William Tarrance and Susan Rucker Coffey

William was previously mentioned in the blog on his parents, William Lemmie and Caroline Hopson Coffey.

William was born Jul. 26, 1893 in Washburn, Grainger Co., TN and died Jul. 16, 1946. He married Susan Maude Melissa Rucker on Sep. 7, 1919 in Washburn. Susan was born Oct. 9, 1897 in Grainger Co., the daughter of Claiborne and Mary Majors Rucker. Susan died May 11, 1991.

When William registered for the WW1 draft on Jan. 5, 1917, he was described as being tall and slender with dark brown hair and eyes. He confirmed his birthdate in this record, and reported that he was born "near Idol," TN. He was a farmer and still unmarried.

In 1920 he and Maude were living together in Grainger Co., and William was a farmer. By 1930 he had left TN and was living in Pontiac, MI with his brother James Nelson. James was a metal worker in an automobile factory while William (called Torrence in the census) was a truck driver for an automobile factory. That same year, Susan was residing in Grainger Co. with her children, Lillian, Alta, Kathleen and Wancida [sp]. Susan's brother Samuel and his wife Sarah were also residents in the household. William and Susan's last (known to me) child was Delta Lucille, born c1932 in Grainger Co.

Lillian, born c1921, married Elvin Lester Harrell, born c1918, died Feb. 28, 1994 in Thorn Hill, Grainger Co.

Alta, born c1923, married Conley Hubert Coffman on Dec. 21, 1945 in Knoxville, Knox Co., TN. Conley died Feb. 13, 1984. Alta died on Aug. 4, 2007 in Washburn. Her obituary appeared in the Morristown Citizen Tribune on Aug. 6, 2007.

Kathleen, born about Dec. 1925, married Landon Crow Rucker on Jan. 19, 1942 in TN. Landon died May 14, 2006 in Grainger Co.

Landon C. "Crow" Rucker died May 14, 2006, Grainger Co., TN. He was a Deacon at Bridgeport Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Rucker was preceded in death by: Parents Landon and Clara (Coffman) Rucker; his wife, Kathleen (Coffey) Rucler; two sons, David Rucker and Dil Ray Rucker and wife Bonnie; two daughters, Anita Harrell and husband Clifton, and Kathy Coffey and husband Stanley all of Thorn Hill; brothers, Earl Rucker and Wayne Rucker and wife Evelyn of Morristown; sister, Mary Ratcliff of Knoxville, and sister-in-law, Edith Rucker of Corryton. Burial in McGinnis Harrell cemetery.1

Wancida, born about Jan., 1928 - no information.

Delta Lucille, born c1932, married James Leonard Dalton Jun. 6, 1950 in Grainger Co. He was a son of Joseph Thomas and Martha Hayes Dalton, born 1931 and died 1999 in Grainger Co. James served in Korea with the 82 Airborne Division.2 Their children are Charles Odell, Kathy, James Leonard, Jr., Dixie and Dana Lynn.

Please send additions and/or corrections to me at the e-mail address below.



Sources

1 Coffey Cousins' Newsletter, Dec., 2006, Issue 103, Page 7, submitted by Archie Dalton
2 Descendants of J. Hiram Dalton by Archie Dalton, Jul. 26, 2007