KOONS, WILLIAM

KOONS, TOMLINSON, RETALLICK

Posted By: Administrator
Date: 10/4/2001 at 08:52:47

From the book "The History of Clinton County Iowa" by L. P. Allen (1879) Pages 669-697
Biographical Sketches of Clinton Residents

WILLIAM KOONS, retired; residence corner Camanche avenue and Harrison street, Riverside; is a native of Perry Co., Penn., and was born in 1820; he was brought up there, and then he removed to New York State, where he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner; he lived in that State for seventeen years, and came to Iowa and located at Clinton Nov. 1,1856, and engaged in building; there was very little here when he came, and Clinton was only about one year old; he continued contracting and building for a number of years, and then, after erecting for himself a fine, large, commodious home, he retired from active building business; when he began life he only had $6 in his pocket, and walked 350 miles to Lockport, N. Y., and his success in life is owing to his own efforts and good management. He has been twice married; his first wife was Ann Tomlinson, a native of England; she died, leaving two children --George B. and Sarah S.; his present wife is Philipi Jane Retallick, a native of England, they have three children-Nellie, Charles and Frank.