COUTS

CALIFORNIA’S COUTS COUSINS VOLUME 1 DECEMBER-JANUARY NUMBER 2

A quarterly Newsletter for the descendants of the Couts Family EDITOR’S NOTE- Help!! I need information from you, so that this newsletter for the Couts Family will be successful. Write and tell me about your grandfather, great-grandfather, dad, mom, grandma, a favorite family story, your theories about the family. I’ll be happy to type it in, take it over the phone, etc., but I need input. If you have photos (you and your family, ancestors, etc), make a clear copy on a copy machine, I’ll scan it into our newsletter. SHARE YOUR SIDE OF THE FAMILY WITH US!! WE WOULD LOVE TO GET TO KNOW THEM! COUTSES ON LINE- Recently, every where you look, someone is on-line with their WWW.Com. Well, guess what, so are we! There are several Couts Descendants on-line. It really is great for exchanging information. Please send your “on-line name” and add to the list. In case you are on-line and want to get in touch with us the “handles” are as follows: Barbara Couts Evans - bevans@coutsfamily.com (Chrisley Sr.), Pam Couts Drake (John Sr.) - DRAKE9996, Lloyd “Bruce” Allen - LBALLEN(John Sr.), Mary Holcomb Scott - CAESARMHS (John Sr.), Aaron Couts - aaronc@cyds.com (Chrisley Sr.), Rhonda Couts Rodericks - RHONKAY@AOL.COM. (Chrisley Sr.), and Don Dewayne Couts -Bankok2@aol.com (Chrisley Sr.), Jerry Barton - JERRYINILL@AOL.COM (Chrisley Sr.), Terry Couts - TACMAN7 (Chrisley Sr.). CORRECTIONS- Data is collected is not always absolute. The following corrections are from James S. Armstrong. Mr. Armstrong knows the Robertson County well, and can be considered an expert. Corrections from Volume 1 Number 1: Krisle School Couts Cemetery- has only two persons buried on the grounds- Daisy Couts 1888-1906 and Mary E. Couts Oct. 7, 1870-Sept. 19, 1919, all others are buried in the Elmwood Cemetery. R.G. instead of R.O. Couts, March 27, 1867-1911. The father of James W. Couts 1902-1953, Johnny Couts has been lost in a cemetery. He died in the late 1840’s or early 50’s. He was a warm and friendly man.” TWO BROTHERS - So far, it is the general consensus, that we descended from two brothers: John Sr. and Chrisley Sr. and sisters Elizabeth, Mary Magdeline, Margaret. We know that there are other brothers: Henry (no issuants) and William (unknown daughter). We also think that there could have been other brothers or uncles and cousins close by, like Nicholas Coons, Daniel Couts (Kutch), Jacob and George Coonce (Koontz) and several others. We would appreciate any information you might have leading to the identification of these people. We collect information on any name that sound close. JAMES S. ARMSTRONG Through my correspondence with a number of people, libraries, and letters to editors, I was lucky enough to come across Mr. Armstrong. He has been patience, informative, and extremely knowledgeable about the Couts Family. He could be considered the “family’s friend.” Mr. Armstrong’s family bought the property where John Sr.’s cabin existed. Mr. Armstrong grew up playing in the cemetery and building an interest in the Couts Family’s History. The stories that he writes were “for the most part”, told to him by relatives and in some cases proved by records. Some of the stories came from people one or two generations away from the family. Mr. Armstrong has a knack for making his subjects come alive. Through the next few issues, with his permission, we will print his wonderful stories. THE STORY OF AN EARLY SETTLER - THE JOHN COUTS FAMILY By James S. Armstrong INTRODUCTION This is a narrative of a family that probably never heard the expression go west young man, nevertheless they did just that and purchased a farm in Tennessee County. This is a story about that family and its many descendants who helped build a great nation. As the family members spread out over the new world they established roots that helped give strength to the America we know and love. A great many of the original Couts family remained in Tennessee and Robertson County and when it became a state helped contribute to its strength of worth. They remained behind to help settle and tame a wild land. Pioneers that were left here are asleep in its soil. The stories you are about to read are legendary in scope but for the most part can be proved by legal records. These stories or accounts were passed on to me by relative, friends and written records. My mother’s great-grandfather, Granberry Baggett, came here from North Carolina in 1812, and settled the land adjacent and parallel to John Sr.’s farm. Through the years the two families became close friends and this association continued for three generations. John Sr. and Granberry’s son, Eli and Jackson were boyhood friends and remained so until their death. They were elected school commissioners for the 10th Civil District and their duties were to hire teachers and to collect financial support for five, one room schools. When the need arose they organized the community spirit and secured support to build two additional schools, one of them on the Couts land. It remained Couts School until 1901, when Hilliard Grove School replaced it. Basically, this story is the John Couts Sr. story. He was one in typical frontier fashion, rolled up his sleeves and went to work building a reputation of honesty and fairplay. During my research and listening to those of my youth, I am of the opinion this man was an unselfish and generous father and friend to his family and to all who knew him. Being a very thrifty person he avoided needless expenditures of living the luxurious life in a white pillared home instead he chose the simple life of the log home. JOHN COUTS, SR. LAND IN TENNESSEE In 1785 Morton Mauldin completed official survey of 640 acres of “Preemption” land numbered 273. The next month September 24, 1790, he sold Crisoley Couts, 320 acres of that land. In deed book J. page 121, we find John Sr. purchase. Through the next twenty years, he added more acreage making a total of 807 acres in one tract. Until his death in 1828, he owned and sold more than a dozen farms. Being busy in business did not slow his work of the land. by the time Tennessee became a state (1796), John Sr. had cleared the 70 acres of creek bottom land by burning the cane and underbrush. In the early days he did not have an overseer but did that himself. Later, he did hire a person to carry on the work of the farm while he was away on business. During that time, he owned slaves and records show he owned as many as fifteen. JOHN COUTS, SR. OF TENNESSEE 1765-1828 The history of the early Couts family is somewhat limited. Records indicate the family once lived in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Their original name is pronounced the same, but spelled Koutz. By Revolutionary time it was spelled and written as Couts. Records are available proving the family moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. During the 1760’s, they lived in Rowan and Edgecombe Counties, North Carolina. Several members of the family moved from North Carolina to the New Cumberland Country around 1785, they were with the Kilgore party. It is believed that John Sr. had a brother named William, who was involved in several land deals and transfers in Tennessee County but after 1812-1815 disappeared from the scene. From 1780 to 1792, Indians waged a sniper type warfare upon the early settlers. On January 13, 1790, John Sr. was paid by voucher for service against the Chicamauga Indians, that same year he was commissioned a captain in the Tennessee Militia by Governor Blunt of the U. A. Territory. In 1796, Tennessee County was divided into three counties, Robertson being the largest, was divided into six militar districts. Six years later John Sr. was a private in Dist. 3 under the command of Capt. Meredith Walton’s Co. When Tennessee became a state in 1796, the new Gov., John Sevier appointed 12 reliable citizens to serve as Justices of the Peace. They in turn appointed John Sr. to be a member of the Grand Jury, to hear cases of lawbreakers and civil suits. Their duties were more extensive then, than those today. He served in that capacity for nearly thirty years. During the years before Tennessee became a state and many years afterwards, there were no fence laws or every few fences. The livestock roamed far and wide into the deep forest. The opportunity existed for thieves to steal the unprotected animals. Culprits were punished harshly if the case could be proven. Finally, a system developed of branding the animals John Sr. branded his stock with a J.C., but went one step further by registering his brand with the court and even described where the brands were located. JOHN COUTS, SR. AND LEAH STARKS It is not necessary to trace or state the genealogy of the Stark family as it is well documented and may be found in the Gorham-McBane Library, Springfield, TN. Our interest starts with William Stark , a Revolutionary soldier who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain, North Carolina. His traveling companions were his brother Thomas and wife Rebecca. Thomas and Rebecca were the parents off Leah-John Sr.’s wife. It is though that John and Leah married sometime between 1788-1790. By the time Tennessee became a state, John Sr. had completed a large home near the “Rocky Spring.” In years since pieces of glassware and crockery have been found on or near the location of that first Couts home. Without any doubt there is evidence where the house stood because large rocks in the shape of corner stones have been unearthed by the tractor plow. Smaller flat lime stone rocks presumed to be part of that foundation have been picked up and remove My brother Bill, working near the site of the old location found a Spanish Dime. Some one had drilled a small hole in the outer rim suggesting that it might have been worn as a charm on the wrist or ankle of a slave. Records and deeds in the archives reveal Mr. John Sr. was a purchaser of foreclosed mortgages and forced sales of property from 1800 through 1825. During that period he did spend time at the Robertson County Courthouse and was given the opportunity to hear and see what was going on. Being a part of the grand jury all those years gave him first hand knowledge of people and their doings. It can be said and documented, for a man of those times living in new land, new world so to speak, Mr. Couts died in 1828, a wealthy man. I recall two large flat marble head stones with the name Stark, standing at the entrance of the original Couts Cemetery, but don’t remember the first names. Today, I fell sure they were for Leah’s parents. John Sr. along with other early settlers realized the need for corn meal for human existence. Corn meal played a large part in the die of these early people. John Sr. being an interpreting person ordered grist mill rocks from North Carolina and they were delivered by boat to Nashboro (Nashville). This was after Tennessee became a state and we were told he transported them home by wagon. He built a small grist mill at the Rocky Springs a short distance from the home. (Within a few years grist mills were thick as hops, existing on every stream of water in the county.) To make John Sr.’s mill work he tunneled in to the bluff to where the split stream was flowing and removed the obstacles that caused the streams to part. The corrected stream was channeled onto a wooden trough and carried to an overshot water wheel of the mill. Today the wall of the tunnel may be seen. I would venture to say for a while John Sr. profited from his business, but as other mills were built, he needed another source of income. (Even my relative built a mill on the next farm.) John Sr. built a “lean to” (shed) on the side of the mill. During his and son, Jackson’s lifetime, they manufactured sour mash whiskey, but never sold or shipped their product abroad or even out of the county, but it was used locally. Keep in mind, doctors having no other drugs nearly always prescribed a dram of whiskey to their patients. (Drunkenness was a thing looked on as unworthy for a person.) Jackson’s sons, A.W. or A.B. never operated the distillery and allowed the building and equipment to remain idle. When Stark and Hilliard purchased the farm they made the necessary repairs and enlarged the building. They shipped the sought-after product to England, Louisville, Kentucky and New Orleans. Their production increased from a few barrels per year to four to five hundred barrels per year. (There is a long interesting story of their trouble with the selling of this product.) John Sr. never received a formal education as evidenced to his mark of X. That X appeared on more than two dozen land deals and many more as a witness. This inability was never a handicap to his enterprising drive and devotion to business and to civil affairs. He grew cotton and kept sheep for raw materials to make clothing and for other household requirements. In 1830, a herd of 25 sheep were sold along with other inventory. The rich soil of creek bottom land furnished an abundant supply of corn and fodder to feed both the Couts and slave families. Until a few years ago, evidence, of the large rail pens could be seen along the ridge below the cemetery where the ear corn was stored for further use. John Sr. as stated earlier only sold one piece of property off the main tract. Less than a year later he bought it back. This sixty acres was located across and on the south side of Fork Creek. In 1803, he sold this property to Eophodius Benton for d2p0.00 and sent h)s slaves to help Mr. Benton build a log house. Less than one year later, Mr. Benton decided to sell the property back for $400.00. Today, the log home has long disappeared, but the large limestone chimney so carefully constructed, stands today, straight and strong, isolated and silent as a sentinel, seemly awaiting its former occupants to return. Before John Sr.’s death in 1828, he started, but never completed a stone wall to contain the flood water of Sulphur Fork Creek. In Jackson life, he completed the structure, but Mr. Hilliard, one of the second owners did extensive amount of work to maintain the wall. The wall was constructed of huge limestone blocks dug and blasted from the nearby bluff. Many of these blocks by estimation weighed as much as 800-1,000 pounds, what a feat for men with no modern means of machinery. These stones have stood for many generations because they were carefully fitted together without the use of mortar. This wall stood six to eight feet by three feet and ran for two hundred feet along the creek bank. Today, much of that wall may be seen, what cannot be seen is covered with dirt and silt, functioning as engineered. John Sr. died early 1828, and in his will gave instruction to Jackson to care for his wife (Leah) and at her death the farm would be his. The other children were cared for in his will.
John Couts Sr.’s Will written and dated 6-8-1826, was probated in open court 8-1828, lists the following for his living children: 1. Mary Couts, married James Appleton 10 acres & $1,000, born 1791 (whereabouts unknown) 2. Nancy Couts, married John Boyd $1,000, born 1793 (whereabouts unknown) 3. William Couts, married Nancy Johnson 224 acres born 1785 4. John Couts, Jr. married Henrietta Owen 150 acres born 1798-1868 100x50 2 tracts 5. Sally Couts, married John McConnell $1350 born 1800 (whereabouts unknown) 6. James Couts 250 acres born 1803 m.Polly Johnson d. 1890,Livingston, Ak 7. Archer B. Couts 110 acres born 1806-1850 8. Jackson Couts Given homeplace after death on his mother, born 1809-1845 m. Priscilla Draughon 9. Robertson Couts $1200 born 1811 died 1830
STARK FAMILY Leah Stark Couts Ancestry The name Stark found in several states in spelled Starks or Starke. Even in this line of Stark’s, several public records show the family name ending in an s. In these cases, persons with a different spelling are not connected, but yet are, care had to be exercised to separate them. An outstanding characteristic trait of this family is somewhat like other families, the repeated names of each generation among the children and grandchildren. It is not necessary to trace the early genealogy of the Stark Family as documented copies of the family may be found in three volumes on the shelves of the Gorham-McBane Public Library. William Stark, a Revolutionary soldier and veteran of King’s Mountain came to Robertson County around 1790. He was born 5.20/17663 and died 3/4/1826, and was buried in the Stark Cemetery located on the William Woodard Rd. Thomas, a brother of William also came with members of the Stark family and settled in what later was called the Wells (Krisle School) Community. Leah Stark, the daughter of Thomas married John Couts, Sr. It is believed that Thomas and wife Rebecca are buried in the original Couts Cemetery located on the Armstrong Farm. Later in this story we will record the family of the 2nd William, son of the 1st William, whose daughter Susan married William Orand. ORIGINAL COUTS CEMETERY As stated elsewhere, Leah and John Sr. and early Couts members selected a site for the family cemetery. It was located on a knoll or ridge in the field below the house. They found here the very essence of peaceful solitude and freedom from disturbance. It is with regret that man in his pursuit of progress saw fit to transgress and destroy the final resting place of the Couts Family. Today, my imagination wanders back to a time when John Sr., and Leah stood on this very spot and experienced today’s scene of the last rays of the sun as it disappeared from the western sky and felt the cool breezes filled with summer’s delightful fragrances of blooming woodland flowers. I recall as a young boy wandering throughout he cemetery and looking at the many deceased family members ‘tombstones, and resting many times under a huge Elm tree located in the center of the cemetery. Its large, long limbs projected from the trunk forming a circumference of shade over the graves of the entombed. The graves in front of the cemetery were laid out in three straight lines with each Couts member with a tombstone located on the back side next to the bottom land were the graves of slaves, each marked with a large limestone rock and laid in three short rows. Only one Couts rock remains today, that of Albert W. Couts 1837-1857, son of Jackson. His obelisk type memorial rock stood five feet and measured twelve inches at the base and tapered to a four inch top. This stone, by estimation, weighed in the neighbor hood of five hundred pounds. Because of its height and weight the foundation was unable to support the rock. In those days, men did much physical labor and were known for their strength of body. Many men were challenged to lift this rock clear of the ground. From time to time, many strong men attempted this feat, but only two are know to have succeeded, my father and black man, named Roscoe Jones. In 1935, the grave makers were removed and the cemetery was once again made into an open field. In Tennessee, the law states, if a grave yard is fenced in it cannot be disturbed, but otherwise no law protects those with fences.
KNOWN TO BE BURIED IN COUTS CEMETERY John Sr. Couts 1765-1828 Leah Stark Couts d. 1830 Aaron Couts d. 1811 Jackson Couts 1798-1846 Priscilla Draughon 1848 Robertson Couts 1811-1830 Albert W. Couts 1837-1857 Sophia C. Dunn 1838-1856 Mary Couts 1834-1851 Archer B. Couts d. 1850 Thomas Stark ? Rebecca Stark ? Crisoley ? SLAVES Kizzie or Lissie Albert (Kizzie’s Husband) Ten other graves were also there. The Couts Stories, By James Armstrong, To Be Continued In The Next Issue!
CHRISLEY (CRISSLEY, CHRISOLEY, CHRISTLEY) COUTS As of this time, we do not know where Chrisley Couts was born. We think it might have been in Pa or Va. We do not know who his mother and father were. To our knowledge, he had three brothers: John Couts born circa 1765 in Loudoun Co. Va., Henry, and William and three sisters: Elizabeth, Mary, and Margaret. Chrisley married Sarah Wright, daughter of John Wright. We assume the marriage took place in Warren Co. Ky. They had five children: John born 1776 (married Polly Caldwell, 1809); Crisley Jr., born circa 1780(married Frances Fannie Barton), Aaron born 1780 (married Elizabeth Barton); Nancy, born 1784 (married John Barton), and Elizabeth, born 1787-89(married to Joshua Anderson, in 1803) all in Warren Co. Kentucky. Chrisley died in late Sept. or early Oct. of 1790, in Warren Co. Ky. Sarah married William Collins, who helped her raise the children. She died January 29, 1823, Layfayette. Their children scattered to the four winds. Chrisley was a shadowy figure compared to John. It is believed that Chrisley was the soldier who enlisted with George Rogers Clark and participated in the Revolutionary War, Western Divisions Expeditions in Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana. The majority of Clark’s men came from Kentucky County, Virginia. Bounty lands were given in southern Kentucky, around what’s now Warren County. Because of the hardships of cold and starvation that the men had to face, especially at Fort Jefferson, it is believed that Chrisley came back ill and died soon afterwards. Reference Data and Timeline:Springfield Tenn. Letter from Sallie Grand Re: John, Chrisley and sisters.July 28, 1977,Crisley served several times a member of the George Rogers Clark Regiment. Cartmell’s History page 104 The Gen. George Rogers Clark campaign to the Illinois Forts in 1778, should be of sufficient interest to the Old Frederick County’s History. As is well known to many readers, there were two forts on the frontier occupied by British officers and their Indian allies, that became a burden to all settlers in the territory eastward and along the Ohio River. Gen. Clark was chosen to command the expedition fitted out to capture those forts. We will briefly state that this little army equipped for light marching, was composed of men who had endured hardships and were fully acquainted with Indian warfare. We will only mention that two of this companies were commanded by Capt. Joseph Bowman of Fredrick Co. and Leonard Helm of Faugquirer Co. and will only give the names of other officers and privates that may be familiar to Valley people. ..many of their descendants are to be found in the Counties from Shenandoah to the Potomac River. the enlistments were made in the dead of Winter January, 1778; and when the expedition encountered the hardships of the march and the warfare needed to capture Old Fort St Vincent (now Vincennes- where John Couts-Chrisley Sr’s son moved to) and Kaskaskia, they stamped themselves heroes, and received from the government substantial recognition for their services by grants of land in the captured country: Company Officers Sergt. Samuel. Strode, Private Christopher Coontz . ... survivors were discharged in August, 1778. TheRegister of the Kentucky State Hist. Soc. VOL 25, NO. 75, P. 310 Lincoln County Militia, 1780-1783 Editor’s Note- the following records, were copied from Archives Dept. of VA State Library, at Richmond.“A payrole of Capt. John Boyle Comp of Lincln Melitia for performing A tower of Duty at the falls of Ohio under the Command of Hugh Magary Maj Persuent to Colo Bengeman Logan’s Comd entered May 28, Dischd June 18th Christopher Coons, James Harrod” The Long Knives Against the Indians, Vincennes: Portal to the West page86 Men from`the Illinois country-the Falls, Vincennes, Kaskaskia and Cahokia-came up the Ohio to rendezvous at the mounth of Licking River. They carried swivel guns and a six-pounder with Capt. Robert George as gunner. Colonel Benjamin Logan’s company of skilled woodsmen joined the men from Harrodsburg. They took time to build a fort at the rendezvous, and meat for the march north was killed during the two days it took to build the fort. On August 2, 1780, they crossed the Ohio, approximately a thousand men, most of them hardened to wilderness life and many of them with some experience in fighting the Indians. All were inflamed with hatred for the Shawnee, who had raided the Kentucky settlements almost at will and had dealt with the inhabitants, including women and children, with abominable cruelty. (Piqua Battle-1500 Indians, lost to the woodsmen, no prisoners) Page 87 ‘Though the Americans took no Indian prisoners, they had a respectable number of their own wounded to care for. For some time Clark considered pursuing the Indians, but in the end he decided against it. The wounded and the diminishing of provisions militated against further action. I could wish to have had a small store of provisions to have enabled us to have laid waste part of the Delaware settlements, and falling in at Pittsburg, but the excessive heat, and weak diet, shew the impropriety of such a step. So, he ordered the retreat, and he himself returned to Lousiville, having marched in the whole 480 miles in 31 days Page 88 The hardships of frontier life were the burden of`many of the commuications sent to Clark. Captain Robert Georgel commanding at Fort Jeffersonl wrote on October 28, 1780, We are Reduced to a Very small Number at present occasioned by Famine, Desertion and Numbers daly Dying; we have but a Very Small Quantity of provisions at present. George Rogers Clark and his Men Military Records, 1778-1784 page XIV and XV Fort Jefferson had to be abandoned in June 1781, Clark reached the Falls on 23 August 1781. In Kentucky, 1782, was known as The Year of Blood. By November 1782, Clark had 1050 riflemen assembled at the mouth of the Licking River. The Indians pulled back. Winter was threatening, so the men returned. By 17 November (1782 the expedition reached the Ohio River where it disbanded. Clark had submitted his resignation earlier, and as accusations against him increased, he became anxious to end his responsibilities. With the war over, it was increasingly difficult to secure supplies, and the remnants of the Illinois Regiment and the tiny garrison at Fort Nelson were in desperate straits. (see muster roles) But when the militia officers met in August 1786, at Harrodsburg they decided to call out only half the militia. By 12 Sept. Clark had only 1,200 men at Clarksville. He planned to move 150 miles cross county to Vincennes. The Shawnees were again striking the central Kentucky stations, and Logan went back into Kentucky to collect more men and lead a raid against the Shawnee tribal area. Grumbling was rampant on the 1786 expedition before it even got underway, particularly among the Lincoln County militia, and when Clark at last had his force concentrated at Vincennes both morale and supplies were low. When they neared their target area, the Lincoln County militia refused to continue. Clark faced the mutinous men and begged them to go on another two days; Indian towns would then supply ample food or he would lead the men home. His plea rejected, Clark stood helplessly with tears streaming down his cheeks as the Lincoln militia left. UNKNOWN SOURCE - ELEANOR S. HUTCHESON (LETTER) Crisley Couts -His duty was to guard the Falls of the Ohio (was the land-island that Louisville was built, also an early name for Louisville)1781-1782. A Christopher Cultz bought 400 acres in Jefferson County Dec. 1781.George Rogers Clark and His Men Military Records 1778-1784 1778`Capture of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes John Bailey 2nd Lt listed July 12, 1778, Discharged May 31, 1779, # days 323 @ 5/4, 85L, 10 S 8D. Document # 159 (4 June 79-3 Dec 81, time span of Fort Jefferson), no Coonts on the document. Document #22 (4June 1779-Dec. 1781): Ditto Dr. Carstens1781 Attack and Counterattack Document 116 (3 December 1781 - 31 July 1782) First document of Captian George’s company on which Christopher Coonts appears, showing date of enlistment as 14 June 1782. Captain George’s reputation as an artillery man was among the best in the U.S. at that time. Muster Roll of Captain Robert George’s Company Artillery in the Service of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Illinois Department from the third of December 1781 to the thirty first Day of July 1782. No. of Matrosses - 4, Chrisr. Coonts, Date of Inlistments (sic) 14 June 1782, term of Inlistment (sic) during the war, Remarks - present.1782 Caldwell’s Invasion, Battle of Blue Licks, and Shawnee Expedition Document 145 (1 January - 31 July 1782) Pay Abstract of Captain John Bailey’s Company of the Illinois Regiment Commanded by Major George Walls in the Virginia State Service from the first day of January 1782 to the thirty first of July following. Document 119 (1 August - 31 August 1782) Muster Roll of Captain Robert Georges Company of Artillery in the Service of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Illinois Regiment from the first to the Thirty first of August 1w8r. No. Montrosses 4 Christnn Coonts, Date of Inlistment (sic) 14 June 1782 Term of Inlistment-during the war, remarks-present. Document 63 (1 August - 31 August 1782) Pay Roll of Capt. Robert George’s Company of Artillery in the Service of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Illinois Department from the First to the Thirty first of August 1782. Name and Ranks Christn. Coonts-Matross, Time of Commencement Inl. of Pay 1 Augt., Time of Service-1 month, Dollars pr. Month 8 1/3, 2, Amount of pay Virgy. currency-10. Document 107 (1 August - 31 August 1782) Paye A˘stract of Capt. Isaac Taylors Company in the Illinois Regiment Commanded by Major George Walls in the Virginia State Service from the first to the thirty first Aug. 1782.No. of Matrosses-4 Chrisr. Coonts, Date of Inlistment 14 June 1782, term of Inlistment-during the war, remarks-present. George’s Company become Isaac Taylors’ Company and unit. The Military may have been “downsized” and made several smaller units out of the very large unit. See Doc. 64 Dr. Carstens. Document 64 (1 September 1782 - 31 January 1783) Pay Roll of Captain Robert George’s Company Artilery in the Service of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Illinois Department from the first day of September 1782 to the thirty-first day of January 1783. Name Chrisr. Coonts, Rank Matross, Commencement of Pay 1 Sept. 1782, Time of Service Months-5, Dollars per month 8 1/3, Amount in Dollars 41 2/3, Amount of Pay 12L 10S. 1783-84 Document 192 (4 January-13 January 1783) - Document Miscellaneous 2A (1 February - 31 October 1783) Muster Roll of Capt. Robt. George’s Co. of Artillery in the Service of the Common Wealth of Virginia & Illinois Department from the 1st Day of February 1783 to the 31 st October 1783. Matrosses Number 3 C. Coons, Date of Enlistment 14 June 1782, term of Enlistment-During the war, remarks-deserted. 26th July 1783. Document Miscellaneous 2B (February - 31 October 1783) Pay Roll of Capt. Robt. George’s Co. Of Artillery in the Service of the Common Wealth of Virginia and Illinois Departs. from the 1st Day of February 1783 to the 31st Day of October 1783. Name C. Coonts, Rank-Matross, Commencement of Pay 1st Feb. 1783, Time of Service 5 months 26 days Dollars pr. Month 8 1/3, Amount in Dollars 48 64/72, Amount in Currency 14L 13S 4D, Remarks-Deserted.In Council July 26, 1784. On the fund appropriated to the paymt. of Military debt the auditors will issue warrants agreeable to the above pay roll except to the Deserters. A List of Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers of the Illinois Regiment, and the Western Army, under the command of General G.R. Clarke, who are entitled to Bounty in land. Number 143, Name Christopher Coontz, Rank Private, Remarks-Entitled to land for the war. Samuel Hawkins Corporal Entitled to land for the war. William Wright, Rank-private, entitled to land for 3 years.Collections of he Illinois State Historical Library Volume XIX Virginia Series, Volume IV, George Rogers Clark Papers 1781-1784, by James Alton James August 4, 1784 Francis Hardin, not allowed, Christor. Coontes, not allowed - Those Continentals who came up with Capt. George, and never reinlisted in the Illinois Regiment are not allowed. Wm. Freeman Soldr. We have not proven that this is our Chrisley Sr. all research at this time does point to it being our man, if it isn’t, we’ve learned a great deal of Revolutionary War History! JOHN COUTS, SON OF CHRISLEY COUTS SR. The History of Warrick Co. Indiana, page 27: Boone Township is by far the largest in the county and occupies a central position. It is bounded on the north.....This was recognized by the early settlers, and the land entries for this township are larger in proportion than in any other part. The following is a full list, prior to and including the year 1820: John Couts, 1813, James Wright, 1816; Joshua Anderson, 1813, Ratliff Boone, 1812. Early Election On the first Monday in August, 1814, and election was held in Anderson Township-John Couts, voted for Sparks. WHERE ARE WE RESEARCHING THE COUTS FAMILY NEXT? We are looking for information out of the following books - CAN YOU HELP? We look for our name, various spellings even with a (K): Sources: King’s Mountain and Its Heroes by Lyman C. Draper; The Kings Mountain Men, by Katherine Keogh White; Article: The Watauga Story of the American Revolution, DAR Magazine Feb. 1974; Tennessee During the Rev. War, by Samuel Cole Williams; The Overmountain Men, by Pat Alderman; Calander of the Tennessee and King’s Mountain Papers of the Draper collection of Manuscripts, pub. by Wisconsin Historical Society - Tenn. Papers Vol. XX and King’s Mtn Papers in 18 volumes marked DD; The Battle of Kings Mountain by Wilma Dykeman. click for e-mail. click to go back to the main page.