Cohoun, J. L.

COHOUN

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 12/2/2008 at 13:49:20

J. L. Cohoun

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.16, Council Bluffs)
J. L. Cohoun, Cashier for Christian Straub, Council Bluffs, was born in Elizabeth City, N. C., January 13, 1861. Resided with his parents there for eleven years. Then came to Council Bluffs. He was educated in Council Bluffs, and in September, 1880, left that city to join the American Contingent of the Peruvian Navy, at Halifax, N. S. He first went to Baltimore, Md., where he passed a thorough and rigid examination. He was accepted and presented with a commission of Fourth Lieutenant, and took 160 American seamen from Baltimore to Halifax to man the new Peruvian iron-clad, Guadaloupe, which was laden with arms and ammunition. The expedition was for the relief of Callao, Peru. Mr. Cohoun continued in the Peruvian service seven months. The Guadaloupe encountered a severe storm while on her voyage, making her almost a wreck, and injuring many of the officers and crew. Among the unfortunate was Mr. Cohoun, who was accordingly left at the Marine Hospital, at Norfolk, Va., with the First Lieutenant. Upon his recovery, he was assigned to the dangerous duty of recruiting seamen for the Peruvian service, which was a violation of our international law. He was engaged in the recruiting service for four months, and upon the fall of Callao, he severed his connection with Peru. He returned to Council Bluffs May 1, 1881, and engaged with W. W. Wallace, coal merchant as book-keeper and acted in that capacity till June 1, 1882, when he accepted the position of cashier with Christian Straub, the well-known contractor and builder of Council Bluffs. Mr. Cohoun is a young man of fine business ability, and success in life is sure to crown his efforts.