The Coon, or Kuhn, family began coming to America with the early Dutch traders and colonists who settled on the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers and founded the present City and State of New York. There have been thirty different spellings of this name: Cane, Coan, Koan, Coehn, Koehn, Caen, Koen, Caend, Coene, Koene, Cone, Coon, Koon, Korn, Coone, Cooun, Couan, Coun, Cowen, Cuhn, Kuhn, Kuhne, Cun, Kun, Cune, Cuyn, Cuyne, Gun, Kunn, and Kunne.

My earliest confirmed ancestor was a German Palatine who arrived in June and July 1710 at New York. Family history says these arrivals came from Weisbaden, Germany. SAMUEL KUHN SR and his wife CATHERINE MILLER were probably born about 1650-55 and were about 55 to 60 years old when they reached America. Samuel died before 1715 and Catherine went to live with their son Valentin (Veltin).

VALENTIN (VELTIN) KUHN (probably born during 1675-89) married ANNA CATHARINA WEIS shortly before or just after coming to America. He was among the adult male Palatines of 1710, a soldier from the Annsberg camp in July 1711, and a member of the expedition against Canada. It is believed that he lived on or near the old Coon farm in Elizaville, NY. Anna Catharina died after 1741. No reference is found of Valentin after May, 1757.

JOHN HERMANN KUHN, born August 21, 1732, married ANNA CATHARINA KREISELER before 1753 and probably lived on the old Coon farm. He was in the town of Clermont in 1790.

WILHEMUS KUHN SR, born probably September 27, 1772, married CATHARINA BUTLER, daughter of Jacob, on December 25, 1791. They lived near Blue Stores. He died January 29, 1857 and she died October 1, 1843. Both are buried in te Manorton Lutheran cemetery. The Rev. Aaron Coons wrote that when he was a school-boy (about 1840-50) this great-uncle Wilhemus, then an old man with a large family, went to school with him so as to learn how to write.

HELMUS (Wilhemus or William) COON JR, born October 19, 1805, married CATHERINE COON on January 26, 1826, and lived near the Manorton Church. It is believed that Catherine was the daughter of either Helmus' cousin Jacob or his Uncle Henry Coon.

CATHERINE COON was born November 29, 1826, and died January 18, 1915. She married JOHN WILSON JR on November 20, 1851. He died February 22, 1911, and both are buried in Gilbertsville, New York. John's occupation was a harness maker. His obituary describes him as a "first class workman and always had plenty to do as long as he was able to work. He was a good citizen, an upright, honest, straightforward man who had the respect and good will of all who knew him, and whose death will be greatly regretted and sincerely mourned."

MARY FRANCES WILSON married HIRAM FISK JR. see Fisk genealogy, Generations 1-3.