Elsie Catherine (Cooley) Coon (1850 - 1926)

Born 12 May 1850 in Montgomery, Indiana, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 13 Dec 1926 at age 76 in Osceola, Iowa, United States

Biography

Luther and Susannah, with their four children: Albert, Elsey, Catharine, Simon, and Calvin, came to Clarke County, Iowa from Indiana. They came to Iowa in 1856 in a covered wagon, but came too late in the year to be recorded in the 1856 census. Isaac Newton Cooley was born in Iowa in the fall. Francina Coon Flanders daughter of Elsey Catherine (known as Kate) wrote, 'My mother, Kate was six years old when they came to Iowa in 1856. They brought with thema grey stone jar full of currant jelly.' This same jar is now in the possession of Olive Thurlow Bell in Osceola Iowa.Luther Cooley died of pneumonia after gettin too hot sowing flax and taking cold. Evidently it was muddy in the field, for his tracks could be seen for weeks after his death. In those days sowing was done by hand broadcasting, and of course, on foot.NOTE: Luther and Susannah also brought with them a hand loomed blanket of red, blue, and white, marked in the corner with the name of the weaver: J. Shogel and Sons, Lafayette Indiana 1856. This spread or blankey is hanging on the quilt rack at the residence of Jane Danielson in La Jolla California. On the rack also is the hand pieced star quilt made by Minnie Cooley for her son, Frank, on the occasion of his marriage.

Elsie was born about 1850. She is the daughter of Luther Cooley and Susan Dunbar.

Sources

• 1860 Census, Clark County - July 9 Iowa

• Marriage Index of Montgomery Co. Ind. 1823-1860 Book 3 Page 37

• The Dunbar Family History of Robert Dunbar (1773-1831) and Descendants of His Ten Children, Vol II, pg 297, 322