John & Rachel Barrier Coffey

John was born Feb. 24, 1818* in Eadsville, Wayne Co., KY to James and Sarah Emerline Sumpter Coffey.  He married Rachel Barrier, born Aug. 17, 1824*, in KY and probably also in Wayne Co. to Aaron and Susan Chrisman Barrier.  John died May 5, 1882 and Rachel died on Dec. 28, 1914, both in Pulaski Co., KY and were buried at the remote John Coffey family cemetery at Yamagraw in McCreary Co., KY.

I am aware of six children for them, all born in Wayne Co.:

Sarah Jane, born Jan. 10, 1849.  She remained unmarried and died of heart disease on Jun. 2, 1918 in McCreary Co.  She is probably also buried at the family cemetery but, her death certificate reads only that she was buried in that county.

Nancy Elizabeth, born Mar. 10, 1850, died in McCreary Co. on Feb. 25, 1935.  It appears that she also remained unmarried for her headstone at the family cemetery reads "Nancy E. Coffey."  Of course, she could have married a Coffey but I have no evidence of that.

Shelby "Shelly," born Apr. 29, 1852, died of measels at Denney, KY, Wayne Co.**  He is buried at the Martha Coffey Cemetery at Ritner, Wayne Co.  He was married at least twice.  His first was to Sarah Perkins on Dec. 26, 1872 in Wayne Co.  Sarah was born Jul. 4, 1856 in KY and died in Wayne Co. on Mar. 7, 1912.  His children with Sarah were:

Rachel, born Oct. 8, 1874 in Slavans, McCreary Co., died of pulmonary tuberculosis on Jun. 30, 1950 in Wiborg, McCreary Co.**  Her spouse was W. H. Abbot, born c1878, died c1955 in KY.  She is buried at Flat Rock Cemetery in McCreary Co.  Her spouse is probably buried there as well.

John, born Sep. 18, 1875, died unknown.  He married Kizzie Coffey, a second cousin and daughter of Richard Henderson and Catherine C. Jones Coffey, date unknown.  Kizzie died Oct. 2, 1959 in McCreary Co.***

Lewis, born c1878, also married a second cousin, Ada E. Keith, born Mar., 1882 to William H. & Sarah Elizabeth Coffey Keith.

James Austin, born Jan. 4, 1881, died May 11, 1960 in Monticello, Wayne Co.  His wife was Canzada Foster, daughter of George S. and Selda or Zelda Foster.  Canzada was born May 8, 1885 in Wayne Co., and died Feb. 8, 1966 in Monticello.  They were married on May 30,1907.  Both are buried at Elk Spring Cemetery in Monticello.

Jay, born Mar. 31, 1883, no further information.

Joseph Francis "Joe," born Jun. 3, 1885, died Dec. 12, 1969 at Smith Town in Stearns Co., KY.  His wife was Dora Roberts. He is buried at the Methodist Cemetery in Whitley City, McCreary Co.

Rebecca, born Jul. 1887, no further information.

Jesse, born Jan., 1890, married Margaret Foster, born c1898 in Wayne Co.

Sarah J., born Mar., 1892, no further information.

William Nelson, born Jun. 21, 1894, died Mar. 14, 1963 at Oneida in Scott Co., TN.  His wife was Lelia Mae Abbot, born Jul. 18, 1899 in Wayne Co., died in Oneida on Feb. 26, 1969.  Both are buried at the Holloway Cemetery, Marshes Siding, McCreary Co.

James Aron, born Feb. 20, 1854, died Nov. 5, 1913.*  Buried at the Coffey Family cemetery at Yamacraw. I have found no of a marriage for James.

Joseph, born Mar. 11, 1856 at Whiteoak Creek, Wayne Co.  He married c1888 his first cousin, once removed, Emily G. Coffey, daughter of Joseph and Louisa J. Jones Coffey.  Louisa and Cathereine Jones, wife of Richard Henderson Coffey (above) may be related but, I have not investigated that connection.

The last child of John and Rachel Barrier Coffey was Francis Marion, born Feb. 5, 1858, died Jul. 15, 1926* in Yamacraw.

Shelly's second wife was Martha Thompson with whom he had Hattie, born 1919, died 1990.  She married Robert Barney "Bob" Clark, born Jun. 15, 1911, died Sep. 1, 2006.  She and Bob are buried at the Martha Coffey cemetery in Ritner.  Their second child was Charles, born Jan. 11, 1923, died at the VA hospital at Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN on Jun. 13, 1985.  He too is buried at the Martha Coffey cemetery.

John and Rachel had a number of grandchildren which likely resulted in scads of grandchildren.  Unfortunately, Shelby is the only one for whom I have a good list of descendants.  Readers are invited to fill in the blanks.

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*Headstone
**Death Certificate
***Kentucky Death Index, 1911-2000

Webster Abbott

Webster Abbott was born in Hopkinton, St. Lawrence Co., NY on Nov. 18, 1821 and died on Dec. 31, 1878 in Clark Co., WA.  He married Mary Louisa Coffey, a daughter of Joel and Sarah Mackey Coffey,

Joel was a descendant of Chesley Coffey, Jr.

He and Sarah were married on Apr. 9, 1818 in Maury Co., TN.  The first four of their 8 children were born in TN; the last four in Booneville, Cooper Co., MO, which includes Mary Louisa, born Aug. 9 1833.

Although I have not yet found a marriage record for Mary Louisa and Webster Abbott, they very likely married in MO before the families headed west to the Oregon Territory.  Their first child was Alice Ella, born Oct. 16, 1856 in Colorado* and died Nov. 21, 1863 in Camas, Clark Co., WA.

The remainder of their children were born in Washington Territory/Washington State and upon death are thought to have been buried at Fern Prairie Cemetery in Camas:

Malinda C., born 1858, died young
Lucetta Caroline, born May 15, 1858, died Nov. 19, 1863
Flora May, born Sep 1, 1861, died Nov. 18, 1863
Mary Alabama "Minnie", born 1864, died Jul. 22, 1880
Robert Edward, born 1867, died 1868
Henrietta Mackay, born Jan. 24, 1869, died Nov. 18, 1940 at Portland, Multnomah Co., OR.
Webster G., born Oct. 2, 1871, died Aug. 20, 1942 at Steilacoom, Pierce Co., WA

Mary Louisa Coffey Abbott died on Aug. 19, 1922.

Mrs. Mary L. Abbott

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary L. Abbott were held this afternoon at the St. Luke's Episcopal church at 2 o'clock, Rev. Charles Powell, officiating. Interment was made in the Fern Prairie Cemetery.Mrs. Abbott, aged 89 years, was born in Boonesville, MO., in 1833, and came West with her husband in 1858. In 1859 the family homesteaded a tract of land in the Mill Plain district. She went to the Blanchett home for the Aged about two weeks ago and she died here Saturday afternoon.The surviving relatives include a daughter, Miss Henrietta Abbott of Portland and a son, Webster Abbott living on the home farm in the Mill Plain district.

Vancouver Evening Columbian (Vancouver, WA), Monday 21 Aug 1922 Page 6**

I haven't yet found any descendants of Henrietta or Webster.  The line may have ended with their deaths. And, I am not certain that all of the Abbotts are buried at Fern Prairie.  Alice has her own headstone while Lucetta and Flora share one.  Malinda does not have a headstone.  The remainder of the family appear on a single stone, which may indicate their actual burial site within the cemetery is unknown.

Photos by Bonnie at Find-A-Grave 
*1860 Wash Terr Census
**Obituary

Joel Coffey

There are at least 23 men in my Coffey database named Joel. There are undoubtedly more, and many researchers have a difficult time keeping them separate. This is especially true when there are cousins in the same area and all were born around the same time.

The Joel I am writing about today was born Jun. 15, 1789, probably in Tennessee and died Dec. 10, 1855 in Oregon or perhaps in Camas, Clark Co., WA. He married Sarah Mackey, daughter of William Lewis and Elizabeth Ashbrook Mackey, Apr. 19, 1818 in Maury Co., TN.

Joel is said to be the son of Chesley, Jr. and Margaret Baldwin Coffey. Chesley, Jr. implies that there was a Chesley, Sr., but no one has ever been successful in location Chesley, Sr., or even proving his existance.

Some research that I have seen indicates that Joel took his family to Oregon in 1852 where they settled near Vancouver in what is now Washington state. Some writers claim that he and Sarah were parents of 10 children, but a number of them died young. Three of the children are said to have been buried in the family plot with Joel in Camas. Two of their children, twins Terral M. and Alexander L., born Mar. 15, 1831, are said to have become "noteworthy." Terral went to Umitilla Co., OR where he became a prominent farmer near Pendleton. Alexander became the county surveyor in Adams Co., WA.

In his book Genealogy of the Lewis family in America, published 1893 in Louisville, KY, William Terrell Lewis wrote that "Sarah Mackey, daughter of Wm. L. Mackey, was born in Rutherford county, N.C. in 1795. She married Joel Coffey, had three children and died in Missouri. The names of her children are as follows: William, Chesley and Derindia. After the death of Mrs. Sarah Coffey and her three children, Mr. Coffey moved to Oregon."

In addition to the three children named above, others most often described as being those of Joel and Sarah are:

Alexander L., born Mar. 15, 1831, died Aug. 8, 1913
Terral Mackey, married Mary E. Patterson, was born Mar. 15, 1831
Mary Louise, married Webster Abbott, was born 1833, died 1922
Elizabeth Angeline, married Lewis Van Fleet, was born May 8, 1836, died Apr. 12, 1905

Did Sarah Mackey die before the family left for Oregon? If so, who was the mother of the remaining four children?

Contact me with additions or corrections.