O. J. Coons Biography This biography appears on page 1860 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. O. J. COONS, one of the leading citizens of Bowdle, South Dakota, and cashier of the Bank of Bowdle, was born in Iowa county, Iowa. He was reared from the age of nine to twenty-two years in Missouri, where he attended the public schools. At the age of twenty-two years he began traveling as a salesman, continuing four years. He next clerked in a clothing store at Sac City, Iowa, for about eleven years, and then engaged in the real-estate and abstract business at that place for eleven years. He came to Bowdle in 1899, and bought out the Bowdle Bank, becoming cashier of the same, in which position he has since continued. He and his partner are also interested in a large cattle ranch in Edmunds county, where they have a ranch of nine sections of land. Mr. Coons married Miss M. Jennie Traner, who was born in Grant county, Wisconsin. Mr. Coons is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Pythias.