‘Koonce’ – A summer pear that has good quality, but decays quickly after maturing. Once grown throughout the United States, the fruit is better quality than other pears of its season, including ‘Early Harvest’ and ‘Lawson’ but the small, unattractive fruit prevented ‘Koonce’ from becoming more popular. It originated in Illinois sometime before 1889. Fruit medium, obovate-obtuse-pyriform, skin pale greenish-yellow with reddish-brown blush. -- The Pears of New York
KOONCE FROST-PROOF, Largest Early Pear. Very early, heavy bearer, large, handsome, good. Does not rot at core. Has never blighted. Frost-Proof—bore in 1894, when all others in same orchard were killed. -- Stark Fruit Book 1896
Originated in Southern Illinois; has been largely planted; the most successful early market Pear in that section. A strong, upright grower; hardy, magnificent foliage; has produced crops when all other varieties were killed by frost. Fruit medium, yellow, with carmine cheek; juicy, spicy, sweet and delicious quality; ripens with the earliest.An excellent shipper; it comes into bearing young. July and August. -- Washington Nursery Co. Toppenish, 1901