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August 22, 2008

Wyatt Coffey

A recent query in the Coffey Ancestry forum wondered about Wyatt Coffey, found in the 1860 Plumas Co., CA census.  After checking my files I found that there was a Wyatt Coffey, born c1835 in TN to Thomas and Mary S. (Polly) Hipshire Coffey for whom I had little information.  I also found a note from a researcher who reported this Wyatt had moved to CA before 1860.  Except for that, she had not provided any additional information.

Other researchers had reported the marriage of Wyatt to Julia A. Hipsher on Oct. 4, 1854 in Grainger Co., TN.  She was the daughter of Colbert and Jane Hayes Hipsher.  Wyatt appears to have abandoned or divorced Julia to head west.  Some years later (Aug. 30, 1883) Julia married Joel Mallicoat in Grainger Co.

A quick search of the census records found Wyatt Coffee, age 25, in the 1860 record for Indian Valley, Quincy PO, Plumas Co., CA.  He was unmarried, living alone, and employed as a "packer."

By 1870 he was married and had two children.  His wife was enumerated as Polly, age 30, an "Indian" born in CA.  Their children were Thomas, age 9, and Martha, age 4, both born in CA and enumerated as "Indian."

The family was still in Plumas Co. in 1880.  Children were Jeff, age 17; Martha, age 15; Ira, age 12; Harry, age 9; Rosa, age 4; and Eda [sic], age 1.  Polly and the children were enumerated as "Indian."

Polly apparently died before 1885 when Wyatt was enumerated in the Clark Co., WA  Terr. census.  W. Coffey, age 45 (or, 49?), born in TN, was a saloon keeper.  In the household was Ira, age 18; Harry, age 14; and Rosa, age 10.

I have not found any further information about Wyatt or any of the children except Rosa.  The 1900 census for Salmon Creek, Clark Co., WA enumerated Rosie E. Coffee [sic], born July 1876 in CA, as a servant in the Andrew Belongia household.  Rosie reported that her father was born in TN and her mother in CA.

A check of the WW1 draft registration cards found an Ira Coffey, age 24, in Vancouver, WA.  He was born Jun. 26, 1892 in Vancouver, and was probably not the son of Wyatt and Polly.

Note that in The Edward Coffey Project I have mis-identified this Wyatt as having enlisted in the CSA on Sep. 15, 1862 at Richmond, VA.  The Wyatt that enlisted was the son of Edmund and Martha Snead of Nelson Co., VA.  The correction will be made in the next update of that project.

Anyone with additional information or corrections can contact me at the above e-mail address, or leave a comment in the space below.

4 comments:

Anne said...

I have a little more information for you. In the Washington State and Territorial Census of 1887, (image 28) Clark County, I found Wyatt Coffee, and a new wife with her two boys and a 1-year-old daughter of their own, “Flossy” Coffee. While her name is “Ida” on this census, her real name was “Melissa Place,” and she had been married before, thus the two boys, Earnest (8) and William Place (4). Hiram (19), Harry (17), and Rosa (12) Coffee were living with them at the saloon.

As an aside, I found Melissa Place in the Washington State and Territorial Census of 1883, (Image 54) Clark County, with her then husband, George H. Place, who was 18 years older than she. Her two boys were on that census. She later went on to marry someone named Thompson.

There were two Ira Coffee(y)s. One was Wyatt Coffee’s grandson, through his son Harry, born 26 June 1892. The other Ira Coffee was Wyatt Coffee’s brother, born in Grainger, TN in 1834.

I think you may have found this at my family tree at ancestry.com, but posting anyway if anyone is looking.

Jack Coffee said...

Hello Anne. Thank you for the updated info.

Anne said...

Rosie Coffey died of consumption 2 July 1901, while a servant, Clark County, Washington, presumably still in the Belongia household. She was only 25.

Jack Coffee said...

Anne, I have no factual info about Wyatt except through census records. I do not find Rosie's death on the Washington digital archives page. I do find two Kate Coffeys for 1901, both in King Co. Neither do I find a death record for Wyatt. Do you have info on his burial place?

I haven't searched for his children with Polly (wish I had a maiden name) but will soon make it a priority.