The Watson & Courtney Families, Part I

William Watson was a son of Jerry John and Susanah Lyles Watson. He was born c1848 in Perryville, Perry Co., AR. He is thought to have first married Martha L. Stevenson but nothing is known of this union.

He became part of my Coffee family when in 1879 he married Mary Elizabeth Bowman Coffee, the widow of James M. Coffee, my GG-Grandfather. Mary was the daughter of Joseph T. and Naphania Hardin Bowman.

Joseph, and his father Jesse are well known in the history of the Texas Revolution. Jesse died at the Alamo on Mar. 6, 1836. Joseph was born in Illinois and came to Texas with his parents in 1835. He married Naphania on Jan. 26, 1843 in Hempstead Co., AR.

Mary was the third of the 10 children known to have been born to Joseph and Naphania. She was born Mar. 5, 1846 in DeKalb, Bowie Co., TX. As the wife of James M. Coffee, Mary gave birth to my grandfather, Albert Lilburn Coffee in 1873. Her first child was Sarah Ellen Coffee, born Sep. 19, 1869.

She and William were married and remained in Texas until 1883 when Mary died. She is believed to have died shortly after the birth of her second child. She and William had two daughters, Lillie Wes, born Feb. 10, 1880, and Mary Elizabeth, born Aug. 28, 1883.

William is said to have served on the Confederate side during the Civil War, and either lost an arm or had one that was severely injured.

The family was in Bowie Co., TX in 1880, and both Sarah Ellen and Albert Lilburn were enumerated as step-children of William. Next door to the Watson family was the Finis Ames family. Finis was the husband of Mary E. Coffee, sister to James M.

At the death of Mary Bowman Coffey Watson, William desired to return to NW Arkansas. The Coffee children were turned over to the Ames family and William departed with his two daughters for Crawford Co., AR. His mother was still living in the Lee Creek area of Crawford Co., and this is where he is believed to have temporarily settled. He later moved into the Sequoyah Co., OK area and died in Adair Co. c1918.

His daughter Lillie married William Joseph Courtney on Dec. 23, 1896 in Crawford Co., AR. William's various records throughout nearly his entire life spelled his name Coatney. He was the son of James George and Mary Jane (Polly) Yancey, and was born Dec. 14, 1872 in Lee Creek. He died in Crawford Co. on Apr. 10, 1946.

Lillie and William had twelve children, several of which are thought to still be living:

- Willie Mae, born Dec. 10, 1898, died 1899

- Mary Lela, born Jun. 8, 1899, died Apr. 20, 1999. Mary married Jackson S. Summerlin, a son of Leander A. and Sarah Jane Lewis Summerlin. They were the parents of nine children.

- William Herbert, born Sep. 13, 1901 in Sallisaw, Sequoyah Co., OK, died May 24, 1993 in Muskogee, Muskogee Co., OK. He married a lady by the name of Ellen, and I have no additional information.

- James Virgil, born Dec. 11, 1903, married Jan. 20, 1924 to Essie (Pete) LaBass on Jan. 20, 1924 in Vian, Sequoyah Co. Essie died on Aug. 27, 2001 in Baton Rouge, LA. They were the parents of five children.

- Frankie Mae, born Feb. 15, 1905, died Jul 20, 1934

- George Lester, born Apr. 24, 1908, died Aug. 19, 1979. George married Wilma Carol and they were parents of 10 children.

- Ethel Evelyn, born Jul. 17, 1910, married Albert Clifton Young on May 13, 1928 in Sallisaw. They were parents of six children.

- Meredith Raymond, born May 27, 1912 in Greenleaf, Seequoyah Co., and died Aug. 14, 1999 in Seminole, Seminole Co., OK. he married a lady name Florence who was born Oct. 10, 1914 and died Jan., 1986 in Seminole.

- Garland Clifford, born Jul. 21, 1914, died Jn. 25, 1917

- Cecil Leonard, born Jun. 10, 1917 in Greenlead and died Mar. 26, 1990 in Box, Sequoyah Co. He married Verna Tynes.

- Samuel Harden, born Mar. 3, 1921 in Box. Married a lady named Katherine (Katy). I have no other information.

- Verlin Lorraine, born Sep. 17, 1923, died Dec. 4, 2000 in Glendora, Los Angeles Co., GA. She married Elmer C. Murray, born Jun. 27, 1897, died May, 1974 in San Diego, San Diego Co., CA.

Check out Angela's Attic* for more photographs of this and collateral families.

*Not found in Aug., 2018

The Henry Stoneman Family

Susan Stoneman entered the Coffey family when she became the second wife of Adolphus Coffey on Mar. 12, 1874 in Owen Co., IN. See the Homer Ernest Coffey, and the Anna Lois Coffey Mossman blogs for more information about this Coffey family.

Susan's parents were Henry and Fanny Stoneman. The family arrived in New York from Bidford, England on May 31, 1836 aboard the ship Lord Ramsey. Included on the passenger list were three of their children, George S., born c1832; Henry B., born c1834; and Charles G., born c1836. Their other children, all born in New York were John R., born c1838; Richard J., born c1841; and Susan, born c1844.

Update Jun. 14, 2013:  Fanny is probably Fanny Strong who married Henry Stoneman on Dec. 23, 1930 in Bedminster, Somerset, England.

There was another Stoneman family on board the Lord Ramsey, but I have not established a family connection. That family consisted of John Stoneman, age 45, his wife Ann, age 40. Children were Mary, Phillip, William, Ann, Joseph, Thomas, and John. Children ranged in age from 19 to 6.

The Henry Stoneman family worked its way west, landing on a farm in Greencastle, Putnam Co., IN in 1850. I have not found them in the 1840 census. In 1860 they are found in Spencer, Owen Co., and in 1870 in Clay Twp., Owen Co. By 1880 Fanny was deceased and Henry was confined in the Owen Co. Asylum. He died on Mar. 8, 1882 in Gosport, Owen Co.

The 1860 census shows the child Anna E. Coffee [sic], age 4, born in Indiana, as a resident in the Henry and Fanny household. This was about 14 years before Susan would marry Adolphus.

At least three of their sons, George, Henry B. and Richard served on the Union side during the Civil War. They were all members of the 14th Indiana Infantry Regiment, and all appear to have survived that struggle.

In addition to Susan, I have looked at the family of Henry B., second eldest son of Henry and Fanny. Henry B. married Rhoda R. Dale on Mar. 8, 1866 in Owen Co. They had at least two children: Jennie, born c1867 and Walter E., born c1872. After the war Henry seems to have lead the typical life of a farmer. He and Rhoda moved to Washington Twp. in 1880 where she apparently died before 1910. In that year Henry B. was a widower and resided in the household with Jennie and her family.

Jennie married James Ahern, a son of Irish emigrants, who was born in Indiana in c1863. He and Jennie were married in Owen Co. on May 14, 1890. James was a locomotive engineer and the family later moved to Indianapolis in Marion Co. They were in that city in 1910 when Henry B. came to live with them.

Jennie and James had at least four children: William, born 1892; Ileen, born 1895; Rhoda, born c1899; and Katherine, born c1902.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address if you can identify Anna Coffee, or if you can add to or correct any of this information.

Wadsworth (Watt) Goode

Wadsworth ties into my Coffee family through Margaret, his daughter who married Lilburn Warren Coffee.

Wadsworth F. (Watt) Goode was born Jan. 1825 in Alabama. His parents were born in South Carolina. He married Nancy Emmeline Moore in Fayette Co., TX on Aug. 15, 1851. She was born in Mar. 1834 in Mississippi. Her parents were natives of North Carolina.

In 1860 Watt and Nancy were residing in Austin Co., TX where Watt gave his profession as "trader." They were already parents of five children:

- Josephine, born c1852
- Frances (Fannie), born c1854
- Margaret, born May, 7, 1855, died Mar. 16, 1946, married Lilburn Warren Coffee
- Unnamed male, born c1857. The 1860 census referred to him by the initial R. He apparently did not survive to the 1870 census.
- Madison, born c1859

Watt's application for pension shows that he enlisted on the Confedrate side at Yoakum, TX in Apr., 1864 with Capt. Clay Davis' company and was stationed at Rancho Davis, TX. He was discharged in Apr., 1865.

According to the Handbook of Texas Online, Rancho Davis was established on the Rio Grande in 1847 by Henry Clay Davis. After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican War in 1848, the area became part of Nueces Co. It is now part of Starr Co., and is known as Rio Grande City.

The family relocated to Travis Co. after the Civil War, and then to Hays Co. by 1880. By then, four additional children had been born into the family:

- H. Richard (Dick), born Aug., 1865
- Louisa, born c1866
- Jeremiah (Jerry), born c1868
- Joseph, born c1871

In 1870 Watt had given up trading because he was listed as retired from the grocery business, and worked as a farmer. The family once again relocated, this time to Yoakum in DeWitt Co., TX. Watt was 75 years old by then. Emmeline must have died in DeWitt Co., because she is missing in the 1910 census. By the time of that census Watt was a widower and was found living in the household with his widowed daughter, Frances Goode Wilson in DeWitt Co.

Watt died in 1914 in Lavaca Co., and was buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery at Yoakum. I presume that Emmeline was also buried there, but I have no first hand knowledge of that.

In addition to Margaret, I have found a few of Watt's other children:

Frances married Jason Antonio Wilson in about 1875. He was born in Jan., 1845 and died before the census in 1910. They had 12 children, 10 of which survived to become adults. They were: Frances, born c1879; Jason, Jr., born Oct. 1880; W. Sam, born Aug., 1882; H. Joseph, born Aug., 1884; Clyde, born Apr. 1887; William, born Mar. 1889; Nancy, born Nov., 1891; Thomas, born Jul., 1892; Rosa, born Aug., 1894; and Dixie, born Dec., 1896.

Jason Jr. is the only person that I have ever found in any record who gave his occupation as "cowboy." He listed that as his occupation when he registered for the WW1 draft in Hallettsville, Lavaca Co. on Sep. 5, 1918. by 1920 he was a "hired hand" on a ranch in Coconino Co., AZ.

Madison married but I have not yet found his wife's name. He was a widower in the household with his parents at the time of the 1900 census. With him were his children: Olga, born May., 1884; Nate or Wate, a daughter, born Apr. 1885; Nellie, born Aug., 1889; and Jeremiah (Jerry), born Jun., 1891.

Richard (Dick) married Julia c1894 in Texas and in the 1900 census was the father of Mamie, born Sep., 1895; Emma, born Sep., 1897; and a then unnamed daughter, born Mar., 1900.

I would like to hear from anyone researching the Watt Goode family and his ancestors. Please write to me at the above e-mail address.

Everette M. (Jack) Coffee

Everette M. Coffee was a son of Louis Edwin and Lula Belle Nichols Coffee. He was born Jan. 15, 1918 in Texas and died on Jan. 29, 2004 in Anaheim, Orange Co., CA.

The first record in which he appears is the Jan., 1920 Eastland Co., TX census with his parents. By the time of the 1930 census his parents had divorced, and his mother had remarried. Her second husband was Floyd H. Cook to whom she was married in about 1923 or 1924. Both Everette and his brother Orval* were in the new household along with their half-sister, Betty Floydada Cook**, born c1924.

By 1946 Everette was a resident of Los Angeles Co., and believed to have been unmarried. In 1948 he was married Shirley I. Snell in Orange Co. They lived in Orange Co. at least until 1979 when Shirley and Everette divorced on Dec. 20 of that year.

When Everette died on Jan. 19, 2004 in Anaheim, his obituary named his wife Virginia and daughters, Deborah Kerns and Marsha Bugg, and a son Kyle Follars as survivors.

Please contact me if you can add to or correct any of this information.




*Orval never married.

**Betty is believed to have assumed the first name of Antonia. There is a marriage record in Broward Co., FL for Antonia Floydada Cook to Melvin H. Williams in 1945. He is thought to have been only one of her several husbands.

Virgil Coffee

Coffey Cousins lost a dear and great friend today.

Virgil Coffee died this morning at about 7:30MST in Albuquerque, NM where he lived with his son Dale and his family. Another son, Ed Coffee of Dale City, VA also survives. There are other children and grandchildren who survive but I do not know all of them. Ed is current "president" of Coffey Cousins'.

Anyone who ever met Virgil at one of the Coffey Cousins' reunions knows how knowledgeable he was about his genealogy. He could recite more lineages from memory than most people can store on computers.

Arrangements were incomplete when I spoke to the family this afternoon.

I have expressed my condolences to the family and have notified those Coffey Cousins' for whom I have an e-mail address. Please forward a link to this entry to anyone who you believe may have known Virgil, and who may not know about his death.

Please keep Virgil and his family in your prayers!

Obituary:

Virgil Oren Coffee, 94, of McIntosh, passed away January 13, 2008, at the home of his son Dale in Rio Rancho. Born October 5, 1913, in Hugo, Oklahoma, to James Carroll and Lelia Jane Kendrick Coffee. He was the fourth of their six children.

Virgil lived in Hugo and attended public schools there. During the late 1920's and early 1930's he worked a variety of agriculture related jobs until he finally became a short-order cook. He worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps as a cook in camps in California. In 1935 he enlisted in the United States Army; becoming an officer during World War II. He served in the Medical Service Corps performing medical evacuation during combat operations in Europe. When conflict began in Korea in 1950 he saw action again as an officer conducting medical evacuation during combat operations. He retired from the Army in 1956, with the rank of Major, while serving as medical supply officer of the station hospital, Sandia Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico. After working for the New Mexico National Guard in supply operations in the late 1950's, he worked as a weapons management specialist for the Defense Nuclear Agency in Albuquerque, 1960-73. During this period he was detached to work with the State Department's AID mission in Vietnam, 1967-68. He was in Saigon during the Tet Offensive.

Virgil married a young widow, Iva Fern Wingfield Green, June 3, 1938, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. They had seven children. The family lived in California, Arizona, New Mexico (Alamogordo), Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico (Albuquerque, 1953-61; McIntosh, 1961-2008).

Virgil was predeceased by his parents; his wife; one son, Daniel Lee Coffee; one great-grandson, Damon Coffee; two brothers, Robert Lee and James Haskell Coffee; and two sisters, Margaret and Nadine Coffee.

He is survived by three sons, Edwin Russell Coffee and wife Phyllis of Woodbridge, VA; Virgil Oren Coffee, Jr. of Albuquerque; Dale Scott Coffee and wife Nola of Rio Rancho; three daughters, Iva Fern Barclay and husband Ernest of Moriarity; Barbara Jean Gonzales and husband Tommy of Blue Water Lake; Patricia Laverne Britt of Odessa, Texas; brother Edwin Russell Coffee of Bakersfield, California; sixteen grandchildren; twenty-four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.

Protect & Preserve

An article in today's on-line edition of the Citizen Tribune, Morristown, Hamblen Co., TN, describes the effort of the Tennesse Civil War Preservation Association's "Two Flags over Tennessee: Reclaiming Our Civil War Heritage" project. The article describes several of the events that recently took place.

Prominent in the area is Ken Coffee, Grainger County historian.

Click on the title link to read more about the Association.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks to all readers, not only for reading Coffee/Coffey Call over the past year, but also for taking time to respond favorably with news and updates on families that appear here.

I will be away for about a week over Thanksgiving so will take this opportunity to wish all of you a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving!







Clipart courtesy of kaboose.com

Henley Clay Coffey (1891-1922)

Henley Clay Coffey was a son of John Alfred and Cynthia P. Monk Coffey. He was born Oct. 12, 1891 in Tazewell, Claiborne Co., TN and died there on Nov. 13, 1922.

He married Etta C. Reece, probably in Tennessee around 1910. Etta was born in Dec., 1893 and died Mar. 17, 1982 in Hamblen Co., TN.

When Henley registered for the WW1 draft on Jun. 5, 1917 in Claiborne Co., TN, he gave his age as 26 years, born Oct., 12, 1891. He was a self-employed farmer in Claiborne Co., and was married with four children. He described himself as being of medium build with gray eyes and black hair.

He and Etta were found in Claiborne Co. in the Feb., 1920 census.

1920 Claiborne Co., Dist. 1, ED20, Sheet 19A, dwelling 313, family 315, Coffee [sic], Henly C., head, male, white, age 28, married, born TN, father born TN, mother born unk.; Etta, wife, female, white, age 26, married, born TN, parents born TN; Morgan, son, male, white, age 7, born TN, parents born TN; Clayton, son, male, white, age 6, born TN, parents born TN; Caywood, son, male, white, age 4 yrs, 10 mos., born TN, parents born TN; Alice, dau., female, white, age 3 yrs, 1 mos., born TN, parents born TN; unnamed dau., female, white, age 1 mo., born TN, parents born TN

Although Etta did not die until 1982 I have been unable to find her in the 1930 census record.

Their children were:

Morgan David, born c1913, married Lucy McGinnis, a daughter of Edward Jackson and Dora Coffey McGinnis. Dora was a daughter of Thomas Coffey and Martha Simmerman (Cinnemon?), and was born Nov. 19, 1882 and died Jun. 26, 1963.

Clayton, born c1914, married Bonnie Kate McGinnis. Bonnie is likely of some relation to Edward Jackson, but a link has not been found. Sh was born Mar. 3, 1922 in Grainger Co., and died Feb. 16, 2007 in Hamblen Co.

Her obituary:

COFFEY, BONNIE KATE, age 83, of Morristown, passed away Friday, Feb. 16, 2007, at Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System. She was of the Baptist faith and was a member of Beech Grove Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, David Juette and Flossie McGinnis, husband, Clayton (Poodle) Coffey, brothers, Porter McGinnis, Sam McGinnis and Robert (Bob) McGinnis, sister-in-law, Trula McGinnis, nephew David (Pete) McGinnis, great-nephew, Robbie Moore, great niece Danielle June McGinnis. She was a loving aunt to nieces and nephews, Linda Collins and husband Raymond, Kathy Rucker and husband, Claiborne, Cindy Hazeltine and husband Jack, Scotty McGinnis, Portia Russell, Debbie Welch and husband Jerry, Jabo McGinnis and wife, Linda, Rick McGinnis and wife, Cindy, Pam Beeler, Peanut McGinnis and wife Lori, Priscilla McGinnis and T.J. Whitt, Jane McGinnis, Robert (Bo) McGinnis and wife Crystal, Andy McGinnis and wife Jean, sister-in –laws, June McGinnis, Billie Faye Satterfield, several great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at Stubblefield Funeral Home with the Rev. Delmer Welch and Rev. Bobby Helton. Interment will follow at Hamblen memory Gardens. The family will receive friends Sunday, from 6-9 p.m. at the funeral home. Family will receive friends after the services at Statem Gap Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Arrangements by Stubblefield Funeral Home in Morristown.

Caywood, born Dec. 27, 1915, died Apr. 7, 1940

Alice, born about Jan., 1917, married Rev. George Estle Hopson

Pauline, born about Dec., 1922, died Dec. 29, 1990 in Bean Station, Grainger Co., TN. She married Clarence Coffman.

Her obituary:

Pauline Coffey Coffman, 68, of Bean Station, died Saturday, Dec 29, 1990 at Columbia Health Care. She was the daughter of the late Henley and Ettie Reece Coffey; the widow of the late Clarence Coffman and the mother of the late Gillis Coffman. She was a member of Long Hill Missionary Baptist Church. Survivors include her son, G. Howard Coffman of Spring Hill; sister, Mrs. Jewell Reece of Tazewell; brother, Clayton Coffey of Morristown; grandchildren, Ricky, Pamela and Vicky Coffman and Kimberly Rutherford. Services were 1 p.m. today at Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Rutledge with the Rev. Andy Smith and Brother Shelby Mone officiating. Burial was in Dalton Cemetery.

Amos - no further information.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address to add to or correct any of this information.

General John E. Coffey of Georgia

Sometime ago I wrote about General John E. Coffey of Georgia. After that blog I received information from one of his descendants, Frank V. Coffey of Florida. Click here to read that blog.

Today I received additional information from Frank:

An important caveat: Gen. John E. Coffee did not take part in the War of 1812.

My ancestor, Gen. John E. Coffee of Georgia (1782-1836), is understandably often confused with his first cousin Gen. John A. Coffee of Tennessee (1792-1833). The Tennessee Coffee, by far the more famous, was Andrew Jackson's best friend, comrade in arms who is often thought to have been the strategic genius behind the Battle of New Orleans, and married (1809) Mary Donelson, Rachel Jackson's niece. Coffee, who played no role in Jackson's presidential career (although he did go to Washington during the nullification crisis in 1833, just before his death), left Nashville and, as part of a land speculation project, moved to Alabama and founded the city of Florence where he died 7 July 1833.

John E. Coffee of Georgia, just as much a Jackson partisan as his cousin, named the town where he settled Jacksonville and served in the US Congress during both terms of the Jackson administration. He fought with Jackson in the Seminole wars in Florida and was also Agent for Indian Affairs for the State of Georgia. The military supply road which he built from his home in Jacksonville, Georgia, to present-day Madison, Florida, is still known as The Old Coffee Road. Following his death in 1836 and the final clearance of the Indians in 1838 (Trail of Tears), most of his family moved down the Coffee Road and settled in Madison where many remain to this day. My grandfather Christopher Columbus Coffee, Jr., was born in Madison but lived
most of his life in Jacksonville, Florida, where I was born.

In the 1920s some ignorant busybody DAR ladies, conflating the history of the two generals, had the remains of my ancestor dug up (he was buried on his Jacksonville plantation) and re-interred in McRae, 20 miles to the north, where they erected an elaborate marker which claims that Gen. John E. Coffee of Georgia was a member of the Tennessee Volunteers and took part in the Battle of New Orleans!

A Personal Request (Updated)

Please ignore this! The information is bad. Check out later blog for more information or, visit Snopes.com

When sending Christmas cards this year, please consider sending an extra one or two to the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, N
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

Thanks!

Jack Coffee

SSGT, US Army 1959-1968

Chesley and Jane Cleveland Coffey

No longer a valid offer!


I have created a website for descendants of Chesley and Jane Cleveland Coffey.


The site can be found by clicking on this blog's title.


The information is available on CD from Jack Coffee, 110 Lydia Road, St. Joseph, LA 71366. Please include $7.50 for postage and materials.


Please send corrections and/or additions to me at the e-mail address above.

Joseph Commodore Church (Updated)

1. Joseph Commodore CHURCH was born in North Carolina in Jul 1878.1 He appeared in the census on Jun 6, 1900 in Watauga Twp., Watauga Co., NC as a single man in the household with his parents. He registered for the WWI draft on Sep 12, 1918 in Watauga Co., NC.2 He died on May 11, 1956 in Watauga Co., NC.3

Article, unknown newspaper

Joseph Commodore Church

Lenoir - Funeral services for J. C. Church, 73, of Rt. 1, Blowing Rock, who died Friday evening at a Blowing Rock hospital, will be conducted at 2 p.m. today at his residence by the Rev. Marshall Setzer of Lenoir and the Rev. Bob Shores of Blowing Rock. Burial will be in the Boone Fork Cemetery. A retired farmer, Mr. Church was born in Watauga County on July 12, 1877, a son of the late James and Laura Blackburn Church. His wife, Mrs. Vera Church, died in October of 1954. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Leslie Coffey and Mrs. Herman Coffey of Blowing Rock; a sister, Mrs. J. A. McLean of Connelly Springs; a brother, Ellis Church of Collettsville, six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

He was buried in May 1956 in Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Watauga Co., NC.

Joseph Commodore CHURCH and Lee Ella COFFEY were married on Oct 10, 1896 in Caldwell Co., NC.4


Lee Ella COFFEY (daughter of Thomas Avery COFFEY and Louisa E. GRAGG) was born in Caldwell Co., NC in Nov 1881. She died on Dec 16, 1963 in North Carolina. She was buried in Dec 1963 in Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Watauga Co., NC. Joseph Commodore CHURCH and Lee Ella COFFEY had the following children:

Lee Ella Coffey

2 i. Alma CHURCH was born in North Carolina in Oct 1897. She appeared in the census on Jun 11, 1900 in Globe, Caldwell Co., NC in the household with her grandparents, Thomas and Louisa Coffey.

Joseph Commodore CHURCH and Nora Rebecca HOLLIFIELD were married about 1904 in North Carolina. They appeared in the census on Apr 23, 1910 in Watauga Co., NC.5 Nora Rebecca HOLLIFIELD was born in North Carolina in Oct 1883.6 She appeared in the census on Jun 5, 1900 in Watauga Twp., Watauga Co., NC in the household with her widowed father. She died in 1916 in North Carolina. She was buried in 1916 in Holloway Church Cemetery, Holloway Mountain, Caldwell Co., NC. Joseph Commodore CHURCH and Nora Rebecca HOLLIFIELD had the following children:

+3 i. Leslie Kathleen CHURCH, born on Aug 16, 1905, Watauga Co., NC7; married Thomas Charles Milton COFFEY, on Jul 23, 1927, Watauga Co., NC8; died on Feb 24, 1977, Greene Co., TN9.
4 ii. Howard CHURCH was born in North Carolina in Aug 1906. He died about Feb 1907 in North Carolina. [See Corrections below!]

Hildred Myrt Church

Hildred Myrt Church

+5 iii. Hildred Myrt CHURCH, born on Aug 4, 1907, Watauga Co., NC10; married James Herman (Hum) COFFEY, on Jun 1, 1929, Watauga Co., NC; died on Sep 29, 2007, Watauga Co., NC11.
6 iv. Dorlas (Delores?) Revonda CHURCH12 was born in Watauga Co., NC on Jul 4, 1915.13 She died in Oct 1915 in North Carolina.

Vera Ester Coffey

Joseph Commodore CHURCH and Vera Esther COFFEY were married. They appeared in the census on Feb 5, 1920 in Watauga Co., NC.14 They appeared in the census on Apr 2, 1930 in Watauga Co., NC.15

Vera Esther COFFEY (daughter of David Nathaniel COFFEY and Caroline Lavinia COFFEY) was born in Watauga Co., NC on Sep 20, 1889.16 She arrived in the US on Sep 25, 191517 She arrived in the US on May 10, 1916 She died on Oct 28, 1954 in Watauga Co., NC.18

Article, unknown newspaper

Mrs. Church, 65 Taken by Death

Mrs. J. C. church, 65, of blowing Rock, Route One, passed away Thursday afternoon at the Blowing Rock hospital, following an illness of several months.

Born in Watauga county September 20, 1889, she was the daughter of the late David and Carolyn Coffey. Her maiden name was M? Vera Coffey.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday afternoon at ? o'clock at the residence at Blowing Rock, with the Rev. S. E. Gra? officiating. Burial will be in Boone Fork cemetery.

The body was removed to the home this afternoon from Gr? Funeral Home.

Surviving are her husband; ? step-daughters, Mrs. Leslie Coffey and Mrs. Hildred Coffey, of Blowing Rock, two brothers, Blain and Olin J. Coffey, of Bloqing Rock; and a half-brother, Garfield Coffey of Clarkston, W. Va.

[Some parts of article were unreadable]

She was buried in Oct 1954 in Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Watauga Co., NC.

Second Generation

3. Leslie Kathleen CHURCH19 (Joseph Commodore-1) was born in Watauga Co., NC on Aug 16, 1905.7 She died on Feb 24, 1977 in Greene Co., TN.9

Obituary

Mrs. Leslie Coffey

Mrs. Leslie Church Coffey, 71, of Rt. 2, Chuckey, Tenn., and a former resident of Blowing Rock died Thursday morning, Feb. 24, in Greenville, Tenn.

Services were conducted Saturday afternoon at the Boone Fork Baptist Church. Interment followed in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Coffey is survived by her husband T. M. Coffey; one daughter, Mrs. W. O. (Velma) Perry of Hickory; one son, Jerry B. Coffey of Hickory; one step-daughter, Mrs. Sybil Davisd [sic] of Colton, Calif.; one sister, Mrs. Herman (Hildred) Coffey of Blowing Rock; five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Local arrangements were handled by the Hampton Funeral Service.

She was buried in Feb 1977 in Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Watauga Co., NC.

This information is incorrect 8/28/2014:  Leslie Kathleen CHURCH and Thomas Charles Milton COFFEY were married on Jul 23, 1927 in Watauga Co., NC.8 Thomas Charles Milton COFFEY (son of George Calvin COFFEY and Louisa Elizabeth (Lou) CURTIS) was born in Watauga Co., NC on Apr 28, 1896.20 He appeared in the census on Apr 23, 1910 in Watauga Co., NC in the household with his parents. He died on Aug 23, 1980 in Hickory Twp., Catawba Co., NC.21 Leslie Kathleen CHURCH and Thomas Charles Milton COFFEY had the following children:

The following was received on 8/24/2014 from Yvonne Coffey Olmstead with updated information about her grandfather, Thomas Milton Coffey:

Leslie Katherine Church married 2 different Coffey men.  The first was Charles [C.]  Coffey (not a son of George Calvin Coffey and Louisa Elizabeth Curtis). They married 23 July, 1927.  They had 2 children: Velma Coffey Knight and Jerry Coffey. This husband, Charles died in 1955.  Leslie later married my grandfather, Thomas Milton Coffey (who is son of George Calvin Coffey and Louisa Elizabeth Curtis), born in Shulls Mill, Watauga Co., NC 28 April 1896. He died in Hickory, NC 23 August, 1980. Leslie and Thomas Milton married in their later years and had NO children together.

[Charles C. Coffey was a son of William Leander "Lee" Coffey and Nancy Rebecca "Nan" Hollars.  He was born Apr. 4, 1903 and died Sep. 25, 1933 and was buried at Boone Fork Community Cemetery at Blowing Rock.  The family lived in Mount Morris Twp., Genesee Co., MI in 1930 where Charles worked in an automobile factory and where both children were born.  Leslie died in Greene Co., TN in Feb., 1977 and was also buried at Boone Fork.]

7 i.
Velma Irene COFFEY was born in Flint, Genesee Co., MI on Jun 22, 1928. She died on Apr 12, 2006 in Hickory Twp., Catawba Co., NC.

Obituary

Mrs. Knight

Velma Irene Coffey Knight, age 77, of Hickory and a former resident of Blowing Rock, died Wednesday, April 12 at Frye Regional Medical Center after a period of declining health.

Mrs. Knight was born June 22, 1928 in Flint, Michigan, a daughter of the late Charles and Leslie Church Coffey. She was a member of Sandy Ridge Baptist Church.

She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Dean and Janice Knight of Conover; a daughter, Brenda Knight Starnes of Hickory; a brother, Jerry Coffey of Hickory; an aunt, Hildred Coffey of Blowing Rock; three granddaughters, Dia Hibbitts and husband, Mark, Shelly Lambert and husband Jeff, and Lanae Knight Jenkins, all of Hickory; a grandson, Shay Starnes of Hickory; six great-grandsons, Trevor Starnes, Daniel Hibbitts, Chase Jenkins and Cody Lambert, all of Hickory; and three great-granddaughters, Natalie Lambert, Jessica Hibbitts and Cidona Lambert, all of Hickory.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Hue Knight.

Services for Mrs. Knight were held Tuesday, April 18 in Hickory.

Memorial may be sent to the Sandy Ridge Baptist Church, 3702 Sixteenth St., N.E., Hickory, N.C. 28601.

Bass-Smith Funeral Home and Crematory of Hickory was in charge of the arrangements.

5. Hildred Myrt CHURCH22 (Joseph Commodore-1) was born in Watauga Co., NC on Aug 4, 1907.10 She died on Sep 29, 2007 in Watauga Co., NC.11

Hildred Myrt CHURCH and James Herman (Hum) COFFEY were married on Jun 1, 1929 in Watauga Co., NC.

James Herman (Hum) COFFEY (son of John Wesley (Happy John) COFFEY and Ella Adelaide HENDERSON) was born in Globe, Caldwell Co., NC on Dec 5, 1904.23 He died on Mar 14, 1979 in Boone, Watauga Co., NC.24

Obituary, The Watauga Democrat, Boone, Watauga Co., NC, Oct. 2, 2007

Hildred Church Coffey

Mrs. Hildred Church Coffey, 100, of 138 Chestnut Knob Trail, Blowing Rock, died Saturday evening, Sept. 29, 2007, at her home.

She was born August 4, 1907 in Watauga County, a daughter of the late Com and Nora Hollifield Church.

Throughout her life, she was a wonderful daughter; then met Herman Coffey, whom she married June 1, 1929. She was a faithful servant of Christ and our Lord. She raised four children, grandchildren, family friend’s children with love, kindness, and taught us the Lord’s word. She was most definitely one of God’s best creations.

In her early life, she worked for the renowned artist, Elliott Dangerfield and then became manager of housekeeping at the Green Park Hotel in Blowing Rock until she retired at the age of 72.

Survivors include one daughter, Thelma Coffey of Blowing Rock; one son, James Coffey and wife, Mary, of Lenoir; one daughter-in-law, Vera Coffey of Hickory; three granddaughters, Kelly Lea Catterton of Blowing Rock, Melody A. Rich and husband, James, of Blowing Rock, and Vickie C. Norris and husband, Dan, of Boone; five grandsons, Michael R. Johnson and wife, Sally, of Charlotte, Thomas Gregory Catterton and wife, Penny, of Shatley Springs, Kevin Coffey and wife, Nancy, of Morganton, Eric M. Coffey of Boone, and Robert R. Coffey and wife, Debbie, of Boone; and many more extended family, friends, and loved ones alike. She is also survived by 19 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and one nephew, Jerry Coffey, son of a late sister, Leslie C. Coffey.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Herman "Hum" Coffey; one daughter, Betty Johnson and her husband, Roy; one son, Robert H. "Bob" Coffey; one grandson, Jeffery Lee "Jeff" Coffey; her father and mother, Com and Nora Hollifield Church; two sisters, Leslie C. Coffey and Delores Church; and one brother, Howard Church.

Services will be conducted Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 2, 2007, at 2:00 o'clock, at Boone Fork Baptist Church. The body will lie in state, at the church, from 1:00 until 2:00 o'clock.

Officiating will be Pastor Darrell Miller, the Rev. Carl Osborne, and the Rev. Dean Coffey. Burial will follow in the Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Monday evening, from 7:00 until 9:00 o'clock, at Hampton Funeral Service. At other times, friends may call at Mrs. Coffey's residence, 138 Chestnut Knob Trail, Blowing Rock.

Flowers are appreciated, or memorial contributions may be made to High Country Health Care System/Hospice, 400 Shadowline Drive, Suite 100-B, Boone, N.C. 28607.

Hampton Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

He was buried in Mar 1979 in Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Watauga Co., NC. Hildred Myrt CHURCH and James Herman (Hum) COFFEY had the following children:

8 i. Betty Ann COFFEY25 was born in May 1930. She died on May 30, 1952.26 She was buried in Jun 1952 in Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Watauga Co., NC.
+9 ii. Robert Herman (Bob) COFFEY, born on Sep 2, 1931, Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., NC27; married Vera Louise COOK; died on Jun 24, 1994, Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., NC28.
+10 iii. Thelma Ann COFFEY, born on Jul 9, 1934, Avery Co., NC29; married Thomas Samuel CATTERTON.
+11 iv. James Norman (Herman?) COFFEY, born on Aug 27, 1939, Watauga Co., NC30; married Mary Ann RICH.

Sources

1. United States Federal Census for years indicated. [His WW1 Draft Registration gives his birthdate as Jul. 12, 1877].
2. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 . National Archives and Records Administration. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. M1509, 20,243 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. Joseph Commorore Church registered for the draft in Watauga Co. on Sep. 12, 1918. He was of medium height and build with brown hair and eyes. He was 41 yrs. old, born Jul. 12, 1877. Joseph was a resident of Shulls Mills in Watauga Co, was a self-employed farmer and listed Alma, Leslie and Hildred Church of Shulls Mills as his nearest relative[s].
3. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. North Carolina Death Records, 1968-1996. North Carolina Vital Records, Raleigh, North Carolina. and North Carolina Archives and Records Section. North Carolina County Records, 1908-1967. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: Joseph C Church Death Date: 11 May 1956 Death County: not assigned Death State: North Carolina Death Age: 78 Birth Date: 1878 Race: White Source: NC State Archives. North Carolina Deaths, 1908-67.
4. Caldwell County, North Carolina Register of Deed's Index Search, Wayne L. Rash, Register of Deeds online [http://rod.co.caldwell.nc.us/Resolution/search_menu.asp], accessed variously.
5. United States Federal Census. 1910 Watauga Co., Watauga Twp., ED159, Sheet 7A, dwelling 112, family 114, Church, Joseph C., head, male, white, age 32, married twice, this time for 5 yrs., born NC, parents born NC, farmer; Nora R., wife, female, white, age 26, married once for 5 yrs., mother of 3, 2 living, born NC, parents born NC; Leslie C., dau., female, white, age 4, single, born NC, parents born NC; Hildred M., dau., female, white, age 2, single, born NC, parents born NC. [Oscar L. Coffey was the enumerator].
6. Ibid., 5 Jun 1900, Watauga Co. in the household with her parents.
7. Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Microfilm. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: Leslie Kathleen Church Date of Birth: 16 Aug 1905 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: Joseph Commodore Church Parent2 Name: Nora Rebecca Hollifield.
8. Historical Studies, Appalachian State University, Department of History (Editors Evelyn G. Shepherd and Brenda M. Greene), compiler, Marriage Register of Watauga County, North Carolina 1873-1954 (Boone, Watauga Co., NC: Dept. of Hist., Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC, 1995). Officiated by M. B. Woosely.
9. Shelby County [TN] Register of Deeds, Shelby Co., TN online [http://register.shelby.tn.us], accessed Various [Results returned as Surname Given Name; Date of Death/Age; County of Death; County/State of Residence; Marital Status; Gender; Race; File No.]. COFFEY LESLIE C 02-24-1977 / 71 GREENE GREENE / TN MARRIED F WHITE 07774.
10. Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Microfilm. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: Hildred Myrul Church Date of Birth: 4 Aug 1907 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: Joseph Commodore Church Parent2 Name: Nora Rebecca Hollifield.
11. Greg Catterton, "Coffey Desdndant [sic]," e-mail message from () to Jack Coffee, Sep. 29, 2007. "It is with great sadness for me to tell you my nanny (Hildred Coffey) passed away Saturday night September 29, 2007 at 10:28 PM. She was 100 years old... I was with her in her final moments, and she went very peacefully.".
12. Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Microfilm. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: Dorlas Revonda Church Date of Birth: 4 Jul 1915 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: Joseph Commodore Church Parent2 Name: Nora Rebecca Hollifield Roll Number: B_C102_66001 Volume: 2 Page: 523.
13. Ibid., Name: Dorlas Revonda Church Date of Birth: 4 Jul 1915 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: Joseph Commodore Church Parent2 Name: Nora Rebecca Hollifield.
14. United States Federal Census. 1920 Watauga Co., Watauga Twp., ED164, Sheet 19A, dwelling 260, family 363, Church, Comoador [sic], head, male, white, age 41, born NC, parents born NC, farmer; Vera [sic], wife, female, white, age 28, married, born NC, parents born NC; Leslie, dau, female, white, age 14, single, born NC; Hildred, dau., female, white, age 12, born NC; Archie, son, male, white, age 3 yrs., 3 mos., born NC.
15. Ibid., 1930 Watauga Co., Watauga Twp., ED16, Sheet 1B-2A, dwelling/family 24, Church, J. Com, head, male, white, age 53, married at age 21, born NC, parents born NC, farmer; Church, Vera, wife, female, white, age 41, married at age 26, born NC, parents born NC; Sims, Archie, step-son, male, white, age 13, single, born NC, parents born NC; Coffey, David, father-in-law, male, white, age 76, widower, married at age 35, born NC, parents born NC, laborer on truck farm.
16. Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Microfilm. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: Vera Esther Coffey Date of Birth: 20 Sep 1889 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: David Nathaniel Coffey Parent2 Name: Carolyn Coffey. [A passenger record for Vera sailing from Panama, CZ to NY on 1916 gives her birth year as 1891].
17. New York. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Micropublication M237. Rolls # 1-675. National Archives, Washington, D.C. and New York. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Micropublication T715. Rolls # 1-8892. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Name: Vera Sims Estimated birth year: 1891 Age: 25 Gender: Female Port of Departure: Cristobal C Z Ship Name: Panama Port of Arrival: New York, New York Nativity: North Carolina Line: 30 Birth Location: North Carolina Birth Location Other: country Page Number: 28. [Her arrival entry indicates that she was married].
18. North Carolina Death Records, 1968-1996. Name: Vera E Church Death Date: 28 Oct 1954 Death State: North Carolina Death Age: 65 Birth Date: 1889 Source: NC State Archives. North Carolina Deaths, 1908-67.
19. Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Microfilm. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: Leslie Kathleen Church Date of Birth: 16 Aug 1905 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: Joseph Commodore Church Parent2 Name: Nora Rebecca Hollifield Roll Number: B_C102_66001 Volume: 6 Page: 36.
20. Ibid., Name: Thomas Milton Coffey Date of Birth: 28 Apr 1896 Gender: Male Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: Geo Calvin Coffey Parent2 Name: Lou Curtis.
21. North Carolina Death Records, 1968-1996. Name: Thomas Milton Coffey Death Date: 23 Aug 1980 Death City: Hickory (P) Death County: Catawba Death State: North Carolina Death Age: 84 Burial Location: Burial out of state Birth Date: 28 Apr 1896 Birth Location: Tennessee Residence City: Hickory Residence County: Catawba Residence State: North Carolina Gender: Male Race: White Marital Status: Widowed Social Security Number: 410340203 Autopsy: No Institution: General Hospital Attendant: Physician Source: NC Department of Health. North Carolina Deaths, 1979-82.
22. , "Coffey Desdndant [sic]," e-mail to Jack Coffee, Sep. 29, 2007.
23. Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Microfilm. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: James Herman Coffey Date of Birth: 5 Dec 1904 Gender: Male Race: White Birth County: Caldwell Parent1 Name: John W Coffey Parent2 Name: Ella Adelaid Henderson Roll Number: B_C017_68001 Volume: 20-A Page: 35.
24. Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc. Name: J. Coffey SSN: 244-14-0751 Last Residence: 28605 Blowing Rock, Watauga, North Carolina, United States of America Born: 5 Dec 1904 Died: Mar 1979 State (Year) SSN issued: North Carolina (Before 1951 ).
25. Letter from Margaret J. Farley (130 West Acadia Ave., Winston-Salem, NC 27127) to Jack K. Coffee, Oct. 31, 2006; held by Jack K. Coffee (110 Lydia Road, St. Joseph, LA 71366). Original obituary clipping(s) from Watauga Democrat.. Some information from Margaret via e-mail.
26. Various E-mail sources; see details. "Betty was born in 1934 but not for sure. She died with her [husband[ in 1952. They were in Wilkes Co., NC or state of Virginia when the [automobile] accident occured.".
27. Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Microfilm. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: Robert Herman Coffey Date of Birth: 2 Sep 1931 Birth County: Avery Parent1 Name: Jame Herman Coffey.
28. Social Security Death Index, Master File
. Name: Robert H. Coffey SSN: 245-34-0940 Last Residence: 28605 Blowing Rock, Watauga, North Carolina, United States of America Born: 2 Sep 1931 Died: 24 Jun 1994 State (Year) SSN issued: North Carolina (Before 1951 ).
29. Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Microfilm. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Name: Thelma Anne Coffey Date of Birth: 9 Jul 1934 Gender: Female Race: White Birth County: Avery Parent1 Name: James H Coffey Parent2 Name: H M Church.
30. Ibid., Name: James Norman Coffey Date of Birth: 27 Aug 1939 Gender: Male Race: White Birth County: Watauga Parent1 Name: James Herman Coffey Parent2 Name: Hildred Myrl Church.

Maury County, TN Cemeteries

Did everyone but me know about this website? In typical fashion, I "stumbled" over this website just in the last few days. I'm sure it must have been there for a very long time!

I'm not certain who, or which group(s) inventoried all of the 100+ cemeteries and put the website together. I am fairly certain that all of the photographs were taken by Wayne Austin.

Researchers will find additional family information included with some of the photographs.

Chances are, anyone looking for families of any surname in Maury County will find a photo of their headstone here.

Click on the title link to view the cemetery index.

Personal Comments

Coffey Cousins' at Rootsweb is gone!

All links in blogs created before about May 2007 that refer to the Coffey Cousins' website became invalid when I moved the website from Rootsweb to its own domain. Clicking here will take you to the "new" Coffey Cousins' website. From there, readers can search the site for items of interest.

There is also a link to the new website at the bottom of each blog.

I update the Edward Coffey web pages two to three times a year. If corrections or additions are reported I immediately make the changes in my files but not on the website. In some rare instances I have made individual corrections to the website when someone requests that personal information be removed, or in cases of gross errors.

Grammar, spelling, etc:

Like most people who do "things," I make mistakes. Spelling errors, misplaced commas, and poor grammar seem to be the "major" difficulties I have in putting together a readable blog. The notes that I receive from English tutors are appreciated, but it's unlikely that after nearly 50 years since my last English class and of "writing like I talk," anyone will be able to change me. Nearly all of my previous writings had the benefit of an editor so placement of commas, etc. wasn't a big concern to me.

Often a few readers will inform me that I have misspelled someones given name. One of the most popular reports is Saphronia. I think we all know that the name can be found spelled different ways in various records for the same person, Sophronia and Fronia being two of the most popular. If readers have a document; e.g., birth or death certificate I certainly want to spell the name as found in that document, and appreciate the notice. However, I'm not likely to change anything without a strong source from a few "nit pickers."

On the other hand, I do appreciate the reports of factual errors. I try to be extremely careful in the accurate recording of the birth, death, and marriage data for each family. Occasionally, or perhaps more often, I mis-type or have inaccurate information. Please continue to correct me when more accurate information is available.

A note about sources:

I generally have sources for most of the information I use here. However, there are some data for which I have no source other than "traditional." I always invite readers with sources that contradicts any of my information to contact me. I sometime include sources in the blog, but mostly do not. I will, when available, share sources with anyone. My goal of course is to share the most accurate information that I can and, to avoid establishing something permanent on the web that will create consternation and confusion to future researchers.

Corrections to the blog are easily made, so feel free to let me know when more accurate is available.

Help!

I often struggle to find ideas for a blog subject. Readers are invited to send requests. If I have information on that particular family I will post it here.

Be Nice!

Everyone is fervent in their research, and believes that the information they have is the most accurate available. I believe that all of us know that even Bible records can be incorrect. Public records such as birth and death certificates can be incorrect as well. Please be nice when writing to discuss whether or not a date or other information that I have is accurate. I respond better to nice rather than confrontational e-mail.

(Note the "dot" between jack and coffee)

Descendants of John James Coffee

John James Coffee was a son of Joshua and Delilah Conger Coffee in the Peter Coffee line. He was born on Jan. 9, 1833 in Smith Co., TN and died May 27, 1927 in Lubbock, Lubbock Co., TX. John married Nancy Christine Lamberson on Jul 1, 1856 - probably in TN - who was born May 20, 1830 in Smith Co., and died Jan. 12, 1895 in Howard Co., TX.

A number of years ago I made a trip to Big Spring in Howard Co. to search for and photo the graves of the Lilburn Warren Coffee family. If you have read this blog for very long you may recall that Lilburn was the youngest son of Lilburn and Hannah Taylor Coffee, my 3G paternal grandparents. Lilburn Warren moved to west TX from Hempstead Co., AR shortly after the Civil War and eventually settled in Big Spring, Howard Co.

While exploring the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Big Spring I found a number of Coffee graves that I was unable to connect to my Coffee relative. However, I photographed many of their headstones.

John James was likely buried in Lubbock, but Nancy apparently followed a child to Big Spring. She died there on Jan. 12, 1895 and was buried in Mt. Olivet.

He and Nancy were the parents of nine children:

Richard Cornelius (Dick), born Apr. 16, 1857, died Jun. 10, 1934. Richard married Ollie Catherine (Kate) Anderson on Apr. 13, 1882. She was born in Feb. 1858 in Lamar Co., TX to George Reed and Mahala Cumi Long Anderson, and died Nov. 17, 1917 in Big Spring. Both are buried in Mt. Olivet.

Their children were eight:

- Adonis (Don), born Oct. 14, 1883 in Talpa, Coleman Co., TX and died Dec. 20, 1910 in Dallas. He married Mary Elizabeth Green, born in Madison Co., AL to Charles and Mary Elizabeth Pike Green, and died in Wichita Falls, TX in 1958. They had at least one child, Don Ruth Coffee, born May. 15, 1910, died Feb. 27, 1989. Don Ruth married Fred Merritt on Feb. 12, 1933. He was born in Childress Co., TX in 1906 and died in Tucson, Pima Co., AZ on Dec. 19, 1951. Adonis (Don) and Don Ruth are buried in Mt. Olivet. Fred Merrit was buried in the Holy Hope Cemetery in Tucson.

- Christina Mahala, born Feb. 14, 1885 in Talpa, Coleman Co., TX and died Mar. 12, 1964 in Denver Co., CO. She married Robert Edward Chambers on Oct. 24, 1919 in Yokahama, Japan. Robert was born in Bedford Co., VA in 1870 and died Apr. 21, 1932 in Shanghai, China. Their children were Christine, born 1921, Richard, born Sep. 1924, died 1945, and Lois. Christina was Robert's third wife and, they were Baptist Missionaries.

- Zemula Reed (Zema), born Apr. 13, 1886 in Talpa, married Louis W. Demoville on May 14, 1907. Louis died in 1944 and is buried in the Restland Cemetery in Dallas. I have no other information on Zema. Their children were: Louis Coffee, born Oct. 22, 1908, died Dec., 1956. He too is buried in Restland; an unnamed daughter, born 22 Oct. 1908 and died shortly thereafter. She was buried in Mt. Olivet; Kathryn, born Jun. 4, 1910; Irene, born 1912; Margaret, born 1915; Christine, died 1945, and James Edward, born 1918.

- Mary Ellen married Blaine C. Cole. No other information.

- Thomas John, born Dec. 15, 1888, died Apr. 5, 1952 in El Paso. He married Pauline Toitz of London, England on Nov. 15, 1920 in New York City. They had at least one child, a son named Thomas Arthur, born 1922 in Colorado, Mitchell Co., TX. Thomas is buried in Mt. Olivet. I have no other information on Pauline or Thomas Arthur.

- Rebecca Elrissa (Reba), born Feb. 1890, died Sep. 12, 1968 in Big Spring. She married Clyde Edwin Thomas in Jun., 1911. Clyde was born in 1882 and died in 1969. He had been a principal at Big Spring High School. Reba had been one of his students from the class of 1909. They moved to the lower Rio Grande Valley shortly after marriage where he studied law. After passing the bar, the family moved back to Big Spring and he became a widely known attorney, civic and political figure. He was also elected Mayor of Big Spring. I did not find a headstone for either of them in Mt. Olivet. They were parents of nine children: Ollie Adela, born 1912, married Tracy Roberts in 1929; Clyde Edwin, Jr., born 1913, married Eden Lucas in 1940; George Thaddeus, born 1915, married Cleo Lane Higgins. He married second to Mary Madison Sharpnack; Richard Coffee, born 1918, married Mary Oletha Clanton; Ruth, born Jul. 28, 1921, married Howard Salisbury in 1944; Rebecca Mary, born 1919, married Raymond O. Plunkett; Peggy Jean, born Oct. 15, 1923, married John Raymond McDuff; Don Eugene, born Oct. 15, 1923, married Ruby Lee Brown; and Leslie Raymond.

- Ollie May, born Mar. 16, 1892 in Big Spring, married Oliver W. Fannie on Aug. 26, 1917 in Big Spring. They were parents of Oliver, Jr., born 1920; and twins Bill Bradford and Bob Meredith, born Jun. 9, 1922. I believe that Oliver Jr. married Dr. Barbara Acuff and fathered Oliver W. III and Barbara Ann.

- Vera Estelle, died Jan. 13, 1956 in Waco, McLennan Co., TX and was buried in Mt. Olivet.

John James and Nancy's second child was Thomas Joshua Coffey, born Oct. 18, 1858 in Fannin Co., TX. He married Hannah Pauline Dorn on Aug. 18, 1895 at the Dorn home in Mitchell Co., TX. She was born Oct. 13, 1873 in Alabama and died Mar. 20, 1969 in Mitchell Co. Thomas died Jan. 10, 1935. Both are buried at Loraine in Mitchell Co.

Third born was Francis Marion, born Dec. 11, 1859 in Fannin Co., died May 19, 1942. He is buried in Mt. Olivet. He married California Ann (Callie) Donaghe in 1882 in Benton Co., AR. She died Aug. 11, 1929 in Nolan Co., TX and was also buried at Mt. Olivet.

Fourth was John Leonard, born Feb. 26, 1862 in Fannin Co., died Jun. 15, 1935 in LaMesa, Dawson Co., TX. He married Dora George Dourne in 1884. She was born in 1866 and died Jan. 21, 1941 in Dawson Co. Both are buried in LaMesa.

Fifth child was Robert Taylor, born Apr. 9, 1863 in Fannin Co., and died Jun. 7, 1919 in Loraine, Mitchell Co. He married Nancy Emma Smith in Howard Co. in 1896. Robert is buried at Loraine.

Sixth was Samuel Creed, born May 26, 1867 in Fannin Co., died Jul. 11, 1938 in Jones Co., TX. He married Elizabeth Clemetine (Clemmie) Keen in 1893. Samuel is buried in the Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood, Brown Co., TX.

Seventh was Mary Elizabeth, born Oct. 28, 1868 in McDonald Co., MO, and died c1870.

Eighth born was William Riley (Will) in 1870, McDonald Co., MO. He married Mary Addie Cox. William is said to have died in Louisville, KY.

And, last but not least, was Alfonso James, born 1870 in McDonald Co, died 1906 in Scott Co., MO. He married Ida Hall.

Additions and/or corrections appreciated.

Walter Douglas Coffee, Jr.

I rarely blog about my own line because there are so few descendants available with an interest in our ancestors. However, from time to time I go back to my line to see if I can fill in any blanks.

Walter Douglas Coffee, Jr. was a grandson of Lilburn Warren Coffee, a brother to my gg-grandfather, James M. Coffee. Walter's father, Walter, Sr. was born Jul. 25, 1882 in Hays Co., TX and died in California on Oct. 29, 1947 from injuries received in an automobile accident. He had married Sarah Ruth Moore on Sep. 9, 1926 in Big Spring, Howard Co., TX and, from that union was born Robert Lee on Mar. 5, 1926, died before 1930. Their second and last child was Walter, Jr., born Jul. 18, 1927, died Sep. 11, 1985. Ironically, Jr. also died from injuries received in a vehicular accident in California.

As I recall, Walter, Jr. was a truck driver for SafeWay. On the morning of Sep. 11, he was driving north on California highway 101 in Mendocino Co., apparently enroute to deliver stock. At mile marker 43.57 he was involved in some sort of accident that took his life. His death certificate reads that death was caused by "acute congestive heart failure caused by respiratory inadequacy as a result of inhalation of superheated air." His body was moved to Hayward in Alameda Co., CA and later interred at the Chapel of the Chimes in Hayward.

Other information found in his death certificate indicates that he was married and his wife's name was Hattie Rose. For a long time I considered Rose to be her middle name and searched without success for a marriage record, or other document, that would provide her maiden name.

Just recently however, I discovered four California birth records for children born to a Coffee; their mother's maiden name was Rose. This information has given me new impetus to find some rather long lost Coffee cousins who many still live in California.

They were all born in Alameda Co., and their names and dates of birth are:

Marilyn Kay Coffee, born Oct. 11, 1951
Douglas Eugene Coffee, born Dec. 4, 1953
Barry Wayne Coffee, born May 25, 1955
Cindy L. Coffee, born Jan. 12, 1958.

Please contact me at the e-mail address below if you have any information.

Lilburn Warren Coffee, Jr.

This photo is of the 1911 graduating class of Central Ward High School in Big Spring, Howard Co., TX. Not all names were provided. Standing at upper left is Lilburn Warren Coffee, Jr.

The school was built shortly after 1902. Fifteen years later it was replaced by what became Runnels Junior High. The old school stood on the corner of Fourth and Surry in Big Spring, where the Howard County Library now stands.

When Lilburn Warren Coffee, Jr. registered for the draft in 1917 he was described as being of medium height and build with blue eyes and light brown hair. At the time he was employed as a bookkeeper for the West Texas National Bank in Big Spring. He was also unmarried.

After graduating high school, "Lib" continued his education at the Westman Business College in Poughkeepsie, NY. When he left his job at the West Texas Bank he worked for awhile with the Cattle Loan Company before heading off to WW1 where he served with the 90th Div. in Germany. On his return he spent 20 years in the life insurance business. Over the years he served as general solicitor, district manager and vice president of the Texas Association of Life Underwriters.

On April 20, 1920 he married Miss Gladys Opal McNew, a daughter of George Edmund and Fannie Laura Kennedy McNew. Opal was born Jun. 13, 1896 in Bowie, Montague Co., TX and died Jan. 4, 1967 in San Angelo, Tom Greene Co., TX.

In 1941 "Lib" became office manager for a drilling contractor in Lubbock, TX. In 1944 he went into the drilling business for himself and continued until his death in 1948. Opal continued to run the business but finally sold it in 1952.

Only one child was born to "Lib" and Opal: Marjorie Frances, born Sep. 28, 1929, died Mar. 31, 1988. Marjorie married Elmo Eugene Marable on Aug. 16, 1952 at Fort Stockton, Pecos Co., TX. Elmo died there in 1997; Marjorie in 1988.

More Photos from Lilburn Warren Coffee Family

On the right is Abram Tyree Hardy, husband of Lula Edna Coffee, daughter of Lilburn Warren Coffee. He was born Jul. 17, 1870 in Columbus, Lowndes Co., MS and died Apr. 13, 1906 in Big Spring, Howard Co., TX. He and Lula were married Jun. 7, 1899 in Colorado, Mitchell Co., TX. The photograph was made by the W. F. Hughes studio in Colorado City, and may be a wedding photo. The man on the left is unidentified, but could be one of his brothers.

Abram was a son of William W. and Sarah Frances Marshall Hardy. William was born c1818 in VA, and Sarah c1826, also in VA. Two other children were Marshall, born c1867 and Cornelius, born c1869.

This photo is of five of the 10 children of Lilburn Warren and Margaret Goode Coffee. Seated l-r: Margaret (Maggie), Rubye, and Jerry. Standing l-r: Lolis and Lillian.

Lilburn Warren Coffee

In a previous blog about Lilburn Warren Coffee, son of my 3G-grandfather Lilburn Coffee, I did not have any information about the family of his wife, Margaret Goode.

Repeating a bit of that earlier blog, Lilburn Warren was born Sep. 1, 1850 in Hempstead Co., AR and died in Big Spring, Howard Co., TX on Mar. 30, 1918. He married Margaret Goode on Oct. 26, 1876 in Hays Co., TX

Margaret was born May 7, 1855 in TX, and died Mar. 16, 1946 in Big Spring. She was the daughter of Wadsworth F. "Watt" Goode and Nancy Emeline Moose. "Watt" was born in Jan., 1825 in Alabama; Nancy was born Mar., 1834 in either Mississippi or North Carolina. She listed both places in various census records.

According to his Civil War Pension Application dated Aug. 2, 1899, and approved Dec. 22, 1899, "Watt" served in Capt. Clay Davis' Co. from Apr., 1864 to Apr. 1865 in Rancho Davis, TX.

[According to the Handbook of Texas Online Rancho Davis was a town "on the Rio Grande near the site of the former Carnestolendos Ranch." At the end of the Mexican War in 1848, it because part of Nueces Co. "Camp Ringgold, later Fort Ringgold, was established at Rancho Davis on Oct. 26, 1848, the year the county was organized and named for James Harper Starr, Rancho Davis was renamed Rio Grande City and made county seat."]

"Watt" married Nancy Emeline Moose on Aug. 15, 1851 in Fayette Co., TX. They are found later in the 1860 and 1870 census record in Austin Co.; 1880 in Hays Co., and finally in Yoakum, DeWitt Co. According to the Texas Death Index (1902-2000), "Watt" died in Lavaca Co. on Nov. 20, 1914. He was buried in Yoakum Co. in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

I have not found a death date for Nancy Emeline.

Please contact me at the e-mail address above with additions and/or corrections.

Milton Wolford and Amanda Virginia Lewis Coffey

The following appeared in The Lone Grove Ledger, Lone Grove, OK on Jun. 26, 1985, and was authored by Sue Miller:

Milton Wolford "Mint" Coffey and Amanda Virginia Coffey were married in 1869 at Colbert Station, south of what is now Durant, and moved to the Lone Grove area shortly afterward, although their descendants have been unable to establish the exact date.

It is believed by family members that all of their eleven children - William,Taylor, Ivy, Myrtle, Merrit, Ernest, Mary, Anderson, Salathial, Walter and Gertrude - were born after the couple moved to this area.

Research done by the family indicates that Mint and Amanda settled two miles south of (now) Highway 70 on (now) Brock Road. In 1903, Amanda, who was a Chickasaw Indian, was allotted their homestead, which has never left the family.

Three of the many Coffey cousins - Leona Coffey Sanders, Cleo Coffey Jones, both of Lone Grove, and Stella Lee Coffey Stogsdill, Duncan, - shared memories of their grandparents recently.

Mint Coffey was a farmer and rancher and is remembered by his granddaughters as a handsome man. Amanda is recalled as a very small, extremely clean woman, and an excellent cook.

Mint died in 1922 at the age of 76, and Amanda was 73 at the time of her death in 1924. Both are buried in the Lone Grove Cemetery, as are most of their 11 children. None of their children are living and all are buried in Carter County.

William Lee Coffey married Lillie Cannon. He was a farmer-rancher, as were his two sons, Dorris O. and Joyce, who owned and operated ranches in Carter and Love County. They also had one daughter Lillian Idell.

Dorris was married to Wail Wilkerson.

Lillian and her husband, T. J. Kennedy, make their home in Norman, where he retired as a division manager for General Motors.

Taylor Otis "Odie" Coffey never married. He was a deputy U.S. Marshal in Lone Grove for many years.

Ivy Coffey was a farmer in this area for some time before he moved to Duncan, where he later served as a city commissioner.

He and his first wife, Stella Masterson had three children, Stella Lee, Finis, and Eulis.
Stella died when Stella Lee was just hours old, and Stella Lee lived with her grandmother, until Amanda's death when Stella Lee was 14.

StellaLee and her husband Gilbert Stogsdill now make their home in Duncan.

Finis also lives in Duncan. Eulis died in 1923 at the age of 18.

Ivy Joseph and his second wife, Nellie, had one daughter, Ivy, who is a retired feature writer for the Daily Oklahoman.

Myrtle Gayle Coffey married Wood Herndon, who was a farmer-rancher. They had three sons, Milton, Ono, and Clyde.

Milton, a farmer-rancher near Ardmore, married Carmen Byrd.

Otto, who ran a store in Ardmore, was married to Betty Davis.

Clyde was a rancher in Wyoming.

Merritt Price "Doc" Coffey married Willie Ann Byrd. They had one daughter, Virginia Catherine, who died as a youth.

Doc was a pecan producer in the Lone Grove area, and we well-known for developing a process to graft paper shell pecans.

Ernest Wilson "Ern" Coffey and his wife, Ninnie Cannon, had one daughter, Cleo Ernestine. Cleo was married to Ray Richards, and later to Warren Jones.

Ern was a farmer, and later worked for the county and state in a supervisory position. He and the [sic] Jones also operated a mercantile store in Lone Grove at the time the highway was built through town. The store was located on the corner that is now home to Lone Grove Hardware, recalls Cleo.

Anderson Wolford "Wolf" Coffey also ran a mercantile in Lone Grove for many years, that was located on what is now the northwest corner of Newport Road and Highway 70, where Holt's Grocery stands.

It is interesting that his grandson, John Sanders, now owns a similar modern-day store in Lone Grove.

Wolf was married to Louella Carroll. They had six children, Jewell, Leo W., Ivy Jerome, Leona, Kathleen and James Glenn.

Jewell was married to Clarence O. Bigbie, a Baptist preacher, who preached in Long Grove and Southern Oklahoma, and later was chaplain at the state penitentiary in McAlister.

Leo and Irene Coffey and Ivy Jerome and Georgia Lou Coffey operated a Freight bus in this area for many years.

Leona and Newt Sanders live south of Lone Grove, and Newt manages Sanders' A & M Feeds here.  They are planning to build a home on the property where Mint and Amanda Coffee [sic] made their home and raised their children. The property has been named "The Wolf Coffey Ranch," bearing the name of both Leona's father and grandfather.

Kathleen Walker is a retired beautician and lives in Lone Grove.

James Glenn and Angie Coffey live in Phoenix, where he is a realtor.

Cleo and Leona recalled the stores operated by their fathers during the depression.

The Coffey-Jones Mercantile boasted a filling station, clothing, dry goods, and groceries,. Cleo said. Leona remembered her father selling pickles and crackers from barrels, thread and ribbon, and groceries.

When the highway came through Lone Grove, he expanded the store to feed the men who were building the road. Papa made chili and stew and sold beef he had raised. He also served ham and eggs to the workers," Leona stated.

When Wolf died in 1927, Louella sold the store to Marion Fowler.

It was about this time that Ern Coffey bought a circus wagon from the Ringling Brothers Circus and converted it to a chuck wagon, Cleo said.

Ern took Wolf's sons, Leo and Ivy, with him, and the three followed the highway construction, living and cooking in the wagon, and feeding the construction workers.

Salathial "Sale" Coffey married Selma Baker. He was a pecan producer, a butcher, and an oil landman, and, for awhile, a deputy U.S. Marshal. They made their home in the Lone Grove area.

Sale and Selma had one daughter, Bernice, who married Dale Montgomery. They make their home in Lone Grove, where Dale is a dairyman and carpenter.

Walter Jerome Coffey was a deputy sheriff under Buck Garrett. He told family members that the famous lawman deputized him when he was 18. Walter "always" had a gun on him, the family remembers.

A niece, Patty Coker, remembers Walter and Sale as being fun-loving. She recalls when she was small, that the two came to visit the family and "cooked little biscuits on a toy stove" for her and her sisters.

Patty said that every Christmas, Santa Claus in his red and white suit would come to visit their house loaded down with toys for the girls. As she grew older, Patty recognized the shoes worn by "Santa" as those of her Uncle Walter.

Gertrude Coffey, the youngest child of Mint and Amanda, died as an infant.

---

Update 2/15/2013

Salathial or Salathiel, known as Sale, was born on Dec. 6, 1889 in the Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory.  He was married first to Ida L. Elvira Yell on Feb. 23, 1908 in Ardmore, Carter Co., OK.  Ida was born c1889 in TN and died before 1910 in Carter Co.  I do not know of any children.

His second wife was Selma Estelle Baber, born in GA in 1889, died in Carter Co. in 1923.  They were married in Carter Co. on May 7, 1914. and had at least three children, only one of which survived.  The son Billy Milton died an infant in 1923.  Lucille died in 1916.  Bernice was born in 1917 and was still alive at age 12 and living with her widower father in 1930.  Sale has not been found in the 1940 census.

Sale's WWI draft registration card is extremely difficult to read.  It does seem to report on line 10, Race, that he was Indian.  Or perhaps, it merely reports that he was born in Indian Terr.  What do you see?

In the 1920 census he was enumerated as "Indian;" his wife as "white."  Bernice was also recorded as "Indian."  In earlier and subsequent census records he was recorded as "white."  His siblings as well as his parents were always enumerated as being "white."

Sale died on Feb. 17, 1957 in Carter Co. and was buried there with Selma at the Lone Grove Cemetery.