Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Coon, John Jackson 1851 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 24, 2008, 4:52 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

JOHN JACKSON COON, editor and proprietor of the Flint Evening and Weekly
Journal, was born at Smithville, Peoria County, Ill., May 6, 1851. He is the
youngest of four sons of Reune Runyon and Emiline Coon. His father was born at
Piscataway, N. J., in 1815; his mother was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1820,
her maiden name being Emiline McCowen. His father is a minister of the Gospel,
having commenced to preach at about twenty years of age. He removed to Alton,
Ill., about 1855 with his parents, where his father was pastor of the Baptist
Church.

  In 1861 the family went to Pana, Ill., and much of the time until 1871 he
spent on the farm and attending school at Pana. In 1871 he entered the
preparatory department of the University of Chicago and during the next few
years his time was spent in attendance at college and working on the farm
through vacation and also often during the school year. He graduated in the
classical course with the Class of '79, and was selected as class orator.

  His first journalistic experience was in the publication of the Chicago Real
Estate and Building Journal in 1880. In 1881 he bought the Gilman, Ill., Star,
which he ran successfully for three and a half years selling out at an increased
price in the summer of 1884. In October, 1884, he bought the Belvidere, Ill.,
Northwestern and after a successful and most prosperous period of three and a
half years he sold it for almost double what he paid for it and purchased the
Flint Evening and Weekly Journal which he has conducted with success, making it
one of the first in the State in influence and reputation.

  Mr. Coon possesses qualifications which specially fit him for the profession
of American journalism. He has a love for the profession, a sense of the fitness
of things, quick perception of the situation, a ready knowledge of human nature,
and the news instinct—alert in the gathering of facts, and skillful in using
them. His style is characterized by vigor, directness and force.

  Mr. Coon was married December 8, 1881 to Miss Julia Hawley, youngest daughter
of Benjamin Ruggles and Hannah Rosamond Hawley, of Chicago. His wife is also a
graduate of the University of Chicago, of the Class of '80.

  Politically he has always been a strong Republican.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892

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