utensils &c on the whole valued at £320.8 New York currency.

That understanding his Most Gracious Sovereign by and with the consent of the Lord Spiritual and Temporal and commons in Parlt assembled had taken into consideration the distressed State of his Loyal American Subjects and purpose granting them such relief as may appear just and reasonable in proportion to their Losses.

Your Memorialist prays &c

Schedule of the Memorialists Losses.

200 Acres Land & Buildings – £200

Live Stock – 75.8

Farming Utensils &c – 21

Househd Furniture £6 – Cloathing 15l – 21

New York Cury – £320.8

Evidence on the Claim of John Coon late of Albany County

Claimant sworn

Says he was at Niagara in the Fall of 1783. was too late to send his Claim by Col: Butler.

Is a native of America. Lived in Albany County joined the British in 1777. joined Col: Butlers Corps, and served in the Rangers 7 years as Serjeant.

Had some Lease Land on Rancellors Patt His Father had some on which he now lives. Claimt had also some – at least 100 Acres – The Estate was undivided. Claimts share contained about 40 Acres clear, he had separate house of his own.

His Father and eldest Brother are now in Possession of the whole, except some which his Brother has sold. There was a contest about this Land between Vroomans Lots people and Rancellors –

He lost 2 Mares & Colt worth £50 – 1 Horse, very fine horse – 2 Cows & Calf – 1 heifer, Furniture Tools.

When Claimt went off to join Burgoyne these things were taken by the Rebels & sold at vendue.

His Father tried to save them, but could not.

Produces 2 affidavits to his having had the above property – and that his Account was just.

John Segar - sworn

Knew Claimt

Remembers him in Possession of a House and Farm at Normans Kill – he had one fine Horse, it was taken by the Rebels and sold for £52 – he had some Stock besides –

Summary of Claim for Losses and Disbursement

(AO 12 Vol. 109 P. 114 Certificate No. 1083)

Name of claimant Coons John (Niagara); Province N York; Claim for Loss of Property £180.4; Sum Originally Allowed £67; Total Sum payable under Act of Parliament £67; Balance After Such Receipt £67; Final Balance £67

from "Early Settlers in Niagara including the First 'Census' 1782, 1783, 1784, 1786, 1787" published by the Niagara Peninsula Branch OGS.

p. 4 "Return of Persons under the Description of Loyalists Specifying the Number age and sexes of each Family in Capt. Bernard Frey's Company of the Corps of Rangers, Niagara, 30 NOv. 1783"

Sgt. John Coon, 29

Hanney Coon, female age 12

John Coon, 10

Susanay Coon, 8

George Coon, 6

p 18 "Return of Rise and Progress of Settlement of Loyalists on the West Side of the River Niagara, 18 Apr. 1784" John Coon, 1 building

p 20 "List of Persons who have Subscribed their names in order to settle and cultivate crown lands opposite Niagara July 20, 1784"

Young Settlers Who Receive Rations:

John Coon, 1 man, 1 woman, 2 children over 10, 3 children under 10, 5 1/2 rations per day, Loyalists

[notice here that John's wife now appears, whereas in the 1783 muster roll, she is missing. I would check the original list on microfilm for Bernard Frey's Co. to see if his wife's name was missed by the transcriber]

p 27

"list of Loyalists Victualled at Niagara of Murray's District, 14 dec. 1786"

John Coon, 1 man, 1 woman, 1 male over 10, 2 females over 10, 2 males under 10, 1 female under 10, 8 rations per day

[now we see a 6th child appear. From the 1783 list of children, plus ages we can fit some of them into this 1786 list - Hannah age 12 in 1783 would be one of the females over 10, as would Susannah age 8 in 1783. John age 10 in '83 would be one of the males over 10, George age 6 in '83 and Bernard, 3 in '83 would be the two males under 10. The new child is a daughter under 10 years old, and we know she was born between July 1784 list and Dec 1786.

p 35 "Return of Loyalists and disbanded Troops settled in the District of Niagara, West from Mill Creek"

Sept 17, 1787

John Coon, 1 man, 1 woman, 3 males under 10, 4 girls, 20 Acres of land, 12 of them are sown with wheat, total of 9 iin his household

[in this list, we can see some discrepancies, for John's sons would now be John age 14, George 10 and Bernard 7. They shouldn't be listed in the "under 10" category. We also see another child, a daughter, born since the Dec. 1786 list.

So you end up with a good family group of

John b ca 1754

unknow wife

Hannah b ca 1771

John b ca 1773

Susannah b ca 1775

George b ca 1777

Bernard b ca 1780

daughter b July 1784-dec 1786

daughter b Dec 1786-Sept 1787

Bernard Coon 3

New Claimt-#359 John Coons in.. Report of the Bureau of Archives for the Province of Ontario, Volume 2, Part 1 By Ontario. Bureau of Archives, Alexander Frase [1] Google Books; Pg353.

Sources

• http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/UPPER-CANADA/2003-05/1053083156
• https://sites.google.com/site/longpointsettlers/revolutionary-war-claims-c
• http://www.uelac.org/Loyalist-Info/detail.php?letter=c&line=665
  

  John Coon was a United Empire Loyalist.
  UEL Status:Proven
  Date: Undated