F570
William J. Koonce, the sixth child of Rev. James C. and Susan Johnson Koonce, was born 19 December 1844 in Union Parish, Louisiana and moved to the Melrose community of Nacogdoches County with his parents about 1848-49. He joined Co. A, II th Regt., Texas Infantry of the Confederate Army in Marksville, Louisiana on 20 Feb. 1864. His widow drew a pension (#08417) based on his service years later. He was a member of the Nacogdoches County reserve militia in 1870.
William married Elizabeth Ann (Lizzie) Chandler 28 August 1865 in San Augustine County. She was a daughter of Elias and Nancy Barrow Chandler, born June, 1850 in Miss., and died 4 July 1922. Children of William and Elizabeth Koonce were: Rhoda, born 2 April 1867, married a Thompson. Phillip, born 21 Feb. 1869 married Florence Fussell. Ollie E. born 11 Aug. 1872 married Will M. Cautham. Rhodolphus born 11 Aug. 1876, died 16 Dec. 1960, married Mrs. Lucretia Lott Burns. Iosie Rebecca born 25 March 1881 married George Mills.
William J. Koonce was a Baptist Minister and served as pastor of a number of churches in Nacogdoches, San Augustine and Shelby Counties. He was a licensed preacher in 1881 and was pastor of Salem Church in Shelby County and was living at Martin City at that time. He was ordained 1883-84. By 1885 he had moved to Chireno and was pastor of the County Line Church 1886-1890 and was pastor of the Pleasant Hill Church in 1891. He lived in Denning 1892-94, Swannville 1895-96 and Attoyac 1898. He was riding his horse in the Attoyac bottom on his way to conduct a funeral when he was killed by a failing tree limb. Exact date of his death is not known but it was 1898-1900. An article in the Nacogdoches Texas Daily Sentinel newspaper stated that he was a "preacher of great promise and usefulness." He and his wife are both buried in the Blackjack Cemetery in Nacogdoches County in marked graves.
by Maurine Childs Parker

Copied from Nacogdoches County Families, currently available from Nacog. Gene. Soc. as a reprint from 1985. Several of his siblings are also included as well as his parents (several pictures).

(submitted to this site by John R. Beard)