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January 30, 2009

Rufus & Charlotte Allen Coffey

Rufus was a son of the Rev. Reuben A. & Polly Dowell Coffey.  Reuben and Polly have been written about before, and most of the information on the family has been based on the research of Janet Amtower.  Blogs containing some of Janet's research and photo contributions can be found here, here, and here.  Her work appears in several issues of the publication of the Owen County Historical and Genealogical Society (OCHGS), PO Box 569, Spencer, IN 47460.

Some of the information and photos in this blog are also courtesy of Janet.





I have found little information about Rufus except that he married Charlotte or Charlotta Allen on Feb. 17, 18421 in Monroe Co., IN. 
The family appeared in the 1850 Owen Co. and, the 1860 Monroe Co. census.  Rufus died on Jan. 26, 1886 in Ellettsville, Monroe Co., and was buried there in the Coffey Cemetery.
Charlotte was born Mar. 21, 1821 in Eadsville, Wayne Co., KY and died Sep. 20, 1882 in Ellettsville, Monroe Co., IN.  She is also buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville.
The 1860 census shows one child, Cynthia, born c1853, in the household.  Apparently, she was the only child born to the union.
I can be reached at the above e-mail address with additions and/or corrections.
1 Indiana State Library Genealogy Database: Marriages through 1850, Indiana State Library online [http://199.8.200.229/db/marriages_search.asp], accessed Sep.,2005

January 27, 2009

2009 Coffey Cousins' Reunion - Repeat

2009 Reunion News and Updates


Arrangements for the 2009 Coffey Cousins' Reunion are coming together. As previously announced, it will be held at Lake Cumberland State Park Convention pavilion in Jamestown, KY from Apr. 30 to May 2, 2009.

Rates for rooms are: Single or Double: $80.96 plus 10% tax, per night. Two bedroom cottages with two full baths will be $143.91 plus 10% tax, per night. Except for campsites, the cabins appear to be the best value. Campsites with electricity will run $22 plus 10% tax, per night.

Please make arrangements by calling the park at 1-800-325-1709. Be sure and inform the clerk that you will be attending the Coffey Cousins' Reunion. IMPORTANT: Deadline for registration is April 1, 2009. After that date all rooms currently blocked out for Coffey Cousins' will be open to others.

For more info on the park, visit the Lake Cumberland website at: http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/lc/

The activity center has been reserved for us at no charge. It is a 6000 sq. ft. facility and will be open for our use on Friday and Saturday. This is also where we will have our banquet and business meeting on Saturday evening.

The banquet will be hot and served at a cost of $16 per person. The menu has not been confirmed yet, but will PROBABLY consist of roast turkey and dressing or, fried catfish and hushpuppies and, choice of vegetables and a desert.

The Russell County library and courthouse should be open for research. More information on this county, as well as Rockcastle and Pulaski counties will be available later.

Watch the Coffey Cousins' newsletter or, contact Danny Coffey for more info.

January 18, 2009

Coffey Coat of Arms


Someone recently asked me for a copy of the Coffey Coat of Arms. I thought I had lost my copy and had to apologize for not having one. Fortunately however, while unpacking boxes after the recent move, I discovered and scanned a copy and am making it available to anyone who wants it.

Check the right side of this blog for the "Downloads" box. Click on the link for the coat of arms and, when it completes loading onto your screen, right click on the image and save it.  You can also click on the image here and when the full size appears on your screen, right click on it and save.

You can find a description of the Coat of Arms as well as the Irish Flag here.

January 10, 2009

James Brown & Harriet E. Coffey Blair (Update)

This photo was sent to me by Gail Hewett, a descendant of James and Harriet.  It is in remarkably good condition.  The young man in the photo is Fredrick Blair, their grandson and son of Gilliam Colbert "Cub" Blair.  According to Gail, James and Harriet raised Fredrick after his mother died.

Harriet Coffey was the daughter of Gilliam and Mary (Polly) Moore Coffey.  Gilliam was a son of William and Anna (Annie) Boone Coffey who descends from Edward and Ann Powell through their son John and his son Thomas Coffey who married Sarah (Sally) Fields.  Thomas was a brother to Reuben Coffey who married Martha (Polly) Dowell.
In her note accompanying the photo, Gail wrote that Polly Moore may be the daughter or Job and Susan Stone Moore.  Job was known to minister to boys at the Globe Academy.  Gail thought that Polly may have been Cherokee, taken in by Job to help care for the boys, and perhaps to save her from the "Trail of Tears."  Her daughter, Harriet, appears to me to have the quaint and beautiful features of a Native American woman.  In this photograph, taken c1908, she is still a very attractive woman, and must have been a real beauty in her younger years.
Harriet was born Sep. 6, 1843 in Cedar Valley, Caldwell Co., NC and died Dec. 12, 1937 in Elizabethton, Carter Co., TN.  She is buried at Harmony Baptist Church Cemeter in Keeneburg, Carter Co.  James Blair was born in May 1845 in Caldwell Co.  We're working on it, but do not yet know when and where he died or, where he is buried.
Their children were:
Henry Lee, born c1869
Gilliam Colbert "Cub", born Jul. 15, 1870, died Dec. 9, 1934.  He is buried at the Concord Church Cemetery in Bostic, Rutherford Co., TN
Harvey, born c1873
John C., born Jan., 1875
Job W., born c1878
Mary E., born Dec., 1881
Hatibel, birth unknown
Lillie M., born May, 1887
Please contact me at the above e-mail address to add to or to correct any of this information.





Hi Jack,


James Brown Blair was born May 1, 1844 in Cedar Valley, Caldwell Co., N.C. He served in the Confederate army during the Civil War. Was captured and held prisoner at Rock Island Il. until the end of the war. He and Harriet Coffey were married Oct. 7, 1866. He died May 24, 1929 in Carter Co. Tn. He and Harriet are buried at Harmony Baptist Church in Keeneburg Tn. ( just outside of Elizabethton). He was the son of Colbert and Mary (Polly) Barnes Blair.

Harriet E. Coffey Blair was born Sept. 6,1843 in Caldwell Co. N.C. She died July 19, 1937, and is buried next to James in Harmony Baptist Church cemetery in Keeneburg , Carter Co., Tn.

If I can help you any further just let me know.

Another Coffey Cousin,

Gail

January 8, 2009

Call the CEO!

My problem with DirecTV has been solved!

After having made numerous calls, sending a couple of snail mails and a few e-mails to their customer service without ANY response, I finally called the office of the DirecTV CEO. After explaining my problem I received a call from the woman I had been attempting all along to contact.

She was in a very agitated way; I could hear it in her voice! She had told me several weeks ago in a message left on my recorder who I should call, and their telephone number. What she failed to do however, was put the "OK" in the network computers. So, when I called that number, they still thought I was a 'baddie,' and referred me back to her.

The CEO's office took care of that, and they will be installing my new HD service this weekend. Plus, I got several good incentives from them as a sort of 'act of contrition.'

I did the same thing with AT&T. When their customer service kept giving me the 'run around,' I sent snail mail to their CEO in San Antonio. I had been complaining about slow downloads and uploads. I've tested my speed using their speed test site and I am getting something akin to dial-up speeds! On top of that, I'm paying them $60/mo. for the service!

There are apparently two connection types: 2G and 3G. The latter is supposed to approach down/up load speeds similar to that of cable installations. Their coverage maps show me in the middle of a 3G area but I was/am getting only a 2G connection.

Turns out, their coverage maps are incorrect, so far as 3G is concerned. According to the CEO's office, a new 3G tower is being built somewhere in my area that "will solve all your problems." The lady did reduce my bill by half and I promised that if speeds do not improve by the end of January, she will hear from me again.

So, if you have a problem with some company that you feel you cannot get solved through so-called customer service, call or write the CEO. I guarantee that will get quick results for you!

January 3, 2009

Happy New Year!

The days at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 have been some of the most hectic in my nearly 70 years. At least it seems that way! Perhaps there have been others more hectic and confounding, but likely I've forgotten them.

In addition to the move, we took off a few days and traveled to Texas to see our eldest grandson graduate from college. All of our children and grandchildren were there as well; the grandchildren ranging in age from 3 to 22! Between all the "Rock Star" concerts on the Wii and noisy dogs, I think I lost a little more of my hearing.

When we sold the lake house and terminated the DirecTV service, we anticipated switching to Dish Network so we could bundle all of our telecom services under the AT&T banner. We didn't have all of the TVs available when the Dish installer arrived and he declined to complete the installation.

By the time we had all of the TVs ready to be connected, Dish had dropped a couple of our local stations, so I called and cancelled the installation. I contacted DirecTV to reestablish our account with them.

You know that feeling you get when you call some company, go through all their menu options with the hope of finding a live person at the end, but the person you finally reach is in Cattlegap, Egypt, and doesn't speak your brand of English!?

The DirecTV person with whom I spoke set me up for a NEW account. Not only that, she somehow also set it up at our former address. But, how was I to know...the woman didn't speak anything close to what I speak, and spoke faster than I could listen! But, at the end of the conversation I figured I'd have satellite TV in a couple of days.

A couple of days later I received a call from DirecTV telling me that they would not be making the installation. The caller gave me a telephone number to call for a more thorough explaination.

Turns out, the number was to a telephone in their Fraud Protection office! The answering machine of the person I needed to speak to told me that she "was either out of the office or on the other telephone." It told me that for the next several hours and days! Each time, I left a message asking for a return call, only to be away myself when she finally did.

Her call told my answering machine that it was the policy of DirecTV to not create a new account for old customers at the same address until two years after their original account had expired. It finally dawned on me what had occurred during the call to Cattlegap! I've called the fraud person back any number of times but the line has been continiously busy!

In the meantime, I've written a letter to DirecTV's customer service in Colorado, asking them to have someone contact me. We'll see if that person is also from Cattlegap. Perhaps this time I'll get someone in Bin Laden's neighborhood!

Next time I'll tell you about my excellent adventure with AT&T. I can tell you this: They think the internet can't hide!