The following is from material prepared by Troy Burger - not dated, and was
obtained from the Greene County Historical and Genealogical Society.
The Coonrods were among the early settlers of Greene County, Illinois, and
natives of Kentucky. The patriarch of the family was George Coonrod, who,
together with his wife and many of their descendants are buried in the
south-west part of the Oakwood cemetery north of Greenfield, Illinois. In
Pioneer days a log church stood on this plot of ground where many of the Coonrod
family are now buried, and Stephen Coonrod, a son of George Coonrod, was pastor
of this church. He settled on the land which is now Oakwood Cemetery and Coonrod
Park. John Coonrod was another son of George Coonrod, and settled north of
Rockbridge, on Taylor Creek. (A family tree of descendants through the Stephen
Coonrod line is included with source documents. The following is a description
of the family tree.)
Son of George Coonrod, Stephen Coonrod was born in Grayson Co., KY on Feb. 4,
1798 and died in Greene Co., IL on Dec. 19, 1872. Stephen married Candis Lee in
1819. Candis was born in KY on Dec. 6, 1800 and died in Greene Co., IL on Nov.
11, 1879.
The children of Stephen and Candis were:
Jefferson Coonrod was born in Wayne Co., IL on May 5, 1823; married Tempy
Drum, (daughter of John and Dillie (Wood) Drum)June 5, 1847.
Elizabeth Coonrod was born in Wayne Co., IL (no date); married Thomas E.
Melvin (son of John and Elizabeth (Crouch) Melvin).
George W. Coonrod was born in Wayne Co., IL on Sep. 3, 1827; 1st marriage to
Mary A. Parks (born 1837, died 1870); 2nd marriage to Mattie E. Nutting (born
1847).
3 unnamed children are between George W. and Anis.
Anis Coonrod born and died in 1836.
Emily Coonrod born and died in Greene Co., IL in 1843 and died in 1862.
Child number 10 unnamed.
Elizabeth Coonrod married Thomas Melvin, born 1824, in 1847. The children of
Elizabeth and Thomas were:
Sylvester Melvin was born in 1851 and died 1962; married Addie I. Strickland.
George W. Melvin was born in 1856; married Ada E. Twitchell.
Stephen Melvin - no information.
Minnie Melvin married J. A. (Bert) Metcalf.
George W. Coonrod married Mary A. Parks, (born 1837/died 1870), in 1858. The
children of George W. and Mary were:
Arthur G. Coonrod, born 1859.
Louis P. Coonrod, born 1860.
Catherine E. Coonrod, born 1863, died 1864.
Mary E. Coonrod, born 1865.
Helen G. Coonrod, born 1868.
George W. Coonrod married Mattie Nutting (born 1847, Portland, ME). The
children of George W. and Mattie were:
Edith J. Coonrod, born and died 1873.
Curtis M. Coonrod, born 1875.
William J. Coonrod, born 1877.
Guy Coonrod, born 1879.
