Peter Coffee

Descendants of Peter COFFEE

First Generation

1. Peter COFFEE was born about 1705 in (probably) Virginia. He died in 1771 in Prince Edward Co., VA.1

The Will of Peter Coffee is recorded in Prince Edward County, VA, in Will Book 1, 1754-1785, pages 88 and 89:

In the name of God Amen this thirty first Day of January one thousand seven hundred & seventy one. I Peter Coffee of the County of Prince Edward & Parish of St. Patrick being in a very sick and low Condition but of perfect mind and memory Blessed be God for his mercies toward me and Calling to mind the uncertainty of this Transitory life and that all flesh must yield unto Death whenever it shall please God to call Do make ordain constitute & appoint this my last will and Testament in manner and form following. And first I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God my saviour and Redeamer nothing doubting but what I shall receive the same again with joy & gladneys by the mighty power of God at the Resurrection and my body I commit to the earth from whence it was taken to be buried in a decent Christian like manner at the Discretion of my Executor hereafter named as touching my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God far above my deserts to bestow upon me I do give and dispose of the same in manner and form following.

Item I will that all those Debts which I in justice own to any person or persons whatever be paid as soon as conveniently they can after my Decease by my Executors.

Item I do lend until my Beloved wife Susanna Coffee The land and plantation whereon I now live together with the several stock of Horses Cattle Hogs and sheep now belonging to me and all other moveable Effects during her widow-hood as well manageing of the same but in case that she should prove careless or waistfull of the said Effects to then my Executor hereafter named to dispose of the Effects they shall think proper the Legates hereafter mentioned.

Item I give to my won William Coffee one hundred and fifty acres of land lying on Vaughans Creek in the County aforesaid to be laid off agreeable with the course now begun & to run for complement & being the same tract he has already obtained deed for only with some additional alterations.

Item I give to my son Peter Coffee Five Shillings Sterling

Item I give to my son Joshua Coffee Five Shillings Sterling

Item I give to my daughter Cathrina Thomas Five Shillings sterling

Item I give to my Daughter Mary Kendal Five Shillings Sterling

Item I give to my daughter Hannah Weakley Ten Pounds at my Daughter Bettie's death.

Item I give to my Daughter Lydia Coffee fifteen pounds current money at my Daughter Betties death

Item I give to my Daughter Elizabeth Coffee the land & plantation whereon I now live at her Mothers Decease During her natural life and at her Decease to be sold and all my Legacies paid there with both these before mentioned & those I shall hereafter mention and if there is anything remaining after the sale of the said land and Movables at my wife's & Daughters decease such sum over to be equally divided amongst all my Grandchildren then living. And I do appoint my wife & son William Coffee to be executor and Executrix of this my will ratifying this and none else to be my last will and Testament utterly disannulling all other wills and Bequests by me heretofore made ____

Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared by the said Peter Coffee

Peter Coffee (seal)

as his last will and Testament in Presence of us

Thomas Brooks James Weakley her Hannah X Weakley mark

At a Court held for Prince Edward County September 16th 1771. This last will and Testament of Peter Coffee deceased was presented in hand and proved by Thomas Brooks & James Weakley and Ordered to be Recorded. On the Motion of Susannah Coffee and William Coffee the Executors therein named who gave bond and took the Oath required by Law. Certificate for obtaining a probate thereof in due form granted them.

Teste. ? Watkins JC

Peter Coffee was probably born in Virginia, although some sources list his place of birth as the British Isles. He was probably born about 1705, as he was old enough to transact business in 1730. There were at least two Peter Coffees in the vicinity. One Peter Coffee, a convict, landed in Virginia, in October 1730. He was transported on the ship "Forward". A few months after this time, Peter Coffee, in King George County, Virginia, on 2nd April 1731, listed on the County Court Orders, was being bound for his appearance at court, for abusing his servant woman, Jane Lewis. In Feb. 1830, Peter Coffey was security for an action of debt. Peter died in Prince Edward County, Virginia, in 1771, as his will was probated September 16, 1771. Susannah died circa 1795/96. She is shown on the 1790 Federal Census as head of household. She was shown on the Prince Edward County tax lists until 1796, when the taxes were charged to "Susannah Coffee's estate." Peter and Susannah had at least eleven children.

Peter COFFEE and Susannah MATTHEWS were married.2 Susannah MATTHEWS3 died in 1795/96 in Prince Edward Co., VA. Peter COFFEE and Susannah MATTHEWS had the following children:

2 i. William COFFEE, born about 1740, (probably) King George Co., VA; married Mary MCALLISTER (?); died in 1798/99.
ii. James COFFEE was born on February 27, 1740/41. He died before 1771.
iii. Lydia COFFEE was born on January 25, 1742.

She was still living and unmarried when her father made his will in 1771.

iv. Frances COFFEE died on January 5, 1741.
v. Benjamin COFFEE was born on October 9, 1743. He died before 1771.

Not mentioned in his father's 1771 will.

3 vi. Joshua COFFEE, born on January 26, 1745, Prince Edward Co., VA; married Elizabeth GRAVES, on June 2, 1767, Hanover Co., VA; died on September 8, 1797, Rockingham Co., NC.

4 vii. Mary COFFEE, married James KENDALL, on February 27, 1745, Overwharton Parish, Old Stafford County, Virginia.

5 viii. Peter COFFEE Jr., born before 1750; married Sarah SMITH, on November 14, 1773, Granville Co., NC.

6 ix. Hannah COFFEE, married James WEAKLEY; died in 1814, Montgomery Co., TN.

x. A birthdate for Cathrina COFFEE is not yet known.

Still alive in 1771 as she was mentioned in her father's will.

xi. A birthdate for Elizabeth (Betty) COFFEE is not yet known.

She was still living and unmarried at the time of her father's will in 1771.


Second Generation

2. William COFFEE (Peter-1) was born about 1740 in (probably) King George Co., VA. He died in 1798/99.

He made his will in May 1798.

William COFFEE and Mary MCALLISTER (?) were married. A birthdate for Mary MCALLISTER (?) is not yet known. William COFFEE and Mary MCALLISTER (?) had the following children:

7 i. Abner COFFEE, born on December 24, 1768, Prince Edward Co., VA; married Christiana KELLEY, on July 20, 1791, Prince Edward Co., VA; died between 1836 and 38, Campbell Co., VA.

ii. Dise COFFEE was born on November 13, 1770.

8 iii. David COFFEE, born on February 6, 1775, Bedford Co., VA; married Sytha MEADOWS, on November 4, 1801, Prince Edward Co., VA; died in 1822, Smith Co.,TN.

iv. Eady COFFEE was born on August 26, 1778.
v. Tildy COFFEE was born on February 12, 1780.
vi. Agnes COFFEE was born on November 29, 1782.
vii. Pleasant B. COFFEE was born on March 22, 1785.
9 viii. Joshua M. COFFEE, born on September 29, 1789, Buckingham Co., VA; married Jane (Jinnie) TROUSDALE, on January 10, 1810; died on October 3, 1842.

3. Joshua COFFEE (Peter-1) was born on January 26, 1745 in Prince Edward Co., VA. He died on September 8, 1797 in Rockingham Co., NC. Joshua Coffee's will is dated August 1, 1797, and was found in Guilford Co., NC. In it he mentions his son John Coffee, Mrs. Harris, his son-in-law, Polly (Mary) Harris, his daughter, and his wife, Elizabeth. Rockingham and Guilford are adjacent counties in North Carolina.

Joshua served from North Carolina, as Captain of Mounted Gunners in the Granville Regiment of Militia. He entered service in 1780, and for nine months saw service in the South. At the close of the Revolution he moved to Rockingham County, NC.

Joshua COFFEE and Elizabeth GRAVES were married on June 2, 1767 in Hanover Co., VA. Or, August 11, 1767, depending on source.

They moved to Granville Co., NC in 1775.

Elizabeth GRAVES was born on January 28, 1751. She died about 1804. Joshua COFFEE and Elizabeth GRAVES had the following children:

i. William COFFEE was born in September 1768. He died before 1797.
William was not mentioned in his father's 1797 will.
10 ii. Thomas Graves COFFEE, born on September 4, 1769, Prince Edward Co., VA; married Mary KNIGHT, on July 10, 1787, Amelia Co., VA; died in 1846, Lauderdale Co., AL.
iii. Elijah COFFEE was born on October 15, 1770.

Presumed death prior to 1797 because he was not mentioned in his father's will.

11 iv. John COFFEE, born on June 2, 1772, North Carolina; married Mary DONELSON, on October 3, 1809; died on July 7, 1833, Florence, Lauderdale Co., AL. 12

v. Mary COFFEE, born on August 1, 1774; married Simpson HARRIS.

4. A birthdate for Mary COFFEE (Peter-1) is not yet known.

Mary COFFEE and James KENDALL were married on February 27, 1745 in Overwharton Parish, Old Stafford County, Virginia.

Mary and James had at least four children, but probably had more. Moses and Aaron are probably theirs, but unproven.

Part of this family is said to have migrated to Ohio, and is is said that Mary was the second wife of James, his first wife being Mary (or Julia) Graves.

A birthdate for James KENDALL is not yet known.

The surname is sometimes found spelled Kendal, and Kendall.

Mary COFFEE and James KENDALL had the following children:

i. Jessee KENDALL was born on June 19, 1747. He died in 1750.
ii. John KENDALL was born on February 26, 1749.
iii. Jessee KENDALL was born in 1752 in Overwharton Parish, Old Stafford County, Virginia.
iv. Bailey KENDALL was born in 1755.
v. A birthdate for Moses KENDALL is not yet known.

Not a proven son of Mary and James, but quite possibly was.

vi. A birthdate for Aaron KENDALL is not yet known.

Not a proven son of Mary and James, but quite possibly was.

5. Peter COFFEE Jr. (Peter-1) was born before 1750.

Peter's birth year is often given as 1750 but that is probably in error. His father transferred land to him in 1755. It is not likely that he would have transferred land to a 5-yr old child.

Peter was a member of Capt. Ben Casey's Co., 12th VA Regt during the American Revolution.

Peter COFFEE Jr. and Sarah SMITH were married on November 14, 1773 in Granville Co., NC.
The family was in Georgia prior to Sep. 23, 1789 when the "State of Georgia was debtor to Peter Coffee, 1 pound, 10 shillings." (See Wilson, Caroline Price: Annals of Georgia, Vol. 1, p181) They probably moved from VA to GA around 1780 where they settled in Hancock Co.

A birthdate for Sarah SMITH (daughter of Guy SMITH) is not yet known. Peter COFFEE Jr. and Sarah SMITH had the following children:

13 i. Sarah COFFEE, born on October 21, 1774; married William HARRIS, on August 25, 1803, Hancock Co., GA; died on November 23, 1807.
14 ii. Elizabeth COFFEE, born on December 26, 1775; married Charles DANIELL; died in 1832.
15 iii. Nancy COFFEE, born on August 23, 1778; married Abram HEARD.
16 iv. Susannah COFFEE, born on August 30, 1780; married T. RANDALL.
17 v. John E. COFFEE, born on December 3, 1782; married Ann Penelope BRYAN, on December 20, 1808, Tatnall Co., GA; died on September 25, 1836, Jacksonville, Telfair Co., GA.
vi. Joshua COFFEE was born on December 27, 1786 in Darien, McIntosh Co., GA.
vii. Mary COFFEE was born on March 5, 1789.
viii. Cynthia COFFEE was born on February 5, 1791. 18
ix. Martha (Patsy) COFFEE, born on May 9, 1793; married George HEARD.

6. Hannah COFFEE (Peter-1) died in 1814 in Montgomery Co., TN.

Hannah COFFEE and James WEAKLEY were married. A birthdate for James WEAKLEY is not yet known. Hannah COFFEE and James WEAKLEY had the following children:

19 i. Susannah WEAKLEY, born Tennessee; married Nelson MCDOWELL, in 1789.
20 ii. William WEAKLEY, married Madeline BURTON, in 1789; died in 1816.
21 iii. Joshua WEAKLEY, married Mary MORRISON; died on February 28, 1824, Montgomery Co., TN.
iv. A birthdate for David WEAKLEY is not yet known.
v. Joseph WEAKLEY died in 1838 in Tennessee.
vi. Benjamin WEAKLEY died in Montgomery Co., TN.
vii. John WEAKLEY died in Tennessee. 22
viii. Unknown WEAKLEY, married David JONES; died Robertson Co., TN.

Sources
1. The Descendants of Peter and Susannah Matthews Coffee of Prince Edward County, VA, Eleanor Colson (EleanorCol@aol.com) online [http://members.aol.com/eleanorcol/CoffeeGen1.html], accessed Feb. 12, 2005. 2. This book is a compilation of the descendants of Peter Coffee by Gene Brewington (dec'd) and privately published. The book contains much more descendant information than contained in this genealogy. No attempt has been made in this presentation to confirm any of the sources or comments presented by the book. All census records have been checked and confirmed by the preparer of this family record, and some historical records have been checked to confirm some of the data pertaining to the two Gen. Coffee's and some of the Willcox men mentioned herein. None of this data should be considered accurate unless confirmed by the person considering its use. 3. The Descendants of Peter and Susannah Matthews Coffee of Prince Edward County, VA, online [http://members.aol.com/eleanorcol/CoffeeGen1.html]. This website provided Susannah's surname.