Coffey Cousins' 2014 Reunion Is Over!

Another Coffey Cousins' reunion is over!

If I have counted correctly, it was number 30; the first was held in Boone, NC in 1984.

This one was hosted in Brownsburg, IN by Donna Wolfe Hoy who was ably assisted by her husband, Jon.  A grandson, Alexander Clark also lent a hand in assuring that everything went smooth.

Nelda and I left south Louisiana on Wednesday morning, the 23d of April and headed east on I-10.  We eventually turned north on I-55 through MS, across a corner of TN through Memphis, into AR, MO and IL before finally reaching IN Thursday afternoon.

If you don't already know, the US interstate system is rapidly deteriorating and those infamous "orange barrels" were everywhere.  I'm certain those areas under repair needed it, but so did every other mile that we travelled.  I found I-55 through AR, MO and IL to be in very deplorable condition.

When we finally arrived at the Comfort Suites in Brownsburg we were met first by Donna and Jon then later by Tom Coffey, down from MN.  Arriving even earlier from Washington State was Chuck and Linda Maki and Linda's cousin, Cindy Marriott.  They descend from Reuben and Polly Dowell Coffey and had success finding ancestral cemeteries in the area.

Others attending were Nancy Scott and Kathy Whitson, hosts of last years gathering in Eureka, IL; Jean and Wayne Mower of DE; Larry and Mary Coffey of NJ; Danny and Glenda Coffey of KY.  Again, if I have correctly counted, there were 20 of us who gathered to remember previous reunions as well as Coffey ancestors.

Photo From the IHS Facebook Page

After a discussion and several proposals, we have decided to return to Tennessee for the 2015 reunion.  It appears that Mooresville in Grainger Co. will be our target with hopes of pulling a lot of Coffeys and Daltons out of the mountains to attend.  Kathy Whitson, whose Coffey ancestry is in Grainger Co., has volunteered to head up planning and arrangements.  Because she is a professor at Eureka College in Eureka, IL, she will be unable to get away until after May graduation.  So, look for the reunion to take place sometime about mid-May.

Watch for the June issue of the Coffey Cousins' newsletter for more details on the Indiana gathering and our visit to the Indiana Historical Society.

Thomas Coffey & Elizabeth Smith

Back in 2006 I wrote a short blog about Smith Coffey, thought by me to be the youngest child born to Thomas and Elizabeth Smith Coffey.

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Thomas was a son of John and Jane Graves Coffey and, a grandson of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey.  He was born on Mar. 7, 1742[1] in Essex Co., VA and married first Elizabeth Smith c1762 in Albemarle Co., VA.  Thomas died in Apr., 1825[2] in Wilkes Co., NC; Elizabeth is thought to have died between 1775 and 1780, probably in VA.  Thomas' second wife was Sarah "Sally" Fields, married 1778/9, probably in Wilkes Co., NC.

Thomas and Sally had at least 10 children, many of which I have written about in earlier blogs.  If anyone want more info, leave a note or send an e-mail.

There were about six children born to Thomas and Elizabeth.  Two that I want to write about today are Elizabeth, the eldest and, John Franklin, next eldest.

Elizabeth was born on Oct. 25, 1765 and died in Oct., 1852[3] in Monroe Co., IN.  She is buried there at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville.  She married David Allen, born in VA in May, 1765 and died in Apr., 1848.[3]  He too is buried at the Coffey Cemetery.

Their children were:

Thomas, born 1792 in NC, died and is buried at Ellettsville.  A death date is not shown on his headstone.

Polly, born 1794, probably in NC, died and is buried at Ellettsville.  She does not have a death date on the stone.

John, born 1797, probably in NC, died Aug. 31, 1844 in Elletsville.  John married Eliza Coffey, the daughter of John Franklin Coffey and his wife, Hannah Wilson.  Of course, this John Franklin is the brother of Elizabeth, making John Allen and Eliza Coffey first cousins. Eliza was born Nov., 1798 in NC and died Aug., 1844 in Elletsville.  They were married in Sep., 1818 in Wilkes Co., NC

Following John was Jesse, born 1800 in NC, died Feb., 1881 in Monroe Co..  I do not know his wife's name but, there were at least seven children born to her.  They were James, born c1828 in KY.  The rest, all born in IN, were William, c1830; David, c1832; Nancy, c1836; Joseph, c1838; Louisa, c1840 and John Allen, c1842.  Jesse is also buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville.

Hanna, born Jul., 1802 in Wilkes Co., married Abner Wilson, born 1804 in Burke Co.  He died in Monroe Co. in 1844, she in 1877.  They too are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.

Martha "Patsy," born in NC in 1804 married John Candler Corder of VA, probably about 1824 or a tad earlier and, probably in IN.  John was born in Jul., 1800 and died in 1852.[3]  Martha died in Dec., 1887 [3] and both are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.

They were parents of at least seven:

Mary A., married Jonathan L. Allen, a son of John and Eliza Coffey Allen.   Mary and Jonathan were first cousins as well and second cousins.  They too are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.  I haven't yet searched for children.

Eliza Jane, born 1829 in IN, died there in 1899.  She married Lorenzo [Dow?] Coffey, first cousin once removed, a son of Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey.  Larkin was a son of Thomas and his second wife, Sarah Fields Coffey.  Lorenzo and Eliza had at least two children:  Wayland Everett, born 1854, died 1919 and, Nora E., born c1878, died 1947.  Wayland is buried at the Coffey Cemetery; Nora at the Presbyterian Cemetery in Ellettsville.

Rachel, born 1832, died 1912, married Jason Coffey, another son of Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey.  Jason was born in 1829, NC, died 1871 in IN.  Both are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.  They were parents of Merritt V., Ira E., Cyrus V., and Esther Martha.

Elizabeth was next.  She was born in 1835 and died in 1841.  She is also buried at the Coffey Cemetery.

Stephen, born 1838, died 1909, married Rachel Wilson in IN c1865.  She was born in 1843 KY, died in Ellettsville in 1929.  Chidlren were John; Frank; William S.; Clara; Emma H.; and Martha.  Stephen and Rachel.  All of the children and their spouses are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.

Sarah, born 1842, died 1860, buried at Coffey Cemetery.

Martha, 1845, buried at Coffey Cemetery, death date not given on headstone.  She married Asbury Coffey, her double second cousin, born c1838 in IN to James Wilson and Malena Coffey Coffey.  James Wilson was a son of first cousins, John Franklin and Hannah Wilson Coffey; Malena was a daughter of Rev. Reuben and Martha "Polly" Dowell Coffey.  Asbury and Martha had children Mary; Charlie; Willie; Freddie and Ethel Malena.  Asbury and Martha, as well and their children and spouses are all buried at the Coffey Cemetery.

The last child of David and Elizabeth Coffey Allen was David, born 1808, died 1881.  He married Eliza McCowan, born c1799 in VA.  Their children, all born in IN, were Elijah; Nancy; Mary; William; James; Sarah and Margaret.

John Franklin Coffey married Hannah Wilson in Oct., 1796, Wilkes Co.  Hannah was born there in 1769 and died in IN on Sep. 12, 1862.

I know of five children born to them:  Rebecca who married John Wilson;  Cassandra; Eliza, mentioned above as spouse of John Allen; John Wilson, mentioned above as spouse of Malena Coffey; and Jane Graves[4], born Mar., 1811, died in 1855, Monroe Co., IN.  Jane married Alfred Martin "Martin" Coffey, another son of Rev. Reuben and Martha Dowell.  Alfred was born in 1807, Wilkes Co., died in1836, Owen Co., IN.  They had at least two children:  James Martin, 1837-1861 and Christopher Columbus, birth unknown, died during the Civil War in 1862 at Corinth, Perry Co., MS.  He is buried at the National Cemetery in Corinth, Alcorn Co., MS.  James is buried at the Stouts-Houston Cemetery in Ellettsville.

I have more information about many of these families.

Updates and corrections are appreciated.

 Jack

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[1] Unproven
[2] According to Laurence Coffey, Thomas "...was buried in Hull Hill graveyard..", and after Sarah died, she was buried next to him.  "Years later the cemetery became neglected, and almost lost..."  Laurence and cousin Newell Sanders "...had their remains removed to Harper's Chapel burying ground, where a suitable monument was placed above them."  Harpers Chapel is located in Patterson, Caldwell Co., NC.
[3] Headstone - birth and/or death dates for everyone buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville are taken from their headstones.
[4] John, in naming this child after his grandmother seems to have had a concept of where his roots lay.

Albert and Sarah Goodnight Coffey

Albert was the second eldest son of the Rev. Reuben A. and Martha "Polly" Dowell Coffey, born Feb. 22, 1810 in Wilkes Co., NC.  Albert married Sarah Goodnight in Monroe Co., IN on Dec. 5, 1833.[1]  Sarah was born c1803 in Shelby Co., KY.

Albert died in Jan., 1837, just a few years into his marriage with Sarah, and leaving her with two young children to raise.  The first was Julia Ann, born in Aug., 1836 followed by Wesley W., born Dec. 13, 1837 in Owen Co., IN.  Sarah never remarried and died c1880 in Spencer, Owen Co., IN.  Daughter Julia married William R. Stogsdill in Owen Co. in 1856 and Sarah lived with them in Owen Co. for almost 30 years.

Sarah's son Wesley married Laura Joseph Howe in Owen Co. in 1865.[2]  Laura was the daughter of Amon Price and Harriet C. Thatcher Howe and was born in IN in 1843.  Together, they had three children, only one of which married and has descendants.  That was Bryon Howe, born in 1866, Owen Co., died 1945 in Los Angeles, CA.  He was their first born, followed by Hallie H. in 1874 and Albert Price in 1876.  Laura was the mother of four children but only three survived to become adults.[3]

Hallie and Albert never married and pretty much lived with their mother, or with each other, from birth to death in Los Angeles.  Albert died in 1936 at age 70, and Hallie died in 1969 at age 95.  I have not found their burial places.  In the 1941 city directory for Wilmar City in Los Angeles Co., Albert gave his occupation as "musician." Hallie reported her occupation as "stenographer."

Byron married Nellie Branham in Owen Co. in 1894.[2]  She was a daughter of Laroes and Susan Amanda Halbert Branham, born in Indiana in Sep., 1873.  She died on Jul. 4, 1962 in Los Angeles.

There were four children born to their marriage, all in Spencer, Owen Co.:

Thatcher Howe, born 1895, died 1956 in Los Angeles.  Thatcher married Lessa Leona Freeman in Riverside Co., CA in 1919.  She was the daughter of Fletcher and Margaret McClellan Freeman, born in Oct., 1899 in Iowa, died in Los Angeles in 1979.  I believe that Thatcher and Lessa had just one child, a daughter named Mary Jane, born in 1920.  She married John Batterso and they both lived with her parents in LA in 1940.

Thatcher's sister, Naomi Josephine was born in 1896 and died in LA County in 1970.  She was married to Karl Keeler in Marion Co., IN in 1916.[2]  They had at least two children, Lois Karlyn, born c1919 and Karl, Jr., born c1921.  Lois married a Mr. Teters and died in LA County in 1990.

Byron's third child was Cecile Louise, born 1897, died in LA County in 1946.  She married Joseph Adolph Iverson c1927, probably in CA.  He died in Chatsworth, LA County in 1986.  She died well before that, in 1946, LA County.  This may be the same Joseph who was buried at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, LA Co.  His bio at Find-A-Grave reads:  "Son of Carl Johan and Augusta Matilda (Wagman) Iverson. Husband of Louise and Iva. Brother of Carl Jr and Aaron Iverson, Anna Foss and Sena Baker. Joe was the owner, along with brother Aaron, of the Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth, famed filming place of many American westerns of the 1930s through the 1960s, including The Lone Ranger series and numerous episodes of Bonanza."  I know of no children born to his union with Louise but, a website devoted to the ranch and some of the history, has a photo of Ed Iverson, reported there to be the one of "the owner," which could be Aaron's son..

Coffey Sprinkler
Click for larger view

The fourth child and second son was Jule Hubert, born in 1899, died in LA County in 1979. He married Harried Ellen Johnson c1925. She was born in Ramsey Co., MN in 1899 and was the mother of at least two children: Harry, born c1927 and Priscilla H., born c1931. Jule held numerous patents during his lifetime, including US 3088677 for the "Oscillating Arm Pop-Up Sprinkler," seen on many lawns across the US.  To be sure, others have made "improvements," but the basic concept remains Jule's.

He was a 1924 graduate of CalTech and died in Clarement, CA in 1979.  His daughter, Priscilla Coffey McKenna wrote to the alumni newsletter that "he was retired and had been living in Claremont, California....He lived a long and exceedingly useful life and we will miss him very much."[4]

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Malcolm Carnegie McKenna

While searching for Jule's daughter Priscilla, I found that she married Malcolm Carnegie McKenna, son of Donald Carnegie and Bernice Caroline Waller McKenna.  The McKennas were a family of philanthropists; Donald being a Pennsylvania industrialist and the namesake of Clarement McKenna College in CA.  Malcolm and Priscilla were married in Claremont on Jun. 17, 1952.  He died on Mar. 3, 2008 in Boulder, CO.  Before his retirement, Malcolm was Frick curator of vertebrate paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History and professor emeritus of geological sciences at Columbia University.

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[1]Indiana State Library Genealogy Database: Marriages through 1850, Indiana State Library online [http://199.8.200.229/db/marriages_search.asp], accessed Sep.,2005.
[2]Indiana Marriage Records Index, 1845-1920;.Index to Marriage Records Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940.
[3]1900 Owen Co., IN census record
[4]Caltech News, June 1979, California Institute of Technology (http://caltechcampuspubs.library.caltech.edu/2366/1/1979_06_13_04.pdf : viewed 21 December 2012), Vol 13, No. 4, Page 8, Obituaries.

Alfred Alphonso and Julia Ann Dawkins Cofffey

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By his own hand, Alfred wrote that he and Julia were married in 1857. He would have been about 26 years old at the time, having been born in Wilkes Co., NC in 1831.  and, according to his autobiography, had lived a very adventurous life up to then.

Julia was the daughter of John and Mary Wheeler Dawkins, born in GA in Feb., 1838 and was about 20 years old when she married Alfred.  The Dawkins lived "in Habersham County [GA], 4 miles south of Tallulah Falls on Panther Creek."

The Coffey family appeared in the 1860 census at Rabun Co., GA with one child, a son, Newton Walter Coffey, born in July, 1858.  He and Julia had another child, Mary Angie, born in Sep., 1860.  By 1861 Alfred was off on another adventure, this time as a soldier in the 52d Georgia Infantry[1].  He survived the war and from about 1862 through 1882 they added another eight children to their family.

The family moved around a bit during those years.  In 1870 they were in Rock Spring, Walker Co., TN.  In 1880 and 1900 they were in Hamilton Co., TN.  Julia died in Mar., 1906 and by 1910 Alfred was an aged gentleman who sought shelter with his son Starlin [sic] in Marion Co., TN.  Alfred died in Dec., 1915 and was buried near Julia at Forest Hills Cemetery in Chattanooga.

All of their children were born in GA, and probably Rabun Co. specifically.

Their son Newton died in Rabun Co. in 1860 but, his burial site is unknown.

Mary Angie or, Angie as she was known, married Judson Buchanan of Monroe Co., IN in 1883 in Hamilton Co., TN.  He was a Coffey descendant as well.  His father was John Hamilton Buchanan and his mother was Miriam Coffey, the daughter of Rev. Reuben A. and Martha "Polly" Dowell Coffey.

Alfred A., probably Jr., was born c1862 but nothing else is know.

Starlin Pinkston was the fourth child, born in Apr., 1864.  He married Emma Raulston, 1879-1945, daughter of Robert and Anne Beene Raulston in Hamilton Co., c1898.  Children, all born in Marion Co., TN, were Earl Leonard, Vesta V., Stella, Ethel Mae (died at age 2), Willie May (died at age 11) and Charles.  Starlin died in Marion Co. in 1941.  Emma died in 1945 and both are buried at the Bean-Raulston graveyard in South Pittsburg, Marion Co.

Jackson Lafayette Coffey

Ellie Horton

Jackson Lafayette, born in 1865, married Ella Mahle "Ellie" Horton, daughter of W. A. and Annie Gibson Horton, c1886 in probably TN.  They raised at least 10 children:  Clara, Charles Clifton, George Clinton, Lillie Mae, Nellie G., William Dewey, Julia Ann, Robert Lee, James Cornelius and DeWitt Clifton [sic].  Jackson and his family were in Marion Co., TN in 1900 and by 1910 they were farming in Navarro Co., TX.  They remained in that county until 1920 when they were in Henderson Co., TX but back in Navarro by 1930.  Jackson died there in 1946; Ellie lived until 1956.  They are both buried at the Hamilton-Beeman cemetery in Retreat, Navarro Co.  It appears that most of their children lived and died in Navarro Co. and are buried there.  Son George Clinton "Clint"  Charles Clifton "Cliff" died in Chattanooga and was buried there in 1974.

Elizabeth Adeline "Addie" was born in 1867 and died in Chattanooga in  Jan., 1941.  She married William Henry Waldron in TN in 1887.  He was a native of Virginia, born there in 1858. He died just a few days before Addie, in Jan., 1941.  Both are buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Chattanooga.  I know of two children:  Mae Virginia, born c1890 in AL, married Conrad Fred Stier of GA in 1908, Jefferson Co., AL; and a son, Carroll, born Oct., 1892.

Sylvester A., born 1870, married Minerva "Minnie" Richards c1892 in GA.  Minerva was born in GA in 1874.  They had at least 10 children:  Charles, Mary J. (Eunice?), William Armstrong; Aldred A., Ross, Cathleen, Donald, James and an infant that was born in Feb., 1917 and died in June of that year.  Sylvester died in 1930 and is buried at Chattanooga Memorial Park.  I have not found Minnie's death record.

Talullah Virginia "Lula," born 1874, married William Norval Taggart on Hamilton Co., in 1899.  William was a native of Missouri, born there in about 1874.  They had at least two children, Julia, born c1895 and Norvell, a son, born c1897.  William died in 1958, Lula in 1958.  Both are buried at Greenwood in Chattanooga.

David Lee, born 1876, married Martha Hyatt, date unknown but probably close to 1900.  She was a native of NC, born there in 1883.  They had at least one child, Robert Lee, born 1903, died 1977.  All are buried at Greenwood.

Last but not least is Effie Thelma, born 1882.  She married George Thomas Ogburn c1902 in TN.  They had at least two children, a daughter Merita, born c1904 and a son, Junior, born c1907.  Nothing more is known.

More detailed information is available on the CD and DVD.

Corrections and additions welcomed!

Jack

[1] "Georgia Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865"

John H. & Miriam Coffey Sanders

John and Miriam were the parents of Newell Sanders, written about in an earlier blog.  At the time, I did not have a whole lot of information on the descendants of John and Miriam.  Newell appears to be the only son or child that survived from that union.  Hopefully, what I add here will be of some use to readers who have an interest in this family.

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Newell Sanders' mother, Miriam Coffey, was a daughter of the Rev. Reuben A. and Martha "Polly" Dowell Coffey.*  She was born to them on Dec. 26, 1822 in Watauga Co., NC and died in Chattanooga, Hamilton Co., TN on Nov. 12, 1885.  The marriage between her and John Sanders, Jr. occurred on Sep. 30, 1849 in Owen Co., IN.  John H. Sanders, Jr. was born on Jan. 20, 1824 in IN and died there on Oct. 2, 1851.  The only census that the couple appeared in was the 1850 of Owen Co.  That records shows a child named John M., age 6, born in IN.  I believe this child to be John's by an earlier marriage and not with Miriam.

Miriam married for a second time on Dec. 31, 1857 in Clay Twp., Owen Co.  This husband was John Hamilton Buchanan, born Mar. 9, 1831 in KY, died Jul. 12, 1890 in Hamilton Co., TN.  The 1860 census of Owen Co. shows children Adelaide, age 10, William D., age 8, Newell Sanders, age 9 and Judson Buchanan, age 1.  Newell of course was Miriam's first child; Judson was her second. It is unclear what became of the child John M. Sanders that appeared in the 1850 census.  In 1870, a daughter named Marietta, age 5, appears in the household with John and Miriam but nothing else has been found.  I suspect that she died young.

This family remained in Owen Co. at least through the 1870 census but, by 1880 they had relocated to Chattanooga in Hamilton Co., TN.  Newell had graduated from Indiana University in 1873 and married Corinne Dodds, also a Indiana U graduate (Bachelor of Science) in about 1873.  In 1877 the couple moved from Indiana to Chattanooga where he began to successfully manufacture plows. The Buchanan family followed and Judson eventually went into the plow making business with his half-brother.

Judson married Mary Angie Coffey, a second cousin and daughter of Alfred Alphonso and Julia Ann Dawkins Coffey.  Alfred was a son of Elijah and Polly Hull Coffey.  Elijah and Reuben were brothers, sons of Thomas and Sally Fields Coffey.  Judson died on Jan. 27, 1842 in Chattanooga.  Angie died there on Nov. 9,1932 and both are buried there at Forest Hills Cemetery. Their children were:  Raymond, 1886-1887; Corliss, 1889-1947; Evelyn, 1892-1927; Robert, 1893-?; and James, 1900-1922.  With the exception of Robert, for whom I have found no death/burial info and, Evelyn who is buried with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery, all of the others are buried at Forest Hills.

Judson's daughter Evelyn married Homer David Cogdell of Bullock Co., AL c1918, or earlier.  David apparently had some connection with the plow company because he is known to have traveled, and at least once to Europe.  After Evelyn died, he moved with Caroline, their only child, to Sioux Falls, SD where in 1930 he reported his employment as a salesman of farm utensils.  He was then 42 years old and unmarried.  Caroline was 10 years old.  On Mar. 14 of the following year he married Mary Helen Elliott of Sioux Falls.  There is a passenger record which shows this couple returning from Le Harve in France to the Port of New York on Feb. 17, 1938.  With them was one child, Helen Janet, born May 8, 1936, "abroad to American parents."  Homer died on Oct. 8,1956 in Alexandria, VA was was buried at Arlington.  He had served as a Captain in the US Army during WW1.  I have no information on the death or burial location of Mary Helen.

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Newell and Corinne, a daughter of Clelland Finley and Mary Elizabeth Orchard Dodds, lived on Lookout Mountain in Hamilton Co., TN.  They were the parents of six children.  It appears that only three of them lived to adulthood.

They were:

Wendell, born Jan. 15, 1875 in Indiana, died Apr. 30,1892 in Hamilton Co., TN.  He is buried at Forest Hills.

Norinne, born Dec. 17, 1876 in Indiana, died Jul. 3, 1939 at Lookout Mountain, married John Harvey Anderson.  He was born Feb. 9, 1874 (place not known to me) and died on Jan. 7, 1966 in Hamilton Co.  Both are buried at Forest Hills.  They are known to have at least one child, John, Jr., born prematurely and died on Apr. 15, 1915.  He is also at Forest Hills.

Mildred, born May 1879.  No further information.

Sherman, born Aug. 18, 1882 in TN, died in Chattanooga onOct. 2, 1927.  Sherman was married but I do not know his wife's name.  He died at age 45 from acute appendicitis and was buried at Forest Hills.

Dorothy, who was called Dot, was born Oct. 24, 1886 and died on Jan. 4, 1894 in Chattanooga.  She is buried at Forest Hills as well.

The last child I know of was Pansy, born in June, 1890 in TN, died Jun. 4, 1944 at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville.  She married Ben Matthews Allison c1910 and gave birth to at least two children, both sons. Joe Hill was born in 1913 and died in 1979.  Ben Matthews, Jr. was born Aug. 24, 1914 and died Sep. 17, 2004.  Joe's wife was Mary Cummings.  I do not know where Mary Cummings Allison is buried.  The rest of this family rest at Forest Hills.

"Sanders, Newell, a Senator from Tennessee; born on a farm near Bloomington, Owen County, Ind., July 12, 1850; attended the rural schools; graduated from Indiana University at Bloomington in 1873; owned and operated a book store in Bloomington, Ind., 1873-1877; moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1877 and became a manufacturer of agricultural implements; member of the school board 1881-1882; alderman 1882-1886; president of the Chattanooga Plow Co. 1882-1901; member of the board of directors of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway; appointed as a Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Robert L. Taylor and served from Apr. 11, 1912, to January 24, 1913, when a successor was elected; was not a candidate for election; chairman, Committee on National Banks (Sixty-second Congress); continued his former manufacturing pursuits; died at his home on Lookout Mountain, Tenn., January 26, 1939; interment in Forest Hills Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tenn."**

Click on the "earlier blog" link at the top of this page to read more about Newell and Corinne.

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*More blogs about Reuben and Polly can be found by using the search block in the sidebar.
**Mitchell Chapple, Editor, National Magazine: An Illustrated American Monthly, vol. 36, April, 1912 - Sept., 1912 (Boston, MA: Chapple Publishing Co., Ltd., ~Oct., 1912), Page 413. [There are many sources of information on Newell.  Search for him in Google Books.

Adoniram Judson & Emily Caroline Rone Coffey

                                                                                                                               
Adoniram Judson Coffey, born Jan. 6, 1830 to Reuben and Polly Dowell Coffey, was  (probably) named by his preacher father for the American Baptist missionary of the same name.*  This Adomiram married Emily Caroline Rone, born Aug. 28, 1832 in NC, died in Ellettsville, Monroe Co., IN on Nov. 11, 1906.  They were married on Oct. 28, 1852 in Owen Co., IN.**  Adoniram died Apr. 7, 1882 in Ellettsville.  Both are buried at the Coffey Family Cemetery in Ellettsville.

The family farmed in Owen and Clay counties from their marriage until their deaths and, raised at least nine children there.

Edgar was their first, born Sep., 1853, died Nov. 16, 1922 in Terre Haute, Vigo Co., IN.  He married Rachel A. Betts in Clinton Co., IN on Oct. 27, 1874 and had at least one child, a daughter named Pansy.  Rachel may have died at the birth of Pansy because sometime before 1880, Edgar married his cousin Sophronia Coffey, a daughter of Lewis and Harriet Powell Coffey.  Sophronia had previously married Samuel T. Howe, a Kentuckian born c1835.  She and Howe had at least two children, Ida, born c1861 and Lucy, born c1865, both in IN.  Samuel may have died in the Civil War.  Sophronia died in June, 1923 at Terre Haute and she was buried alongside Edgar, who died Nov. 16, 1922, at Highland Lawn Cemetery in that city.

Obituary, Terre Haute Tribune, Nov. 17, 1922, p2

Edgar Coffey, 69 years old, for a number of years owner of a drug store in Lafayette avenue, died yesterday evening at the home of his daughter, Mrs. George Jacobs, 68 South Twenty-first street, where he made his home.  Mr. Coffey also was interested in the Coca-Cola bottling works in Lafayette avenue [sic] for some time.  The body was removed to the Gillis chapel, where the funeral will be held.  Mr. Coffey is survived by the daughter; a step-daughter, Mrs. Ida M. Goodman, of Minneapolis; a grandson, George Edgar Jacobs; three sisters, Mrs. Ellen Faulkner, Mrs. Fay McBride, of Terre Haute, and Mrs. Lillian Harboc, of Trinidad, Col., and three brothers, Eliza [sic], Larkin and Reuben Coffey.

Obituary, Terre Haute Star, Saturday, June 23, 1923, p2

The funeral of Sophronia Coffey, 80 years old, who died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. George Jacobs, 632 Walnut street, was held at 2:30 o'clock today at the Gillis undertaking establishment.  She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. George Jacobs and Mrs. I. M. Goodman of Minneapolis; two grandchildren and one nephew.  Burial will be in Highland Lawn cemetery.

The second child was a son, Carson, born c1855.  Carson appeared in the household with his parents at the  1860 and 1870 census but, disappeared thereafter.  I have not found him in any subsequent record and I suspect he likely died in his early teens.

Ellen, born c1857 was married to Jasper Newton Falkner on Sep. 14, 1880 in Spencer, Owen Co.  Jasper was born on Mar. 25, 1846 in that county and died in Republic, Ferry Co., WA on Apr. 8, 1934.  Ellen preceded him in death on Aug. 30, 1928 at Republic.  Both are buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada.  Their children were Donald Ford, born 1881; Roy Judson, born 1885; Kittie Faye, born 1888 and, Wallace, born 1889.

A son, Elzy, born 20 Aug.1859 was next.  The little info that I have indicates he married Emma Clause. He did appear in the 1920 Arkansas Co. census with his brother Larkin and in the 1930 census for that same county with a wife named Sue.  I am somewhat confused about his wife's name and other particulars of this census.  Elzy must have been married prior to this marriage since he stated that he was first married at age 34, and his wife at age 17.  He died on Mar. 22, 1937 in Decatur, Macon Co., IL but his burial place has not been found although his death record reports burial at Decatur.***

Elzy was followed by John Jay on Oct. 10, 1853.  He married c1904 to Edith Iva Hill, born Dec. 5, 1876 in IA, died Oct. 12, 1940 in Boise, Ada Co., ID.  John died there on Nov. 9, 1922.  Both are buried at Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise.  Their children were Ray O., born 1905 in CO; Edith Iva, born 1907 in ID; John Earl, born c1911, died Jan. 24, 1995, buried at Dry Creek Cemetery in Boise; Harold, born 1913, died Jul 30, 1939 in Lewis and Clark Co., MT, butied at Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise.  Their last child was Ralph H., born c1917.

Reuben, born Jul., 1866 was the sixth child.  He married c1901 to Elizabeth J. Propst, born c1878 in CO.  Their children were Helen, Faye and, Catherine, all born in CO.  In 1910 the family did appear in the Decatur Twp., Macon Co., IL census.

Lillian was next, born c Jan., 1870.  She was married c1905 to Fred A. Harlow of Massachusetts.  They had children John Frederick, Fayette, Dorothy, Doris Caroline, Lillian Trask and Carson, perhaps named for Lillian's brother.

Larkin was born in Feb., 1872 and married a lady by the name of Nancy E. Dilday.  He appeared in the 1910 Rock Co., NE as an unmarried man and later, in 1920, the Arkansas Co., AR census with his with Nancy and his brother Elzy.

The last child born to Adoniram and Emily was Faye H., born May 1874.  She married Earl McBride and had children Richard, Frederick, Paul and, Pauline.

Please contact me if you can fill in any of the blanks.

Jack

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*Wikipedia: Adoniram Judson was born in Massachusetts in 1788 and died at sea in the Bay of Bengal on Apr. 12, 1850.  He worked to form the first Baptist association in America, translated the Bible into Burmese and established a number of Baptist churches in Burma.  The name Adoniram means "my lord is exalted" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this was the name of an overseer of tribute [taxman] under the kings David, Solomon and Rehoboam. He was stoned to death when the Israelites revolted against Rehoboam's taxation.
**Indiana Marriage Records Index, 1845-1920;.Index to Marriage Records Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940:  Name: Adnoviam [sic] J Coffey Spouse Name: Emily C Rone Marriage Date: 28 Oct 1852 Marriage County: Owen  Index to Marriage Record 1850 - 1920 Inclusive Vol Source Title 3: W. P. A. Original Record Located: Compiled by Indi Book: 27 OS Page: 309
***Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," database, FamilySearch Historical Records from Illinois Department of Health. "Certificates of Death." Illinois Department of Health, Springfield, Illinois. FHL microfilm. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah:  name: Elzy Coffey titles and terms (original):  death date: 22 Mar 1937 death place: Decatur, Macon, Illinois gender: Male marital status:  race or color:  age: 77 estimated birth year: 1860 birth date: 20 Aug 1859 birthplace: Owen Co., Indiana father: Adimiriam J. Coffey father's titles and terms (original):  father's birth place: North Carolina mother: Emily C. Rhone mother's titles and terms (original):  mother's birth place: South Carolina occupation: carpenter residence: Stuttgart, Arkansas street address:  spouse: Elizabeth spouse's titles and terms (original):  spouse's birthplace:  burial date: 24 Mar 1937 burial place: Decatur Twp., Macon, Illinois cemetery: Graceland informant:  additional relatives:  digital folder number: 4008433 image number: 888 film number: 1786729 volume/page/certificate number: cn 12621 

Benjamin Franklin & Louisa Caroline Coffey Green

Benjamin was born Mar. 14, 1857 in MO to Levi and Mary Elizabeth Russell Green.  Louisa was a daughter of Eli and Louisa Caroline Storie Coffey, born Sep. 12, 1856 in NC.  Louisa and Ben were married c1877.

There were at least 10 children born to Ben and Louisa, all in Camden Co., MO.

Authelia (sometimes seen as Othello), a daughter, born Oct. 2, 1878, died Mar. 25, 1956 in Camden Co. She married William Allen Creach c1896 in Camden Co.  He was born there on Oct. 18. 1875 and died Jun. 17, 1943.  Authelia died Mar. 25, 1956 in Camden Co.  I know of one child, Dewey E., born Mar., 1890.  William and Authelia are buried at the Creach Cemetery in Macks Creek, Camden Co.

Millie Ann, born Aug., 1881, married Charles Hicks on Feb. 19, 1902 in Macks Creek.  No other information.

Delia Frances, born Nov. 30, 1883, died Jan. 8, 1884.  She is buried at Green Cemetery in Macks Creek.

Charles Edward, born Dec. 31, 1884, died Mar. 19, 1942 at Roach, Camden Co.  His wife was Mary A. Arnhold [sic] and, they were married Feb. 10, 1909 in Bannister, Camden Co.  Charles is buried at Green Cemetery; no info on death or burial place for Mary.

Sarah Jane, born May, 1887.  No further information.

Fred Arthur, born Nov. 4, 1889 in Camden Co., married Della V. Salmer on Feb. 28, 1912 in Camden Co.  Fred and Della had at least two children, daughters Opal H., born c1914 and Annie, born c1920.  Fred went from farming in 1920 in Camden Co. to being a loader for a motor co. in Jackson Co., MO in 1930.

Eliza, born Aug. 4, 1892, was married c1911 to James Clark Wallace, born Apr. 16, 1891 in Macks Creek.  The family lived in Hickory Co., MO through the 1930 census before moving to CA.  James died Mar. 19, 1970 in Riverside Ca., and was buried at the Desert Lawn Memorial Park in Calimesa, CA.  Eliza died Jan. 26, 1972 and was also buried at Desert Lawn.  Their children were Charles R., Lula Mae, Edna J. and Jessie O.

Chester Levi, born Jun., 1895, married Blanch Turner Mar 24, 1916 in Camden Co.  No further information.

William M., born Aug., 1897, died Jun. 22, 1964 at Banning, Riverside Co. CA.  His wife was Ada Frances Osborn, born Aug. 11, 1903 in Camden Co., died Jun. 7, 1988 at Rialto in San Bernardino Co., CA.  Both are buried at Mountain View Cemetery at Beaumont in Riverside Co.

The last child was Lula E., born Jan. 18, 1900, died Oct. 7, 1977.  Lula married Soud W. Dowell on Feb. 17, 1919.  He was born Jun. 22, 1895 in MO and died May 20, 1987 in Camden Co.  Their children were Hazel N., born c1921; Hellend (?) V., born c1922 and Fem (?), a female, born c1925.  Help with the children's name would be appreciated.  Both Soud and Lula are buried in Camden Co. at Macks Creek Cemetery.

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A little bit about Eli and Louisa Caroline Storie Coffey:  Eli and Louisa married Nov. 7,1852 in Caldwell Co., NC.  Between that date of Oct. 8,1860 they had at least five children.  Caroline's parents, Eli and Mary Carlton Storie left North Carolina shortly before or perhaps right after the Civil War.  They are not found in the 1870 census.   They are found in the 1880 census in Russell Twp., Camden Co., MO and daughter Caroline and four of her five children are with her.  James, her first son was married and farming in Auglaise, Camden Co. that year.  In the 1880 Caldwell Co. census, Eli Coffey reported himself as married and divorced.

In addition to Louisa Caroline, Eli and Louisa Caroline Storie Coffey had:

James H., born c1853 in NC, married Nancy, LNU, and had at least two sons, Columbus F., born c1879, died 1918 in Vernon Co., MO; and John M., born c1887 in MO.

Joshua, born c1854 in NC, no further info.

Isaac Milton, born Nov. 15, 1858 in NC, died Jan. 20, 1919 in Payette Co., ID.  He married Susan Frances Brook (surname not confirmed) c1879 and lived in MO until sometime after Dec., 1887 when their third child, Edna was born.  They then relocated to Idaho where the remainder of their children were born.  First born was Sarah in Jan., 1882 married Charles Ayers in 1901, Payette Co., ID.  Second was Benjamin L., born 1885, died 1920 in Payette.  Edna was third followed by Ella in 1893.  Elsie was next, born 1900 in ID, married Benjamin Belding in Payette Co. on Sep. 17, 1917.  Glen was next, born c1903 in ID, married Elizabeth (LNU) c1929.  In 1930 they lived with his widowed mother in Payette Co.  Last born was Ida, c1904.  Ida married Zack Greene in Payette Co. on May 27,1 920.  Susan reported in the Canyon Co., ID census of 1920 that she was the mother of 12 but only seven were living.  Isaac and Susan are buried at Riverside Cemetery in Payette, Payette Co., ID.

The last child of Eli and Louisa Storie Coffey was Lewis Jasper who married Alice Ann Josephine Moulder on Jan. 7, 1886 in Camden Co., MO.  More about them later.

Lorenzo and Eliza Corder Coffey

Lorenzo was born c1832 in North Carolina to Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey.  Not too much info has been found for Lorenzo.

Eliza Corder, born c1830 in Indiana, was a daughter of John Candler and Martha "Patsy" Allen Corder.  Patsy's parents were David and Elizabeth "Betsy" Coffey Allen.  Betsy was a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Smith Coffey; Thomas being a son of John and Jane Graves Coffey.  Another son of David and Betsy, John Allen married Eliza Coffey, a daughter of John Franklin and Hannah Wilson Coffey.  John Franklin was also a son of Thomas and Elizabeth Smith Coffey.

Lorenzo and Eliza had at least two children; Wayland E. or Waland, born Dec., 1854 in Indiana and, Nora E., born 1878 in Indiana.

Wayland married Clara Risdon on Dec. 22, 1875 in Owen Co., IN.  Clara was the daughter of James and Ellen Risdon who emigrated to New York as a family from England on Jun. 3, 1858 aboard the Ocean Monarch.  Although Clara always claimed to have been born in England, and was born some two years before their arrival, she was not found on the passenger list with her parents.

Clara and Wayland had at least three children:  Norman L., born Apr., 1877, Nora E., born Nov., 1878 and, Iva A., born Jan., 1888. 

Norman married Estella M. Dowell on Feb. 3, 1900 in Owen Co., IN.  Their children were:  Lawrence, born c1902; Loyd F., born c1904; and Arthur, born c1906.  All were born in Indiana.

Nora married Alva Preston Christy c1903 in Indiana.  Alva was born in Nov., 1872 in Indiana and had been previously married to Essie Sharp c1892 in Indiana.  Essie gave birth to one son, Clyde Wallace Christie and apparently died at or shortly after his birth. On Jun. 9, 1900 Alva was a widower with one child, Clyde Wallace Christy, born Aug., 1893.  Both resided in the household with Essie's parents, George Parks and Martha S. Allen Sharp and was enumerated as their son-in-law and grandson, respectively.  With Nora, Alva fathered at least two additional children:  Corliss W., born c1904 and Clara Faye, born c1909, both in Indiana.

I have no information on the child Iva A.  She appeared with the family in the census of 1900 as a 12-yr old female, born in Jan., 1888.

Many of these families and their descendants are buried at the Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Ellettsville, Monroe Co., IN.

I would like to have more information about this family, and especially Lorenzo and his Corder wife. I need to know when and where they died, and perhaps where they are buried.

Please drop me a note if you can help!

Shelton and Dicy Sanders Coffey

Janet Amtower documented the travels of her ancestor, Rev. Reuben A. and his wife, Polly Dowell Coffey.  I wrote about them in Dec., 2006  I also wrote about their son Shelton and his family in a subsequent blog.

Now, Janet has posted many family photographs and some biographical information about Shelton and his descendants at Find-A-Grave.

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A word about Find-A-Grave.  If you haven't discovered this treasure yet, give it a try.  I have found literally hundreds of headstones and other information for the Edward Coffey Project CD using this resource!  While you are visiting, take some time to upload your own headstone photos.  They can be extremely helpful to the next researcher, who might be a long lost cousin with just the info you need to break down your personal "brick wall."

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Shelton Coffey

These are cropped versions of Janet's photo of Shelton and Dicy together.  I chose to crop so that I could add a photo to their individual data pages in my file.  Visit her FAG site at the above link to see all of the photos she has uploaded.

Dicy Sander Coffey

Newell and Corinne Dodds Sanders

"Newell Sanders, manufacturer and United States Senator, 1912, 1913, was born in Owen County, Indiana, July 12, 1850, the son of John Sanders and Miriam Coffey Sanders, grandson of John Sanders and Nancy Briscoe Sanders and great grandson of Henry Sanders and Dicey Blake Sanders, South Carolina. Henry Sanders was a Baptist preacher and a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. Sanders' maternal grandfather, Reuben Coffey was a pioneer Baptist preacher and in 1834 was one of the founders of Franklin College, the Baptist college of Indiana. Mr. Sanders' parents and grandparents were among the numbers of Southerners who settled in southern Indiana about 1830.

"Newell Sanders entered Indiana State University at Bloomington where he graduated in 1873 with a degree of B.S. After conducting a book store in Bloomington from 1873 to 1878 he decided to enter the manufacturing field. He spent a year in northern shops gaining experience and settled in Chattanooga on the advice of Gen. John T. Wilder in 1878. He opened a factory to manufacture plows. This was the first factory in the South to make improved plows. In 1883 the business was incorporated as the Chattanooga Plow Company with Newell Sanders as president and general manager. Under his management it developed rapidly, doing a large domestic business and enjoying an extensive export trade. In 1901 he established the Newell Sanders Plow Company of which he was sole owner. In 1915 he again became president of the Chattanooga Plow Company, a position he retained until 1919 when he sold the company to the Internal Harvester Company. He sold the Newell Sanders Plow Company in 1927 and retired from business after having manufactured plows in Chattanooga for fifty years.

"His business interests, however, have not been confined to plow manufacturing. He organized the Chattanooga Steamboat Company in 1891 for the purpose of operating a line of boats on the Tennessee River to St. Louis and served as its first president. He was the first president of the Tennessee River Improvement Association and appeared many times before Congress in that interest. He was president of the National Association of Agriculture Implement and Vehicle Manufacturers from 1907 to 1909 and vice president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers 1927, 1929. He is a director of the Hamilton National Bank and of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway.

"Mr. Sanders served as chairman of the Tennessee Republican State Committee 1894-1896 and again in 1906-1912. In both these periods Republican governors of Tennessee were elected. He was a member of the Republican National Committee, 1912-1916, and a delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1916, 1920 and 1924. He was appointed by the Governor of Tennessee to the United States Senate and was the first Republican Senator from Tennessee in forty years. He took his seat April 8, 1912, his successor taking his seat in February, 1913. He led the prohibition movement in Tennessee which became a dry state before the national prohibition amendment was passed. In the Senate he was the leader in the passage of a law against the shipment of intoxicating liquor from 'wet' states into 'dry' states.

"Mrs. Newell Sanders was Miss Corinne Dodds of Bloomington before her marriage. The marriage took place October 28, 1873. She was a graduate of the Indiana State University of the Class of 1873. She was active in church and Red Cross work and was president of the Chattanooga Free Kindergarten Association during its long existence. She was the first woman in the Southern states to vote**. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders traveled together extensively in this country and abroad. They were four years in the same class in college, receiving the same training and acquiring the same ideals and success has been result of their joint efforts. The credit is due as much to one as to the other. Mrs. Sanders died in 1929. Their children are Norinne who married James Harvey Anderson; Mildred who married Walter Blair Wright; Pansy who married Ben Matthews Allison; Wendell who died at the age of seventeen; Dot who died young and Sherman who died in 1927 at the age of forty-six.

"Mr. Sanders home is on the east brow of Lookout Mountain next to the Lookout Mountain Incline. Since his retirement from business Mr. Sanders has given his time to the development of the Chattanooga-Lookout Mountain Park, on the sides of Lookout Mountain, and to other public affairs"

[Newell Sanders was the son of John and Miriam Coffey Sanders. Mirian was a daughter of the Rev. Reuben A. and Martha "Polly" Dowell Coffey.  Newell was born Jul. 12, 1850 and died Jan. 26, 1939 in Chattanooga.  Corinne died in 1929.  He is buried at Forest Hills Cemetery in Chattanooga and Corinne is probably there with him.]

**Interesting!  I wonder how this is known?

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Thanks to Richard Beu for providing this news article and photo, proving that Mrs. Sanders was the first woman to vote in the state of TN.  His GG-grandfather was I.E. Ireland, also pictured. Unfortunately, the date this was published in this Chattanooga newspaper was not preserved on the clipping I received.

Source:  Zella Armstrong, Author, The history of Hamilton County and Chattanooga, Tennessee: Vol I, 2 volumes (Johnson City, TN: The Overmountain Press, 1992), .  Photos from the source credited to Judd.  The book is available at Amazon.com, as well as other on-line book sellers.  It can probably be found on Amazon at this link:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0932807917

Byron Howe & Nellie Branham Coffey - Updated Apr. 29, 2009

Byron Howe Coffey was born in Owen Co. IN on Jan. 29, 1866 to Wesley W. and Laura Josephine Howe Coffey. Wesley was descended from the Rev. Reuben A. Coffey and his wife Martha "Polly" Dowell, through their son Albert who married Sarah Goodnight.

Nellie Branham was born in Sep., 1873 in Indiana to Larose and Susan A. Halbert Branham. She and Byron were married on Jan. 9, 1894 in Owen Co.

Byron and Nellie moved from Indiana to California between 1910 and 1920, apparently looking for work and a better life. They took four children with them:

Thatcher Howe, born Feb. 7, 1895 in Spencer, Owen Co., died Jul 16, 1956 in Los Angeles, CA. Thatcher joined the Army in WW1, and served with the 40th Div. He was discharged at Camp Kearny in San Diego, CA on Feb. 8, 1919. In Nov. of that year he married Lessa Leona Freeman in Riverside Co., CA. I know of one child for them, a daughter, Mary Jane, born Oct. 5, 1920 in CA., and died as Mary Jane Gratny in West Covina, CA on Jan. 30, 2007. Lessa was the daughter of Fletcher and Margaret McClellan Freeman, born Oct. 5, 1899 in IA died Jan. 24, 1979 in Los Angeles.

Naomi Josephine, born Mar. 22, 1896 in Spencer, died Dec. 4, 1970 in Los Angeles. Naomi married Karl Keeler on Mar. 16, 1916 in Marion Co., IN. They later moved to CA but by 1930 were living in Seattle, King Co., WA. I have two children, Lois, born c1919, and Karl, Jr., born c1921. Lois was born "back home in Indiana," while Karl waited until the family arrived in CA before making his appearance. Karl, Sr. waas born c1896 in Indiana, but I have not yet found a death place or date for him.

Cecile Louise, born Nov. 25, 1897 in Spencer, died Feb. 11, 1946 in Los Angeles. She married Joseph Adolph Iverson c1927, probably in CA. Joseph was the son of Charles John and Agusta Marilda Wagman Iverson. Charles was born in Norway while Agusta was born in Sweden. Joseph died in Nov., 1986 in CA. Cecile preceded him when she died on Feb. 11, 1946 in Los Angeles. I have no children for them.

Jule Hubert, born Dec. 25, 1899 in Spencer, died Mar. 3, 1979 in Los Angeles. He married Harriet Ellen Johnson c1925, a daughter of Gustav and Mary Johnson, both natives of Sweden. I have one child for Jule and Harriet, a son, Harry, born c1927.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address to add to or submit corrections.

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I have received the following corrections for this family:

Dear Mr. Coffee,

I offer these corrections to the "Genealogy e-Newsletter for the Coffee/Coffey Surname and related families" that describes the genealogy of Byron Howe Coffey and "Nellie" Branham Coffey. Byron and Nelle were my paternal grandparents.

1. Nellie's actual name was Nelle Branham.

2. My father, Jule Hubert Coffey, in 1926 married Harriet Ellen Johnson, who was born October 30, 1899 in Tracy, MN. She was the daughter of Harry Gleason Johnson and Ellen Armanda Hicks. There never was any connection with Sweden.

Thank you in advance for your attention to these corrections.

Priscilla Coffey McKenna

Rufus & Charlotte Allen Coffey

Rufus was a son of the Rev. Reuben A. & Polly Dowell Coffey.  Reuben and Polly have been written about before, and most of the information on the family has been based on the research of Janet Amtower.  Blogs containing some of Janet's research and photo contributions can be found here, here, and here.  Her work appears in several issues of the publication of the Owen County Historical and Genealogical Society (OCHGS), PO Box 569, Spencer, IN 47460.

Some of the information and photos in this blog are also courtesy of Janet.

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I have found little information about Rufus except that he married Charlotte or Charlotta Allen on Feb. 17, 18421 in Monroe Co., IN. 

The family appeared in the 1850 Owen Co. and, the 1860 Monroe Co. census.  Rufus died on Jan. 26, 1886 in Ellettsville, Monroe Co., and was buried there in the Coffey Cemetery.

Charlotte was born Mar. 21, 1821 in Eadsville, Wayne Co., KY and died Sep. 20, 1882 in Ellettsville, Monroe Co., IN.  She is also buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville.

The 1860 census shows one child, Cynthia, born c1853, in the household.  Apparently, she was the only child born to the union.

I can be reached at the above e-mail address with additions and/or corrections.

1 Indiana State Library Genealogy Database: Marriages through 1850, Indiana State Library online [http://199.8.200.229/db/marriages_search.asp], accessed Sep.,2005

James Brown & Harriet E. Coffey Blair (Update)

This photo was sent to me by Gail Hewett, a descendant of James and Harriet.  It is in remarkably good condition.  The young man in the photo is Fredrick Blair, their grandson and son of Gilliam Colbert "Cub" Blair.  According to Gail, James and Harriet raised Fredrick after his mother died.

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Harriet Coffey was the daughter of Gilliam and Mary (Polly) Moore Coffey.  Gilliam was a son of William and Anna (Annie) Boone Coffey who descends from Edward and Ann Powell through their son John and his son Thomas Coffey who married Sarah (Sally) Fields.  Thomas was a brother to Reuben Coffey who married Martha (Polly) Dowell.

In her note accompanying the photo, Gail wrote that Polly Moore may be the daughter or Job and Susan Stone Moore.  Job was known to minister to boys at the Globe Academy.  Gail thought that Polly may have been Cherokee, taken in by Job to help care for the boys, and perhaps to save her from the "Trail of Tears."  Her daughter, Harriet, appears to me to have the quaint and beautiful features of a Native American woman.  In this photograph, taken c1908, she is still a very attractive woman, and must have been a real beauty in her younger years.

Harriet was born Sep. 6, 1843 in Cedar Valley, Caldwell Co., NC and died Dec. 12, 1937 in Elizabethton, Carter Co., TN.  She is buried at Harmony Baptist Church Cemeter in Keeneburg, Carter Co.  James Blair was born in May 1845 in Caldwell Co.  We're working on it, but do not yet know when and where he died or, where he is buried.

Their children were:

Henry Lee, born c1869

Gilliam Colbert "Cub", born Jul. 15, 1870, died Dec. 9, 1934.  He is buried at the Concord Church Cemetery in Bostic, Rutherford Co., TN

Harvey, born c1873

John C., born Jan., 1875

Job W., born c1878

Mary E., born Dec., 1881

Hatibel, birth unknown

Lillie M., born May, 1887

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

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Hi Jack,


James Brown Blair was born May 1, 1844 in Cedar Valley, Caldwell Co., N.C. He served in the Confederate army during the Civil War. Was captured and held prisoner at Rock Island Il. until the end of the war. He and Harriet Coffey were married Oct. 7, 1866. He died May 24, 1929 in Carter Co. Tn. He and Harriet are buried at Harmony Baptist Church in Keeneburg Tn. ( just outside of Elizabethton). He was the son of Colbert and Mary (Polly) Barnes Blair.

Harriet E. Coffey Blair was born Sept. 6,1843 in Caldwell Co. N.C. She died July 19, 1937, and is buried next to James in Harmony Baptist Church cemetery in Keeneburg , Carter Co., Tn.

If I can help you any further just let me know.

Another Coffey Cousin,

Gail

Rev. Theodore Cornelius Coffey (IN1847-AZ1930)

The Rev. Theodore Cornelius Coffey was born the third child and second son of Cornelius and Margaret Smith Coffey. Cornelius was the son of the Rev. Reuben A. and Martha (Polly)Dowell Coffey.

Copernicus Coffey, Cornelius and Margaret's eldest son, died in Jun., 1864 while serving with the 22d Missouri Regiment (Union) during the Civil War. Susan, second born married C. W. Ives, and fourth born, Sarah B., is said to have married Everett Blood. I have only found family information on Theodore.

Theodore married Julia Ann Valette on Jan. 28, 1875 in Upper Alton, Madison Co., IL. She was the daughter of Frederic Augustus Vallette and Marcy Ann Field. Frederick was born Feb. 9, 1817 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH and died Jun. 25, 1890 in Glen Elder, Mitchell Co., KS. Marcy Ann was born Mar. 15, 1816 in South Scituate, Province Co., RI. She and Frederick were married Jul. 23, 1845. The book Bronsdon and Box Families* by Lucius B. Marsh, published Lynn, MA, 1902, had this to say about Frederick:

"Frederick A. Vallette was employed by his brother Henry in the hat and fur trade until 1855, when he removed to Belleville, Ill., and engaged in the lumber business. He sawed the lumber on an eighteen-acre tract of land north of Cairo, Ill., and made cracker boxes to send hardtack into the soldiers of the Union Army. he was much annoyed by attacks from a band of guerillas led by the noted Jeff Thompson. Twice his mill was burned. Mr. Vallette much resembled his mother in many of her finer traits. He belonged to the Baptist Church. His widow resides at Glen Eldere, Kans., with her son, Thomas Bronsdon Vallette."

Within a year or so of their marriage, Frederick, a Baptist preacher, relocated to Appleton in Outagamie Co., WI where Marion Grace, the first of their five children was born on Jul. 5, 1878.

Grace remained with her parents until she married in c1917 to Clifton F. Ward. There is some indication that she may have married prior to Clifton but I have not found that marriage. She was nearly 40 at the time of her marriage to Clifton, who was then 47 years old. However, they did have one child, a daughter named Marjorie, born c1918.

Grace and Clifton remained in Vermillion, LaSalle Co., IL probably their entire married life. At first, Clifton was a farmer but later was in the business of making stoneware. Grace was first a school teacher then a music teacher.

Roy Valette, second born saw life on Oct. 25, 1879 in Spencer, Owen Co., IN. He was with his family through 1900. Sometime after that he married Hazel Buckey.

Roy and Grace were members of the 1897 class at Pittsville High School in Pittsfield, Pike Co., IL.

I found Roy in St. Louis, MO on Sep. 12, 1918 when he registered for the draft. He was described as being tall and slender, unmarried and employed as a school teacher in St. Louis, MO. He was married to Hazel about 1919 and they continued to live in St. Louis until at least 1930. There were apparently no children born to the marriage, effectively ending any male descendancy of Theodore and Julia.

In 1914 Roy wrote and published a book on education with the fantastic title of:

Preparatory educational requirements for collegiate training in business: With special reference to articulation between the high-school and college courses

The book is currently out of print.

Margaret Ruth was third, born Aug. 28, 1883 in Sabetha, Nemeha Co., KS. She married Frank Allen Cutler.

Fourth was Carrie Laura, born Jul. 20, 1886. No further information.

The last child born to Theodore and Julia was May Alice, born Griggsville, Pike Co., IL on Jun. 15, 1890. She died on Dec, 27, 1891 in that state.

In 1850, Theodore moved from Owen Co. to Monroe Co. where he was found at age 12 in the household with the Lum Mayfield family. After he and Julia married in 1875 they moved to Madison Co., WI. five years later they were in Burlington, Coffey Co., KS where they remained for a number of years. In 1900 they were in Eden, LaSalle Co., IL. By 1910 they were in Macoupin Co., IL; first in Virden Twp., then Bunker Hill by 1920.

In 1920 Theodore was 72 years old but apparently continued to preach. I don't know when Julia died, but Theodore died in 1930 at age 83 in Tucson, Pima Co., AZ. The Chicago Tribune reported his death in a one line paragraph:

Pana, Ill. - News was received here of the death at Tucson, Ariz., of the Rev. T. C. Coffey, widely known Illinois Baptist preacher.

I continue to search for the other children of Theodore and Julia. Corrections and or additions re requested.

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Update July 23, 2010

Sarah, born Apr. 11, 1850 in Indiana was married late in life to Everett Judson Blood.  Everett was born in IL in Mar., 1846 and died in 1932 at Ottawa, Franklin Co., KS.  Sarah preceded him in death on May 24, 1917 at Ottawa.  Both are buried there at Highland Cemetery.  In the 1900 census, Sarah said that she was the mother of one living child.  However, the only child in the household was 11-year old Caleb, born in KS, parents in IL.  It appears then that she clearly accepted Caleb as her son, but he probably was the result of an earlier Everett marriage to someone else.

Sarah's older sister Susan married C.W. Ives but nothing is found about him.  There was a C.W. Ives who fought for the Union during the CW but he was still living in 1923 and probably isn't the C.W Ives to whom Susan was married.

Susan may have married earlier than Sarah but by 1900 was a widow living with Sarah and her family in Allen Co., KS.  Sarah died in 1917 in Ottawa and was buried at Highland.  Susan and Everett remained together at least through Jan., 1920. 

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*This book contains much more information on the Vallette [sic] families that may be useful to other researchers of this line.

Polly Dowell Coffey

The Winter 2007 edition of the Owen County History & Genealogy Newsletter has been published. This edition concludes the three-part submission on the Rev. Reuben A. Coffey by Janet Vos Amtower.

Janet included a photograph of Polly Dowell, Reuben's wife of nearly 50 years.

In her concluding article, she wrote:

"Polly Dowell Coffey, the woman who had been by Reuben's side for almost fifty years helping him on the farm and with his ministry lived for thirteen years after her beloved husband died. Reuben and Polly's daughter Miriam who was a widow had moved into her parents' home with her young son Newell in 1852. When Reuben Coffey died in 1854 the two widows ran the farm and raised Miriam's toddler.

When Polly Dowell Coffey died on February 11, 1867 at the age of 79 it was in the middle of a harsh Indiana winter. 'The roads were impassable and the men had to lay down the fences and go through the farms to the graveyard for the burial.' Polly was buried next to her husband in the Coffey Cemetery near the Bethel Church where Reuben had been pastor for eighteen years."

Readers interested in Janet's research should contact the newsletter editor, Vivian Zollinger at 1819 Concord Road, Gosport, IN 47433 or via e-mail.

Janet's work is well documented. It will not only give the reader a good look at this well traveled and pious family, but also a good overview of what life was like for early Owen Co. pioneers. Anyone researching in Owen Co. should be a subscriber to this newsletter.