Aquilla Coonrod Aquilla Coonrod or Coonrad ( 1831 – May 14 , 1884 ) was an American soldier in the U . S . Army who served with the 14th , 48th and 125th Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the American Civil War , and with the 7th U . S . Cavalry and the 5th U . S . Infantry during the Indian Wars . He participated in several engagements against the Sioux in the Montana Territory between 1876 – 77 , most notably at Cedar Creek and Wolf Mountain , and received the Medal of Honor for " extraordinary acts of heroism and gallantry in action " by General William T . Sherman . He was also the first known white child born in present - day Williams County , Ohio and is one of two men from Williams County , the other being American Civil War hero William J . Knight , to receive the award . Coonrod later served with the 5th U . S . Infantry at Fort Buford in Williams County , North Dakota . In 1884 , he and his men were escorting U . S Army paymaster Major Whipple and a large payroll shipment for various frontier outposts when they were attacked by a group of bandits . Although Coonrod was mortally wounded , his men drove off the bandits and successfully defended the shipment valued at $ 20 , 000 . His body was originally interred at the Post Cemetery at Fort Buford and moved to the Custer National Cemetery near the Crow Agency in 1896 . Biography . Aquilla Coonrod was born to Woolery and Hulda Coonrod in Springfield Township , Ohio in 1831 . His parents were among the first settlers in Williams County and Coonrod became the earliest known white child to be born in the area . His mother died less than a year after his birth and his father Woolery married Mary Coy in 1835 . After his father ' s death in 1847 , Coonrod lived with his stepmother until the start of the American Civil War . He was among the first men in Williams County to volunteer for military service and enlisted with 14th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on April 23 , 1861 . After his initial 90 - day term ended , he joined the 48th and 125th Ohio Infantry eventually rising to the rank of captain . On May 9 , 1864 , he resigned his commission and took up farming in Pulaski Township . Seven years later , he moved to Bryan , Ohio where he worked at the Hub and Spoke factory . In 1873 , Coonrod returned to the military and served with the 7th U . S . Cavalry then commanded by Colonel George Armstrong Custer . While with the 7th Cavalry , he was a sergeant and regimental standard - bearer . Coonrod eventually became a member of the 5th U . S . Infantry . Between October 21 , 1876 and January 8 , 1877 , he took part in General Nelson Miles " winter campaign " against the Sioux Indians in the Montana Territory . In October 1876 , Coonrod participated in actions against Chief Sitting Bull at Cedar Creek , and in April 1877 , fought Crazy Horse at Wolf Mountain . He was one of 31 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for " extraordinary acts of heroism and gallantry in action " during this period . Commended for his bravery at Cedar Creek and other operations , Coonrod personally received his medal from General William T . Sherman , then Chief of Staff of the Army , on April 27 , 1877 . He and Civil War hero William J . Knight were the only two men from Williams County ever to receive the award . Coonrad remained in the military until his death . In late - 1877 , he commanded the escort of Chief Joseph , following his surrender to General Miles , from the Bear Paw Mountains in Montana to Fort Buford in the Dakota Territory . He was later permanently assigned to Fort Buford . On May 14 , 1884 , he led a small escort guarding U . S Army paymaster Major Whipple and a $ 20 , 000 payroll shipment intended for Fort Buford and outlying frontier outposts . After leaving Glendive , Montana , the escort was ambushed by seven bandits about 46 miles southwest of Fort Buford . Coonrod and his men were able to drive off the outlaws , however , Coonrod himself was shot twice in the abdomen and died of his wounds . His body was taken back to the Post Cemetery at Fort Buford where it was buried , then moved to the Custer National Cemetery near the Crow Agency in 1896 . Richard Cooley , a local historian in Bryan , published a biography of his life that was featured in the Williams County Historical Society newsletter in April 1991 . In November 2003 , a special plaque was displayed to commemorate both Coonrod and William J . Knight at the Williams County Courthouse in downtown Bryan . Both Coonrod and Knight were also profiled by " The Bryan Times " in 2003 and again in 2007 . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Sergeant , Company C , 5th U . S . Infantry . Place and date : At Cedar Creek , etc . , Mont . , October 1876 to January 1877 . Entered service at : Bryan , Ohio . Birth : Williams County , Ohio . Date of issue : 27 April 1877 . Citation : Gallantry in action .