Guess I should explain who this Coyner was - since it got on the list! I'm finding a lot more Coyner-Coiner variations lately than I'd found previously, also Comer and Conner for Coiner. This branch of the family actually evolved into Coiner. After the Civil War most of the families had adopted a spelling which makes it easier to connect them. Coyner Springs was the project of Big George Coiner, son of George Adam Coiner (1820 spelling) who died in 1820. I think Big George started this about 10 years after his father died. He sold his land in Augusta County (Long Meadows, Fishersville) and went to Botetourt where I think the connection was through the marriage of his son, Jonathan to Mary Swisher. The Swishers were in Botetourt County before 1800 and there is a Knob there named for them. Some of these Swishers (Switzer-Schweitzer) lived in Fishersville. In the Koiner History it says of Big George " he founded the noted Coyner Springs", written in 1892. Doris has been able to find this landmark for me and I am really grateful, I was just having no luck. The author of the Koiner History regarded Big George as quite a dreamer, and it appears he lost a good deal of his initial inheritance if he only had 26 acres left for his 2nd wife, Mary Wren(n) Coiner and their 3 sons, Smith, Samuel and Henry. His sons by his first wife, Sarah Grove, became coal miners it seems. They may have been involved at a higher level, but we know that several of his grandsons were coal miners in WV and MO. I just spent a year and a half working on this family and we wound up with 8 cousins from this branch, all who contacted me during this time. We just kept adding cousins. There were lots of Georges, Michaels, Margarets, Philips, etc. in this family, all named for the Progenitor and his sons, and I find the nicknames very intriguing. George Adam was called George, his son George was Big George and his cousin George was Gentleman George for his 'quiet and mannerly ways'. George Adams closest brothers were Conrad (for his grandfather in Germany) and George Michael who went by Mike to distinguish him from his father who went by Michael. George Michael's son Michael went by that name, as his grandfather died in 1796. Interesting, these nicknames. And why two Georges? Their baptismal sponsor was George Bush, his wife was Anna Bush and the three daughters, born after George Michael, were Anna Elizabeth, Anna Maria (Mary), and Anna Catherine. I can find these Bushes with the family down through the years in PA but they disappear about 1770. Casper Coiner came to VA with his best friend, Nicholas Bush, so the Bushes in Augusta County may be related to those Bushes who helped to name the Coiner family. Norma DVS1119@aol.com wrote: > > I apologize to the list but Norma's mail keeps kicking out on fatal error. > She's looking for this Spring-- > > Coyner Springs > > Located on SR 660 just off US 460 just inside the Botetourt County line eight > miles east of Roanoke. > > Coyner Springs has had many spellings--Coyner, Conner and Coiner. It was a > white elephant to the city of Roanoke, but today it is the site of the Roanoke > City Nursing Home and the Roanoke Juvenile Detention Home. > > The history of the springs mirrors in part the history of the Roanoke area and > dates back to 1770 when John Howard was granted 325 acres. In 1836 George > Cointer acquired 165 acres of the original purchase. He died in 1843 and his > wife retained 26 acres including the springs. > > The springs had only local use until 1851 when Fleming James purchased the > property and built a hotel and cottages. The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad > was built near the resort shortly afterward and, to increase its business, the > company built a station at the springs. > > To attract more patrons, James dubbed the different springs: the White, the > Blue, the Black and Chalybeate--thereby claiming for one resort the virtues > ascribed to many. > > In 1886, the resort was purchased by William Frye, whose son, Dr. William > Frye, was an early Roanoke physician. > > Life at the resort followed an established routine consisting of strolls to > the various springs to drink the water, croquet games, cards and dancing at > night. The cottages were furnished with Spartan severity and the unpainted, > unpapered, glaring white walls and ceilings were cheerless. There was a damp > odor that seemed to permeate everything. > > Along with Blue Ridge Springs, Coyner was patronized mainly by people from the > Roanoke and the southwest Virginia areas. > > By the time of the First World War, the hotel was in bad shape and was torn > down. In the 1920's a New York man tried to revive the area but met with > only slight success. Some years later the City of Roanoke came into > possession of the property, and in 1939 the present nursing home was built as > a tuberculosis sanitorium. The last tuberculosis patient was moved out in > 1956 and the building stood empty until the City of Roanoke established the > nursing home in 1958. > > Today the old resort is peopled by senior citizens and junveniles who can look > out over some magnificent scenery from its 124 acres of rolling hills. > > Doris > > ==== VAAUGUST Mailing List ==== > **************************************************************** > The Augusta County IRC channel is open Fridays at 7:00 PM EST > to find out more, see the IRC page at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapulask/augustaquery/augustairc.htm > ***************************************************************