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.
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