George W. Kouns

George W. Kouns
s/o Christian and Anna Lamp Kouns
FAYETTE TOWNSHIP – from Hardesty Atlas, Lawrence Co. OH published 1882 – William Davidson, perhaps the first settler of this township settled there in 1798.

After he came James Davidson, who settled there in 1801;

• Samuel Ankrim, in 1807;
• George Koons, in 1808;
• James and Samuel Crawford, in 1820;
• William Brammer in 1822;
• William Ward in 1827;
• George Freeman in 1828;
• Dr. C. S. Hall
• John Howell, in 1837.
• Amos More in 1851
• Stanford More in 1859.

3. George W. Kouns – s/o Christian and Anna Lamp Kouns was b. 1784 Rockingham Co. VA d. 07 Jun 1848 of spinal disease age 64; buried Burlington, OH Greenlawn Cemetery. Married in 1808 Fayette Twp. Lawrence Co. OH by Rev. B. Spurlock at the residence of Thomas Campbell to Catherine Wolfenbarger b. 14 Sep 1783 VA d. 03 Feb 1874 age 90y 5m 19d of old age. She died at the residence of her son-in-law Thos. C. Campbell in Fayette Twp., Lawrence Co. OH. She is buried in Burlington, OH Cemetery.

• 1807 article? reads: George W. Kouns an immigrant from Pennsylvania settled near Burlington and was a brother to Andrew P. Kouns (George W.’s tombstone in Burlington says b. VA)
• 1808 George Koons settled in Fayette Twp., Gallia (now Lawrence Co. OH)
• 1808 He married Catherine Wolfenberger (a daughter was born in 1807 – perhaps George was married prior to this marriage need to verify)
• 1818 Mar 11 – George W. bought land in Burlington from Henry Kountz (Henry was his brother who moved to Indiana.)
• 1818 Nov 25 George W. Kouns bought land in Lawrence Co. OH
• 1818 George Kounce is a taxpayer in Lawrence Co. OH Fayette Township.
• 1819 Apr 15 George W. Koons sold land to Joshua Downey Vol.1, pg. 262
• 1820 Lawrence Co. OH census George Koons in Fayette Twp.
• with one male 10-16; one male 16-26; one male 26-45; 6 females under 10; 2 females 10-16; one fem. 26-45 – a total of 12 in the household.
• From: “Southern Ohio Taxpayers in the 1820’s” we find
• Koon(s) George in Lawrence Co. in 1822 and 1828 Fayette Twp.
• 1820 Aug 8 George W. Koons bought land from Chas. McCoy
• 1826 Sept 26 George W. Koons bought land from Chas. McCoy
• 1828 George W. Koons on the tax list of Lawrence Co. OH
• 1828 Aug 12 George W. bought land from Chas. W. Drichsler on the river.
• 1830 on Census of Lawrence Co. p. 316
• 1832 George W. sold one acre for $250 to Chas. W. Drichsler Vol. 6, pg 172.
• 1834 Mar 5 George W. bought US Government land
• 1836 Apr 30 George W. bought land from Peter Keller in Burlington
• 1842 George W. bought land from Edmund Ferguson in April and from John Crawford in September.
• 1848 Jun 7 – George W. Kouns dies of spinal disease at age 64 Fayette Twp., Burlington, OH
• 1848 Oct – George W. Kouns’s will was filed in Lawrence Co. OH.
• 1850 Lawrence Co. Oh census shows Catherine Kouns living with their son George W. Kouns
• 1860 Lawrence Co. OH census shows Catherine Kouns living with son-in-law Samuel Crawford
• George Koons – will date 1848 Vol. 1 pg 31-36 Lawrence Co. Courthouse (OH)

OBIT: GEORGE KOUNS – died June 7, 1848, George Kouns, Senior in the 64th year of his age. Father Kouns was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, and in his youthful days moved to Lawrence County, and was married to Catherine Wolfenberger in 1808.

Here he accumulated considerable property, raised a large family, and lived to see them all comfortably settled in life. Father Kouns has been long known to the citizens of Lawrence County, and to write a history of his life and character would be only a repetition of knowledge engraved upon every heart.

There need only be given a short sketch of the circumstances attending his death. The disease which occasioned his death was one of a very distressing nature – a spinal infection.

For several months he suffered most intensely and obtained no freedom until death came to his relief. It is true that willing friends were ever ready to bestow the offices of kindness and attention upon him, but such was the nature of his disease that for days together he could not be turned in his bed.

Early in his sickness he felt impressed with the idea he should never recover, and immediately arranged his temporal affairs and the blessing of pardon. Before his death, the light suddenly broke upon his mind, and though exceedingly weak and feeble shouted aloud the praises of his God. On Wednesday evening, at 10 o’clock he slept in death . . .

As fades the summer clouds away; As sinks the gale when storms are o’er; As gently shuts the eye of day; As does the wave upon the shore; and may we all be ready for a blessed reunion in the spirit land.

OBIT: Handwritten page found in the Kouns Family Bible – CATHERINE KOUNS died at the residence of Thomas Campbell, Fayette Twp., Lawrence Co., OH Tuesday eve., Feb 3, 1874, at 5:00 p.m. Mrs. Catherine Kouns, relict of George Kouns deceased, aged 90 years 5 months and 19 days.

Grandmother Kouns was born in Greenbrier Co. VA in 1784 removed to the state of Ohio in 1808 and was married to George Kouns the same year by Rev. B. Spurlock and settled on the farm where they both lived and died in Fayette Township.

Mrs. Kouns was a woman of remarkable health and physical strength, her faculties remaining clear to the last moment. She joined the M.E. Church at the age of 15 years, and lived as a consistent Christian for 75 years; a devoted mother, kind and charitable to all. Her death was one of perfect faith, and while she waited anxiously to be relieved of her intense suffering she could not repress her exclamations of “Glory, Glory” until she breathed her last.

Such was the life of this aged mother who passed away to her final reward and place of rest. She was indeed one of the early pioneers. Her early home was a vast wilderness, situated as it was on the banks of Ohio, high water often driving them from their cabin to seek shelter in other buildings.

At that time neighbors were few and far between, there being but four families between the mouth of the Guyan River and that of the Big Sandy and but few now remain to tell of the hardships and trials of those days, and very few have lived to see their children and families as well settled as Grandmother Kouns.

Their family consisted of 10 daughters and one son, George W. Kouns, Jr., who died in New Orleans in 1860; eight daughters survived her, five reside in Ohio, two in Catlettsburg, and one in Ravenswood, WV; 62 grandchildren; 71 great-grandchildren, 144 children in all. She lived in Lawrence Co. for the greater part of her life. She is buried in Burlington, Ohio.

Issues:  ALL Marriages: Lawrence Co. OH
3.1 Ann L. Kouns m. 26 Apr 1840 Thomas Campbell
3.2 Delilah Kouns m. 28 Mar 1837 James McCoy
3.3 Elizabeth Kouns m. 05 Feb 1833 William Campbell
3.4 Emiline Kouns m. 24 Mar 1835 Hugh Crawford
3.5 Mary Kouns m. 01 Oct 1833 Michael Koons
3.6 Nancy Kouns m. 10 Feb 1829 James Crawford
3.7 Margaret “Peggy” Kouns m. 19 Nov 1827 Jonas Combs
3.8 Sarah “Sally” Kouns m. 21 Jul 1829 James H. Drury
3.9 Catherine Kouns m. 23 Jan 1844 Samuel Crawford
3.10 George W. Kouns m. 22 Jan 1850 Sarah E. Scovell
3.11 Amanda Kouns needs more info on

3.1 Ann L. Koons – the d/o George W. and Catherine Wolfenberger Kouns m. 26 Apr 1840 Thomas C. Campbell Lawrence Co. OH. Thomas Campbell was b. PA. One of their daughters, Nannie, died in the sinking of the GOLDEN CITY in 1882 (possibly Nannie was Nancy).