Elijah Melvin & Elizabeth Quinn Coffey

One of our Coffey cousins, born and raised and who had lived in Gentry Co., MO since birth, somehow decided it would be nicer if he and his family moved to North Dakota,  Now, I know winters are cold in MO with highs in the mid-40s and lows in the mid-20s but, in ND winter temps typically drop out the bottom of the thermometer!

Elijah Melvin Coffey was the 17th child and 10th son of Jesse H. Buchanan and Dorcas Lucinda Burpo Coffey.  He was born Apr. 22, 1867 in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co., MO and married Elizabeth Quinn of that county on Mar. 27, 1891.  He was 23, she was 18.

Their first two children, Ves B. and Seth Rastus were born in Gentry Co.  Ves was born in Dec., 1892 and Seth in May, 1896.  Melvin, their third child was not born until 1909 after the family arrived in ND.  The family lived and farmed in Burt Township, near Minot from c1908-09 until at least 1940.

Ves Coffey Death Certificate

Their son Ves lived with them at least through 1917 when he registered for the WW1 draft.  He was described on the registration as being tall with a medium build, gray eyes and black hair.  At the time he was already a private in the state National Guard at Minot.  By 1923 he was unmarried and living in Williams, Coconino Co., AZ where he was employed as Chief Clerk for the US Forest Service.  He was struck by the Santa Fe Train on Apr. 7, 1923 and died on Apr. 25 at the Williams Hospital. His body was returned to Stanberry in Gentry Co. for burial.

Seth registered for the draft in Ward Co., ND on Jun. 5, 1917. He was described then as being tall with medium build, blue eyes and black hair. He was 21 yrs. old, born May 9, 1896 at Alanthus [sic] Mo.  He was single and a farmer employed by E. M. Coffey of Burlington, Ward Co., ND.  Seth eventually married twice.  His first wife was Cora B. [LNU] and they were wed in about 1920.  At least two children were born to this marriage: Dorothy born c1922 and Betty Jean, born c1931.  Cora apparently died before the Apr., 1940 census because only Seth and Betty Jean were enumerated as family.  Their housekeeper was a 21 year old Theda G. Olson.  She and Seth would be married later that year or, perhaps not until 1941.

This seems to be a bit odd to me:  On Dec. 9, 1942[1], Mrs. Theda O. Coffey enlisted in the Womens Army Corps, branch code:  Inactive Reserve as an Aviation Cadet.  Place of enlistment was Minneapolis, MN.  Minneapolis is 500 miles from Minot and, she reported that she was a housekeeper for a private family.  Could she and Seth been separated or divorced?  I also wonder if she ever learned to fly and what her role was in the WAC during WW2.   Theda died on Feb. 8, 1999 and was buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Minot.  Seth died about 32 years before her, in Sep.,1967.  He is also buried at Sunset.  I do not know if they had children.

The third son, Melvin, born c1909 after the family moved to ND.  He married a young lady by the name of Vivian, born c1921 in ND.  They appeared in the 1940 census in Minot as a newly wed couple. Melvin worked on road construction with the WPA and they had no children at the time.  I have not found any additional information on this family.

Additions and corrections welcomed, especially the burial location of Elijah, Elizabeth, Ves and Melvin.

Jack

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[1]Name: Theda O Coffey Birth Year: 1919 Race: White, citizen (White) Nativity State or Country: North Dakota State of Residence: North Dakota Enlistment Date: 9 Dec 1942 Enlistment State: Minnesota Enlistment City: Minneapolis Branch: Womens Army Corps Branch Code: Inactive Reserve Grade Code: Aviation Cadet Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law Component: Womens Army Corps Source: Civil Life   Education: 4 years of high school Civil Occupation: Housekeepers, private family Marital Status: Married Height: 65 Weight: 181

Jesse H. Buchanan Coffey

Jesse was the son of Joel Benjamin [perhaps just Benjamin] and Exea [sic] Saphronia Stepp [var] Coffey, both natives of North Carolina. Joel was born in the Globe, Caldwell Co. c1790 to Reuben and Sally Scott Coffey. He died in Owen Co., IN c1843. Exea was born in NC c1805, and died in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co., MO in Jun., 1876.

Jesse was born Oct. 13, 1817 in Burke Co., NC, and married Lucinda Dorcas Burpo on Feb. 14, 1840 in Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN.1 Lucinda was born May 10, 1825 in Burke Co., NC and died Sep. 16, 1897 in Alanthus Grove. Jesse died Oct. 16, 18852 in Alanthus Grove. Both are buried in the Jennings Cemetery at Alanthus Grove.

In 1850 Jesse and his family was in Jefferson Twp., Morgan Co., IN where Jesse was a farmer.

At last count, Jesse and Lucinda were parents of 17 children! The first was born in 1840, the last in 1867. Lucinda lived about 30 more years after the birth of her last child.

By 1860 the family had moved to Gentry Co., MO. Mary, their first child died sometime after 1850 but before 1860.

The family was still in Gentry Co. in 1870. James, Sarah and John as well as Catherine (Kate} were still at home.

Their children were:

Mary Elizabeth, born Dec. 1, 1840, died after 1850

Matilda Jane, born Jan. 12, 1842 in Morgan Co., IN, died Jun. 26, 1910; married Benjamin Franklin Routh. Ben died May 16, 1944

William Wiley, born Oct. 3, 1843 in Jefferson Twp., Morgan Co., IN, died Jun. 6, 1924 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., MO. He married Eliza Anderson, born Jun. 17, 1847, died Oct. 29, 1921 in Kansas City. I have not yet searched for their children, but this appears to be the entire family, all buried together at High Ridge Cemetery in Stanberry, Gentry Co, MO:

• Coffey, William W. 1843 - 1924;
• Coffey, Eliza A. 1847 - 1921; wife of William W.
• Coffey, Emma A. 15 Feb. 1869 - 11 Mar. 1948; possible dau. of Wm. & Eliza.
• Coffey, Myrtle 03 Aug. 1877 - 14 Apr. 1908; possible dau. of Wm. & Eliza.
• Coffey, William R. 1881 - 1943; possible son of Wm. & Eliza
• Coffey, Leora (no dates); possible dau of Wm. & Eliza.
• Coffey, Walter (no dates); possible son of Wm. & Eliza
• Coffey, Sarah J. 15 May 1835 - 17 Nov. 1917

Andy Milton, born Oct. 3, 1843

Louise Amanda, born Nov. 3, 1845

Jesse H., Jr., born May 2, 1847

James Lawson, born Mar. 14, 1849 in Jefferson Twp., died Apr. 25, 1918 in Alanthus Grove. He married Leah Meadows in Alanthus Grove in 1871. Leah was born Jul. 25, 1861 in Russell Co., KY, and died Feb. 24, 1926 in Wilson Twp., Gentry Co., MO. They were the parents of at least eight children [names and info on request]. Both are buried in the Jennings Cemetery at Alanthus Grove.

Martha Anne, born Feb. 18, 1851, Morgan Co., IN

Jasper Parks, born Apr. 12, 1853, Morgan Co., died May 22, 1940

Sarah Caroline, born Apr. 13, 1855 in Jefferson Twp., died Apr. 12, 1923 in Buchanan Co., MO. She married Milton Morris. There is evidence of at least six children, but birth record for only one has been found.3

John Benton, born Feb. 19, 1857 in Morgan Co., died Oct. 11, 1940. He married Emma J. Libby who died in 1907. Both are buried in the Jennings cemetery. In know of one son, Ray O., born Mar. 20, 1887, died Apr. 1969.

Lucinda Catherine, born Sep. 30, 1859 in Alanthus Grove, died Jan. 3, 1947. She married Augustus Joshua Door in 1879.

Malinda Emmeline, born Apr. 2, 1861 in Alanthus Grove, died Jul. 27, 1887.

Colonel R., born Alanthus Grove, Jan. 26, 1863.

Ruphus K., born Alanthus Grove, Mar. 15, 1864

Lincoln Sherman, born Apr. 2, 1865, Alanthus Grove, died Jan. 28, 1933 in Fair Twp., Platte Co., MO. He married Emma A. (Coot) Gunter c1889. She was born in MO in Feb., 1871 and died Feb., 1941 in Platte Co. They were parents of at least eight children [names and info on request].

The last child was Elijah Melvin, born Apr. 22, 1867 in Alanthus Grove and died Jun. 4, 1940. He married Elizabeth, last name unknown. Elijah is thought to be buried in Minot, Ward Co., ND.

Please contact me to add to or correct any of this information!

1Indiana State Library Genealogy Database: Marriages through 1850, Indiana State Library online [http://199.8.200.229/db/marriages_search.asp], accessed Sep.,2005 Coffey, Jesse [to] Burpo, Lucinda, Morgan Co., 2-16-1840

2[http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mo/gentry/cemeteries/c1000001.txt]

3MO birth & Death Records, Gentry Co., Roll No. C 8987, Number 1697, Date of return: 6 May 1891, Morris [no first name given], male, sixth child; born May 2, 1891 in Alanthus, MO; Nat. of Father: American, born Gentry Co., age 38; Nat. of Mother: American, born Morgan Co., IN, age 35; Full name of Mother: Sarah C. Morris, maiden name: Coffey, residence: Gentry Co., Full name of Father: Milton Morris, farmer; J.C. Farr, MD

Born 18 Nov 1818, died 7 Aug 1904. Married Dorcas, born 10 May 1825, on 16 Sep 1897 in Owen Co. IN. Lott records show death of Jesse 16 Oct 1885 in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co. MO. Dorcas also died there, 16 Sep 1897. She was born in Burke Co. Her father was John Burpo, born 1790 in NC and died about 1860 in Morgan Co. IN. Her mother was Leanna Guy, born 1790 in NC and died 1867 near Gosport, but in Morgan Co. Jesse was son of Benj. and Exa [sic] Stepp Coffey. Benjamin was born about 1790/1800 in NC, died about 1840/1849 in Monroe Co. IN. Exa was born 1790/1800 in NC and died April, 1856 (perhaps 1880) in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co. MO. Matilda Janey, their daughter, was born 12 Jan 1842 in Morgan Co. IN and married Benj. Franklin Routh (b1840, d1921) on 16 May 1864 in Gentry Co & d 26 Jun 1910 in Perry, OK. Source: Deloris M. Ward, Stanberry, MO (deceased). Additional information on this family was provided to Coffey Cousins' newsletter by Betty Ann VanderWegen of Union, WA.

*Not all sources have been cited

Bertha Etta (Cookie) Coffey

Leah Meadows
Bertha Etta (Cookie) Coffey was the daughter of James Lawson and Leah Meadows Coffey. She was born Feb. 24, 1883 in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co., MO and died in 1937.

Other children born to James and Leah were:

Zenfauts, no other information.

James Emerson (Emer), born Oct. 14, 1872, died Jul. 28, 1959

Charles Elmer, born Jun. 3, 1876, died Apr. 22, 1934

Nettie Elizabeth, born Jan. 25, 1880, died Jul. 26, 1962.

Jesse Edward, born Mar. 18, 1885, died Sep. 30, 1960. Jesse married Martha J. Anderson c1904 and had children: James W., born c1906; Bonnie Viola, born Sep. 17, 1913, died Feb. 15, 1919; and Velma.

Unnamed infant daughter, born Feb. 7, 1887, no other information

Lulu Ethel, born Jun. 25, 1880. Lula married Otis Bateman

"Cookie" married Elza Ackert Walker, born Aug. 21, 1884 in Alanthus Grove, died Nov., 1949 in Buchanan Co., MO. Their children were Melvin James, born Nov. 21, 1904, died Aug. 25, 1932; and Martin Edgar, born c1909, died 1976.

Elza was the son of Martin Perry Walker and Mary Frances Coffey. Mary was the daughter of Lawson H. Coffey and Eliza Ann Campbell. James Lawson was a nephew of Lawson, and Lawson was a son of Joel Benjamin and Exea Saphronia Stapp Coffey. James Lawson was a son of Jesse H. Buchanan Coffey and Lucinda Burpo. Jesse was also a son of Joel Benjamin and Exea Stapp Coffey.

Mary Frances Coffey was married twice more after the death of her Walker spouse. She married second to David B. Boatwright on Sep. 6, 1889, probably in MO. Mr. Boatwright had been previously married to Lutushia Wright on Dec. 25, 1873. There was at least one child born to Mary and Mr. Boatwright: Bertha M. Boatwright, born Jun. 12, 1890 and who married Manly Judd. Mary's third marriage was to John Barton.

This family is being researched by Sandy Warde who provided the lineage and the photograph. Sandy wrote:

"I have been researching my line from Lawson H. and James L. Coffey's line who intermingled into my Walker family. They have been an elusive bunch. I do have Mary Francis Coffey's death certificate. She was the daughter of Lawson and Eliza Campbell Coffey. She had three husbands, Abner Walker, David Boatwright, and ( John) Henry C. Barton. She was buried in Stanberry, Missouri under her Walker married name with our Walker family. I also have Eliza Campbell Coffey's death certificate..."