Carey, Charles Henry. "History of Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1922. p. 653. HON. THOMAS RAY COON The life activities of Hon. Thomas Ray Coon have been broad and varied and as legislator, as educator and as horticulturist he has achieved prominence and distinction, for he is a man who would rise to a position of leadership in any line to which he turned his attention. He is now residing in Portland and although sixty-six years of age is yet strong and vigorous both in mind and body, showing that his has been a life of clean living and high thinking. Mr. Coon is one of Oregon's native sons, his birth having occurred at Silverton on the 4th of March, 1854. He comes of a family that has long been established in America, his maternal grandfather, Paul Crandall, being a descendant in the sixth generation of the Rev. John Crandall, a Baptist minister, who went to Massachusetts about the year 1635 and a little later followed Roger Williams to Rhode Island where they labored together for religious toleration. Joseph Crandall of the third generation and his son Phineas of the fourth generation were both soldiers in the Revolutionary war. Silas Crandall of the fifth generation owned a fishing smack on Long Island sound, which was shot to pieces by the British in the War of 1812. Paul Crandall, the second constitutional convention which met in 1847. He married Sally Stillman, and their daughter, Polly Lavinia, was born November 24, 1825, at Alfred Center, New York. At Milton, Wisconsin, on the 1st of January, 1845, she wedded Thomas Lewis Coon and they became the parents of Thomas Ray Coon, the subject of this review. Previous to her marriage the mother had taught school in Wisconsin and her father was a prominent resident of that state, aiding in framing the constitution. Thomas L. Coon was born at Hornellsville, New York, May 16, 1821, a son of Stephen and Bathsheba (Wells) Coon, who in the early part of the nineteenth century resided in western New York, where they reared their family of twelve children. Later they removed to Wisconsin and the mother's demise occurred in 1833. Thomas L. Coon, one of the younger members of the family, was educated at Alfred Center, New York, and following the removal of his parents to Wisconsin he there engaged in the profession of teaching. In 1850 Mr. Coon crossed the continent to California and in 1852 his wife crossed the plains to Oregon as members of a party of thirty, which included the parents of Mrs. Coon and their children: Webster and his wife; Luke; Phoebe; Amanda; and Emily Crandall. Samuel L. Coon, a half-brother of Thomas L. Coon, and Jay Stillman, a cousin, were also in the party, the latter being now (in 1921) the only surviving member of the band of thirty. Locating on land which is now the town site of Silverton, Thomas L. Coon there engaged in tilling the soil and for a time also followed the profession of teaching. He passed away on the 10th of January, 1854, leaving a wife and daughter, Cornelia, and seven weeks later the birth of his son, Thomas Ray, occurred. After he husband's demise Mrs. Coon continued to reside on the homestead and engaged in teaching school, subsequently platting and naming the town of Silverton. On the 27th of September, 1856, she wedded Stephen Price and in 1861 they removed to Salem where for many years she was an instructor in the public schools. later she taught in Portland and The Dalles, being considered one of the best primary teachers in the state. She passed away on the 22d of October, 1898. In the public schools of Salem and in Willamette University Thomas R. Coon pursued his education and near the end of the junior year he received a pressing offer from Ezra Meeker to become the teacher at Puyallup, Washington, which position he accepted, although the faculty were strongly opposed to his leaving the university at that time. It was but natural that he should be attracted toward the profession of teaching, as both his father and mother were prominent educators and inheriting their ability he proved very successful in the work, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge which he had acquired. In 1869 he was invited by the colored people of Salem to teach a night school. He had about twenty pupils, ranging in age from ten to sixty years, laborers, barbers and blacksmiths being among the adult students and William Johnson and his wife, prominent and respected colored residents of their day and generation, were also included among his pupils. His first public school was taught at Franklin (now Puyallup), in Pierce county, Washington. The certificate was obtained at Tacoma, in June, 1871, from General McCarver who was the first settler at Linnton, Multnomah county, Oregon, then at Sacramento, California, and finally at Tacoma, Washington. The examination required by Superintendent McCarver consisted of a specimen of the handwriting of the applicant and the name of the school in which he had studied. In the Franklin school there were seven pupils older than the teacher and among the younger students was Clarence K. Clark, who later became famous as the engineer who succeeded in directing the waters of the Colorado river from their course into the Salton sea, diverting its flow into the Imperial valley of California, thus completing a valuable irrigation system. From Puyallup, Washington, Mr. Coon removed to Portland where he took charge of the Mount Tabor school, the site of which is now occupied by the A. L. Mills Open Air School. Self government was used successfully in the Mount Tabor School. The state of Franklin was organized with a constitution and members of the legislature were elected from among the pupils, who made the rules of the school. They were allowed to choose a governor but the powers of the supreme court were vested in the teacher. This was a novel method of instruction, displaying Mr. Coon's spirit of initiative and in this manner the pupils obtained valuable practical knowledge concerning legislative procedure and the value of discipline. He next became principal of the East Portland schools, grading them to conform with the work on the west side and after two years there spent he took charge of the South school in Seattle, A. A. Denny and Orange Jacobs being at that time members of the board. Owing to a shortage of school funds in that city he went to Astoria, Oregon, where he was occupied in grading the schools but at the end of two years resigned on account of impaired health, due to the close confinement necessitated by his work as an instructor. His efforts along that line were most successful and as an educator he became well known throughout the Pacific northwest. Removing to Hood River, Oregon, Mr. Coon there turned his attention to horticultural pursuits, in which he has become prominent, conducting his operations along the most scientific and progressive lines. In the course of his experiments he discovered the value of the Clark seedling strawberry which he shipped to the Missouri river markets and into the Colorado mines. He was active in organizing the Hood River Fruit Grower's Union of which he served as a director and president for about seven years and was the first to be sent out to look after the markets east of the Rocky mountains. In 1895 he took the first carload shipment, amounting to thirteen cars, over the Rockies. For three successive years he took charge of the shipments, the last being to Montana. The Hood River Fruit Growers Union was incorporated in 1893 and its success in marketing the strawberry smoothed the way for the apple grower who came later. Cooperation of the growers and an honest pack were insisted upon. In 1894 he was a delegate from the Hood River Fruit Growers Union to the Northwestern Fruit Growers Association which was organized at Spokane, Washington, and in 1895 he was elected secretary of that association. A spirit of enterprise and progress characterized him in all of his work and he has been most successful in his horticultural operations, being regarded as an authority in this branch of agriculture. He has advanced with the scientific principles of agriculture and by his prosperity in a modern enterprise conducted along progressive lines has proved the efficacy of system in promoting productiveness. Mr. Coon remains on his Hood River fruit land which is located right on Hood river, during the planting and growing season and spends the winter months at his home in the Mount Tabor district. He is a man of determined purpose, carrying forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, for in his vocabulary there is no such word as fail. In Tacoma, Washington territory, on the 12th of April, 1874, Mr. Coon was united in marriage to Miss Delia McNeal, the ceremony being performed at the home of George F. Orchard who with his family was occupying a log cabin which was the first dwelling built on the homestead of General McCarver and theirs was the distinction of being the first couple married in Tacoma. The parents of Mrs. Coon were Abraham and Phoebe (Beebe) McNeal. Her father was born in western New York of Scotch descent and the mother was also a native of that section of the country and a lineal descendant of Michael Pierce who located at Scituate, Massachusetts, in 1645. The parents were married in Brown county, Wisconsin, October 1, 1850, and in 1856 they removed to Nebraska. The mother passed away in 1859 and the following year the father with his four little daughters crossed the plains to California. In September, 1861, he arrived in Oregon, taking up his residence at Salem, and his demise occurred at Tacoma, Washington, on the 23d of June, 1886. To Mr. and Mrs. Coon were born the following children: Ida Cornelia, who was born June 26, 1875, and died September 29, 1882; Eugene Carl, whose birth occurred on the 24th of June, 1883; Thomas Melvin, born April 12, 1885; Viola Ruth, who was born July 19, 1887, and on the 1st of August, 1912, became the wife of William Foss of Hood River, Oregon; Florence Grace, born November 22, 1888, who became the wife of Harry W. Woods of Portland, on the 12th of April, 1919; Phoebe Mable, born April 4, 1892; Charles Wells, who was born January 14, 1895, and died September 13, 1896; and Sarah Elinor, who was born October 21, 1898, and died on the 8th of January the following year. Mr. Coon was identified with the Riverside congregational church in Hood River and later became a member of the United Brethren church. From boyhood he has been a Good Templar and was at one time a member of the Knights of Pythias. For many years he has been independent in politics but was reared a republican and as a boy enjoyed listening to political arguments. In 1904 and 1905 he served as mayor of Hood River and in 1886 was elected justice of the peace, making a most creditable record in both offices. He was elected joint representative for Sherman and Wasco counties and served as a member of the state legislature during the sessions of 1893 and 1895, giving thoughtful consideration to the vital questions which came up for beneficial to the state at large. He ever stood fearlessly in defense of the rights of the people and in 1895 was one of The Thirty who would not submit to the dictates of the political bosses in electing a United States senator. By many this is regarded as the beginning of the Oregon System by which United States senators are chosen by direct vote of the people. When quite young he received two dollars and a half from his stepfather for reading Raymond's Life of Abraham Lincoln which had a lasting and elevating effect upon him. He is an extremely intelligent and well read man and is the possessor of a fine library, finding great enjoyment in the perusal of good literature. He presents a striking example of a strong mind in a strong body, for although sixty-six years "young," as he expresses it, his life in the open has given to him a most robust and vigorous physique and he is still an active factor in the world's work. He is a high minded man who has ever stood for advanced ideals yet utilizes practical methods in their attainment and fearless in his defense of truth and justice, reform and progress. Those forces which have contributed most to the development, improvement and benefit of the state of Oregon have received impetus from the labors of Hon. Thomas Ray Coon whose life record has been a credit and honor to the state which has honored him. Transcriber's additional notes: 1850, August 20; Rock Co, WI; Lima, p 365 Thos. L. Coon, 29, NY, farmer Lovinia, 24, NY Cornelia, 4, WI Paul, 22, NY, farmer Wm., 21, NY, teacher 1860, July 4; Marion Co, OR; Silverton Pct, p 431 S. Price, 57, IN, millwright, $4000 / $1000 Polly, 35?, NY C. Coon, 14, WI Thos. Coon, 6, OR, att. school E. Price, 4, OR Wm. Price, 34, OH, carpenter, $3000 pers. prop. 1870, June 13; Marion Co, OR; East Salem Pct, p 25 Stephen Price, 48, IN, carpenter Polly L, 43, NY, teacher, $2000 / $500 Thos. R. Coon, 16, OR, at school Eugene Price, 13, OR, at school Ida Hutton, 12, OR, at school 1880, June 11; Wasco Co, OR; Hood River, p 261 Stephen Price, 57, IN, DE, OH, farmer Polly L, wife, 54, NY, CT, NY, washer Thomas R. Coon, boarder, 25, OR, NY, NY, teacher Delia M, dau in law, 25, KS, NY, NY, teacher Corla, gr dau, 4, OR, OR, KS 1900, June 8; Wasco Co, OR; Hood River, p 82 Thomas Coon, 46, March 1854, OR, NY, NY, mar 26 yrs, farmer, owns farm Dellia M, wife, 46, April 1854, WI, NY, NY, mar 26 yrs, 8 children-5 living Carl U, son, 16, June 1883, OR, OR, WI, att. school Thomas M, son, 15, April 1885, OR, OR, WI, att. school Viola R, dau, 12, July 1887, OR, OR, WI, att. school Florence G, dau, 11, Nov 1888, OR, OR, WI, att. school Theje? M, dau, 8, April 1892, OR, OR, WI, att. school 1910, April 22; Multnomah Co, OR; Portland Pct 57, p 268; 136 E. 58th st. T. R. Coon, 56, OR, NY, NY, Mar 1, 36 yrs, farmer, own home with mortgage Delia M, wife, 56, WI, NY, NY, Mar 1, 36 yrs, 8 children-5 living E. Carl, son, 26, OR, OR, WI, single, electrician, electric co. Thomas M, son, OR, OR, WI, single, electrician, electric co. Viola Ruth, dau, 22, OR, OR, WI, single Florence Grace, dau, 21, OR, OR, WI, single, student Phoebe Mabel, dau, 18, OR, OR, WI, single, student William Hirkola, laborer, 24, OR, OR, OR, single, laborer about the house 1920, January 2; Multnomah Co, OR; Portland Pct 184, p 132; 265 E. 60th Thomas R. Coon, 65, OR, NY, NY, fruit farmer Delia M, wife, 65, WI, NY, NY Eugene C, son, 36, OR, OR, WI, single, electrician, wire houses Thomas M, son, 34, OR, OR, WI, single, electrician, wire houses Mabel P, dau, 27, OR, OR, WI, single 1930, April 13; Multnomah Co, OR; Portland Pct 260, p 237; 92 E. 69th Thos, R. Coon, 76, OR, US, US, 1st mar age 20, gardner, floral co., not a vet., rents, $35 Delia M, wife, 76, WI, US, US, 1st mar age 20 Mabel P, dau, 37, OR, OR, WI, single, no occ. Oregon Death Index: Thomas Coon, died February 8, 1937; Hood River Co, OR. certificate # 107; spouse Delia Delia Coon, died November 14, 1936; Portland, Multnomah Co, OR. certificate # 3624 ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2005 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.