George and Margaret Couch had at least five children, four of whom were living in Robert Montgomery’s household in 1880.

They resided in Saluda, South Carolina, which is in Greenville County. The original Kingdom of the Happy Land property was partially located in Greenville County. Although the property wasn’t officially purchased until two years later, it’s possible that Montgomery and the seven others in his household were already living on the land, clearing trees, building cabins, and preparing it for the rest of the group.

Robert Montgomery is listed as the head of a household that included several other adults. Among them were three members of the Whitmire family: 18-year-old John, 54-year-old Patsy, and 17-year-old Mary. Also present were the Couch children: 17-year-old Sam, 5-year-old Anderson and Edith (possibly twins), as well as 4-year-old Mary. Notably, the census taker wrote “all mixed up” in the margin, indicating that the household’s living arrangement was clearly unusual or didn’t fit typical family structures of the time, though the census taker's exact meaning remains unclear.

Ezel Couch is perhaps one of the best documented former members of the Kingdom of the Happy Land. Public records suggest he was close in age to his younger siblings who were living with Robert Montgomery in 1880. However, it's unclear why Ezel and his parents, George and Margaret, were not part of that household. So far, no 1880 census record has been found for their household.

Click the link below to learn more about Ezel.