Information on the Coonrod family begins with the legend that George Coonrod landed in New York (date unknown) as a stowaway, settled in Green County, Ill. and changed his name from Conrad or possibly Konrad to Coonrod.  It is believed that he was of German descent.
    It is known, however, that he married a lady named Rhody McHuse in 1791 in Woodford County, Ky.  They had five sons: Henry, John, Stephen, Thomas and Owen, all born in Kentucky.
    Owen Coonrod was the father of John L. Coonrod whose family settled in Fannin County, later to move to McCulloch County.  John was born in 1843 and married Susan Coldiron.  Their children were:  Robert, who married Virginia Royals, Thedoria, who married W. L. Wright, Charlie who married Lou Lacey, Georgia who married Josh Epps and Della who married Lew Brown.
    John L. Coonrod served three years in the Civil War in the Texas Cavalry and in Co. E of 34th Regiment of Infantry.  He died in 1879 and is buried in Palo Pinto County.
    Susan, at age 63 applied for and received a federal pension as the widow of a veteran.  she lived at Fife with her sons, was a midwife, and died in 1920 at the home of her son-in-law, Josh Epps.
    Robert Coonrod had seven children:  Harrison, Johnny, Inez, Bert, Arthur, Ernest and Lois.  Five married locally:  Inez to Boley Horne, Bert to Ada Horne, Arthur to Viola Epps and Lois to Oscar Jones.
    Charlie Coonrod had five children:  Jessie Dell, Sidney (mentioned above)., Myrtle, Elmond and Leon.  The last four were born at Fife.
    Myrtle married Floyd Underwood, Elmond married Opal Rascoe and Leon Inez Hughes, all Fife natives.
    Like their cousins, the attended Lohn School; the last to graduate was Clifton in 1948, son of Leon and Inez.
    The oldest member of the family is Opal Rascoe Coonrod who recently observed her 96th birthday.  Opal lives in the Masonic Home in Arlington.  After as briefly as possible, sorting out these complicated family ties the song, "I'm my own Grandpa," doesn't seem quite so implausible.