Datus Ensign Coon

Datus Ensign Coon (1831–1893) was a newspaper publisher, Union Army officer during the American Civil War, planter, and state politician in Alabama. He was a delegate to the 1875 Alabama Constitutional Convention and a fraternal order of veterans president in San Diego, California.[1] He served as a state legislator during the Reconstruction era in Alabama. representing Dallas County, Alabama in the Alabama House of Representatives.[2] He served on investigating committee evaluating corruption allegations against U.S. Senator George E. Spencer.[3]

He was the son of Luke Coon Jr. and Lois Locina Burdick, born in De Ruyter, New York to a religious family with roots in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He was named for Datus Ensign (1783-1853),[4] a famous evangelist of the time.[5] He worked on a farm in Iowa with his father before starting a newspaper.[6] During the American Civil War he served as Colonel of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry Regiment and eventually commanded a cavalry brigade.[7]

In 1872 he was documented as an inspector in the 2nd District of Alabama.[8] A specimen of gypsiferous marl from him in Selma, Alabama was documented in an agricultural report in 1872.[9]

He served as U.S. Commercial Agent in Baracoa, Cuba.[10]

He moved to San Diego in 1878 to serve as a "Chinese Inspector" (Chinese Exclusion Act).[11][12] He was a leading member of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) in San Diego and was accidentally shot in 1893. The organization named one of its posts for him.[12]

He is buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery in San Diego.[10]

Further reading

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  • An Illustrated History of Southern California: Embracing the Counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower California, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago 1890 pages 291 and 292

References

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  1. ^ "The Code of Alabama: 1876". Barrett & Brown. December 31, 1877 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Representatives, USA Congress House of (December 31, 1875). "House Documents". U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Senate, Alabama Legislature (December 31, 1876). "Journal of the Senate of the State of Alabama" – via Google Books.
  4. ^ https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/K2VC-DNT/reverend-datus-ensign-iii-1783-1853. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ Family genealogical records of Elizabeth Smith Clark et al.
  6. ^ Stuart, Addison A. (December 31, 1865). "Iowa Colonels and Regiments: Being a History of Iowa Regiments in the War of the Rebellion; and Containing a Description of the Battles in which They Have Fought". Mills & Company – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Office, Iowa Adjutant General's (December 31, 1865). "Report of the Adjutant General and Acting Quartermaster General of the State of Iowa". F.W. Palmer, state printer – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Treasury, United States Department of the (December 31, 1872). "An Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of the U.S." – via Google Books.
  9. ^ Agriculture, USA Department of (December 31, 1873). "Monthly Report of the Department of Agriculture: 1872 (1873)". U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.
  10. ^ a b "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Coon". politicalgraveyard.com.
  11. ^ https://honors.libraries.psu.edu/files/final_submissions/797 [bare URL PDF]
  12. ^ a b https://sandiegohistory.org/wp-content/uploads/migrated/online_resources/downloads/MS%2520157%2520Grand%2520Army%2520of%2520the%2520Republic%2520Collection.pdf [dead link]
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