GEORGE W. KOONS. It has been the privilege of Mr. Koons to witness practically all the developments and growth of the remarkable industrial city of Madison County, Elwood, since he has lived in this vicinity for nearly thirty years, and his family represent the early settlers in this portion of Indiana. Mr. Koons has been identified with the Elwood postal service for a number of years and is now assistant postmaster, and during his official term has done much to improve and facilitate the mail service in this city.
George W. Koons is a native of Grant County, where he was born February 19, 1868, His family were originally from North Carolina, the paternal grandparents, Alfred and Mary Koons, both being born there, Alfred Koons was a farmer by occupation, and his death occurred near Pendleton, Indiana. In his family were the following children: Alfred, Samuel, Elijah, John, James, Rebecca, and Eliza.
The parents of Mr. George W. Koons were Margaret (Black) Koons. His father, a native of North Carolina, was reared in the mountains of Tennessee, came- from that state to southern Indiana when a young man, settling at Brookville, following farm labor and tending stock. He subsequently moved into Rush County, where he was married and where he worked at the carpenter’s trade, From there he brought his family to Grant County, buying a small farm in the woods, and clearing and improving it, and thus reaching a high degree of material prosperity, His next home was in Tipton County on another farm, and in the fall of 1884 he came to Elwood and lived retired for some time, He then moved to a farm in Duck Creek Township, but after several years returned to Elwood, where his death occurred in 1909, at the venerable age of eighty-nine years. His wife, who was a native of Indiana, was the daughter of early settlers in Franklin County, and her father died in Missouri at a good old age. In the Black family were the following children: Benjamin, James, Rachel, Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary, Sallie, Lucinda and Winifred, The mother died in 1911 at the age of seventy-six, Both parents were members of the Christian church, The early boyhood days of George W. Koons were spent in Grant and Tipton counties, and he arrived at manhood in Madison County. The district schools near the home farm gave him his early educational advantages, and as he was about sixteen years of age when the family located in Elwood he attended the public schools of this City and completed his preparation for practical work by study in the Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute. His first regular vocation in life was as teacher, and during nine years he made a record of efficiency and success in that calling, He subsequently took a clerkship in the Elwood postoffice, was then made a carrier in the city delivery service, continuing in that capacity for four and a half years, and in 1909 was advanced to the position of assistant postmaster, and has since had much of the practical direction and responsibility of this office.
On the nineteenth of August, 1891, Mr. Koons married Miss Alice Gray, daughter of David H. and Ellen (Nutt) Gray, Mrs. Koons was born in Union County, Indiana, and her parents were also natives of this state and spent most of their lives on a farm just north of the city of Elwood, Her mother died there in November, 1912, at the age of seventy-six. Her father is still living, The three children in the Gray family were Alice, Lorena and Dora, Mr. and Mrs. Koons have three children, whose names are Howard S., Esther and Marcella. The family worship in the Presbyterian church at Elwood, and Mr. Koons is an elder in that society, He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men and in politics is a Republican, A. public spirited citizen, one who is always ready to advance the best interests of his home community, Mr. Koons is giving further public service as a member of the board of education, His home is at 2119 South A street.
