This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/RkJ.2ACIB/178.1 Message Board Post: I Guess I Should have posted this along with the photo. There was a lot of Oliver Coonrods . ha ha My Oliver Coonrod Line: Oliver Coonrod was born 23 Jul 1834 in Hocking Co. OH. He was the third and last child of Felix Coonrod & Matilda Cave. In Feb 1836 while just an infant, Oliver’s father died. Oliver’s mother had a second marriage to a James Reid which produced five more ½ siblings for Oliver. Oliver’s grandfather Adam Coonrod was still alive and living in the Hocking Co. OH area for at least part of Oliver’s childhood. On 19 Apr 1855, Oliver married Almira Freeman the daughter of Simeon Freeman. According to Oliver’s obituary, He & Almira had 15 children, 5 died before Oliver did. I have confirmed the names of 13 of their children which are listed on the family group sheet. As for the children, I have found the graves of John W. Coonrod, Oliver Franklin Coonrod, James S. Coonrod, Robert O Coonrod, William S Coonrod, Alfred O. Coonrod, Priscilla Sheets, Lydia Sheets, Christina Davis, Catherine Grubb. I have found the Cemetery ( In Ross Co. OH ) where Sarah Jane Coonrod, Joseph E. Coonrod, and Rebecca Coonrod are buried, but it is now on private ground with a ( No Trespassing Sign ) posted. That still leaves the two children to find. My best guess is that they died as small children and that they are buried somewhere in Hocking Co. OH. Oliver & Almira started their life together in Hocking Co. OH. I have one land record showing that they did own some land in Hocking Co. After the Civil War, Oliver and Almira lived most of their life in Hintington Twp. , Ross Co. OH. I have one land record that shows Oliver buying land in the Ross Co. area from Abraham Freeman. Then in 1901, Fayette Co. land records show that Oliver moved to the Washington C.H. area where he later died. After Almira died, Oliver at the age of 67, married Sarah E. Davey Smith ( 1902 - 1912 ). Sarah died in 1912, and her body was sent back to VA where most of her family had lived. Oliver & Almira are buried at Washington C.H., OH ; Cemetery on Rt. 22 East, section 11, lot 138. Oliver lived at the corner of Maple & Wilson Street in Washington Court House OH, Union Twp. when he died. He was 89 years old when he died of heart trouble. Albert R. McCoy of Washington C.H. was the undertaker. John Coonrod ( Oliver's son ) was the administrator of Oliver's will. For some reason, after Oliver’s death, one of his sons ( Oliver Franklin Coonrod ) changed his last name to Conrad. In this branch of the Coonrod family there was a Bible found to be written in German; Perhaps the name change has something to do with German Roots. At the age of 83, Oliver wrote an account of his family’s history. This account of Oliver’s family history was written as a letter to his granddaughter Irene and it was dated 1917. Irene Coonrod Jenson passed it on down to her niece Velma Coonrod Bick, who as a genealogist at heart recorded the history and passed it on down to as many family members as possible. Many people now have copies of Velma’s re-typed copy known as Oliver’s letter. Some people discard this history as the babbling of an old man. However, over the past ten years I have confirmed many parts of that history, and found no one who can disprove any of it. Military Service : My Favorite Part I have always had a special place in my heart for Military Service Members; Men and women who have gave up large portions of their life and in some cases gave their life for us. As a descendant of Oliver Coonrod we can and should be proud of the COONROD name. Oliver served his country and lead a whole company of men through several states and some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Oliver enlisted in the army at the age of 27, he joined on 5th Oct 1861. When Oliver Marched off to war, he left behind a wife and at least two children not knowing if he would ever return or not. Oliver was the 1st Sgt.. Of the 58th O.V.I.,Co. H. Two of the most famous battles Oliver fought in were Shiloh TN. and Vicksburg MISS. The 58th was mustered at Camp Chase OH on the 5th Oct 1861. Most of the 58th came from the Hocking Co. area. Oliver made the rank of 1st Sgt.. On 1Jan 1863. His captain’s name was Ezra P. Jackson age 37 . The 1st Lt. was Henry H. Siebert age 20. Sometime after the war, Oliver joined the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) which was a Civil War Veterans organization. When he died, Oliver was the Chaplin for the Fayette Co. John M. Bell Post of the G.A.R. In the above paragraph I have tried to honor Oliver Coonrod the soldier, but it would be a sin for me not to mention the fact that Oliver is only one of the hundreds of soldiers recorded on our family tree. Two of the other hundreds of soldiers that come immediately to mind are Earl Ray Coonrod ( Milburn’s son ) who lost his life during the Korean War, and Arnold Coonrod ( Irvin & Betty Coonrod’s son ) who paid the ultimate price for our freedom during the Vietnam War. When I think of those who have gave their life on our behalf , I am reminded of what the Bible says in John 15: 13 “ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. “ Oh well, enough of my babbling; Let me get this posted for you. Take Care and God bless. Rufus