David Franklin & Elizabeth Conner Coffey

 David was a son of Nathaniel and Sarah Meredith Coffey.  Nathaniel (Nathan) was a son of Joel and Martha Stepp/Step Coffey.  Joel is said to be a son of the oft-labeled "mysterious" Chesley and Jane Cleveland Coffey.

As described below, Nathan came to Pike Co., IL in 1829 with his parents and other siblings.  He married Elizabeth Conner there on Aug. 6, 1842  and in 1850 was elected Justice of the Peace for Pike Co.  The family farmed and raised children throughout the 1850s and early 1860s, but in June of 1862 David entered the Civil War on the side of the Union when he became commander of Co. B, 68th Ill Regt.  He was 45-years old.

The 68th was organized for 3-months service in June, 1862 and most of the men were from the northern part of the state.  During the second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run to us Rebels) he was detailed to "hospital service."  The record does not say if he was wounded, sick or had special talents needed in the hospital.  In any event, he died on Sep. 22, 1867 in Griggsville, Pike Co.

"David F. Coffey, deceased, one of the pioneers, was born in Simpson county, Ky., May 18, 1817, and was a son of Nathan Coffey, deceased, well known in this county, who brought his family here in 1829 and settled on sec. 3, Griggsville township, at the summit of the hill which was afterward christened "Coffey Hill," and is still called by that name.  He was the father of 13 children, of whom David F. was the 6th.  The latter was married in 1842 to Elizabeth Conner, daughter of Francis Conner, deceased, who came to Franklin Co., Ill., in 1832.  Mr. and Mrs. Coffey had 10 children, of whom 9 are living, - Sarah E., Nathan F., J. Hardin, Delitha M., Daniel F., Burton B., Thomas M., Mary J., and Grace L.  Mr. Coffey was Captain of Co. B, 68th Regt. Ill. Inf., in the Rebellion, but was detailed to hospital service during the second battle of Manassas.  He died Sept. 22, 1867, at the age of 50 years; had been a member of the Baptist Church for about twenty-seven years."¹

He and Elizabeth had nine children, all born in Pike Co.:

Sarah E., born c1843, Nathan F., born c1845; John Hardin, born Aug. 31, 1847, died Apr. 29, 1917 in Oklahoma; Delitha M., born c1849; Daniel Franklin, born Mar., 1851; Burton B., born c1853; Thomas M., born 1856; Mary J., born c1857; and Grace L., born c1861.  Grace died of pneumonia on May 19, 1914 in Kansas City, Kaw Twp., Jackson Co., MO.  She is buried at St. Joseph in Buchanan Co., MO.  She had been a teacher at the Garfield School in Jackson Co.  Delitha was also a school teacher in Griggsville in the 1880s.

John Hardin married Ellen Martin on Oct. 14, 1875 in West Grove, Davis Co., IA.  Ellen was born in 1855 - probably in IA - and died in OK in 1938.  Both are buried at Fairlawn Cemetery in Oklahoma City.

Daniel Franklin married Nancy Margaret "Maggie" Hill on Oct. 14, 1874 in Scott Co., IL.  Maggie was born in Mar. 1856 in IL.  This family moved around quite a bit.  In the 1880s they lived in Chambersburg, Pike Co.; in 1900 they lived in  Brunswick, Chanton Co., MO; 1910 in Dodge City, Ford Co., KS and in 1920 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., MO.  Their children were:  Russell J., born Feb., 1877, IL; Burton B., born Feb., 1880 in Chambersburg, Pike Co.; Elizabeth, born May, 1883 in IL; Florence, born Mar., 1888 in MO; Flossie, born Apr., 1891 in MO; Lola, born Jan., 1898 in MO and Marie, born Mar., 1899 in MO.

Thomas M., born 1856 in IL, married Lillian M. Hathaway on Jul. 5, 1883 in that state.  He was a Minister of the Gospel.  Sometime between their marriage and 1894 the family moved to Iowa where five of their six children were born:  Grace H., born Aug. 30, 1884; Allen, born May, 1886; Inez C., born Sep., 1888; Maud M., born Feb., 1890; Myrna M., born Feb., 1894.  Their last child was Paul I., and he was born Jan., 1899 in Union Co., South Dakota.  By 1910 they were in Alva, Crook Co., WY where they apparently remained, at least through the 1920 census.

Grace married Victor M. French (not the Little House on the Prairie character) on Oct. 2, 1907 in Crook Co.  Victor was born in Egan, Moody Co., SD and died in Rapid City, Pennington Co., SD in Oct., 1967.  Grace died in Alva in 1917, apparently during, or right after the birth of their third child.  Victor later married Delia Foley, but I have not found a marriage record or list of their children.  His children with Grace, all born in Crook Co., were:  Russell E., born c1909; Celia M., born c1910 and Geraldine B., born c1917.  The two girls were enumerated with Grace's parents in 1920; Russel with his father.  Victor, Grace and Delia are buried at the Alma Cemetery in Crook Co.

Maud M., also school teacher (as was her sister Inez in 1910) married Leslie Browning Hopper on Feb. 17, 1913 in Crook Co.  I have not found them in any census.

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¹Charles C. Chapman & Co., Compilers/Publishers, History of Pike County Illinois;: Together With Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military and Political History; Portraits of Prominet Persons and Biographies of Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Chas. C. Chapman & Co., 1880), Pages 515 & 516.

William Harrison & Hillead Oakley Caudille Coffee Update 3-9-2011

After posting the last blog about Arthur E. & Nora B. Vickery Coffee, I decided to take another look at the children of William and Hillead.  Turns out, I had more information than I expected.

In addition to Arthur, child number 7, William and Hillead had at least 12 other children, all born in McDonald Co., MO:

James Milo, born Jul. 8, 1869, died Mar. 23, 1936 in Fairview, Newton Co., MO and was buried there at the Dice Cemetery.  His first wife was Sarah Horner who gave him Hugh Edwin, born Sep. 12, 1895, died Mar. 14, 1926 in Fairview, Newton Co., MO.  His wife was Mellie E. Russell, born Mar. 25, 1899, a daughter of Steve and Maggie J. Russell.  Mellie died Dec. 27, 1976 in Fairview.  Hugh and Mellie are both buried at Fairview Cemetery.  Children:  Kenneth W., Shirley; Joan (or, Joanne) and Mellie Hugh, a daughter, born shortly after Hugh died.

James and Sarah's second and last child was Floyd, born Sep. 8, 1901 in McDonald Co., died Oct. 7, 1976 in Payne Co., OK.  He married Georgia E. Carpenter in Nov., 1932 at Newton Co., MO.  She was born in MO on Nov. 9, 1903 and died in OK on Jan. 4, 2001.  Both are buried at Fairlawn Cemetery in Cushing, Payne Co.  Their children were Jane, born MO and Robert, born OK.

James married second to Mariana Lewis c1909 in MO.  Mariana was the daughter of E. J. Lewis and was born in Wales in May, 1885.  They had one child, Helen Louise, born c1913 in Fairview.

William and Hillead's second child was Mary Eliza, born Jan. 8, 1873, died Apr. 20, 1933 in Pineville, McDonald Co.  She married James William Ross, a son of Samuel Lafayette and Mahala Prigmore Ross.  James was born Oct. 5, 1865 in Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE and died in Pineville on Feb. 12, 1937.  Both he and Mary are buried in Pineville.  I know of one child, Hillead Mahala, born Feb. 22, 1895 in Bethel, TX [several of those in TX, and no county was given] and died in Dallas, Dallas Co., TX on Jul. 12, 1954.  She is buried at Miami, Ottawa Co., OK under the surname Jeffers.

Coffee-Booth Marriage

Edward Enoch was the third child.  He was born Apr. 27, 1874 and died May 27, 1961 at Pineville.  His wife was Pearl C. Whiteside, born in Arkansas to James N. & Henrietta Whiteside on Jan. 7, 1887.  She and Edward were married in Pineville on Sep. 6, 1903.  Pearl died Jan. 24, 1977 in Pineville and both she and Edward are buried there.  Children were Gladys, born c1907 and Glesnor James, a son, born Feb. 27, 1909. He married Ruby L. Booth, daughter of John E. and Hattie M. Booth on Jan. 5, 1931 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., MO, and died there on Mar. 7, 1968. Ruby L. was born c1911 in Baxter Springs, Cherokee Co., KS.

Minnie Zeronia [sic] followed Edward.  She was born Oct. 16, 1875 and died May 29, 1943 at White Rock Twp., in McDonald Co.  Minnie first Married Samuel H. Largent on Mar. 26, 1893.  He was born in West Virginia in Nov. 1865 and died on Jan. 26, 1908 in McDonald Co.  Their children were:  Frank W., Christel [sic] P., Leslie Verne; Archie E., and Samuel H., Jr.  Minnie married second to George Washington Mulkey on Nov. 12, 1912.  She became the mother of two of his children, Leva, a daughter born c1915 and Fred, born c1919.  George died on May 21, 1939.  Both he, Minnie and Samuel, as well as Archie and Samuel, Jr. are buried at Jane Cemetery in McDonald Co.

Child five was Albie Ravendale, a daughter, born Jan. 27, 1877.  She married twice: first to William H. Carnes and second to E. E. Parsons.  She died on Mar. 11, 1923 in Jane.  Child six was Alex M., who was born Jun. 8, 1878  and died in Aug., 1879 in Jane. He is buried at Jane cemetery.  Albie is probably there as well but I have found no record.

Arthur was number 7.  See earlier blog.

John Finis followed Arthur.  He was born Jun. 23, 1881, died Jan. 2, 1957 in Rogers, Benton Co., AR.  His wife was Cora L. Anglin, daughter of Jim and Ida Anglin.  She was born Nov. 21, 1890 in McDonald Co. and died Jul., 1976 in Rogers.  They were married on Apr. 11, 1909 in McDonald Co., and were parents of at least four children:  One unnamed infant was born c Dec. 1912 and died on Dec. 22 of that year and was buried at Jane.  Pansy Ollie Dean was born Aug. 30, 1914 and died on Oct. 15 of that year.  See is also buried at Jane.  Two other daughters, Oretta [sic] was born c1916 and Loretta [sic] was born c1917.

The next two children of William and Hillead died in infancy.  Meredith, a son, was born Feb. 26, 1884 and died in May, 1885 and was buried at Jane.  Albert was born May 26, 1885 and died in 1887 and is also probably buried at Jane.

Pearl came next, born Jun. 12, 1888 in McDonald Co., died in South Dakota, year unknown. She married Noah T. Landers c1903 in McDonald Co. where they lived until sometime after the 1910 census. They had four children in McDonald Co.: Ruel E., Earl M., Orval C., and Jewel B. By 1920 they were in Union Co., SD where they farmed and lived out the remainder of their lives. Noah died in 1963 at Elk Point in Union Co., and both are believed buried at the Elk Point cemetery.

Grace followed on Mar. 20, 1890 and died Aug. 5, 1921 at Jane.  She apparently also never married.

The last child of William and Hillead was Oma, born Jun. 13, 1893, died Sep. 7, 1958 at Pineville.  Oma married Luther A. Winters, a son of Reuben and Rhoda Lucinda Pendergraft Winters.  Luther was born in MO on Jul. 12, 1890 and died there on Mar. 10, 1967.  He and Oma were married in McDonald Co. on May 29, 1910.  They were parents of one child, a son Chester A. born c1912 in Pineville.  She and Luther, as well as Luther's parents are buried at Brush Creek cemetery in Pineville.

Arthur E. & Nora B. Vickery Coffee

Arthur was born Oct. 8, 1879 in McDonald Co., MO and died Feb. 4, 1938 in Sioux City, Woodbury, IA [unsourced dates].  He was a son of William Harrison and Hillead Oakley Caudille Coffee.  Readers can click on the blog title to read a bit more of this family from a 2007 blog.

We can find Arthur with his parents in White Rock, McDonald Co. from 1880 through 1900.  He married Nora B. Vickery on Oct. 26, 1902 in Pineville, McDonald Co.¹ They lived there and Nora gave birth to their children there.  Arthur registered in 1918 for the WW1 draft² in McDonald Co., and in 1920 the family was enumerated in that county's census.  By 1930 the family was in Fairview, Clay Co., SD.

The children were:

Violet E., born c1904 and was with her parents through the 1920 census in White Rock.

1945 SD State Census - Martin

Martin, born c1905, was with his parents through 1920 and in 1930 he was a boarder with the Henry Anderson family in Fairview, SD.  He also appeared unmarried in the 1945 state census at Elk Point in Union Co., SD.  He indicated then that he was a veteran of WWII but, I cannot find a record.

Winifred. born c1909, lived with his parents through 1920 in MO and was with them in Fairview in 1930.  He too appeared unmarried in the 1945 SD state census.  Both he and Martin were farmers.

Jesse, born c1916, lived with his parents through the 1930 census.  I have not found him after that date.

1935 SD State Census - Earl

Aaron and Earl were apparently twins, both born c1916.  They were both with their parents through 1930.  In 1935, Earl was enumerated in the SD state census at Elk Point, and in 1945 in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha Co., SD.  In the latter record he reported that he was married.³  No other information has been found.

1945 SD State Census -Earl

The last two children were daughters Viva, born c1918 and Myrtle, born c1922.  Viva was with her family through 1930 in Fairview.  Myrtle was apparently born just before the family relocated to SD.  She appears for the first time in the 1930 census.  I have found no further information on either of them.

I am seeking to document the birth and death dates for Arthur and Nora as well as spouses and other vital info for their children.

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¹Name: Arthur Coffee Marriage Date: 26 Oct 1902 Marriage Location: Mcdonald, Missouri Marriage County: Mcdonald Spouse Name: Nora Vickery.
 ²Arthur E. Coffee registered for the draft in McDonald Co., MO on Sep. 12, 1918. He was short and stout with blue eyes and light colored hair. He was 38 yrs. old, born Oct.8, 1876. He was a resident of Jane, McDonald Co., MO and resided there with his wife, Nora B. Coffee. He signed the registration card as Authar E. Coffee.
³The state census was recorded on what appears to be index cards; not the traditional forms used for Federal records.  Each person in a family had their own card, but none has yet been found for Earl's wife and possible children.  There is an E. E. Coffey, born 1916, buried at Tecumseh cemetery in Pottawatomie County, OK and a daughter, Judy Coffey McMahan who was born Feb. 4, 1957, in Longview, Wash., to E.E. and Oneta (Porter) Coffey.  This may be Earl, son of Arthur and Nora.

James Washington & Olive Bell "Ollie" Davidson Coffey

James was a son of John C. and Nancy Jane Godby [sic] Coffey, and was born in Aug., 1855 in KY, probably in Lincoln Co.  He and his parents were there on Aug. 18, 1860 when the county census was enumerated.

John was born in Jamestown, Russell Co. in 1828 and married Nancy Jane on Jun. 10, 1850 in Liberty, Casey Co., KY.¹  By 1860 the family had moved to Lincoln Co. and in 1870 they were in Bloomington, McLean Co., IL.  By 1880 they had again relocated, this time to Wichita in Sedgwick Co., KS where in 1884 John was a Justice of the Peace².  By 1896 John was either a railroad or real estate agent; that part of the census for his family is difficult to decipher.  John died before 1900 because Nancy appeared in the census for that year as a widow.

James moved with his family to Bloomington in 1870 but by c1883 he had married Olive Bell "Ollie" Davidson and they relocated to Iola in Allen Co., KS where they opened a furniture store.  They continued operate there until about 1920 when they moved to Wichita. They continued the furniture business there until James died in 1929.  He is buried at the Old Mission Cemetery in Wichita.  Ollie and her son Lynn continued in the furniture business until Lynn died in 1933.  Ollie died in 1943 and both are buried at Old Mission.

Lynn was the middle son.  He was born in Allen Co. in Apr., 1887 and married late in life (c1930) to Mrs. Edith Moore - perhaps a widow or divorcee, I do not know.  She brought Paul Moore, a 20-year old son to the marriage.  Edith was born c1890 in Indiana.

The eldest son was Roam Jerome, born Jan. 5, 1884 in Wichita, died Oct. 3, 1961 in Houston, Harris Co., TX.  His wife was Leah Johnson, born c1889 in KY, to whom he was married sometime before 1918.  He named her as his next of kin when he registered for the WW1 draft in Tulsa, OK on Sep. 12 of that year.  In 1920 the couple was in Oklahoma City where Roam managed a phonograph store.  By 1930 they had moved to Houston, Harris Co., TX where he worked in real estate.  Leah apparently died before Apr. 27, 1942, when Jerome was required to register for the WW2 draft.  He named Miss Ruth Johnson as someone who would always know his address.  Roam died at St. Luke's Hospital of bronchopneumonia and was buried at Brookside Memorial Park in Houston.  I have not found a death record for Leah.  Apparently, they had no children.

Don was the youngest son born to James and Ollie.  He was born in Allen Co., KS in Sep., 1889 and died in Wichita in 1948.  He married c1906 to a lady by the name of Ida. O.  She was born c1890 in KS and died in Wichita in 1955.  They had at least two children:  Eugene, born c1917 and Mildred, born c1919, both in KS.  Like his brother Roam, Don apparently chose not to become involved in the furniture business.  In 1920 he was employed as a laborer and in 1930 he drove a milk truck.  Both he and Ida are buried at Old Mission.

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¹Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979, 1839-1960, (FamilySearch.org)
²1885 and 1895 Kansas state census

Martin Coffey, Jailer, Black-Dog Prison, Newhall Market, Dublin, IR

Click the blog title to review something of the history of Black-Dog Prison at Wikipedia

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Morgan M. & Nancy Day Mays

Morgan M. Mays was born c1819 in North Carolina and died in that state c1849.  His spouse, Nancy Day, was born there in Mar., 1818  and died there c1900.  In 1880 and 1900 she lived with her children; first with daughter Sarah and her husband, James Bartlett Robbins in the Blue Ridge Twp., and later with her daughter Martha, widow of Wiley Hamby.

Nancy and Morgan were parents of at least five children (per 1900 census) but I have only three:  Martha J., John Larkin and Sarah.

Martha married Wiley Hamby, born c1836 in NC and had at least one child, a daughter named Lucinda, born c1859 in Caldwell Co.  In 1860¹, Wiley and his family lived at Fort Defiance in the Buffalo District of Caldwell Co.  He apparently died during the Civil War because he never appears again in any census.

John Larkin was born in Caldwell Co. in 1843² and married Nancy Jane Cozart on May 23, 1866³ in that county.  Nancy was born Dec. 7, 1843 and died Feb. 17, 1915 in Yadkin Valley, Caldwell Co.  Both she and John are buried at the now abandoned Mays Cemetery at Buffalo Cove.†

Their children were:

William M., born c1866
John Larkin, Jr., born May 22, 1869, died Feb. 29, 1936 at Neva in Johnson Co., TN
Columbus F., born c May 1870, at Patterson, Buffalo Twp.
Sarah C., born there c1873
Mary J., also born there in c1876; Julia, born there c1878, and
Burton, born Jun., 1881

John, Jr. is the only one for whom I have descendants.  He married Margaret V. (Virginia?) "Maggie" Coffey in Caldwell Co. in 1891‡.  Maggie was a daughter of Smith W. and Charity Elizabeth Redmond.

Laurence Coffey in his book gave her name as Elizabeth Baker Redmond.  However, in an e-mail to me in 2007, Carolyn Curtis wrote:

Elizabeth was born 6/25/1836 and died 5/20/1912. She was not married prior to her marriage to Smith Coffey on June 25, 1854 (that was her 18th Birthday). According to the Caldwell County Court of Pleas and Quarter Session, Volume II – January Term 1848, Elizabeth, an orphan child of 11 years of age, was bound to Lucinda Baker (that is where the Baker name originated) until age 18, at which time she was give her freedom, $6.00, a new suit of clothes, a bible and she was to be taught to read and write.

So, we still do not know where the Redmond surname came from, but I have "heard" speculation that she could have been Indian, hence "Red man."  In any event, Maggie was their fifth child and third daughter.

Maggie and John Larkin had at least six children:

Nancy E., born Oct., 1892
James Thomas, born Apr. 29, 1894, died Nov. 17, 1961 in Asheville, Buncombe Co., NC
An unnamed child born Dec. 21, 1897, died Dec. 25, 1897
Winford John, born Dec., 1898
Pearl M., born c1901
Oscar L., born c1904

John Thomas married Waudie Brazil Brewer, a daughter of Emanuel (or Manuel, found both ways) Brewer and Lydia A. "Liddy" Shook.  They were married in Watauga Co. on Dec. 22, 1917.  James Died Nov. 17, 1961 in Asheville and Waudie died there on Oct. 12, 1989.  They are buried at the Mars Hill cemetery in Madison Co., NC.  I know of one child, a daughter Helen Bonita, born Jul. 23, 1922.

John and Maggie are buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Shulls Mill, Watauga Co.   Coffey Cemeteries in NC and especially in Caldwell Co. are numerous.  I believe this one is located on the Old Turnpike Road (State Road 1568) near the present day Hounds Ears Club.

I would be interested in learning who the other children of John and Maggie married.

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¹1860 Caldwell Co., Buffalo Dist., Fort Defiance PO, Page 138, dwelling 1049, family 979, W. A. Hamby, age 24, male, farmer, $20, born NC; Jane, age 19, female, born NC; Lucinda, age 1, female, born NC
²Caldwell Co. Birth Register, Book 13, Page 252
³Caldwell Co. Marriage Register, Book 3, Page 169
†Copies of death certificates in my possession
‡Caldwell Co. Marriage Register, Book 9, Page 57
Other sources: Headstone photographs and census records

Austin Coffey and His Several Wives

It has been somewhat of a struggle to sort out the life and death of Austin Coffey, born c1840 in TN to Elijah and Rebecca Shockley Coffey.  Even now I am not certain that I have his genealogy correct.

Elijah was born on Feb. 23, 1819 (not proven) and married Rebecca Shockley on Jan. 11, 1840.*  They appear in the 1850 Grainger Co. census with Austin, age 10; Molly, age 9; Mira(?), age 7; George, age 2; and Wyatt, age 14.  Wyatt was a Coffey but not, apparently, a son.

Austin was out of his parents house by 1860.  The Grainger Co. census for that year enumerated the family with children Milah (Mira?), age 18; George, age 12; Ambrose, age 9; Samuel, age 4; and Martha E., age 3.

In 1870 we find Mila (Mira?), age 27; Grove (George), age 22; Samuel, age 15; Lacy, male, age 12; Elijah, age 10; and Martin, age 4.

I have not found them in 1880.  Elijah is said to have died in Grainger Co. on July 13, 1890 at age "71 years, 4 months and 20 days."**  Rebecca died Aug. 11, 1890 (unsourced) in Grainger.

Austin married Elvira Wolfe in Grainger Co. on Jan. 7, 1856#.  Some genealogies that I have seen report their divorce on Jan. 24, 1858, but I have not seen a record document.  This would mean that he and Elvira married when he was about 15 years old.  Austin then married Elizabeth Dalton on 20 May 1860 in Grainger Co.†  They appeared in the Aug. 13, 1860 Grainger Co. census as "tenants" in the household with the Colby Dalton family.  He was 18 and Elizabeth was 19.

Elizabeth can be found in the 1870 census at Thorn Hill in Grainger Co. with children Hulda, age 9 and Ida, age 6.  Austin was not in the household and cannot be found elsewhere that year.  Perhaps, as it has been suggested, he hid from the census taker! 

There is another marriage record for Austin Coffey to Laura Ambrose on Oct. 19, 1875.‡ He apparently died before 1880 because Laura appeared in the 1880 census of Grainger Co. as a widow.  With her were children Mary A., age 5 and Adie, age 2.

Elvira is said to have given birth to Martha Emeline c1856.  Given that she and Austin married in Jan of that year, perhaps it was a "shotgun" arrangement!?  With Elizabeth Dalton he was the father of Hulda and Ida.  Another source¢ reports that they were also the parents of Lula May, born May 5, 1869.  She married Greenberry Dalton on Oct. 10, 1886 in Grainger Co. and had at least twelve children.  Unfortunately, she never appears in any census record with any of Austin's wives.

The California Death index contains a record for Lula Dalton [Lula Coffee], born 1 May 1868 in VA, died 17 Jun 1948 in Los Angeles in which her mothers maiden name was given as Ambrose and mother's surname as Coffee.  Since Lula was born in 1869, some 5 years prior to Austin and Laura's marriage, it is doubtful her mother's name is correct in this record.  I suppose that she could have been Laura's daughter from a prior marriage and given the Coffey surname.

Laura also appears in the 1890 Veterans Schedule for Grainger Co. as a widow of Austin Coffey.

Hopefully, someone can offer additional information that will help sort out this family a bit more.

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*Marriage Bonds and Licenses, 1835-1866, Grainger Co., Tennessee, Book 2, Billie Wyrick Kennerly, Houston, TX

**The graves of Elijah and Rebecca can be found on the north side of Clinch Mountain, Grainger County, Tennessee on property once owned by William Coffey.  The property is one and one-half miles east of Fair View Church and School which was in existence in May, 1938.

Other names transcribed at the time from headstones were Lacy Coffey, born March 30, 1861, died Oct. 27, 1888; William Coffey, born Sept. 3, 1888, Died Oct. 5, 1888; Charley Coffey, no dates; Bettie Coffey, no dates; Oma Coffey, no dates.

The following is the obituary of Elijah Coffey, son of George and Margaret Rucker Coffey from church records.

Elijah Coffey was born February the 23rd 1819 and died July the 13th 1890,  aged 71 years, 4 months and 20 days. He professed faith in Christ in March  1852 and joined the Baptist Church at Cedar Springs. He married Miss  Rebecca Shockley, a member of the same church. He was ordained a deacon  of his church April the 2nd Saturday 1873 and lived a consistent Christian and working member of his church, visiting the sick and administering to  their wants. He was sick about two weeks, bearing his suffering with patience and fortitude. He called his family around him, bade them  farewell, asked the blessings of God and quietly passed away, leaving an affectionate wife and six children to mourn the loss of a good husband and father and a large circle of relatives and friends to mourn his loss. But his wife ceased her mourning in four weeks and one day and followed on over the turbid waters where husband and wife meet to part no more.  But the livings's [sic] loss is the dead's eternal gain. "Asleep in Jesus,  blessed sleep from which none ever wake to weep." Wm. N. Dalton, Church  minutes.

Sources for above include: Virginia L. Peterson, Dorothy Dalton Johns, Bessie H. Johnson, Julia Dalton Harrell, Ella Coffey Carpenter, Wanda Hamblin Deck, R.B. Coffey and Grace McGinnis, Morristown TN (mcginnis@planetc.com), and Bennie Coffey Loftin in her compilation of the family of George Coffey and Margaret Rucker.

Coffey, Elijah – b. February 23, 1819; d. July 13, 1890. Married Rebecca Shockley. Member of Cedar Springs Baptist Church. Ordained Deacon the 2nd Saturday , 1873. Leaves wife, and 6 children. She died 4 weeks and 1 day later. [E-mail from Bernice Mullins to Jack Coffee, subject: Obits, Jul. 16, 2005]

#Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.

†"Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/)

‡Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.

¢David B. Trimble, Wolfe and Hickman of East Tennessee (Microfilmed by Brigham Young University: David B. Trimble, 2506 Hartford Rd., Austin, TX 78703, 2006), Page 216.

James Wesley & Sarah Elizabeth Coffey Redwine

Charlie, Essie Dee and George Redwine

Both James and Sarah had been previously married prior to their own union on Jul. 12, 1897 in Grayson Co., TX.  James' previous wife or wives are not yet known; Sarah is thought to have been briefly married to a Mr. Brown.  The TX marriage record for her and James names her as Sarah Brown and, some genealogies report her first husband as Billy Brown.  There is an 1897 marriage record in Denton Co., TX for a Scotland Brown to Sallie Coffee [sic] but I don't think this is the same Sarah/Sallie Coffey.

Sarah was a daughter of Martin and Mary Jane Bailey Coffey and, this family descends from the thus far mythical Chesley and Elizabeth Cleveland family.  Martin was a son of Golson Wilson and Rebecca Ann Shackleford Coffey.  Golson was a son of Martin and Nancy Hansford Coffey.  Martin is said to be the son of Chesley and Jane.

James and Sarah appeared together in the 1900 Grayson Co., TX census and the 1910 Lexington, Cleveland Co., OK census.  I have not found the family in the 1920 census but they appeared in the 1930 Colbert, McClain Co., OK census with their son George W. and his family as well as their last born child, Essie Dee.

Census records show that James and Sarah had seven children:  Pearl, born c1895 in OK; Jannie, in TX c1900; Olia, in TX c1902; Allie, in TX c1904; Charlie, in TX c1906; George, in OK c1909; and Essie Dee, in OK c1913.  Essie married John Douglas Franks and the couple lived and died in Tacoma, Pierce Co., WA; John in 1994 and Essie in 1996.

I'm still working on this family.

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Recap/Update Jul. 10, 2011

James Wesley Redwine was born Mar. 3, 1866 in Cedar Springs, Dallas Co., TX and died Feb. 21, 1936 in Shawnee, Pottawatomie Co., OK.  His first wife, thought to have been named Rebecca, died before 1897, perhaps in TX where her children were born.  They were:  

Milton, born May, 1884; Willie, born Jan., 1887; Irene, born Mar., 1889; Margaret, born Aug., 1890; and Pearlie, born Jan., 1894.

Willie married  a lady named Jenny and had several children, including Earl, Willis, Leonard, Alice and Lera (?), a male.

James' second wife was Sarah Elizabeth Coffey, born c1877 in MO to Martin and Mary Jane Bailey Coffey.  She married James on Jul. 12, 1897 in Grayson Co., TX and became the mother of at least six children:

Janie, born Oct., 1899; Olia or Ola, born c1902; Allie, born c1904; Charlie, born c1906; George, born Feb. 22, 1909 and Essie Dee, born c1913.  Essie, Charlie and George appear in the above photo.

Irene, from James' first wife, married c1905 to Lee P. Mooneyham and was the mother of five children:

Gilbert P., born c1906; Lillian E., born c1908; Glen W., born c1911; Clifford L., born c1913 and, Dessie L., born c1915

Lee died c1917 and Irene then married Ephraim Vernon Coffey, a son of William Franklin and Elizabeth Ann Brown Coffey.  William Franklin was a brother to Martin, both sons of Golson Wilson and Rebecca Ann Shackleford Coffey.

Ephraim had been previously married to Elizabeth Jane Wood with whom he fathered at least seven children:

Mary J., born Dec., 1884; Bettie A., born Mar., 1886; Jennie L., born May, 1889; Sophronia, born Jan., 1891; Jessie, born Jun., 1893; Sarah, born Sep., 1895, and Rosie, born July, 1898.

His second wife was Beulah B. Roach who he married c1901 in OK.  Their children were:

Dora, born c1905; Ira Franklin, born c1911, and John "Jack" Wesley, born c1914.  There may have been another born in the six year gap between Dora and Ira.  He is not known to have fathered any children with Irene.

There is a child in the 1910 census with Ephraim and Beulah that I cannot account for:  He and Elizabeth Wood had a daughter named Mary, born in Dec., 1884. In 1910 there was a child named Mary, age 16 in the household with Ephraim and Beulah.  She was not Beulah's child and she was too young to be Elizabeth's unless, perhaps, there was a census error and Mary was really 26 years old instead of 16.

Update, Jul. 19, 2011

James Wesley's first wife was Rebecca (Elizabeth?) Ann Rutledge.  Rebecca is said to have been previously married to M. L. Mason with whom she had the child Milton, born May 1884.

Rice & Sarah "Sally" Bradford Coffey

This Rice Coffey was a son of the Rev. James Coffey and his wife Elizabeth Cleveland.  He is thought to have been born on Apr. 17, 1766 in Amherst Co., VA and to have died on July 24, 1853 in Bedford Co., TN.

Rice wrote a letter* to his nephew Thomas Jefferson Coffey - son of Ambrose, a younger brother to Rice - from Shelbyville on Nov. 15, 1844 which reads:

Dear Jefferson:

I received your letter of the 16th of September and have read it with entertaining interest. Indeed, it is always a source of gratification to me to hear that my friends are doing well.

You request some information respecting the history of our ancestors. I have no written biography of the Coffee family and therefore can only relate to you such facts as have come within my own recollection and such as have reached me by tradition.

I remember to have seen my paternal grandfather. His name was John Coffee, and he was raised in one of the lower counties of Virginia and died in Albemarle. My grandmother's maiden name was Jane Graves, and my father's name was James Coffee.  He also was raised in the lower part of Essex and from thence to Albemarle, where your father Ambrose Coffee was born in the year 1762. From this county my father (James) removed to Amherst and here his children grew up to manhood. My mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Cleveland. My maternal grandfathers's name was Alexander Cleveland. He was a descendant of the English and was an own cousin of Oliver Cromwell, a gentleman who figured conspicuously in the sixteenth century. He was raised in Virginia and born in the year 1663 and died in 1775, at the age of 112 years.

My father was born in 1729 and died in 1786. His children were nine sons and two daughters. My brothers names were John, Archelaus, James, Reuben, Ambrose, Eli, Joel and Lewis Coffee. They are all dead save Eli and Lewis, the first of whom resides in Missouri and the other in Kentucky.

I became acquainted with your maternal grandfather Jesse Moore about the close of the revolutionary war. He then lived in Burke County, N.C., where you were born. He was born in Virginia, and many of his descendants now live in Kentucky.

I am still living at the same place you last saw me, but cannot expect, in the course of nature to remain much longer.  I am now in my 80th year.

May God bless you.

Rice Coffee

Sarah Bradford Coffey was a daughter of Bennett** and second wife Margaret White.  She is said to have been born in TN on July 22, 1770 and died on Sep. 3, 1840 in Bedford Co.  A sibling to Sarah was Henry Bradford, born Dec. 24, 1766, died May 10, 1871, married Rachel McFarland on Jan. 17, 1799.  Rachel was born Aug. 28, 1783 and died Aug. 26, 1852.  Their daughter Mary, born Mar. 22, 1809, died Oct. 20, 1893 in MO, was the wife of Asbury Madison Coffey***, thought by me to be the son of Eli and Hannah Allen Coffey.

Rice appears in very few North Carolina records meaning that he and Sarah moved to TN quite early in their marriage.  Their homeplace was near Wartrace, and he is on the 1788 and 1789 tax lists, and again from 1796 to 1799.  He has not been found in the 1790 or 1800 census.  This could indicated that he was gone during the period 1790-95, and that they moved permanently around 1800, or soon thereafter.

The first tax list in TN in which he appears in 1812 in Bedford Co.  A short account of the family written about 1890 by Rice Abner Coffey, a grandson, says that Rice moved from NC to Bedford Co. in 1808.  It also says that all of the children, except the last three were born in NC.  That would put the migration date a bit earlier.

He and Sally had 9 children.  Some discrepancy exists in various lists.  The 1820 census lists 5 male children and 3 female, which would be correct because Jerusha died in 1810.

Source‡ names children of Rice and Sarah as: Jurusha, d. age 16; Elvira; Henry B., m. Sarah Edmondson; Mary G., d. 1878, m. __ Kendall; Weightress (1801-1837), unmarried; Alexander Hamilton, d. 1864, m. Nancy Matherly; Martha (1805-1845), m. A. Yell; Benjamin B., (1809-1864), m. Mrs. Mary E. Beach; John R. (1815-1896), m. Mary A. Cross (Benjamin was Gen. in Mexican War). Marvin Coffee reports birth date for Sarah as Jul. 22, 1770 and death date as Sep. 3, 1840 in Bedford Co., TN.

Mary, a daughter of Rice and Sally, was born c1798 in NC and died Oct. 22, 1878 in TN, probably Bedford Co.  She is said to have married John Kendall on Mar. 4, 1821 in that county and to have divorced him before 1850.+

She and Kendall had at least one child, a daughter named Arcena, born c1825.  In 1850 when Mary appeared in the census with her widower father in Bedford Co., she was enumerated as Mary Kindle, age 42 with Hanna Kindle, age 25 and Nancy Bell Kindle, age 13.  Also in the household was a physician, Dr. William Pruett, age 24, born in TN.

We know that Arcena married a Prewitt but are unsure if William was her husband.  They are close in age and place and certainly had the opportunity.  Prewitt apparently died or otherwise disappeared sometime after 1859 and may have died in the Civil War, although I have not found a record of his service.  Mary and Arcena, along with Arcena's two chidlren, Nanny and Willis Prewitt, appear together in the 1860 and 1870 Bedford Co. census.  Arcena was found there in 1880 with her still unmarried children.

I would like to know who was Arcena's husband and, who was the 13-year old Nancy Bell Kindle in the 1850 census.

---

*Sometimes referred to by Coffey researchers as "The Said Rice Letter."
**All information about Bennett comes from: Genealogical Publishing Co., Reprinter, Genealogies of Virginia Families: From Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007)
***Read more about Asbury here and here.
‡Lost Links, Elizabeth Wheeler Francis, Southern Western Historical Quarterly, LXIX, 1945, pps. 98, 156, 157 and Descendants of James Bluford Coffey by Dr. Marvin Coffey
+Mary G. Kendle (Kendall) vs John Kendle for divorce. Mary G. Kendle and John Kendle were married in Bedford Co on 4 Mar 1821.  Source: Page 600, Chancery Court Records 1837-1845 by Marsh; call no: 976.858 M366ch

Daniel T. & Mary Linnie Coffey Montgomery

Mary was a daughter of Larkin D. & Temperence Elaine "Tempi" Gravitt.  My original blog on Larkin and Tempi can be read here.

Mary was born c1853 in Georgia and died c1909, probably in AL.  She married Daniel T. Montgomery, date unknown but probably c1879 in Alabama  Nov. 27, 1870 in Lawrence Co., AL.* Daniel was born Aug. 15, 1846 in AL, died in Leon, Love Co., OK on May 30, 1937 and was buried there.  The family has not been found in the 1900 census ** and by 1910 Daniel was in Love and enumerated as a widower.

I believe he was a son of Alex and Salina Caroline Thompson.  Little information has been found on Alex and Salina except that Alex died in AL on Dec. 28, 1886.  In census records, Daniel always said that his mother was born in Ireland and his father in IL.  In addition to Daniel, they were also parents to Mary Elizabeth Montgomery, born c1852, died Mar. 22, 1948 in Moulton, Lawrence Co., AL.

In 1850 Alex was in Limestone Co., AL and appears to be unmarried.  He was enumerated with the Joseph Montgomery family; Joseph, age 39, was likely his brother.  Joseph's wife was Mary. Others in the household were Hannah L. Montgomery, age 23 (sister perhaps); and Mary J., age 17 and John, age 11.  Alex had children Sarah, age 13; Joseph M., age 11; Christian (?) J., female, age 9 and Daniel, age 4.

By 1860 Alex had remarried Priscilla Holt and the family was in Moulton, Lawrence Co., AL.  Others in the household were: Sarah, age 22; Joseph, age 21; Floran (?), female, age 16; Daniel, age 12; Mary, age 6; and James, age 5.

Alex and family remained in Moulton for the 1870 census.  In addition to Alex and Priscilla, others in the household were:  Sarah, age 33; Daniel, age 23; Mary, age 18; James, age 15; John D., age 12; Robert, age 10; and Margaret, age 3.  In the index, Priscilla is spelled "La Sillie."

Daniel T. Montgomery

Daniel was married and living in Pinhook, Lawrence Co. in 1880.  His census entry is dim and rather difficult to read.  The index, however, lists D. T., age 32, farmer, born TN, parents born TN; M. L., age 22, wife, born GA, parents born GA; E. T.; J. L.; and D. J.

Daniel and Mary had at least two children, David Lawrence, born Jan. 26, 1881 and, John C., born Jul. 1, 1891, both in AL.  Birth and death dates are from headstones.

After 1880, Daniel can be found in the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census in Leon, Love Co.  In 1920 he lived with Laurence and with John in 1930.  He died in Leon on May 30, 1937 and was buried at Leon Cemetery.

Ethel Brintle Montgomery

David married Nov. 3, 1902 in Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX to Ethel Isola Brintle.  She was born Dec. 19, 1885 in Giles Co., TN and died Oct. 19, 1971 in Marengo, McHenry Co., IL.  David died Mar. 8, 1945 in Marietta, Love Co., OK.  Both he and Ethel are buried there at the Lakeview Cemetery.  They had at least one child, Myrtle, born c1905 in OK, died in Oct. 1968.  Her spouse was W. O. Smith.

John C. Montgomery

Gertrude Montgomery

John married a lady named Gertrude***, born Apr. 15, 1891 in AR, died Mar. 28, 1980 in Love Co., OK.  Their children were Cecilia, LaJuana, twins Wilma and Nilma and Laurence, all born in OK.  The 1930 census record for these children is a bit difficult to read and I have guessed at the names Louisiana and Nilma.  John died on Feb. 17, 1961 in Love Co. Both he and Gertrude are buried at Lakeview Cemetery.

Update:  The family still lived in Love Co., Marietta, OK, in 1940.  John was the proprietor of a retail grocery store.  Cecilia had two years of college behind her and, Wilma and Nelda were a high school graduates.  Son Laurence was in his second year of high school.

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Mary Elizabeth Montgomery was born c1852 and died Mar. 22, 1948 in Moulton, Lawrence Co., AL.  She married William R. Coffey, brother to Mary Coffey Montgomery.  William was born c1848 in GA and died in Moulton on Apr. 15, 1930.  They are both buried at the Montgomery Cemetery in Moulton.  Their children, as I know them, were William Albert, born c1871 in Lawrence Co., died there on Dec. 11, 1925, also buried at the Montgomery Cemetery; Henry Clay, born Nov., 1873, died Feb. 13, 1940; L. C., born c1876; Daisy L., born Jan., 1881 and Julia M., born Apr., 1887, all in Lawrence Co.

Henry Clay married c1895 to Martha Jane "Jennie" Gray, a daughter of Matthew A. and Martha Pettus Gray.  She was born in AL in May, 1875 and died on Mar. 30, 1946 in Moulton.  Both are buried in Moulton and probably at the Montgomery Cemetery.  Their children were: Alpha M., born May, 1898; Wilbur Lawrence, born c1903; Daisy, born c1907; Charlie Clay, born c1909 and Sanders H., born Jul. 26, 1913.  All were born in Lawrence Co.

Wilbur Lawrence married Nancy Myrtle Jackson, a daughter of Robert E. and Mary E. Ezell Jackson.  She was born in AL in 1902 and died Dec. 2, 1948 in Moulton.  Wilbur died May 10, 1960 in Moulton.

Sanders married Velma Gobbe [sic], and died Sep. 10, 1939 in Moulton.

---

Sources:

*County Marriage Records, Lawrence Co. Marriage Book F, Page 24.

**1900 IT, Chickasaw Nation, TS6-7 S. R1-2 W, ED 177, Sheet 22A, dwelling 334, family 341, Montgomery, D. T., head, white male, born Aug., 1846, age 53, married 29 yrs., born AL, parents born AL, farmer; Mary L., wife, white female, born Jan., 1853, age 47, married 29 yrs., mother of 7, 5 living, born GA, parents born GA; Daniel J., son, white male, bor Jun., 1881, age 19, single, born AL, farm laborer; John C., son, white male, born Jul, 1891, age 8, born AL

***Gertrude Benning, daughter of John K. & Mattie Melissa Clark Benning.  Index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NMB8-WP5

Indexes of Vital Records for Alabama: Deaths, 1908-1959. Montgomery, AL: State of Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Record Services Division, 19--

United States Federal Census. Original data: United States Federal Census for years cited. 

Find-A-Grave

Stephen & Catherine Jane Coffey Porter

"Stephen Porter, born 24 June 1819 in MO, died 24 Aug 1890 in OR. He was the son of David and Nancy (Culton) Porter. David Porter, born 8 Mar 1780 in Rockbridge Co, VA, and died on 16 July 1849 on the Oregon Trail '"days journey beyond Fort Hall (Idaho) towards Soda Springs." David Porter married first Mary Elizabeth Hopkins in Davidson Co, TN about 1806. She died at the birth of their only child, a son named James, born 10 Aug 1807. He married second Nancy Culton, born Rockbridge Co, VA 8 Apr 1784, and died Pike Co, IL on 8 Jan 1867. The parents of Nancy Culton were Alexander Culton and Rebecca Woods, married 2 May 1782 in Rockbridge Co, VA. David Porter was the son of William and Mary (Bowen) Porter of Rockbridge Co, VA. I descend from William and Mary (Bowen) Porter through David's brother John.

"In 1811, David and Nancy Porter joined a closely knit group of relatives and neighbors from TN in migrating to Lincoln Co, MO. These included Sittons, Gibsons, Wilsons, and other families who intermarried with the Porters. All were pioneers on the MO frontier a few miles northwest of St. Louis, near St. Charles. By 1819, David Porter began buying land near Big Creek southwest of Troy, MO. He established his home there for a while. In late 1835, he became dissatisfied with the area and moved to Pike Co, IL. In the spring of 1849, when he was 69 years old, accompanied by his son-in-law Samuel Sitton, he joined a wagon train to Oregon, where several of his married children had gone the previous year. He died of a stroke enroute. His son-in-law returned to his family in Pike Co, IL. It is presumed that David Porter was buried beside the trail."*

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David and Nancy Culton Porter had at least six children:

Rebecca, born c1809 in TN, married Samuel G. Sitton, born c1802 in Lincoln Co., MO, died c1878 in Pike Co., IL.  Their children were at least four:  Eleanor, David W., William P., and Amanda.  In 1850 the family was residing in Pike Co. and Rebecca's mother, Nancy Culton Porter, age 66, was residing with them.  Nancy died in Pike Co. in 1867*

William, born Dec. 14, 1812 in MO, died Mar. 30, 1899 in Marion Co., OR.  He married Sarah Coffey, daughter of Nebuzaradan and Elizabeth Easley Coffey.  Sarah was born May 1, 1820 in Simpson Co., KY and died in Marion Co. on Nov. 20, 1848.  William died Mar. 30, 1899 in Marion Co.  Both are buried in the Oregon Pioneer Cemetery at Aumsville in Marion Co.  Their children were at least four: William German; Elizabeth Nancy; John Hancock; and Sidney Reese.

Joseph Woods, born c1815 in MO, married Elizabeth Ann Howey on Aug. 14, 1838 in Pike Co., IL**  In 1850 the family was still in Pike Co. with children: James; Nancy A., Amanda, and Stephen W.

Stephen Porter

Stephen, born Jun. 24, 1819 in Troy, Lincoln Co., MO, died Aug. 24, 1890 at Downs Station, Marion Co., OR.  He married twice, first to Catherine Jane Coffey, middle daughter of Nebuzaradan and Elizabeth, on Sep. 1, 1844 in Pike Co.  Their children were Nancy Louisa, David A., and John Thomas.  Catherine died on Feb. 13, 1850 in Marion Co.  Stephen's second wife was Susan Gibson who he married on Aug. 15, 1851 in Marion Co.  Stephen and Susan are buried at the Miller Cemetery in Silverton in Marion Co.

Nancy, born Feb. 14, 1822, died Mar. 9, 1904 in Salem, Marion Co., married Horatio Nelson Viscount Holmes on Sep. 27, 1838 in Pike Co.*  He was born Jul. 24, 1813 in Wythe Co., VA and died in Salem on Mar. 26, 1885.

John, born Apr. 8, 1824 in Lincoln Co., MO, died May 27, 1895 in Pike Co., IL.  He married Eliza Emeline Coffey on Nov. 28, 1850 in Pike Co.  Eliza was a daughter of Nathaniel "Nathan" and Sarah "Sally" Meredith Coffey.  Nathan was a brother to Nebuzaradan.  Eliza and John were parents of Emma, Sarah, Jane and John David as well as one infant daughter who died at or shortly after birth in 1851, Pike Co.

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Oregon Trail

These families were early pioneers who reached Oregon over the Oregon Trail.  This Trail site may also be of interest to readers.

 

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*Mary E. Porter, Author/Compiler, A Family History: William Porter, Jr. of Rockbridge County, Virginia (1740-1804) and Five Generations of his Descendants (N.p.: M. E. Porter, 7 September 2007), Page 63.


**Illinois Marriages, 1763-1900. Family Tree Legends Records Collection (Online Database). Pearl Street Software, 2004-2005, Marriage Register, Vol. I, Page 46.

Arthur Hill & Mary Jane Coffey Dula

I have written previously about this family.  Interested readers can find that blog here.

1910 Snippet

While attempting to reconcile their (minimum) nine children with the census records, etc., I found some of their names to be quiet different in each census.

Notice on the 1910 snippet the child Rzela enumerated after Beatrice.  In other records she is Ruby Dula or Ruby Evelyn Dula, born Jan 19, 1910.*   Ernest D. is actually Ernest Drexell Coffey Dula and he was born on Oct. 18, 1908.  This birth date was found on his death certificate.**

Following Ernest on the census is a daughter named Lena R., born in 1910.  I haven't found a birth record for her.  But, note her age is given as 3 months which pretty much coincides with Ruby's birth date.

1920 Snippet

Then, we come to 1920 where the child following Beatrice is named Rosavelt.  Again, the census taker apparently misunderstood.  She was aged 15 meaning that she was born 1904-05 time frame and must be Ruth, who was born Aug. 5, 1904.‡

By 1930, the only child left at home was Cleda, age 12.  She was born Sep. 17, 1917.†

To recap all the children:

Clyde Lester Dula

Catherine G. Coffey

Clyde Lester, born Jul. 23, 1893 in Watauga Co., died Aug. 2, 1973 in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co.  Married first wife Bertha Mae Robbins, a daughter of Joshua Rufus and Margaret Alenza "Maggie" Coffey Robbins, born Mar. 9, 1897 in Watauga Co., died Jun. 23, 1982 in Avery Co.  Their marriage produced three unnamed daughters between 1916 and 1918.  Mary Elise was born Feb. 8, 1923 and Anna Mae was born Sep. 26, 1926.  Clyde and Bertha divorced some c1930 and Catherine Gwendolyn Coffey, a daughter of Austin Blaine and Emma Mahalia "Hailey" Harris Coffey became his second wife.  Catherine was born Aug. 1, 1919 in Watauga Co., and died in Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., NC on Aug. 19, 1997.  I am not aware of any children born to this union.  Clyde was 45 years old and Catherine was 19 when they married on July 4, 1939.  Both Clyde and Catherine at buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Blowing Rock.  I do not know where Bertha was laid to rest.

Julius A. Gragg

Charlotte N. Dula

Charlotte Nevada, born Jan. 21, 1895, married Julius Allen Gragg.  He was born Jun. 25, 1892 in Caldwell Co. to Julius Leander and Margaret Jane "Maggie" Henley Gragg and died on Jun. 17, 1979 in Boone, Watauga Co.  Charlotte died on Jul. 14, 1989 in Asheville, Buncombe Co., NC.  Both are buried at Boone Fork Community Cemetery in Blowing Rock.  Their children were Lester Merrill, born 1916; Wanda Lee, born 1918, died 1965, married Clarence Richard Lamkin on Mar. 23, 1939 in Blowing Rock.  He was born in 1917 at Lenoir, Caldwell Co., and died Jan. 30, 1987 in Hickory, Catawba Co.  Both are buried at Belleview Cemetery in Lenoir.  Their third and last known child was Virginia Katherine "Jackie," born Dec. 1, 1924 in Watauga Co., died Jun. 30, 1999 in Lenoir.  Her husband was Earl William Ward, born Nov. 8, 1911, a son of Miles A. and Hester Elizabeth Trivett Ward.  Jackie and Earl was married Aug. 11, 1946 in Blowing Rock.  He died Sep. 24, 2002 and they are also buried at Boone Fork.

Anthony Cory

Olive Manila, born Feb. 26, 1899, died Dec. 17, 1985.  She married at least three times.  Here first was Robert Lawrence Coleman, born to Thomas and Emmerette Wright Coleman on Feb. 19, 1891 in Watauga Co.  They were married there on May 1, 1917.  I have not found a death record for Robert.  He and Olive apparently divorced because Robert married again c1924 to a lady named Frances J. and, they had at least one child, May R., born c1928 in West Virginia.  Olive's second husband was Anthony Cory [sic], born Jul. 6, 1881 in the Syrian Arab Republic.  He died on Nov. 15, 1946 in Watauga Co. and was buried at Boone Fork.  Olive's third husband was Will Estes, born 1877 in NC, died Jan. 7, 1971 in Boone.  It appears that Olive did not have any children by either of her husbands.

Beatrice Rema was born Jul. 7, 1902 in Watauga Co., died Nov. 16, 1977 in Winston-Salem.  She married twice, first to Joseph John Teague on Sep. 21, 1920 in Blowing Rock.  He was born Jul. 27, 1895 in Patterson, Caldwell Co., to Hiram John and Julia A. Coffey Teague.  Julia and Beatrice's mother were distant cousins.  Joseph died on Feb. 25, 1961 in Durham Co., NC.  There was one known child, a daughter Ophelia Hartt Teague, born in 1921, died in 1999 in Davie Co., NC.  She married Paul Roberson Coffey, born Mar. 17, 1922 in Caldwell Co. to Charles Alexander "Charlie" and Julia Evelyn Knight Coffey.  Joseph and Beatrice apparently divorced because before his death, she married Kenneth Wilmont Lentz on Mar. 20, 1954 in Forsyth Co., NC.  He was born Feb. 5, 1884 to Adam W. and Maggie Miller Lentz and died on Oct. 13, 1963 in Winston-Salem.  Beatrice died there on Nov. 16, 1977.  Both are buried there at Salem Cemetery.

Ruth Virginia married Zenobian Michaels Koontz on Nov. 12, 1927 in Forsyth Co.  He was born Jul. 12, 1902 in Davidson Co., NC and died in Winston-Salem on May 8, 1981.  Ruth died there on Sep. 2, 1990.  She is buried at Forsyth Memorial Park in Winston-Salem; he at Wallburg Baptist Church Cemetery in Davidson Co.  They had at least two children, both daughters:  Ramona Jane in 1929 and Nancy, birth date unknown.  On Jun. 21, 1950 Ramona married Francis A. McKenna in Forsyth Co., NC

Ernest Drexell was born Oct. 18, 1908 and died in Winston-Salem on Sep. 7, 1974.  He married Jessie O. Coome on Jan. 19, 1929 in Forsyth Co.  He is buried at Forsyth Memorial Park.

Ruby Evelyn Dula

Murray Harris Coffey

Ruby Evelyn was born in Caldwell Co. on Jan. 19, 1910 and died in Guilford Co. on Apr. 13, 1999.  Her husband was Murray Harris Coffey, brother to Catherine who married Clyde Dula.  They were married in Watauge Co. on Nov. 19, 1938.  Murray died Apr. 5, 2003 in Blowing Rock.  Both are buried at Boone Fork Community Cemetery.  I know of only one child, a son M. Vern Coffey, born Oct. 5, 1939, died Oct. 3, 1990.

Lois Esther (sometimes spelled Estha) was born in Watauga Co. on Jun. 3, 1912 and died in Eden, Rockingham Co., NC on Oct. 29, 1999.  Lois married a Mr. Self.  I have been unable to find any information about him.

Cleda Elizabeth was the last child, born Sep. 17, 1917 in Watauga Co.  She married J. T. Nicholson on Aug. 24, 1939 in Forsyth Co.  I have found no other information about them.

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Rites held for Mr. Dula

Clyde Lester Dula, age 80, of Blowing Rock died Thursday in Blowing Rock Hospital after an extended illness.

Mr. Dula was born in Watauga County to Arthur and Mary Jane Coffey Dula.  He was a retired fuel oil distributor having been employed by the Colvard Oil Company for thirty-four years.  He served on the Blowing Rock Town Council for eight years and the local Recreation Commission for several years.  He also served as Elder at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church.
 
Surviving are his wife, Gwendolyn Coffey Dula of Blowing Rock; four daughters, Mrs. Elyse Milum of Lakeland, Florida, Mrs. John Broyhill of Blowing Rock, Miss Linda Dula of Blowing rock and Mrs. Mike Wilson of Boone; seven sisters, Mrs. Aileen Gragg of Boone, Mrs. W. H. Estes of Blowing Rock, Mrs. Beatrice Lentz of Winston-Salem, Mrs. Murray Coffey of Blowing Rock, Mrs. Virginia Willis of Winston-Salem, Mrs. Estha Self of Eden, Mrs. J. T. Niehulson [sic] of Los Angeles, Calif. and one brother, Ernest Dula of Winston-Salem; 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church by Rev. Richard Holshouser and Rev. George Stenhouse.  burial was in the Blowing Rock City Cemetery.
---

Charlotte Dula Gragg
Watauga County Native

Charlotte Dula Gragg, 94, of Asheville, and a native and former resident of Boone, died Friday, July 14, 1989, at Biltmore Manor, a nursing care center in Asheville.

She was born Jan. 21, 1895 in Watauga County to Arthur and Mary Coffey Dula.

Mrs. Gragg was preceded in death by a daughter, Wanda Lamkin of Lenoir.

Surviving are one daughter, Jackie Ward of Asheville; four sisters, Mrs. Cleda Nicholson of Los Angeles, Calif., Mrs. Ruby Coffey of blowing Rock, Mrs. Estha Self of Eden, N.C., and Mrs. Virginia Finney of Winston-Salem; five grandchildren, including Barbara Lamkin Price of Lenoir, seven great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Boone Fork Community Cemetery.  The Rev. Murray Coffey and the Rev. Howard Hodges will officiate.

The family will receive friends Sunday from 2 to 3 p.m. at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home in Boone.

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*Name: Ruby Evelyn Dula Date of Birth: 19 Jan 1910 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Caldwell Parent1 Name: Arthur Hill Dula Parent2 Name: Mary Jane Coffey; North Carolina Birth Indexes, Roll No. B_C017_68001, Vol. 24, Page 257.

**Drexell Coffey Dula, Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., NC death certificate No. 31539 (7 September 1974).

‡Name: Ruth Virginia Dula Date of Birth: 5 Aug 1904 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: Arthur Hill Dula Parent2 Name: Mary Jane Coffey Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes, Roll Number: B_C102_66001 Volume: 14 Page: 70.

†Name: Cleda Elizabeth Dula Date of Birth: 17 Sep 1917 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: Arthur Hill Dula Parent2 Name: Mary Jane Coffey North Carolina Birth Indexes, Roll Number: B_C102_66001 Volume: 3 Page: 549.

John Nathan & Emma Mariah McGowan Coffey

John was born in Texas on Apr. 21, 1847 to William Saunders and Elizabeth Schooler Coffey.  His parents moved from Kentucky to Texas before 1850 and settled in Lavaca Co., where John was likely born.  He was there on Feb. 15, 1872 when he married Emma Mariah McGowan, born Jan. 12, 1849 in MS.  John died Sep. 13, 1919 and Emma died on Nov. 17, 1933, both in Brown Co., TX and are buried in the Zephyr Cemetery.

John and Emma were parents of at least nine children.  At least five of those grew to adulthood.

Elizabeth J., born c1873, Lavaca Co., no further information.
William Sanders [sic], born Jul. 16, 1874, died Aug. 16, 1877 in Lavaca Co.
Lucinda Collins, born Dec. 10, 1875, died Aug. 6, 1877 in Lavaca Co.
Cecil Isadora, born Sep. 4, 1877 in Schulenburg, Fayette Co., TX; died Apr. 11, 1959 at Goldthwaite in Mills Co., TX.
Martha T. "Mattie", born Feb. 9, 1879 in Schulenburg, died Jun. 25, 1949 in Brownwood, Brown Co.
Zula P., born Apr. 1, 1885 in Brown Co., died May 4, 1973 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX.
John Narvin, born Sep. 8, 1886 in Brown Co., died Dec. 8, 1918 in Zephyr, Brown Co.
Zachriah Brooks, born Jan. 1, 1889 in Brown Co., died Mar. 29, 1967 in Brownwood.
Jesse L., born Jul. 11, 1892 in Brown Co., no further information.

Cecil Isadora was the first that I know to have married.  Her spouse was Andrew Franklin Shelton, born Jan. 16, 1871 in Jackson Co., NC, died Feb. 12, 1972 in Goldthwaite, Mills Co., TX.  Both are buried at Oak View Cemetery in Mullin, Mills Co., TX.

Their children were Arthur F., born c1896; Emma Rue, born Jun. 15, 1900 in Mullin, died Aug. 11, 1957 in Bluff Dale, Erath Co., TX.  Emma married a Mr. Hancock and died in an automobile/train accident in which she suffered a severe head injury.  She was returned to Mullin and was also buried there; John Nathan, born c1902; Vada Elizabeth, born Oct. 12, 1906, died Feb. 18, 1933 in Brownwood, Brown Co., TX.  She was buried at Mullin also; William Dewey, born c1908; Homer W., born c1911; and Minnie R., born c1916.

Martha "Mattie," was married c1905 to Cecil McCutchan, born Oct., 1879 in Brown Co.  He was a son of John B. and Emma Goode McCutchan, Missouri natives who moved to TX, probably before the turn of the 20th century.  John died in 1907, Brown Co., and Emma died in 1936 at Abilene in Taylor Co., TX.  Both are buried at Zephyr in Brown Co.

Cecil and Mattie are not known to have had any children.  They were childless in the 1920 census and Cecil died on Sep. 22, 1919.  In 1920 Mattie was enumerated with an "orphan" child, Milford Tenyson, age 14.  She died in 1949 in Brownwood and was buried with Cecil at Zephyr.

Zula is named in the Texas death records as Zula K. McCown.  No other information.

John Narvin married Mollie Couch, a daughter of John Pleas and Maggie Brewer Couch.  John was born in TX and Maggie in TN.  Mollie was born on Mar. 16, 1888 in TX and died in Fort Worth on July 5, 1951.  She and John were parents of:

Effie Pearl, born Mar. 2, 1906 in Brown Co., and died in TX on May 6, 2001.  Effie married James Matthew "Jim" Jones on May 25, 1924 in Brownwood.  He was born in tX on Nov. 15, 1900 and died there on Mar. 27, 1967.  Their children were Jack R., born c1925 and Trelilita (sp?), a daughter, born c1926, both in TX.

John Pleas "Bud". born Jun. 1, 1908 in Brown Co., died Jan. 6, 1970 in Brownwood.  He married Ida Louise Hill on Dec. 7, 1930 in Brownwood.  No further information.

Annie Jessie, born Jul. 10, 1910 in Zephyr, died there of burns on Feb. 28, 1921.  She is also buried at Zephyr.

William Lynn, born Aug. 16, 1912 in Brown Co., died there on Dec. 2, 1989.  William married Sallie Venice Smith, a daughter of Thomas Greenberry and Sarah Jane Williams Smith.  She was born in Cottle Co., TX on Oct. 11, 1911 and died in Brown Co. on Mar. 8, 2004.  Both are buried at Zephyr.  Thomas and Sarah are buried at the Breckinridge cemetery in Stephens Co., TX.

Narvin Wayne, born Oct. 3, 1914 in Zephyr, became a Naval officer.  He married Bonifa A. Williams, a dauther of Russell B. and Lanie R. Williams, on Apr. 11, 1941 in El Paso Co., TX.  Narvin died on Sep. 17, 2005 in Graham, Young Co., TX.  Bonifa died there on Oct. 27, 1994.  I know of one child, Charles Noel, born Dec. 30, 1937 in El Paso Co.  There is an unexplained gap of four years between his birth and his parents marriage date.

Their last child was Lee C., born c1917 in Brown Co.  No further information.

Zachariah Brooks, born Jan. 1, 1889 in Brown Co. and died there on Mar. 29, 1967.  He married Kate Marie "Katie" Graves on Apr. 30, 1911.  Katie was born July 5, 1895 in Red River Co., TX and died in Zephyr on Oct. 5, 1984. Both are buried at Zephyr.

Their children were:

Cecil Franz, born Mar. 12, 1912 in Brown Co., died Feb. 27, 1997.  His spouse was Lee Frances Lunsford, born Oct. 5, 1923, died Dec. 16, 1948.  They too are buried at Zephyr.  Frances was a daughter of Marvin A. and Clara Mae Ramsey Lunsford.  No further information.

Allie, born c1915.  No further information.

Lowell W. "Toss", born Nov. 21, 1918 in Brown Co., died there on Sep. 6, 2002.  He is also buried at Zephyr.

The last known child of John and Emma was a daughter, Jessie L., born Jul., 1892.  No further information.

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Update Jul. 23, 2011:

The McGowan surname seems to have evolved to McCown.  I have seen some death records where it was spelled McCowan but, for the most part, the family appears to have been a bit more consistent with the McCown spelling.

Emma Mariah McCown was a daughter of James P. and Lucinda Isaacs McCown. Her sibling, Zachary Taylor McCown married Sarah Texanna Perkins c1869 in TX and, their son, Ivan Lynn McCown was the husband of Zula Coffey, mentioned above.  Zula was born Apr. 1, 1885 in Brown Co., TX and married Ivan c1902 in TX.  He died Jun. 9, 1940 in Zephyr, Brown Co., TX and is buried at Zephyr Cemetery with Zula.

Berry Green & Emily Jane Coffey Coomer

Berry & Emily Marriage Record

Berry Green or, Green Berry or, Greenberry Coomer was born c1828 in Stokes Co., NC.  He married Emily Jane Coffey on Feb. 16, 1854 in Adair Co., KY.  Emily was born c1824 to Ananias & Jane Hindman Coffey. 

The family was in Adair Co. for the 1860 and 1870 census.  However, Emily appeared as a widow in the 1880 Pike Co., IN census with three of her six children: Robert, Albert and Harriet.

There were at least six children, all born in Adair Co.:

Julius, born c1855, married Martha Clem in Pike Co., IN on Apr. 15, 1879.
Louisa Jane, born Jan. 6, 1857.
William G., born c1859.
Robert B., born c1861, married Flora L. Mayhugh on Aug. 5, 1886 in Pike Co.
Albert Lucas, [more below]
Harriet E., born c1865

Albert L. Coffey

Laura Swain Coffey

Albert Lucas Coomer was born on Sep. 28, 1862 and died in Petersburg, Pike Co., IN on Dec. 10, 1938.  He married Laura Belle Swain on Mar. 27, 1890.  She was born Feb. 23, 1869 in [probably] Indiana and died in Union, Pike Co., IN on Nov. 20, 1933.  Along with others of their family, both are buried at Mount Tabor Cemetery in Wheeling, Gibson Co., IN.

Obituary from the Petersburg Press, Tuesday, December 13, 1938

Albert L. Coomer

Albert Lucas Coomer, who had spent about all his life here in this county, died at the Home Hospital here last Saturday the 10th after an illness that kept him confined to his bed for two weeks, although his health had been failing for some time.

He was the son of Greenberry and Emily Coffey Coomer and was born in the neighborhood of Union on the 28th day of September, 1862, being 76 years, 2 months, and 12 days old at the time of his death. When he was a young man he was married to Laura Swain, who preceded him in death some five years ago.

Seven children were born to the marriage of whom the following six survive: Virgil Coomer of Oakland City, Russell Coomer, well known business man of Petersburg, Rudolph Coomer of Akron, Ohio, Albert B. Coomer of Detroit, Mrs. Essie Dillon of Francisco, Ind., and Mrs. Naomi Penner of Princeton. Living also are 21 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. One brother also survives who lives in Missouri.

Mr. Coomer was a good citizen who attended to his own business and had many friends. The funeral services were conducted at Mt. Tabor at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon and interment was in the adjoining cemetery.

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Lula B. Tooley

Virgil W. Coomer

Albert and Laura had a number of children, including Virgil William, born Jun. 19, 1890 in Pike Co., died in Oakland City, Gibson Co., IN on Feb. 15, 1979.  Virgil married Lula Bessie Tooley, born Sep. 6, 1888, in IN, died there on Aug. 3, 1964.  They are also buried at Mount Tabor.

Click on the title link to read about Ananias & Jane Hindman Coffey.

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All photos and obituary are property of and courtesy of Susan Coomer Collins

1860 Adair Co., Columbia PO, Dist. 1, Page 41, dwelling/family 277, Berry G. Coomer, age 31, male, farmer, $250, $400, born Stokes Co., NC; Emily J., age 31, female, house keeping, born Russell Co., KY; Julius S., age 5, male, born Adair Co., KY; Louisa J. R., age 3, female, born Adair Co., KY; William G., age 1, male, born Adair Co., KY; Matilda Bushey (?), age 11, female, born Lee Co., VA; Jane Coffey, age 79, female, house keeping, born VA

1870 Adair Co., Gradyville PO, Page 10, dwelling/family 66, Coomer, Berry G., age 38, male, white, farmer, $155, born VA; Emily, age 40, female, white, keeping house, born VA; Junius, age 15, male, white, working on farm, born VA; Louisa, age 13, female, white, atten,g school, born VA; William, age 11, male, white, at home, born VA; Robert, age 9, male, white, at home, born VA; Albert, age 7, male, white, born VA; Harroet, age 5, male [sic], white, born VA

1880 Pike Co., Clay Twp., ED176, Page 4, dwelling/family 27, Coomer, Eliza [sic] J., white female, age 53, widow, keeps house, born KY, father born VA, mother born KY; Robert B., white male, age 20, son, single, works on farm, born KY, father born NC, mother born KY; Albert L., white male, age 17, son, single, works on farm, born KY, father born NC, mother born KY; Harriet E., white female, age 13, dau., single, servant, born KY, father born NC, mother born KY