Person Page - 274

     Margaret Hannah Bowen was born in 1773 at Augusta Co, Virginia. She was the daughter of SGT Henry Bowen and Ann Cunningham. Margaret Hannah Bowen married John McElhaney, son of William McElhaney and Mary Cunningham, c 1790 at Augusta Co, Virginia. Margaret Hannah Bowen died in 1845 at Madison Co, Arkansas.

      Birth dates for Margaret Hannah Bowen vary from 1748 to 1760 to 1773, so there may have been two women with this name.

     Martha Margaret Counts was born on 14 Nov 1807 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. She was the daughter of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney. Martha Margaret Counts married Pleasant "Pleze" Miller Johnson, son of SGT Martin Johnson I and Sarah "Sally" Combs, a 1827. Martha Margaret Counts died in 1860 at Madison Co, Arkansas.

     Eva Talitha Counts was born in 1813 at Tennessee. She was the daughter of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney. Eva Talitha Counts married Samuel Bolinger a 1833. Eva Talitha Counts married Francis Dunn a 1835. Eva Talitha Counts died in 1876 at Madison or Sebastian Co, Arkansas.

     Sarah "Sally" Counts was born on 22 Sep 1821 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. She was the daughter of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney. Sarah "Sally" Counts married William B. Henderson a 1841. Sarah "Sally" Counts died c 1860 at Madison Co, Arkansas.

     James Madison Counts was born on 21 Mar 1818 at Warren Co, Tennessee. He was the son of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney. James Madison Counts married Dorothy Johnson on 7 Dec 1837 at Arkansas City, Arkansas Co, Arkansas. James Madison Counts married Margaret A. Woolsey on 14 Aug 1888 at Verona, Lawrence Co, Missouri. James Madison Counts died on 21 Oct 1888 at Verona, Lawrence Co, Missouri, at age 70.

     Dorothy Johnson was born on 14 Jun 1820 at Warren Co, Tennessee. She married James Madison Counts, son of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney, on 7 Dec 1837 at Arkansas City, Arkansas Co, Arkansas. Dorothy Johnson died on 4 Feb 1881 at Missouri at age 60.

     Margaret A. Woolsey was born a 1868. She married James Madison Counts, son of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney, on 14 Aug 1888 at Verona, Lawrence Co, Missouri.

     William B. Henderson was born a 1816. He married Sarah "Sally" Counts, daughter of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney, a 1841.

     Samuel Bolinger was born a 1808. He married Eva Talitha Counts, daughter of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney, a 1833.

     Pleasant "Pleze" Miller Johnson was born on 27 Jun 1805 at Hawkins Co, Tennessee. He was the son of SGT Martin Johnson I and Sarah "Sally" Combs. Pleasant "Pleze" Miller Johnson married Martha Margaret Counts, daughter of Isaac Counts and Martha "Patsy" McElhaney, a 1827. Pleasant "Pleze" Miller Johnson died on 22 Oct 1904 at Madison Co, Arkansas, at age 99.

     Eve Lydge was born a 1753 at North Carolina. She married PVT Nicholas Counts II, son of Nicholas Counts I and Elizabeth "Lisbet" Sharp, in 1773 at Orange Co, North Carolina. Eve Lydge died in 1840 at Greene Co, Tennessee.

      Nicholas Counts married Eve in 1773, but who she is and when she was born is undetermined. Eve is shown as Eve Sharp, Eve Lydge, Eve Lydge Sharp and Eve Coons/Koons in some family trees. Eve is not the daughter of Elder John Coons / Counts and Mary Magdalene Summers; John and Mary Magdalene's daughter Eve married Matthew Maddox in 1782 at about age 20.

Lydge family births were reported in Orange Co, NC in 1735; 1753; and between 1765 and 1771. Sharp is not a family name prevalent in that county.

     Aaron G. Counts was born on 5 Aug 1779 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. He was the son of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Aaron G. Counts died b 1839.

     John Counts was born in 1774 at Orange Co, North Carolina. He was the son of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. John Counts married Rachel Criner c 1800. John Counts died in Jun 1853 at Harmony, Washington Co, Missouri.

     William Bent Counts was born in 1775 at Orange Co, North Carolina. He was the son of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. William Bent Counts married Annie Bean on 10 Sep 1798. William Bent Counts married Sarah Freeman a 1801. William Bent Counts died in 1840 at Madison Co, Arkansas.

      William Counts was also known as William Counce. In 1788 he moved with his family to Grainger Co, TN; about 1805 moved with brothers John and George to Lawrence Co, TN; and moved about 1831
to Madison Co, AR where he was one of the progenitors of the Counts family in Arkansas.

     George Counts was born in 1776 at Orange Co, North Carolina. He was the son of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. George Counts married Sarah "Sallie" Rich on 23 Jul 1806. George Counts died in 1840 at Franklin Co, Tennessee.

      George Counts moved in 1788 with his family to Grainger Co, TN; moved to Lincoln Co, TN and became a progenitor of the Counts family in Lincoln County.

     Mary Anna Counts was born in 1778 at Orange Co, North Carolina. She was the daughter of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Mary Anna Counts married Henry Bowen in 1796 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. Mary Anna Counts died on 5 Feb 1866 at Madison or Perry Co, Arkansas.

      Mary Anna Counts moved in 1788 with her family to Grainger
Co, TN. She and her husband Henry Bowen moved about 1834 to Madison Co, AR. Mary was unable to read or write.

     David Counts was born in 1783 at Lincoln or Orange Co, North Carolina. He was the son of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. David Counts married Elizabeth Howell on 8 Nov 1806. David Counts married Sarah Kidwell Spoone on 26 Jan 1832. David Counts died in 1861 at Trigg, Trigg Co, Kentucky.

     Nicholas Counts III was born in Oct 1790 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. He was the son of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Nicholas Counts III married Martha "Patsy" Hammers, daughter of Joel Hammer and Hannah Otty, on 29 Aug 1813 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. Nicholas Counts III died on 15 Aug 1841 at Chester, Randolph Co, Illinois, at age 50.

      Brothers Nicholas and Aaron Counts married the Hammers sisters and moved crica 1837 to Ste Genevieve County where they were progenitors for the Counts families of Missouri.

     Margaret "Peggy" Counts was born in Feb 1786 at Lincoln or Orange Co, North Carolina. She was the daughter of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Margaret "Peggy" Counts married Zachariah Keith on 16 Jan 1808. Margaret "Peggy" Counts died in 1856 at Bradley Co, Tennessee.

     Catherine Caroline Counts was born in 1790 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. She was the daughter of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Catherine Caroline Counts married Warham Easley on 9 Mar 1811. Catherine Caroline Counts died in 1817 at Grainger Co, Tennessee.

     Phoebe Counts was born in 1792 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. She was the daughter of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Phoebe Counts died b 1839.

     Sarah Counts was born on 16 Mar 1794 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. She was the daughter of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Sarah Counts married David Shields Noe a 1814. Sarah Counts died on 7 Oct 1883 at Hamblen or Grainger Co, Tennessee, at age 89.

     Jessee Thomas Counts was born on 22 Jul 1798 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. He was the son of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Jessee Thomas Counts died on 5 Feb 1878 at Tharp Springs, Franklin Co, Alabama, at age 79.

     Henry Counts was born in 1800 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. He was the son of PVT Nicholas Counts II and Eve Lydge. Henry Counts married Mary Stubblefield a 1825. Henry Counts died on 9 Aug 1856 at Monroe Co, Kentucky.

     Nicholas Counts I was born in 1730 at Frederick Co, Virginia. He was the son of Johann "John" Cuntze (of Frederick) and Anna Elisabetha Catherine Stoever. Nicholas Counts I married Elizabeth "Lisbet" Sharp, daughter of Henry Sharp, c 1750 at Frederick Co, Virginia. Nicholas Counts I married Susannah (Unknown) a 1778. Nicholas Counts I died a 17 Jun 1797 at Grainger Co, Tennessee. His estate was probated in Sep 1797 at Grainger Co, Tennessee.

      Nicholas Counts was also known as Nicoles Kunce. He moved to Rowan Co, NC with his family and then to Grainger Co, TN.

Nicholas' will, transcribed as written, is held by the Grainger County Archives in Rutledge, TN but was not included in the WPA loose will transcriptions:

"Nicoles Kunce, His will and testmant
In the Name of God amen this Seventeenh Day of June 1797 I Nicols Kunce of the County of Granger and State of Tennace Being wake of and frail of Boddey But being of perficle mind and memory Thanks be given to God there fore and Calling unto mind the Mortality of my boddy and knowing that it is apointed for all men to Die Do make and ordaine this my last will and Testmant that is to Say principaly and first of all I Give and Recomand my Soul unto the hands of almighty God that Give it and my Boddy I recomend To the Earth to be Buried in a Desant Christin Buriel at the Discration Of my Exectiers Nothing Doubtin but at the General Resuraction to Recive it again by the mighty _?_ of God ~

And as Tuching Such worldy Estate wherewith it hase pleased God To bless me with in this life, I Give Demise and Dispose of the Same in the following manner and forme that is to Say,

I First of all I Give and bequiath to my well beloved wife Susanna Kunce her bed Spinning wheel Chist and Box and one Red and whit Cow and Caulf and her Sadele and poke and ovens and all her Draser fourniture and Crucke Likewise The Courn in the Cribe and old flex and all the Crope fall and Spring that is now in the ground and all the Rest of my Estate to Be Sold and Equaly Devided among my fouer Childrin and I apoint And ordain Nicoles Kunce my Sone to be Execter of this my last Will and Testment and I apoint him to take Care that the Childe when fit be put to School and Larned as fare as is Necerey

Likewis all my hogs I apoint to be given to my wife as her own lawfull property this I ordain to be my Last will and Testmant in the pressence of us Signed Sailed and Delivered pronounced and Declared the Day and Year above written

his
Nicoles x Kounce
mark

Robert Shields
Robert McElhiney
Henry Bowen

Sept. Term 1797 –
The within will Recorded at Lingth in My Office –
Am. Yancey, C.G.C.

Once the Countz family was in the US, spelling of the name diverged to include Coonts, Counts, Coontz, Koonts, Koontz, Koonce and other variations.

Names and dates for Nicholas Counts / Coontz and his wife and their children are based on:
-- Pamela Cooney, Gloucester and Beyond ancestry.com, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/38999718/person/20201745806, unsourced. --Joseph Luther, http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.counts/346.2.2/mb.ashx, most sources not valid.

Both of the above websites state Nicholes remarried to Anna Mary Ottey in 1776, but his first wife was still alive at the time of the reported Ottey marriage, so the marriage date and the redundant children (actually the children of his son Nicholas) are incorrect. Because there were three generations in decendancy naming children Nicholas Counts, the name was likely frequently reused laterally among cousins.

     Elizabeth "Lisbet" Sharp was born in 1732 at Trupbach, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. She was the daughter of Henry Sharp. Elizabeth "Lisbet" Sharp married Nicholas Counts I, son of Johann "John" Cuntze (of Frederick) and Anna Elisabetha Catherine Stoever, c 1750 at Frederick Co, Virginia. Elizabeth "Lisbet" Sharp died in 1788 at Lincoln Co, North Carolina.

      If Elizabeth Sharp was born in Germany, her surname could be Scharp, Scharpe, Scherp or Schirp.

     John Counts was born in 1754 at Lincoln Co, North Carolina. He was the son of Nicholas Counts I and Elizabeth "Lisbet" Sharp. John Counts died in 1821 at Franklin Co, Tennessee.

     Nancy Counts was born in 1756. She was the daughter of Nicholas Counts I and Elizabeth "Lisbet" Sharp.

     Johann "John" Cuntze (of Frederick) was born on 16 Apr 1706 at Siegen-Wittgenstein, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He was the son of Jost Joseph Cuntze (of Germanna) and Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt. Johann "John" Cuntze (of Frederick) immigrated in 1714. He married Unknown Beddinger c 1724. Johann "John" Cuntze (of Frederick) married Anna Elisabetha Catherine Stoever, daughter of Rev Johann Casper "Augustine" Stoever I and Gertraudt Anna Friese, on 25 Jun 1728 at Earl Town, Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania. Johann "John" Cuntze (of Frederick) married Elizabeth Hetrick Amentrout a 1750. Johann "John" Cuntze (of Frederick) died in 1777 at Augusta Co, Virginia.

      Johann Cuntze is said by some to be Johann Michael Cuntze and by others to be Johann Adam Cuntze. Researchers vary as to whether he and his wife Anna Elizabeth Stoever were born in the village of Oberfischbach or in the village of Muesen in Siegen-Wittgenstein, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Insufficient data is available to analyze which is correct at this time.

The transcription of Johannes Countze and Anna Elisabetha Catherine Stoever's marriage record states of 15 Jun 1738, but this researcher presumes the transcription is incorrect and the marriage occurred in 1728 when the bride was 18 and before Johannes had children because no earlier marriage for Johannes has been noted.

Tradition is that Johannes returned to Germany about 1724 when he would have been 18, married his first wife, and had a few children before returning to America; which children belonged to the possible first wife are unknown. It has not been proven that John did return to Germany. A Johanne Cuntz/Coones who was age 24 arrived in Philadelphia, PA on 30 Nov 1730 on the ship Joyce captained by William Ford of Boston, MA.

Johann and his second wife moved from Pennsylvania to Frederick Co., VA after their marriage. John Koontz of Orange Co. was deeded 195 acres by John Branson of Orange Co, VA on 23 June 1739. (Orange Co, VA Deed Book 3, p. 191). This land now is located in Frederick Co., VA. after the change in the county boundary. While they were living at Opequon, VA located 4 to 5 miles southwest of Winchester, VA. their son John was born in what is now Frederick Co, VA. That this John became Elder John Counts of current Page Co, VA was established by B. C. Holtzclaw.



Johann became the progentor of the Frederick Co, VA Counts families. On 5 Aug 1745 John of Frederick Co. sold 195 acres of land to Lewis Stephens, and John's wife Elizabeth surrendered her dower on 6 Aug 1745. (Ref. Frederick Co, VA Deed Book 1 , p. 227 & 229.)

     Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt was born in 1687 at Niederndorf, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. She was the daughter of Martinus Reinschmidt. Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt married Jost Joseph Cuntze (of Germanna), son of Johannes Cuntze I and Anna Elizabeth "Elsa" Schuster, on 7 Feb 1704 at Oberfischbach, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt immigrated in Apr 1714 to Virginia. She died on 15 Apr 1714 at Germanna, Virginia.

      Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt is occaisionally referred to as Anna Catherine Gertrud Reinschmidt. She is also noted as born in Muesen.

Note a other Anna Gertrud Reinschmidts were born in 1683 and 1693 to different parents in the area; because our ancestor's marriage record establishes her father's name the women can be distinguished among.