Willis Coffey (1804-1893)

Willis Coffey was born May 2, 1804 in Kentucky to the union of Eli and Mary (Polly) Coffey Coffey. Eli was a son of Salathiel and Elizabeth Gore Coffey while Mary was a daughter of Nathan Coffey and Mary Saunders (var). Nathan and Salathiel were brothers. Researchers are not yet clear on who their parents were.

Willis was the second of twelve children born to Eli and Mary. He married Violetta (Lotty) Haynes on Mar. 28, 1828 in Russell Co., KY. Lotty was born Mar. 17, 1805 in Virginia and died Oct. 10, 1869 in DeKalb Co., MO. Willis died there on Sep. 26, 1893.

Nine children were born to this marriage:

Eliza, born Jul. 28, 1829, died Jul. 27, 1870, married to Willis Washington Warriner.

Nebuzaradon, born c1832 in Russell Co., married Ann Baxter

Teckley, born May 18, 1833 in Russell Co., died Mar. 11, 1902 in Jefferson Co., KY. She married John Rippetoe, born Aug. 6, 1829 in Russell Co., died Apr. 18, 1903 in Jefferson Co.

Sarah, born Feb. 22, 1835 in Russell Co., died Jun. 1, 1908 in DeKalb Co., MO, married Barnes Clark.

Mary, born c1837 in Russell Co.

Jackson, born c1839 in Russell Co.

Lotty Emeline, born c1840 in Russell Co., died Jan. 4, 1899 in OK, maarried William Henry Carter Oct. 22, 1857 in DeKalb Co., MO.

Nancy, born c1843

James C., born Mar. 16, 1845, died Oct. 1, 1875 in DeKalb Co., MO.

Willis and Lotty left Kentucky sometime between 1850 and 1860 and settled in Washington Twp., DeKalb Co., MO where they remained for the rest of their lives.

After Lotty died Willis married the widow, Susan Pickett, who had children of her own. At the age of 71 years, Willis fathered another son, Willis Franklin, born
in Oct., 1874.

When he was 20, Willis Franklin married Laura Alice Thornton. They were the parents of three children:

Elva L., born Jul. 1894, died Aug. 21, 1970. She married Forest James, born Jan. 1895 in Kansas and died Nov. 5, 1973 in Multnomah Co., OR. Their children were Howard, born 1920; Wendell, born c1923; and Kenneth, born c1926.

Alice B., born Oct., 1896, married Benjamin Charles Knight, born c1895 in Washington. I know of one child, Velma E., born c1917.

Erin M., born c1902, died Mar. 19, 1942 in Multnomah Co. He married Delores (LNU), born c1906 in Wyoming. They had at least two children: Willis C., born c1926, and Ronald G., born Oct. 3, 1927, died Jul. 3, 1900.

I know very little about the children of Willis and Lotty Haynes Coffey. Additions and/or corrections can be sent to me at the e-mail address below.