From the History of Greene and Jersey Counties, IL:
"Elder Stephen Coonrod made a settlement in this township, in 1829, ont he northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 33, whichhe e ntered, and where he lived until 1872, when he died. He was bornin Gra yson county, Ky., Feb. 4, 1798 being a son of George Coonrod.He was ma rried Feb. 28, 1819, to Candis Lee, born Dec. 6, 1800, inKentucky. Soo n after marriage they removed to Wayne county, where helived until 182 9, when he moved to Greene county, as above. The dateof his death was D ec. 19, 1872. He professed religion and wasbaptized in May, 1812, and i n 1828 he began preaching, and continueddoing so the rest of his life, b eing a member of the old RegularBaptist church. In politics he was a d emocrat. His wife died Nov. 11,1879. Their marriage was blessed with t en children, six boys and fourgirls."
He was a Baptist preacher and preached at the church where the OakwoodC emetery is located, the place many of the Coonrod family are buried.
In Past and Present of Greene County, IL is:
"Rev. Stephen Coonrod, who died in 1872. appeared as one of the firstB aptist clergymen in the village....In 1829 Mr. Coonrod became pastorof t he little Batpist church in the village, at the same time li\ingon and o perating his farm. He continued this relation until his death— a
period of 48 years. During half of this time, he had also, at the samet ime, charge of a
church on Taylor's Prairie, and one at Athensville. At first, for fouro r five years, he held public services in private dwellings but, in1834 , a small log church building was erected on one corner of thegraveyar d, north of town, which served as a place of public worshipfor about t hirty years, when it gave place to a more impcjsingstructure in the no rth part of town in 1855.
Apparently he was instrumental in starting new churches as he wasliste d as a member of several early churches, some at the same.
Residences & events:
1818 Hardin Co, KY where he married Candis.
Stephen was Justice of the Peace, signed his father-in-law's will andi nherited $336.00 from him upon his death.
1823 Wayne Co, IL, where son, Jefferson, was born.
1828 "He began preaching and continued doing so the rest of his life,b eing a member of the old Regular Baptist church. In politics he wasa d emocrat."
1829 Greene Co, IL. County history said he bought 40 acres at S33T11 R 10, and built his first cabin.
He purchased an adjoining 40 acres east of the current property andbui lt "a more commodious house" moving into it in 1835. He remainedat th at address until his death.
1830 He was a member of the Shiloh Church of Macoupin Co, IL whichwas o ne of the original churches of the Apple Creek Assoc.
Abt 7/1830 "Elder Stephen Coonrod" was the first pastor of theHickory G rove Church and was replaced in 1834 by Meshack Browning..
1830 Greene Co, IL. At census time there were living in that county,S tephen Coonrod and brothers John, Thomas and Henry, as well as youngGe orge Coonrod. Stephen was age 30-39, in his family were 1 maleunder 5 , 2 age 5-9, 1 female under 5, 1 at 5-9, and his wife at20-29.
Again from the History of Carroll County:
"In 1832 Jacob Bower gathered a church near where Woodville now is....
It was with the Woodville body that the meeting of the Apple CreekAsso ciation occurred in which Harrison Witt, M. Browning, and J. V.Rhoads t ook the side of missionary effort, and John Record andStephen Coonrod t ook the Antinomian side of the controversy, and thisled to the formati on of the Concord Association....
The Concord Association had three churches in Greene County, Hopewello n the west side of Apple Creek, now extinct; Union, now located atBarr ow, and one near Greenfield, over which Stephen Coonrod presidedfor ma ny years."
Bethlehem Church: "Elder Stephen Coonrod was a charter member of thisc hurch, and served as pastor until his death, from smallpox, in1872."
1835 Stephen bought more land and built a bigger house. He laterdona ted 40 acres of that property for Coonrod Park which later wascalled O akwood Cemetery. Daughter Anis was the first person buriedthere.
10/2-4/1840 Stephen and a William Finley were delegates from theBethl eham church at the Concord Regular Baptist Assoc in Morgan Co,IL. The y reported 41 members of the church.
1860 Greenfield, Greene Co, IL. At census time he was 62 years oldwi th property worth $4500/500 but no occupation. The census lookslike h e was living with an Edwards family while Candis and the kidslived nex t door but that is probably in error. Candis was 59 withchildren: Ed mund, 27; Stephen N, 23; Nancy, 19; and Emily, 17. Alsoliving in Gree nfield were brothers G W, and John W, 2 other Johns, ML, and Margaret C oonrod.
5/18/1861 He was involved in the orginazation of the Otter CreekChurc h of Macoupin Co, IL.
From History of Greene County:
"The late Rev. Stephen Coonrod who died in Dec, 1872, at his homenorth o f town, appears among the first clergymen of this denomination(Baptist )."
And from Past and Present of Greene County, IL:
"Elder Stephen Coonrod, with his family, settled on section 33 inRubic on township, where he resided until his death in 1872, ofsmallpox."
His son's biography says he died of "that dreadful disease" smallpox.
