Copyright - Rhonda Watson 2000

Links:   Index to Cemetery  Cemetery Information  Map of the Cemetery

Location:  SW 1/4 of NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 Section 21 - Township 7N-Range 9W

Directions:  From Malone, Florida take Route 2 East. Make a left on Gemstone Road (Dirt Road just before intersection of Route 2 with Route 165). Go to end of Gemstone Road. Turn left on Line Road. At the end of this road turn left (private property) (If you turn right here you will be in Houston Co., Alabama). Go a short way and turn left again on 1st road. (All dirt roads - not recommended after heavy rain.) The cemetery will be just a short way on the left just before the road ends.

Condition:  It is generally well maintained at present by descendants of those buried here who still live in the area. Older family members recall that there are many more graves here than are now marked. Many headstones were destroyed and removed by prisoners when they were brought in to clean the cemetery years ago. The earliest 'marked' grave of those headstones remaining is Grave #59 Sarah E. Robinson, infant, who died 12 Oct1879.

Unmarked Graves:  It is known that there are many unmarked and unknown graves in this cemetery. Individuals with knowledge of unmarked graves in this cemetery are asked to contact Rhonda Watson at [email protected] or via snail mail - 187 Holiday Drive, Martinez, GA 30907-1459.

Family Background:  The Coonrod Family came to Jackson County Florida about 1846 from Chester County South Carolina. Joseph Coonrod appears on the 1840 census in Chester County South Carolina. It is unknown if Joseph Coonrod, the father of this family, ever came to Florida but his wife Hester 'Hetty' Coonrod appears on the 1850 census in Jackson County 4th District with several (but not all) of her children. There are still descendants of the Coonrod/Conrad family in Jackson County today but many members of this family moved to Central Florida (Hillsborough, Polk, and Orange Counties) during the late 1920's and early 1930's and descendants continue to reside there today and even though descendants are scattered far and wide they are all welcomed home annually the third Saturday in June for the Conrad Family Reunion. Descendants interested in the reunion or additional family history information should contact Rhonda Watson at the e-mail address listed above.

Surname Change - Coonrod / Coonrad / Conrad:  The change in the spelling of the surname occurred in the records of Jackson County some time between 1900 Census (Coonrod) & 1910 Census (Conrad) though the people of the community continued to pronounce it Coonrod into the 1960's and later. The first marriage record in Jackson County to show the change is Thomas F. Conrad who married Nancy Martin 14 Dec 1852 although he signed his name Coonrod on his homestead exemption in 1855 and was listed as Coonrod on the census 1860 & 1880. The next marriage to reflect the name change is that of E. M. Conrad who married M. E. Watford 3 Oct 1900. The latest Coonrod/Coonrad entry is for A. D. Coonrad who married Neaver Kingry 3 Feb 1912. The name is believed to be of German origin spelled Kunrod with a 'hook' over the u and pronounced Coonrod. The surnames appearing in this cemetery survey are recorded as they appear on the headstones.

Survey Format:  The Grave # corresponds to a plot also done at the time of this survey. The Names, Birth & Death Dates, and Other Information was copied exactly as it appeared on the headstones. Information about living persons recorded on joint headstones has been omitted for privacy.

Additional Information:  Additional Family Information has been added concerning parents, spouses, and event dates. Any information added is written in italics and in red. We have also tried to identify some of the many unmarked graves in this cemetery. Please keepin mind that this additional information is subject to contain errors even though a genuine effort was made to insure accuracy. Researchers or other interested persons are reminded that verification is their responsibility. Corrections or additional information may be forwarded to Rhonda Watson at the above address.

Acknowledgements:  A special thanks to Sandra L. L. Hasty Sawyer, Doris Petty, Barbara Holifield, and Walter J. Hasty for their contributions of some of the additional information and to Benjamin & Eddie Lou Conrad & family for their years of dedication in maintaining the Coonrod-Conrad Family Cemetery.