Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Koontz Family Papers must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Koontz Family Papers, Ms1984-172, Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated to Special Collections in August 1984.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Koontz Family Papers was completed in April 2014.

Biographical Note

The Koontz family hailed from Edinburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia.

George Koontz (1839-1925) enlisted in the Eighth Star New Market Artillery, Captain Rice's artillery battery, in 1861 at the beginning of the Civil War and served all four years in the artillery. George reenlisted in 1862, was appointed 1st Sgt., and was reassigned to the Danville artillery in September of 1862, when the Eighth Star New Market Artillery merged with the Danville Artillery. He was promoted to 1st Lt. in September of 1864. George Koontz was wounded during the Petersburg Siege. After the war, George Koontz married Mary C. "Molly" Newman. He served as the Edinburg county Treasurer for 30 years, from 1874 to 1904, and was also the Commander of the Shenandoah Camp of Confederate Veterans.

Milton Koontz (1840/41? - 1867), the brother of George, enlisted in 1862 and also joined the Eighth Star New Market Artillery. Like George, Milton was reassigned to the Danville artillery in 1862, but transferred to the 23rd Virginia Cavalry in 1864.

Sources Consulted:

Moore, Robert H., II. The Danville and Eighth Star New Market and Dixie Artillery . In The Virginia Regimental Histories Series. Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, Inc., 1989.
Kleese, Richard B. 23rd Virginia Cavalry . In The Virginia Regimental Histories Series. Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, Inc., 1996.

Scope and Content Note

This collection contains correspondence from three Confederate soldiers--brothers George and Milton Koontz and their cousin George Miller--as well as official documents, two diaries of Milton S. Koontz, George Koontz's copybook, Milton Koontz's sketchbook, a stationery box, and a pencil drawing. The Collection dates from 1861 to 1865. Transcripts are included for all the correspondence and diary entries.

The correspondence consists mainly of letters to Nellie Koontz McCann from her brothers George and Milton Koontz, as well as her cousin George Miller, who served in the 12th Virginia Cavalry. Other letters are from George and Milton Koontz to their mother. George Koontz's correspondence contains accounts of battles he was engaged in, including the Battle of Chancellorsville. Milton Koontz's diaries date from June 25, 1863 to December 31, 1863 and from March 12, 1865 to June 28, 1865. His 1863 diary includes a description of the Battle of Gettysburg (1-3 July 1863).

Arrangement

Materials in the collection are arranged in chronological order.

Index Terms

Family Names:

• Koontz family

Subjects:

• Civil War
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Diaries