Source: History of Boone County, Indiana, by Hon. L.M. Crist, 1914.

HENRY N. COONS, M.D. It is not always easy to discover and define the hidden forces
that move a life of ceaseless activity and large professional success; little more can be done
to note their manifestation in the career of the individual under consideration. In view of
this fact the life of the distinguished physician and public-spirited man of affairs whose
name appears at the head of this article affords a striking example of well-defined purpose
with the ability to make that purpose subserve not only his own ends but the good of his
fellowmen as well. Doctor Coons has long held distinctive prestige in a calling for which
requires for its base, sound mentality and intellectual discipline of a high order,
supplemented by rigid professional training and thorough mastery of technical knowlege
with the skill to apply the same, without which one cannot hope to rise above mediocrity in
ministering to human ills. In his chosen field of endeavor Doctor Coons has achieved
success such as few attain, and his present eminent standing among the leading medical
men of this section of Indiana is duly recognized and appreciated not only in his own city
and county, but also in adjoining counties.

Doctor Coons, whose name has for a period of thirty years been a household word to the
people of Lebanon and Boone county, was born in Jackson township and he has been
content to spend his life in this community; the date of his birth is September 18, 1853.
He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Beck) Coons, one of our worthy pioneer families. The
father was born in Bath county, Kentucky, and the mother was a native of Montgomery
county, Indiana, and here she grew to womanhood and received her education in the old-
time rural schools, as did also Mr. Coons in his native community in the Blue Grass state,
where he spent his boyhood, coming to Boone county, Indiana, in 1848, at the age of
twenty-two years, he having been born June 7, 1826. He married soon after coming here
and established his home on a farm in Jackson township, becoming in due course of time
one of our best general farmers and highly respected citizens. Since the autumn of 1892
he has been living in Lebanon, retired. His wife was called to her eternal rest February 14,
1912.

Doctor Coons was reared on the home farm and there he worked when a boy, and
attended the rural schools in his vicinity, later studied in the preparatory school of Wabash
College for two years, then entered Wabash College at Crawfordsville, Indiana from which
he was graduated in the class of 1880. After his graduation he began the study of medicine
under Dr. William Taylor and Dr. J.A. Utter, of Terre Haute, remaining under their
direction for several months, then entered Pulte Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, but
completed his medical course at Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago in 1883. The
same year he opened an office in Lebanon, which he has maintained continuously until the
present time and has enjoyed an extensive and ever-growing practice, for three decaded,
ranking among the foremost general practitioners in this section of the state. He has
remained a close student and has kept fully abreast of the times in medical research, and
has taken several short post-graduate courses in Chicago. He has also devoted much
attention to surgery and has been very successful in that field. He is a member of the
Indiana Institute of Homeopathy and the American Institute of Homeopathy, also belongs
to the Marion County Homeopathic Society. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of
Pythias and the Masonic Order, having attained the thirty-second degree in the latter. He is
also a Shriner and Knight Templar. Politically, the Doctor is a Prohibitionist, in which he
has long been active and foremost in all movements calculated to advance the best interests
of all the people. He and his family are members of the Christian church, in which he is an
elder and active in church and Sunday school work. He is chief medical examiner for the
Lexington Life Insurance Company, also is examiner for various other companies. His
office is in the First National Bank building and his commodious home is at 404 East Pearl
street.

Doctor Coons was married August 6, 1884, to Jessie Grubb, a daughter of David and
Evelyn (Daniels) Grubb, who lived in Shelby county, Indiana, now both deceased. To the
Doctor and wife three children were born, namely: Mary, Fern and John, all at home at
this writing. The son is a senior in Wabash College and will study medicine; the eldest
daughter is a graduate of Washington College for Girls; she is an accomplished musician
and a teacher of music; the second daughter was also graduated from Washington College,
later graduating from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, in the class of 1913, taking
a literary course, specializing in French, German, history and literature, and she intends to
teach. These children are all talented and promising.

BECK COONS DANIELS GRUBB TAYLOR UTTER

Submitted by Amy K. Davis