Jacob Coon is the son of Johann "John" Gohn and Anna Rosina Crantzdorf.

It was common in Germany that children were given first names of Saint, like Maria or Anna for girls and Johann (German form), Johannes (Latin form) or John (Americanized form) for boys. The second name became the name they usually went by.

Jacob's Father, John, and his Grandfather, Philip Göhn arrived in America September 19, 1738, on the ship "Thistle".
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FAMILY NAME
As with many early families that settled in America, the spelling of surnames were varied. The original German spelling of Göhn evolved into other variations, such as Coon, Koon, Goan, Kuhn, Kohn and Goon.

People wrote the name the way it was pronounced. Lloyd B. Gohn, author of the book "A Historical Sketch of the Gohn Family in Canada" writes on page 3 that "In Pennsylvania to this day the name "Gohn" is pronounced "Goon"". Census recorders and others wrote the name the way they understood it and sometimes the alternate spelling was carried on.

Although Jacob was documented in his children's birth records as GOHN, he primarily used the COON spelling.
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Jacob is 1 of 10 known children of John and Anna Rosina Coon. His siblings are:
• Johann Andreas "Andrew" Coon (1739-1791)
• Johann "John" Gohn (1740-1791)
• Johann Adam Gohn (1743-1798)
• Abraham Gohn (1747-Bef 1769)
• Michael William Gohn (Abt 1750-1813)
• Christian Gohn (1753-1822)
• Anna Elisabetha Gohn Fout (1756-Bet 1840-1846)
• Ludwig "Lewis" Gohn" (1758- Bet 1810-1820)
• Anna Catherine Gohn Custer (Abt 1760-Bet 1840-1846)
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Per the History of Chanceford Township, York, PA 1747-1997*, Jacob moved from Pennsylvania to Virginia.

"Most local Gohns are descended from Johannes "John," who married Anna Crantzdortf, owned "Beaver Hill," 134 acres on Otter Creek, and died in 1769.

John appears on the petition to separate York from Lancaster County in 1746 and was the father of:
• Andrew (1739-) married Veronica, daughter of George Kuster of Tulpehocken;
• John (1741-ca 1791) married Anna Schneider, had eleven children, who after their father's death moved west;
• John Adam (1743-);
• Jacob (1745-) moved to Virginia;
• Abraham (1747-) died in Ohio;
• Michael (1750-) left in 1785 with ten children to Virginia;
• Christian (1753-) had five children, moved to Maryland, and served with Washington at Valley Forge;
• Elizabeth (1757-) married John Fout;
• Ludwig (1758-);
• Catherine (1761-) married John Kuster had twelve children and moved to Virginia."

* Authors: June Grove and Richard Konkel, published November 1997, page 145.
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In 1772, Jacob married Eva Catherine Berger, also recorded as Eve Ann Berger.

Jacob Coon served in the Revolutionary War as a Private, 6th Battalion of the York County Militia, Pennsylvania. He reported to Capt. Thomas McNary's Company, with a return made April 26, 1778. Three years later he was enrolled as a private in Captain Simon Copenhaver's Co. from August 10 to October 10, 1781, during which time he served under Lt. John Mappin, guarding prisoners at Camp Security.
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Per the 1810 U.S. Census, Jacob Coon and family resided in Botetourt County, Virginia with his family. Listed are:
-Name: Jacob Coon
-Males 45 and Over: 1
-Females Under 10: 1
-Females 10 to 15: 1
-Females 16 to 25: 2
-Females 45 and Over: 1
-Number of Household Members Under 16: 2
-Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
-Number of Household Members: 6
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Jacob and Eva Catherine "Eve" Coon are known to have 10 children:
• Johann Jacob Coon (1773-Aft 1833)
• Adam Coon (1775-1828)
• Eve Coon Gotschall (1776- Bef 1810)
• Michael "Black Mike" Coon (1779-1851)
• John Coon (1780- Abt 1856)
• Margaret Coon Butler Gray (1784- ? )
• Mary Elizabeth Coon Gray (1786-1839)
• Sarah Coon Hagans (Abt 1788-1859)
• Catherine Coon Kiser Thompson Steele (1792-1859)
• Rosanna Coon Gray (Abt 1795-1853)
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Per Coon-Gohn Descendants from Chanceford Township, York County Pennsylvania*, "Michael and Dorothy [Coon], his brother Jacob and wife Eve, as well as other early Coon residents are said to have been buried on the farm "up back of the house," their graves marked with field stones -- no inscriptions.

In 1941 this "original tract of land owned by Michael Coon" was occupied by one of his descendants, Mr. R. D. Kelly of Nace, VA. Mr. Kelly then 90 years of age was a grandson of John Kelly who married Michael's daughter Elizabeth Coon. (Letter of 15 Aug. 1941 from Mrs. Otho Coon of Fincastle, Va.)"

* Author: Frances Davis McTeer; Publication: Printed 1979 by Edwards Brother Inc., Ann Arbor, MI: Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 79-51522, pages 193-195
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