Lawrence Lasenby Coffey (1841-1912)

Lawrence was the ninth child and third son of Archelaus and Jane Dean Coffey.  His middle name is a puzzle - at least to me.  He was born in Gallatin Co., IL on Aug. 20, 1841 so I looked in that state for someone of prominence with that surname.  The only one that shows up in IL was Jeremiah Lasenby in the 1840 Johnson Co., IL census.  Jeremiah was a slave holder and probably was not the model Archelaus wished to honor when he named his son.  So, the mystery remains as one that I'll look at out of curiosity sometime in the future.

 In his family book describing the ancestors and descendants of James Bluford Coffey, Dr. Marvin Coffey wrote that Lawrence married Susan Melvina Barker in Hamilton Co., IL on Nov. 20, 1862.  In 1870 they appeared in the Montgomery Co., KS census with only initials for first names.  This fact has created a lot of confusion over the true names of his children born in those early years of his marriage.

1870 Montgomery Co., Fawn Creek Dist., Montgomery city PO, Page 3, dwelling/family 28, Coffey, L., age 29, male, white, farmer, $400, born IL; S., age 24, female, white, keeping house, born IL; J., age 6, female, white, born IL; A., age 4, male, white, born IL; J. S., age 3, female, white, born KS; A., age 1, male, white, born KS.

We don't fare much better in 1880:

1880 Saline Co., Long Branch Dist., ED109, Page 41, dwelling/family 383, Coffee, Lesenly [sic], white male, age 39, married, farming, born IL, parents born IL; Melvina, white female, age 35, wife, married, keeping house, born IL, parents born IL; Riley, white male, age 16, son, single, born IL; Harmon, white male, age 14, son, born IL; Ethen, white female [sic], age 12, son [sic], born IL; Edith, white female, age 7, dau., born IL; Alley, white female, age 4, dau., born IL; Maude, white female, age 6 mos., born IL; Barker, Emit, white male, age 17, single, hired hand, born IL, parents born IL

 Emit Barker was a hired hand in the census but likely related to Melvina.

If we chart out the children from the available census records, ages of the entire family progress as expected but, there are some missing or mis-identified:

• Lawrence: 29 in 1870, 39 in 1880 and 58 in 1900
• Susan:      24              35                   54
• J.               6              16 (Riley)        Gone
• A.               4              14 (Harmon)   Gone
• J.S.            3              12 (Ethen)      Gone
• A.               1               Gone
• Edith                          7                     Gone
• Alley                          4                      Gone
• Maude                         6/12              Gone
• Eva E.                                               14

In addition to these eight, there was Orilla Jane, born Sep., 1863 and is the 6-year old female in 1870.  She married William Ezell in 1884 so should have been but was not included in the 1880 census  Shelby Carr was born in 1882 and may have died young.  He would have been old enough in 1900 to have married but I have not found him in a census record for any year.  And, we are missing Ollie or Clemma Grace, born in 1871 who should have but did not show up as a 9-or-10-year old in 1880.

L-R Four Generations

A descendant of Clemma, who recently contacted me, reports that Clemma married Grigg or Gregg Madison Morris c1906.  Their children were Albert Amon (there's Amon again), born Jan. 27, 1908, died Jun. 17, 1995; E. S., a son and J. D., a daughter. The oval photo is thought to be one of Grigg/Gregg on the left, baby Albert and Clemma.  The elder gentleman in the rear may be Grigg/Gregg's father; otherwise he is unknown.


Updated 9-14-2010: L-R in the photo is Amon Hume Coffey (1865-1953), Lawrence Lasenby Coffey (1841-1912), Baby Albert Amon Morris (1908-1995) and Grace Coffey Morris, daughter of Amon Hume. Note that Amon Hume has not been positively identified as the man on the left in this photo, but all indications are that he is. It appears then that Lawrence did not have a daughter named Clemma Grace - perhaps why there isn't one with the family in 1880 - but that he did have a grand-daughter by that name.

Albert Amon Morris Family

Albert, according to my contact, married Katie Lee Elam and had sons Douglas, Robert and Morris.  They were married in OK on Dec. 4, 1927 and appeared for the first time as a family in the 1930 South Cimarron Twp. of Logan Co., OK. He was buried at the Duncan Municipal Cemetery in Stephens Co., OK. Katie was born Nov. 17, 1909 in Coleman Co., TX and died in Ardmore, Carter Co., OK on Apr. 18, 2000.  She is buried next to Albert in Duncan.

Albert & Katie Headstone

 As always, corrections and/or additions are welcomed!