Earle Thaddeus McGillicuddy

Cornelius Alexander "Connie Mack" McGillicuddy, Sr.  

Baseball fans of teams of the early to mid-20th century probably recognize the name.  

According to Wikipedia, Mack, Sr. was:

"Cornelius McGillicuddy, better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins, losses, and games managed, with his victory total being almost 1,000 more than any other manager."

Connie Mack was married to Margaret Hogan in 1887 and their second of three sons, Earl Thaddeus Mack was born on Feb. 1, 1890 in Worcester Co., MA.

Earle T. Mack

Earle grew up on a baseball field and in his father's clubhouse.  He wanted to be a "big league" professional baseball player but, over the years he managed to play in only a very few games. He had a mostly minor league career, both as manager and player.  Following his father's death he and another brother managed his baseball business.

While Earle was growing up, his future wife, Mary Margaret Cain was growing up in Burke Co., NC where she was born in Dec., 1890.  Her father was Corey Thomas Cain, a native of Wake Co., NC; her mother Lula Eloise Coffey, born 1866 in Caldwell Co., NC to William Elbert and Margaret Anne Kincaid Coffey.  She was the third of William and Margaret's seven children.

Earle and Mary Margaret were married on Sep. 28, 1915 in Morganton, Burke Co. and moved almost immediately to Philadelphia, the city they called "home" until 1955 when Mary passed away. I know that she was the mother of at least one child, a son, Earle T., Jr., born c1919.

Earle's obituary appeared in The Evening Star, a Washington, DC newspaper, on Feb. 6, 1967:

Earl Mack Dies, 78-Year-Old Son of Connie Mack

Upper Darby, Pa. (UPI)--Earl Mack, 78, former part owner of the Philadelphia Athletics and son of baseball's legendary Connie Mack, died Sunday at Delaware County Hospital.

Mr. Mack, the second of Connie's three sons, served with his brother, Roy, as officers of the Athletics after their father's death.  The franchise was sold in November, 1954, to Chicago financier Arnold Johnson and transferred to Kansas City.

Mr. Mack, who was around his father's clubhouse as a child, had long but undistinguished career in the minor leagues.  He played a total of five games with the Athletics in 1910, 1911 and 1914 as a catcher, third baseman and first baseman.

Following World War I, he served three seasons as player-manager at Moline, Ill., and closed his managerial career by winning the Blue Ridge League pennant with Martinsburg, W. Va.

 Margaret's obituary appeared in The Greensboro Daily News, Greensboro, NC on May. 5, 1955:

Mrs. Earl McGillicuddy

Statesville, May 4 - Mrs. Earle T. McGillicuddy, sister of Mrs. E. M. Shelton of Statesville, died yesterday at her home in Philadelphia, Pa.  Mrs. McGillicuddy was the former Mary Margaret Cain of Morganton.

She was educated at the Mary Dickson private school and the Patton High School, Morganton, and at St. Mary's and Meredith Colleges, Raleigh.  For a number of years she was organist at First Baptist Church, Morganton.  She had resided in Philadelphia since her marriage 35 years ago.

Survivors include her husband; a son, Earle T. McGillicuddy, Jr.; two grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. Shelton.

A brief funeral service will be held at the Shelton residence on North Mulberry Street Friday at 1:15 p.m. with the Rev. J. S. Potter and the Rev. Robert Marshburn, officiating.  The funeral party will go from here to Morganton, where the funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church at 3 p.m. Friday.  Interment will be in Forest Hill Cemetery, Morganton.

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Lulu's Coffey lineage:

William > Gilliam/Polly Moore > William/Annie Boone > Thomas/Sarah Fields > John/Jane Graves > Edward/Ann Powell.  See also http://coffeycousins.blogspot.com/2013/01/lula-eloise-coffey.html

Dr. Laurence Henry Coffey and Finley Hezekiah Coffey

I have written previously about Dr. Coffey's parents, Henry Clay and Sophronia Tate Coffey.  Much of the information about Finley was produced in an earlier blog.  Daniel, Finley's younger brother can be found here.

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Laurence was born Dec. 23, 1875 in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina.  His first cousin, Finley Hezekiah¹ was almost 15 years older, born in the Yadkin Valley on  Apr. 20, 1861 to Drury Robbins and Harriet Elizabeth Collett Coffey. When Laurence was about 13 years old, the 22-year-old Finley owned and operated his own business in Caldwell Co.  In 1887 he came to Lenoir and opened a general store.

The following article, written in 1942 describes Finley and once appeared on the website of the Caldwell County Department of Social Services:²

“Finley H. Coffey, president of the Kent-Coffey Manufacturing Company, prominent in the manufacturing, banking and government interests of Caldwell County, was born in this county, the son of the late Drury D. and Harriet Collett Coffey, both of whom were natives of Caldwell....When he was twenty-two he opened his own store in this area, operating it until 1887 when he came to Lenoir and established a general store where Efird’s is now located.

"About seven years later Mr. Coffey went to Kansas and took over the management of a farm owned by his father.  In 1907 he returned to Lenoir, and he, with others, founded the Kent-Coffey Manufacturing Company.

"Active in the civic affairs of Lenoir and Caldwell County , Mr. Coffey has served a number of terms on the board of aldermen of the city of Lenoir ; was chairman of the county draft board during World War I, and was for many years a member of the Board of County Commissioners, serving as chairman for some time.  He was a member of this board until 1928 when he entered the State Legislature where he served on the Finance Committee.

"At present Mr. Coffey is president of the Kent-Coffey Manufacturing Co., president of Union Mirror Co., president of Union National Bank, vice-president of Mutual Building and Loan Association, chairman of the County Welfare Board, Vice-chairman of the State School for the Deaf and chairman of the building committee.  He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Kiwanis Club and an active member of the Presbyterian Church.

"To Mr. Coffey, perhaps more than any other living citizen, Caldwell County is indebted for much of the progress made during recent years.  During his term as a member of the county Board of Commissioners he was instrumental in establishing the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Caldwell County and in doing away with the indebtedness of the county and placing it once more on a sound financial basis.  When he became a commissioner there were only two jobs in the county outside the actual operating force in the courthouse, and these were a Farm Demonstrator and one Welfare Worker.  During his administration the county was given a well-rounded administrative force.

"The wide diversity of Mr. Coffey’s interests are well demonstrated in the offices which he holds today, and Lenoir and Caldwell County are indeed fortunate in having such a citizen as Mr. Finley H. Coffey.”

"Mr. Coffey was still in office at the time of his death at age 82 in 1943.  Minutes of the Caldwell County Welfare Board meeting after his passing refer to him as 'the beloved Chairman.'"

Finley married Miss Rose Frieze ca 1893 when Finley was 32 and Rose was 27.  The couple lived with his parents in Geary Co., KS in 1900.  Their children then were Mable, Herbert, and Howard.  Rose was expecting their fourth later that year which they named Ethyl. Daniel came along in 1904 while they were still living in Geary Co. The family, including Finley's parents came back to North Carolina before 1910.  Drury died in Caldwell Co. on Aug. 16th, 1913; Harriet in 1921.

Meanwhile back in 1900 Caldwell Co., Lawrence was preparing to leave his parents home and move to Richmond, VA where he would attend the Medical College of Virginia. He graduated from medical school on Mar. 10, 1906³ and returned home to practice medicine.  In 1909 he married Adah [sic] Mae Costner of Mecklenburg Co., NC, a daughter of William A and Sarah Frazier Costner.  Adah was born in that county and city of Charlotte on May 12, 1885 and died there on Dec. 5, 1973.  She outlived her husband by nearly 30 years; Laurence died of a stroke at the age of 59 on Sep. 3, 1944 at Lincolnton in Lincoln Co., NC.

In the intervening years, Laurence and Adah became parents of three children, a daughter Alda in 1910, named for Adah's sister; Jack Wilson, born 1912 and William Henry, born in 1914.

Over the years Laurence and Finley conspired to define the descendants of Thomas Coffey and his wife Sarah "Sally" Fields, from whom they both descended. Thomas was the sixth of the nine children born to John Coffey and Jane Graves.  They succeeded in their work with Thomas doing most of the research.  In 1931 Finley paid to have it published.  Since that time the book,  has become a proven tool that Coffey family researchers have come to rely on for its accuracy.4  

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Sources include census records and archived newspapers. 

¹Sophronia Tate Coffey was the younger sister of Drury Dobbins Coffey, children of Daniel Boone and Clarissa Estes Coffey

²As of Feb. 28, 2015 the website still existed but the Finley story was no longer present. Finley was the first chairman of the Caldwell County, North Carolina Board of Public Welfare.  He was also one of the county's most prominent citizens.

³The Richmond Dispatch, (Richmond, VA), http://bit.ly/1Al9XX3, May 10, 1906, Page 12, Col. 7.

4Coffey, Laurence H., editor, Thomas Coffey and His Descendants (Chattanooga, TN: N. Sanders, 1931)

McCaleb & Sarah "Sally" Hayes Coffey

McCaleb was a son of Jesse and Margaret "Peggy" Edmisten Coffey, born c1814 in North Carolina.  He married Sarah "Sally" Hayes about 1838 in probably Watauga Co., NC where they lived and died.

There were two Coffey men named McCaleb and were born just 11 years apart.  The older McCaleb was born in 1803 to Thomas and Sarah Fields Coffey.  As best as I can determine, he was always a resident of Caldwell Co. and served as a Commissioner in that county in 1868.  He and McCaleb, subject of this blog, were first cousins, once removed.  Their common ancestor was John and Jane Graves Coffey, a son of Edward.

McCaleb and Sally Hayes Coffey had four sons, three of which were killed during the Civil War:

Thomas Ninevah Coffey was the eldest, born in 1839.  He was one of the first to volunteer for service in the Confederate army and was with Co. E., 37th NC Infantry Regiment when he was killed at Chancellorsville.

John E. Coffey was the youngest, born in 1844, and also enlisted in the 37th.  He too was killed at Chancellorsville on the same day as his brother Thomas.

Jesse Finley was born c1842 and was the third born to McCaleb and Sally.  He enlisted in what became the 58th NC Infantry Regiment in 1862.  The unit was originally Palmer's Battalion of Partisan Rangers.  They were consolidated in Apr., 1865 with the 60th NC Infantry and became the 58th NC.  According to an article found at Footnote.com, "over 1000 men came from Cumberland Gap...and was assigned to guard Big Creek Cap."  Jesse died there on Mar. 7, 1863 but a cause of death was not given.  He is buried at DeLap Cemetery at La Follette in Campbell Co., TN.

The last son born to McCaleb and Sally was Cornelius Jones Coffey and the only one to live and raise a large family.  He was born on Apr. 22, 1840 served in Co. E, 37th NC Infantry Regiment.  He enlisted on Sep. 18, 1861 and was discharged in July, 1863.

Mar. 1918 Notice of Sale
C. J. Coffey Property

In 1866, Jones married his first cousin, Martha Jane Gragg, the daughter of James Burton and Nancy A. Coffey Gragg.  Nancy was a younger sister of McCaleb.  Martha was born in Caldwell Co. in 1843 and died in Shulls Mill, Watauga Co. in 1900.  Jones died there in 1917 and both are buried at White Springs Cemetery at Blowing Rock.

Jones - as I understand he was called - and Martha Jane had at least nine children; seven sons and two daughters.

Their first was Thomas Herndon Coffey, born 1867, died 1946 in Watauga Co.  His wife was Annie Marilda Pendley [sic], a daughter of William Patterson and Lou Ellen Moore Pendley.  Annie was born in 1873, Caldwell Co., and died at Blowing Rock in Watauga Co. in 1959.  Thomas and Annie were parents of at least two children, Ellen Pendley Coffey (1902-1975) and Thomas, Jr., (1905-1978),  They two are buried at White Springs.

Emma Irene was their second child, born Dec., 1868 and died in Apr., 1947.  She married John Alexander Gragg, a first cousin once removed, in Watauga Co. in 1887.  John was born to Johnson P. and Nancy Jane Cuthbertson Gragg in 1856 and died in 1925 in Watauga Co.  Both are buried at White Springs.  They were parents of at least two children, both daughters:  Mary E., born 1888 and Ila Mae, born 1891.

A third child was Simms Coffey, born c1871.  I received that information from Margaret Farley Coffey (decd), and together we searched for any record of this child without luck.  About the only fact that can be associated with the family is that he was not enumerated in the 1880 census with Jones and Martha.

Elbert, fourth child, was born in 1872 and died in 1900 at Kelsey in Watauga Co.  He Margaret Matilda Simms in 1892 at Watauga Co.  They had one son, John B., born in June, 1891, just a few months prior to Elbert's death.  I do not know where Elbert was buried.  Neither do I know if Margaret Simms remarried.  The family needs further study.

John Finley, born 1877 in Caldwell Co. was next born.  He married Frances C. Holloway, a daughter of Reede and Martha Andrews Holloway, in Watauga Co. in 1894.  I have one child born to them; John Stuart Coffey, born c1906.  John Finley died in Carolina Co., VA in 1953 and Frances in 1956 at Partlow, Spotsylvania Co., VA.  Both are buried at County Line Baptist Church Cemetery at Ruther Glen, Caroline Co.  John Stuart married a lady named Ruth in c1922 and had at least three children:  Edity, Conway and Ruth.

Walter Gwyn was next, born in 1878, probably in Watauga Co., and died there in 1945.  He is buried at White Springs.  He was wed to triple third cousin Julia Hayes, daughter of Wyatt and Mary Jane Coffey Hayes in Watauga Co. in 1896.  They had at least eight children:  William Harston; Lloyd Edgar; McDonald; Roberta; Wyatt; Cecil; Emma and Bulah.  More information on several of these children is available.  Julia was born in Watauga Co. in 1876 and died there in 1955.  She too is buried at White Springs.

Charles Burton was number seven.  He was born in Watauga Co. in 1882 and died in Hickory, Catawba Co. in 1960.  He married Amanda Louise Misemore in about 1916 or 17.  She was born in Tennessee in 1888 and died in Hickory in 1967.  They had at least two children; Wiley Monroe, 19188-1921 and, James Grady, 1922-1941. Charles and Amanda were buried at First Baptist Church Cemetery  in Hudson, Caldwell Co.  Their two sons are buried at Sardis Baptist Church Cemetery, also in Hudson.

We know the next child, Hattie, was born in Sep., 1833 at Watauga Co. and that she married Charles Stocks.  Nothing else is yet. known.

The last child was Rufus Monroe, born 1886 in Watauga Co., died there in 1965.  He married Emma Eliza Robbins in that county in 1906.  She was born in NC in 1886 and died there in 1952. Both are buried at White Springs.  Their children were Mabel, Howard, Helen, Edward, and Rhonda.  More information about the children and their descendants is available.

A letter to the editor appeared on page 2, column 2 of the Watauga Democrat of Thursday, March 14, 1895.  It was written by A. W. Beach [several Coffey ladies in Caldwell Co. had Beach husbands.  I do not know who A. W. was] discusses McCaleb's family.  In it he [presumed male] writes that he went to live with "uncle" Caleb and "aunt" Sally at the age of nine years in 1863.  He named their sons as Thomas N., Finley, John, and Jones.  Three sons were already deceased when he arrived and Jones was at home, disabled by a wound to a foot.  He thought that one of the sons had been brought back from the battle field and laid to rest somewhere along the Blue Ridge but, did not name the son nor a specific spot where the burial occurred.

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A double third cousin to Jesse and his brothers was Elbert Coffey, a son of William Coffey, Jr. and his wife Margaret Robbins.  Elbert was born at Buffalo Cove in Watauga Co., NC in 1837 and died "of disease" on May 15, 1863 at Big Creek Gap.  He too is buried at De Lap.

Rice & Sarah Bradford Coffey

Rice was the son of a Baptist preacher.

Rice Coffey was the ninth of at least 11 children born to the Rev. James Coffey and wife, Elizabeth Cleveland.  James was the oldest son of John and Jane Graves Coffey; John the eldest of Edward and Anne Powell Coffey.

We know little about his early life until he married Sarah Bradford in about 1790.  He appears in very few North Carolina records which indicates that he and Sarah moved early in their union to Wartrace, at the time the second largest town in Bedford Co., TN.  According to Worth S. Ray in his huge work Tennessee Cousins, A History of the Tennessee People¹, the town of Wartrace was built on land donated by Rice and Henry B. Coffee.² [sic]  I personally do not know of a Henry B. Coffee/y associated with Rice until the birth of his son, Henry Bradford Coffey in 1796.

The first tax record in which Rice appears in Bedford Co. is one created in 1812.  An account written c1890 by a grandson, Rice Abner Coffey, reports that Rice moved from NC to Bedford Co. in 1808 and all but the last three of his children were born in NC.  If that is true, migration to TN would have been a bit earlier that 1808.  The 7th of his and Sally's children³, Martha D., was born Dec. 24, 1806 in TN.

Sally was born to Bennett and Margaret White Bradford4 July 22, 1770 in Bedford Co., perhaps in the same area of Wartrace Creek that later became the incorporated town of Wartrace.  She died there on Sep. 3, 1840 and was buried at the Old Salem Cemetery at Bell Buckle in Bedford Co.5   Rice died on Jul. 24, 1853 in Bedford Co., and was buried in the Coffey family cemetery at Wartrace.

Their children were:

Jerusha, a daughter born May 4, 1792 in Wilkes Co., NC; died Mar. 10, 1810 at Old Salem.

Elvira, born May 14, 1794, in NC and probably Wilkes Co., died Jul. 20, 1849 in Bedford Co.  She is also buried at Old Salem.

Henry Bradford, born Jul. 12, 1796 in Wilkes Co., died Apr. 11, 1864 at Jackson, Clarke Co., AL.  I have no independent information that Henry died during the Civil War,  After all, he was at least 67 years old when he died, a bit old to have taken up the cause, but I wonder what was he doing 300+ miles south of Wartrace in that year.  He was buried in Jackson at the Cross Cemetery.

His spouse was Sarah Rial Edmondson, born in Halifax Co., VA in 1809, died Mar. 31, 1892 in Wartrace.and was buried at the Coffee Cemetery.  She was the mother of ten:  Wiley Daniel; Elizabeth A., Richard E., Jane; Elvira; William Edmondson; Mary; Martha; Garland Rice and Isham.

Following Henry Bradford was Mary G., born 1797 in Wilkes Co., died Oct. 22, 1878 in Wartrace.  She married John Kendall (var) on Mar. 4, 1821 in Bedford Co.  They had a number of children, including Arcena who married a Prewitt, but I have not researched all of this family.Mary is buried at the Coffee Cemetery in Wartrace.

Weightstill Avery was next, born 1801 in NC, died 1837 in Bedford Co.  No known marriages.  He is buried at Old Salem.

Alexander Hamilton, born Jan. 19, 1803 in NC, died Apr. 5, 1864 in Jackson Co., AL.  His wife was Nancy E. Weatherly to whom he was married on Aut. 2, 1828 in Rutherford Co., TN.6  He was buried at Fackler in Jackson Co. at the Roach Cemetery.  Nancy died in 1841 and was buried at Old Salem.7

Their children were Rice Abner, 1833-1896; Michael A., c1837-? and, Weightstill Avery, 1837-1898.  Rice and Abner apparently migrated to Scottsboro in Jackson Co., AL.  They each died there and were buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery.  Rice Abner married Mary Ann Coffey, his first cousin, daughter of Benjamin and Mary E. Roach Coffey. Benjamin and Alexander Hamilton were brothers. Weightstill Avery married Mary Elizabeth Harris on May 2, 1866 in Jackson Co.8  Their children were Alexander Harris; Rice Abner; Eula Lee; Weightstill III, Mary Hudson and Vivian.

Rice and Sally's seventh child was Martha D., born Dec. 24, 1806 in TN, died Mar. 25, 1849 in Benton Co., AR.  Her spouse was Col. Alexander Curry Yell, born Nov. 12, 1805 in Rutherford Co., TN, died Oct. 24, 1881 in Benton Co.  Their children were Sarah J., Mary E., Martha E., Elizabeth, Marna and their only son, Archibald Yell.  Martha and Col. Yell are buried at the Yell Cemetery in Siloam Springs, Benton Co.9

Benjamin B. was next born.  His birth date was Aug. 16, 1809 in TN and death on Apr. 6, 1864 in AL.  He married Mary Elizabeth Roach, bor Sep. 4, 1824, died Sep. 8, 1850 in AL.  They are buried at the Roach Cemetery in Fackler.  I know of only one child, Mary Ann, born 1842, died 1864,  She was the wife of Rice Abner, above.

The last child born to Rice and Sally was Gen. John Reid Coffey.  You can read more about the General in a 2005 blog, updated July 25, 2014.

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Some few years ago, a visitor to Coffey Cousins submitted the following information,   It was not an original document but was represented to me as a document that should be accepted at face value, with no additional proof. I passed the document around to various long time Coffee/Coffey researchers, asking for help authenticating the claim that Rice Coffee was the father of William Berry Coffee. To my surprise, none of them had ever seen or heard about the document. None of them denied that it could be truthful, but none could authenticate with documentation the claim that William Coffee Berry was the illegitimate son of Rice Coffee and Elizabeth Fields Berry.

Here is the text as I received it:

"William Coffee Berry was the illegitimate son of Rice Coffee and Elizabeth Fields Berry. She was the widow of a Revolutionary War soldier who had died of rheumatic fever. She then moved down to Wilkes County, North Carolina, where a brother & sister had married into the Coffee family. Rice Coffee refused (or couldn't) marry Elizabeth, but apparently did acknowledge that William, and later Mary, were his. Elizabeth gave both his name and her married name to both children.William was an Elder in the Refugee Baptist Church in Henderson County, North Carolina in 1850 ..and also became a literal refugee later in June of 1863 when he, his second wife and teenage daughter had to flee their home ahead of advancing Yankee troops.

"In 1870 at Avery's Creek, North Carolina, when he was 74, he wrote out a detailed account of the family's history, from which many of the facts in this total computer file were drawn. Here is that account, deciphered as best was possible, given the condition of the document and his handwriting:"

A BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT OF THE BERRY FAMILY By William Coffee Berry January 30, 1870 "Richard Fields married Elizabeth Murrel, the sister of Drury Murrel ...all natives of Amherst County, Virginia. After marriage, Mr. Fields settled in Albemarle County, Virginia where Mrs. Fields became the mother of four children: Thomas, Joel, Elizabeth and Sarah. Mr. Fields died and his widow married a second time. Her second marriage was to John Gilliam, by whom she became the mother of three sons: Epaphroditus, Cornelius and John. Thomas (Fields), her oldest son, married Elizabeth Coffee and emigrated to Wilkes County, North Carolina, where he lived to an advanced age and died, leaving a large and respectable family behind him.

"Joel (Fields) died in the 21st year of his age and left no descendants. Sarah (Fields) married Thomas Coffee. They emigrated shortly after the close of the Revolution to N.C. and settled in Wilkes County. She became the mother of nine children, seven sons and two daughters. -Her second son, Reuben, was a distinguished Baptist clergyman. He emigrated with his family and two of his younger brothers and their families to the state of Indiana, and settled in Monroe County near Bloomington, where all those brothers have since died.

"Reuben, (along with) Lewis and Larkin Epaphroditus Gilliam, emigrated from Virginia to Wilkes County, North Carolina ....and married Sally Israel, daughter of Michael Israel, and moved with his family to Clay County, Missouri, where he has since died. He was a local Methodist preacher. Cornelius Gilliam married a Miss Wood and moved to Kentucky, where he accumulated a handsome property and died without any children. John Gilliam (Jr. ?) married, lived and died in Virginia.
Elizabeth Fields married Bradley Berry of Albemarle County, Virginia, by whom she became the mother of a son and called his name Franklin. After his birth his mother, Elizabeth Berry, moved with her infant son Franklin to Wilkes County, N.C. ... where she became the mother of Mary and William, the avowed and acknowledged offspring of Rice Coffee.

"(Several lines here were erased or obliterated by someone who [apparently] couldn't stand the idea of this ancestor being illegitimate. It was likely Ruth Parker, who was the custodian of this document in 1971. Her qualification as a DAR would be in question if she could not trace a direct bloodline back to a Revolutionary War soldier, and being a DAR was very important to her. She even gives her DAR registration number, 489910, along with her signature.)

"When William C. Berry was in his 13th year (circa 1809), his mother moved with Mary and William to Buncombe County, N.C., where she lived until her death. This aforesaid Elizabeth Berry was born March 12th, 1755 and deceased on Monday, May 24th, 1824. Mary was born February 5th, 1789 and was married in February 1810 to Mr. David Rodgers, by whom she became the mother of nine children: Three sons and six daughters. Named as follows: (Sarah), Fawniah, Hugh, Mary, Jane, Robert, Elizabeth Emily, Margaret Minerva and David. The oldest was born December 16, 1811 and the youngest January 21, 1830. All are still living at the present date, 1870. Mary Rodgers, their mother, died April 21, 1857. She lived beloved and died lamented.

"The three sons, Hugh, Robert and David and five of their sisters are living in Jackson County, N.C. and all are in easy circumstances. The other sister, Mary, married Mr. Jason Chasteaux. They are settled on Toccoa River, Fanning County, Georgia and are in affluent circumstances.

"William C. Berry was born October 19th, 1796, and on the 30th day of April, 1816, was married to Miss Letticia Woody, daughter of Jonathan and Mary Woody, by whom he became the father of 12 children, six sons and six daughters: Thomas F, Elizabeth, Mary, William M.C., Larkin M., Mariah Louisa, Lewis Franklin, Sarah Elviry Emily, Martha Ann, Ephriam Moor, Joseph Manning, and Letticia Minerva June.

"Thomas F. was born February 2nd, 1817 and died July 18th, 1878. Elizabeth was born October 29th, 1818. She married William Bishop of Spartanburg, South Carolina May 16th, 1844, and became the mother of nine children, five sons and four daughters. She departed this life on April lst, 1864, aged 46 years, 5 months, 2 days. Mary Berry was born March 22nd, 1820, and was married to James B. Sutton (?) January 13th, 1842. She became the mother of ten children, two of which died in infancy. She lived to see six grandchildren and died November 22nd, 1869, aged 49 years and 8 months.
William M.C. Berry was born February 27th, 1822 and was married to Clarisa Williams, daughter of Frederic & Martha Elizabeth Williams of Spartanburg, S.C., by whom he became the father of four children, two sons and two daughters. He yet lives and recently visited his aged father, who now resides in Jackson County, N.C. at the close of the year 1869.

"Larkin M. Berry was born April 12th, 1824 and professed religion in his 13th year. He became a preacher in the Baptist denomination at age 17, and was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry December 24th, 1848. He has attained the character of an able, popular, efficient preacher. He married Miss Martha Bishop of Spartanburg May 16th, 1844 and became the father of four children, three sons and one daughter. He located himself and his family in the city of Lacon, Illinois in the spring of 1869 where he now lives on January 30th, 1870.

"Mariah Louisa was born April 10th, 1826 and married John Bishop of Spartanburg, S.C. on August 31st, 1848, by whom she became the mother of seven children, four sons and three daughters. Her husband, John Bishop, died near Richmond in the Confederate army in the spring of 1864. She is now living in Jackson County, N.C. in 1870.

"Lewis Franklin Berry was born May 25th, 1828 and found the baptist church at Boiling Springs, Spartanburg, in October 1844. He married Sarah Lewis of Spartanburg, by whom he became the father of seven children, five sons and two daughters. He emigrated to Morgan County, Alabama and settled three miles north of Summerville (?). ...professed to be a preacher of the gospel.

"Sarah Elviry Emily Berry was born March lst, 1830 and married John Crook, Jr. She died December 28th, 1865, aged 34 years, 9 months, 27 days. She left but one child behind to perpetuate her name.
Martha Ann was born May 3rd, 1832 and died on Friday, July 5th, 1834.

"Ephriam M. Berry was born August 9th, 1834 and professed religion on October 27th, 1850, and was baptized into the fellowship of the Refugee Baptist Church in Henderson County, N.C. He married Miss Matilda Jenkins in the spring of 1853. His wife, Matilda, lived seven months after their marriage and died of consumption on Monday, December 24th, 1853. In the year 1863, said E.M. Berry emigrated to the northwest ... located himself in the state of Indiana, where he has attained some degree of notoriety as an M.D. and an Eldership in the Christian Church.

"Joseph M. Berry was born December llth, 1837, made profession of the Christian religion October 26th, 1850, and was baptized into the fellowship of the Refugee Baptist Church in Henderson County, N.C. on Friday, November 8th, by his father, Elder William C. Berry. After the death of his mother, Joseph M. located in Greenville, S.C. where he married Susannah Owens, by whom he became the father of one child, a daughter born January lst, 1861. In the spring of 1863, he emigrated to the northwest, locating at Bedford, Indiana. He became a student of the high school at that place and has since attained to high distinction and notoriety as a scholar and a clergyman in the Christian Church.

"Letticia Minerva June Berry, the youngest of her father's family, was born March 4th, 1840 and professed religion October 25th, 1850, and was baptized into the fellowship of the Refugee Baptist Church in Henderson County, N.C. on Friday, November 8th, 1850 by her brother, Elder Larkin M. Berry. She remained at home with her parents until her mother's death, and she was then placed under the care & control of her Aunt Mary Rodgers. After the death of Mrs. Rodgers, Minerva returned to her father, who married Miss Charlotte Osbourn, daughter of Jermiah & Ann 0sbourn. She remained with her father and stepmother until June 23rd, 1863, when all were driven to the necessity of leaving home as refugees to seek a destination of safety in the state of South Carolina. Minerva then went to East Tennessee, where she was still living when last heard from by the writer, her father and her mother (Letticia Woody was married April 30th, 1846 and died April 14th, 1855, aged 56 years, 10 months, 22 days. She had lived many long years a pious and exemplary Christian life, and died in the full triumphs of the Christian faith. Jonathan Woody, her father, was the son of William Woody, a native of England. He married Sarah Persel, an English lady. They immigrated from England and settled on the Potomac River in the state of Virginia, where Jonathan was born. After his birth, the family moved to South Carolina where Jonathan married Mary Lovel, by whom he became the father of eight children, four sons & four daughters. Three died in infancy. Their father, Jonathan Woody, moved when nearly 100 years of age to the state of Iowa, and died at his youngest son's place, Berry Woody. Jonathan Woody had three brothers and four sisters: William, Talton, James, Elizabeth, Nancy, Sarah and Mary.

"William married a Miss Watkins. Nancy married John Slaton. Sarah married Abner Norrce and Mary married John Davice, nicknamed "Jack of Diamonds". William Woody, brother of Jonathan, had 13 children, nine sons and four daughters: John, Talton, William, Killis, Silas, Nicholas, David, Joseph, Washington, Nancy, Elizabeth, Kizzias (Polly) and Mary. Nancy married William Miller. Elizabeth married John Gasperson. Polly married a Mr. Cook.

"NOTE: William C. Berry wrote this account for his son, Joseph M. Berry, who carried it to Oklahoma, where it passed to Joseph's daughter, Lillie Belle Berry Clark in 1917. In 1951, Lillie entrusted it to Ruth Hope Parker Lessley, her niece whom she had raised from infancy. Ruth is the daughter of Laura Berry Parker, Lillie's sister, who died in 1907. In January, 1971, Ruth lived in Paducah, Kentucky."


[On Feb. 23, 2007, DNA testing confirmed that a direct descendant of William Berry Coffey is a Coffey, and likely the illegitimate son of Rice Coffey.  See Coffey Cousins' DNA website for details.]

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Sources:

¹Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD, Jul., 1950

² I do not know of a Henry B. Coffee/y associated with Rice until the birth of his son, Henry Bradford Coffey in 1796.  According to a TN State Historic Marker, Rice donated 8 acres to the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad on which the town was build around.

³ Some discrepancies exists in various accounts of the number and names of children.  The 1820 census lists 5 male children and 3 female, which agrees with the account presented here.  The oldest of their children, daughter Jerusha died in 1810.

4 Genealogical Publishing Co., Reprint, Genealogies of Virginia Families: From Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007), Page 212.  Margaret was Bennett's second wife.

5 I've wondered why she was buried at Bell Buckle, some two hours north of Wartrace on horseback.  Perhaps the Coffey Cemetery at Wartrace had not yet been established?! The oldest grave at Wartrace appears to be that of Rice who died in 1853.

6 Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VNXX-3CM : accessed 05 Mar 2013), Alexander H Coffey, and Nancy E Weatherly, 1828 and Zella Armstrong, Author/Compiler, Notable Southern Families, with Janie Preston Collop French, Author/Compiler (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1974), Vols. 5-6, Page 14.

7 Nancy E Weatherly, 1828 and Zella Armstrong, Author/Compiler, Notable Southern Families, with Janie Preston Collop French, Author/Compiler (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1974), Vols. 5-6, Page 14.

8 "Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQDR-V2Q : accessed 10 Jan 2013), W. Avey Coffey and Bettie L. Harris, 02 May 1866.

9 This came to me several years ago and the source is unknown:  "We omitted to mention last week, the death of our old-time friend, Col. Yell. He was a well-known and prominent citizen of this [Washington Co., AR?] and Benton counties. The name of Aleck Yell in Northwest Arkansas was a household word. Always the friend of the oppressed, none knew him but to love him. Now that his earthly career is ended, the memory of his good deeds will outlive the cold marble that covers his ashes. Friend of our early days, sorrowfully we pronounce the word that makes us linger farewell."  Col. Yell was a son of Moses Archibald and Jane Curry Yell.  

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.

Maj. James B. & Mary Jane Coffey Mulky

I've seen this family name spelled Mulky as well as Mulkey.  The latter is the spelling used by Kim Mulkey-Robertson, native of Louisiana and woman's basketball coach at Baylor University.

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James B. Mulky was born in Indiana in Oct., 1826[1] and married Mary Jane Coffey in May of 1853 in Monroe Co., IN.  Mary Jane was a daughter of Lewis and Harriet Powell Coffey.  Lewis was seventh of ten born to Thomas and Sarah "Sally" Fields Coffey.

Although James and Mary Jane had a number of children - six that I know of and all born in Monroe Co., IN - only a couple lived to adulthood:

Alice, 1854-1855; Ethel, 1856-1856; Horace, 1858.  Death date unknown but not found after 1870 census.  Adelaide was born in 1861, died in 1862.

Two sons survived to marry and have families of their own.  The first was James Osmon, born in Sep., 1859.  I have not yet found his death date or, burial place.

"James Osman Mulky is a native of Indiana, born September 15, 1859 in Bloomington, Monroe County.  His parents are Maj. James B. and Mary J. (Coffey) Mulky.  He is the second son and fourth child in a family of six children, and was reared in Bloomington.

"He attended school until September, 1877, when he entered the State University, whence he graduated June 4,1881.  He afterward entered the emply of different dry goods merchants in the city, as clerk, with Wicks & Co., and L. Fields & Co.  

"On September 10, 1883, he was appointed Assistant Postmaster, and is at present so engaged.  He has been for some time a member of the K. of P. and inpolitics he is a Republican.  He is a rising young man, and is quite efficient as a public officer."[2]

James married Margaret, an Irish lass in about 1887.  In 1900 they lived in Indianapolis, IN and, in 1910 they were in Chicago, Cook Co., IL.  Margaret died before 1930 because that year James was a widower living with his son Alfred J. in DePage Co., IL.  In addition to Alfred, they also had a son named Albert, born in Oct., 1889.  I have found nothing for him after 1910 when he was still living with his parents.

Frank Lewis, born Jun., 1863, died Jul., 1936 was the other son to reach adulthood.  He married Catherine Emily Parks on Jun. 8, 1893 in Monroe Co., IN and later moved to Oklahoma where he sold real estate.  They had but one child, Francis, born c1898 in IN.  Catherine was born in 1868 in IN and died in OK City on Mar. 27,1922.  Both are buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in that city.

Jack

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[1] James was commissioned Major in Co. S, Indiana's 55th Infantry Regiment, USA on Jun. 11, 1862.  He was mustered out on Sep. 1, 1862 in Indianapolis.  Although a reason was not given in his Civil War record, it was likely because Mary Jane had lost another child.  Adelaide, who was born in 1861, died in 1862.
[2]Charles Blanchard, Editor, Counties of Morgan, Monroe and Brown, Indiana. Historical and Biographical (Chicago, IL: F. A. Battey & Co. Publishers, 1884), Page 585.

Rev. Adolphus Coffey 1836-1909

Adolphus was born Sep. 16, 1836 in North Carolina, just a few months following the fall of the Alamo in March of that year.  He was a son of Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey.  Larkin descends from Edward through Thomas and Sarah Fields Coffey.  Adolphus was the next to youngest of at least seven children born to Larkin and Catherine.

Sometime after about 1830 and, before 1850, Larkin and Catherine left NC and went to Morgan Co., IL where they appeared on that county tax rolls in 1840[1].  By the 1850 census the family was in Monroe Co., IN where they stayed until around 1870 when some of the family was found in Owen Co.  Larkin died in Owen Co. in 1881 and was buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville, Monroe Co., IN.  Catherine died in Jun, 1857 and is also buried at Ellettsville.

On Sep. 26, 1860 Adolphus married Susan Harriet Miller [2], a native of New York, by having been born there in Jan., 1838.[3]  In 1870 this couple was in Tuscola, Douglas Co., IL.  In 1875 (perhaps) Susan died in Owen Co. and was buried at a Coffey family cemetery in or near Ellettsville.  During their short marriage of 15 years, Susan gave Adolphus five children:  H. Walter, born 1862, IN; Homer Ernest, 1863-1841, married Ina Sproul and had numerous children; Minnie, born c1864; Ezra M., born 1865, married Geneva R. Oakes in CA on Aug. 27, 1896.[4]  Their last was Katie, born 1868 in IL.

After Susan Miller Coffey died, Adolphus married another Susan, Susan Frances Stoneman, the daughter of Henry and Fanny.  The Stoneman mother and father and their first three children (George, Henry and Charles) were all born in England.  They arrived in NY on May 31, 1836 aboard the ship Lord Ramsey.[5]
Susan was age 30 when she and Adolphus married.  She can be found with her parents first in Putnam Co., IN in 1850 and later in 1860 and 1870 in Owen Co.  She was the mother of at least three children with Adolphus before she died in 1927.  Her children were Fanny, 1876-1939; Anna Lois, 1877-1944 and H. Reul, 1878-?.  Anna married Niles Roy Mossman in Owen Co. in 1913.  She died rather tragically when a hunter’s bullet found her as she walked in a field near her home.

Adolphus served with Co. H, 13th US Infantry Regiment, Indiana during the Civil War.  He died on Mar. 20, 1909 at the Illinois Soldier and Sailor Home in Quincy, Adams Co., IL.  He was returned to Ellettsville and buried at the Coffey family cemetery.

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[1] Charles Blanchard, Editor, Counties of Morgan, Monroe and Brown, Indiana. Historical and Biographical (Chicago, IL: F. A. Battey & Co. Publishers, 1884), Page 502.
[2] Indiana Marriage Records Index, 1845-1920;.Index to Marriage Records Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940.
[3] Unsourced
[4] California County Marriages, 1850-1952, index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XL76-X61 : accessed 7 June 2012), Ezra M Coffey, 1896.
[5] Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897 and Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957.  Also arriving on that date and ship was the John Stoneman family from England. John was 45, his wife Ann, age 40. Children were Mary, Phillip, William, Ann, Joseph, Thomas, and John. Children ranged in age from 19 to 6.

William and Annie Boone Coffey at Rufus Cemetery in Caldwell Co., NC

William was a son of Thomas and Sarah Fields Coffey, born Nov. 29, 1782 in Wilkes Co., NC and died there on May 15, 1839.  That part of Wilkes Co. later became part of Caldwell Co.  Anna "Annie" Boone was a daughter of Jese and Sarah McMahan Boone, born Jul. 26, 1785 in Burke Co., died Jan. 16, 1876 in Caldwell Co.  Both are buried at the Rufus Baptist Church cemetery in Lenoir, Mulberry Twp., Caldwell Co

In fact, a number of William and Anna's descendants are buried at Rufus.  At first examination of this cemetery, most appear to be from son Wilborn, born May 14, 1807 in Burke Co., died in Caldwell Nov. 27, 1897; and from son Calvin, born Sep. 30, 1819, died Apr. 2, 1847, also in Caldwell Co..

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Harriet Minerva Moore, wife of James Altimon Bradshaw, and daughter of Jesse Richmond Moore and Charlotte Caroline Coffey, born Oct. 7, 1878, died Jan. 22, 1970.  Charlotte Caroline was a daughter of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey and a granddaughter of William and Annie, marking Harriet a great-granddaughter.

Thelma Erin Bradshaw, daughter of James Altimon and Harriet Minerva Moore Bradshaw, born Mar. 31, 1911 in Caldwell Co., died Apr. 4, 1969.  Thelma was a great great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Beulah Evelyn, daughter of Robert Finley Coffey and Crettie May Rich and, wife of George Wesley Nichols.  She was born Aug. 22, 1923, Caldwell Co., died Sep. 8, 2009 at Lenoir.  Beulah was a first cousin to William, 5x removed.

Bruce Glen, son of Julius Pinkney and Louise Ann Edwards Coffey and, husband of Amy Moore.  He was born Dec. 24, 1908 in Caldwell Co., died Sep. 2, 1971 at Lenoir.  Julius was a great grandson of William and Annie, making Bruce a great great grandson.  Amy was the daughter of Wiley Hill and Ellen Hodges Moore.  She was born Apr. 12, 1910 in Caldwell Co., died Jan. 25, 1987.

Mabel Marie, wife of Forrest Moore Green and daughter of Bruce Glen and Amy Moore Coffey.  She was born Nov. 21, 1937 in Caldwell Co. and died there on Jul. 10, 2002.  She was a great great great grand daughter of William and Annie.  Forrest Moore Greene, a son of W. Buster and Wilma Victoria. Moore Greene. Forest was a third great grandson of William and Annie.  He was born Feb. 14, 1937 in Caldwell Co. and died there on Aug. 23, 1999.

Calvin, son of William and Annie, husband of Mary Greene.  He was born Sep. 30, 1819 in NC and died Apr. 2, 1847 in Caldwell Co.  Mary, parents unknown, was born Feb. 2, 1820 in NC and died Jun. 23, 1871 in Caldwell Co.

Wilborn, son of William and Annie, husband of Sarah "Sallie" Cottrell, born May 14, 1807 in Burke Co., died Nov. 27, 1897 in Caldwell Co.  Sallie was the daughter of William and Lucy Day Cottrell, born May 1, 1812 in Wilkes Co., died Mar. 25, 1894 in Caldwell Co.

William Rufus, son of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey and, husband of Harriet E. Moore.  He was born Nov. 17, 1832 in Caldwell Co., died Dec. 7, 1902.  He was a grandson of William and Anna.  Harriet was born May 3, 1835 in Caldwell Co., died Feb. 2, 1918.  Harriet was a daughter of David and Sarah Caroline Moore Moore, born May 3, 1835 in Caldwell Co., died Feb. 2, 1918.

Charlotte Caroline, wife of Jesse Richmond Moore, daughter of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey, born Dec. 2, 1851 in Caldwell Co., died Mar. 18, 1944 in Caldwell.  She was a grand daughter of William and Annie.  Jesse was a son of David and Sarah Caroline Moore Moore.  He was born Mar. 16, 1849 in Caldwell Co., died there on Sep. 13, 1921.

Stella Victoria Gragg, wife of Lawrence Hill Moore, was a daughter of John Boone Gragg and Cordelia Adaline Coffey.  Cordelia was a grand daughter of William and Annie, making Stella a great grand daughter.  Stella was born Jul. 10, 1882 in Caldwell Co., died Aug. 30, 1943.  Lawrence Hill was a great grandson of William and Annie.  He was the son of Jesse Richmond and Charlotte Caroline Coffey Moore.

Wilma Victoria Moore, daughter of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore and wife of W. (Willie or William) Buster Greene, was born Apr. 15, 1909 and died Feb. 14, 2004.  She was a double great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Sarah Ellen was a daughter of Jesse Richmond and Charlotte Caroline Coffey Moore and a great grand daughter of William and Annie. She was the wife of Adolphus Monroe Mast, son of John Allen Mast and Martha Elizabeth Moore.  He was born Jul. 22, 1865 in Watauga Co., and died in Caldwell Co. on Dec. 20, 1923.

Ruth Mast, daughter of Adolphus and Sarah, was born Dec. 24, 1898 in Caldwell Co. and died on Oct. 28, 1973.  Ruth was a second great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Addie Caroline Moore, daughter of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore, and the wife of Waitsel Coy Greene.  Addie was second great granddaughter of William and Annie.  I have not yet found info on Waitsel except that he was born Feb. 8, 1909.

Lex Wilburn Mast, Jr., son of Lex, Sr. and Annie Lenoir Greene Mast, was born Apr. 14, 1944 in Caldwell Co. and died Sep. 6, 1974.  He was a third great grandson of William and Annie.

Dermont Richmond Moore, a son of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore, was born Apr. 12, 1917 in Caldwell Co., and died there on Jun. 2, 2003.  He was a second great grandson of William and Annie.

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The Rufus Cemetery is located off the Mulberry Creek Road but, it appears from Google Maps that the entrance to it is located on the Boone Fork Park Road.  Geo Coordinates for that entrance are: Latitude: 36° 0' 0.74" N, Longitude: 81° 38' 26.51" W.  Click on the "Show on Google Maps" below and the link will take you to a very good satellite view of the area.

Show on Google Maps

Hopefully, I've made the correct kinship calculations. Please let me know of any errors.

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.

William & Anna "Annie" Boone Coffey

William was one of the sons of Thomas and Sarah "Sally" Fields Coffey.  He was the second of 10 children born to that couple and the first of eight sons.  Bible records provided in 1990 by Mary E. Thornburg, tells us that William was born "November 29th in the year of our Lord 1782," and died May 22, 1839 in Wilkes Co., NC.  He was buried there at the Rufus Baptist Church Cemetery in the Mulberry Community, now part of Caldwell Co. (Lat: 36.00080, Lon: -81.64390).

Mary's Bible records tell us that William married Annie Boone on Oct. 16, 1804 in Boone, Watauga Co., the daughter of Jesse Boone and his wife Sarah McMahan.  Annie appears to be the sixth of at least eight children born to Jesse and Sarah.  She was born Jul. 26, 1785 in Burke Co. and died in Caldwell on Jan. 16, 1876.  She is also buried at the Rufus cemetery.

At least six children were born to William and Annie, the first being Daniel Boone Coffey, born Nov. 12, 1805 in Burke Co., died Jan. 21, 1862 in Caldwell Co.  Daniel married Clarissa Estes on Sep. 11, 1834.  She was born Jul. 18, 1817 in Burke Co., died Jul. 17, 1884, probably in Caldwell Co.  They were parents of at least nine children:  1) Emily who married her first cousin (once removed) Charles Lewis Coffey, a son of McCaleb and Elizabeth "Betsy" Collett Coffey; 2) Drury Dobbins who married Harriet Elizabeth Collett on Aug. 25, 1859; 3) Martha Ellen who married Elijah L. Moore on Oct. 12, 1858 in Caldwell Co.; 4) Sophronia Tate who married Henry Clay Coffey, brother to Charles Lewis; 5) Jonah, born May 9, 1843 in Caldwell Co.  He may have died in infancy; 6) Israel Boone, born Apr. 19, 1845 in Caldwell Co., died Jul. 10, 1920 in Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS, married Catherine Emma Spainhour of North Carolina on Sep. 19, 1867 in Caldwell Co. 7) Julia, born Aug. 3, 1847; 8) Hezekiah, born 1852; 9) Celia, born Nov. 7, 1855, died Apr. 15, 1858.

Second born to William and Annie was Wilborn on May 14, 1807 in  Burke Co.  He married Sarah "Sallie" Cottrell on Jan. 2, 1832 in Caldwell Co.  Sallie was born May 1, 1812 in Wilkes Co. and died in Caldwell Co. on Mar. 25, 1894.  Wilborn died on Nov. 27, 1897.  Both are buried at the Rufus cemetery.  They were parents of at least eight children:  1) William Rufus, who married Harriet E. Moore on Dec. 4, 1856; 2) Thomas Milton, born c1835, died Aug. 12, 1863 on the Gettysburg battlefield; 3) Myra Emeline, born c1836, died before 1860; 4) James Grayson, born 1839, died Aug. 24, 1863 at the Union POW camp, Davis Island, New York Harbor, NY; 5) Minerva Jane, born Dec. 20, 1844, died Oct. 10,1934 and who married the Rev. John H. Nelson, born May 19, 1841 in Caldwell Co., died May 22, 1915; 6) John Calvin, born Apr. 30, 1848 in Caldwell Co., died in Mulberry Twp., Caldwell Co. on Feb. 27, 1930.  He married Nancy Caroline Tuttle, born Jan. 10,1854 in Caldwell Co., died Mar. 10, 1939 at Lenoir, Caldwell Co.; 7) Finley Patterson, born Apr. 30, 1848 in Mulberry Twp., died in Lenoir on Apr. 13, 1937.  His wife was Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Tuttle, born Sep. 11, 1851 in Caldwell Co, died Apr. 20, 1931 in Lenoir.  Nancy Caroline and Mary Elizabeth Tuttle were sisters, daughters of Robert G. & Lucinda Puett Tuttle. 8) Charlotte Caroline, born Dec. 2, 1851 in Caldwell Co., died Mar. 18, 1944.  She married Jesse Richmond Moore on Oct. 21, 1869 in Caldwell Co.  He was born Mar. 16, 1849 in Globe Twp., Caldwell Co. and died in the Mulberry Twp. on Sep. 13, 1921

William and Annie's third was Gilliam, born May 21, 1810, died Jan. 8,1910 in Patterson Twp., Caldwell Co.  He married Mary "Polly" Moore on Jan. 2, 1832.  She was born c1820 in Burke Co. and died in Caldwell Co. on May 26, 1871.  They were parents of at least six:  1) Harvey N., born 1837, died 1912, married Jane Cochran; 2) William Elbert, born 1839, died 1912 at Morganton, Burke Co.  His wife was Margaret Anne Kinkaid, born 1837 in Burke Co., died Dec. 22, 1921 in Morganton.  Margaret had a child after William died and whose father is not known to me.  She and William Elbert had at least six children:  Mary, William Alvin, Lula Eloise; Annie Jane, Harvey Macan, and Maggie Lee. 3) Harriet E., born Sep. 6, 1843 in Cedar Valley, Caldwell Co., died Dec. 12, 1937 in Elizabethton, Carter Co., TN.  Harriet's spouse was James Brown Blair to whom she was married on Oct. 7, 1866 in Caldwell Co.  James was born in Cedar Valley on May 1, 1844 and died in Carter Co. on May 24, 1920.  They had at least eight children:  Henry Lee, Gilliam Colbert, Harvey, John Caldwell, Job W., Mary E., Hatibel, and Lillie M. 4) Celia Adeline, born c1847, died before 1910.  Her husband was John Wesley Estes and they were married on Dec. 2, 1868 in Caldwell Co.  Their children were at least eight:  Benjamin G., Albert Lafayette, Horace Herndon; John C., Victor Scotland, Emma E., Homer Roy, and May C.  This family left NC sometime after 1880 and journeyed west to Iowa where Emma was born and then to Idaho where May was born.  5) Cordelia Adaline, born Jan. 10, 1853, died Jul. 9,1918.  She married John Boone Gragg on Dec. 17,1 877 in Caldwell Co.  He was born Feb. 15, 1856 in Caldwell Co., and died in Globe Twp., on May 23, 1937.  Both are buried at the Job Moore cemetery in the Globe.  Their children were at least seven:  William Hardie, Charlie, Stella Victoria, John Vernon, Laurance Dillard, Mamie, and Horace Milton.  Child 6) was Emma, born c1855.  Unfortunately, nothing else has been found for her.

The fourth child of William and Annie was Celia, Jun. 29, 1813 in Burke Co., died in Wilkes Co. on Jul. 12, 1899.  She married Hezekiah Curtis, a son of Samuel and Susanna Cottrell Curtis, on Dec. 26, 1833 in Wilkes Co.  Hezekiah was born May 16, 1810 in Wilkes Co., and died there on Jan. 20, 1901.  Both are buried at Mountain Park Cemetery in Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co.  Their children were Darcus, Judson, Larkin Junius, Julia, Finley Patterson, Caroline L., and Martha Gertrude.

The fifth and last child born to William and Annie was Calvin on Sep. 30, 1819.  He died Apr. 2, 1847 after a short marriage to Mary Greene in about 1839-40.  Four children were born to Calvin and Mary:  Harrison, Alexander, William and Patterson Vance.  William also died on the battlefield at Gettysburg.

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This is quite a long blog and I hope that I have not made it too complicated to follow.  Many of these folks have been written about in previous blogs.  Use the search window in the sidebar to look for them.  To assure accuracy, place "quotation marks" around the name your are searching for.  All of these, plus all of their known (to me) ancestors and descendants are present on the Edward Coffey Project DVD.  Readers can also use the "Search Also For" links at the bottom of each blog.

Ernest Irven Coffey Ahnentafel

Generation 1

1. Ernest Irven COFFEY: born Mar. 13, 1888 in Missouri; died Sep. 23, 1955 in Clayton, St. Louis Co., MO.

Generation 2

2. Squire Jackson COFFEY: born Nov. 1851 in Missouri; married Oct. 2, 1876 in Maries Co., MO; died May 20, 1926 in Lawton, Comanche Co., OK.

3. Sarah F. GIBSON: born Jul. 3, 1858 in Missouri; died Feb. 16, 1944.

Generation 3

4. Irvin S. COFFEY: born ca 1822 in Kentucky; married Nov. 3, 1842 in Jackson, Osage Co., MO.

5. Nancy HUGHES: born Feb. 7, 1826 in Osage Co., MO; died abt 1860 in Maries Co., MO.

Generation 4

8. Marvel COFFEY: born ca 1790; married Feb. 2, 1813 in Burke Co., NC; died before Aug. 17, 1840 in Gasconade Co., MO.

9. Rachel BOONE: born 1793 in Burke Co., NC.

10. John HUGHES: born Oct. 6, 1780 in Virginia; married c1803 in Burke Co., NC; died c1856 in Sacramento Co., CA.

11. Jane BILYEU: born May 22, 1785 in North Carolina; died Oct. 8, 1845 in Osage Co., MO.

Generation 5

16. Thomas COFFEY: born Mar. 7, 1742 in Essex Co., VA; married 1778/9; died Apr. 1825 in Wilkes Co., NC.

17. Sarah "Sally" FIELDS: born c1750 in Virginia; died Nov. 21, 1828 in Wilkes Co., NC.

18. Jesse BOONE: born c1748 in York Co., PA; married 1772; died Dec. 11, 1829 in McMinn Co., TN.

19. Sarah MCMAHAN: born c1750 in Rowan Co., NC; died 1830 in McMinn Co., TN.

Generation 6

32. John COFFEY: born bet 1699 and 1700 in Essex Co., VA; married c1728 in Virginia; died bet Jan. 1775 and Feb. 1775 in Albemarle Co., VA.

33. Jane GRAVES: born c1708 in Essex Co., VA; died 1792 in Wilkes Co., NC.

34. Richard FIELDS: born c1727 in Virginia; married; died c1764 in Virginia.

35. Elizabeth MURREL: born c1723 in Virginia; died Sep. 14, 1830 in Virginia.

Generation 7

64. Edward COFFEY: born c1670 in Ireland; married 1700 in Essex Co., VA; died cNov. 20, 1716 in Essex Co., VA.

65. Anne POWELL: born bet 1683 and 1685 in Essex Co., VA; died bet Oct. 1744 and Dec. 1744 in Essex Co., VA.

66. John GRAVES: married.

67. Hannah  .

Generation 8

130. Thomas POWELL: married c1665.

131. Mary PLACE: born bet 1648 and 1649 in Virginia; died Dec. 1710 in Richmond Co., VA.





No. 984

Squire Coffey in Missouri

The reader question on the previous blog prompted me to do a bit of digging into the Squire Coffey men of Missouri.

I have found three with that name in Maries Co. and they are all related to Squire Coffey, born 1803 in Burke Co., NC, died after 1840 in Cherokee Co., NC.  I'll call him Squire 1.  He was a son of Smith Coffey and Hannah Boone.

Squire 2, the first in Maries Co. was a son of Marvel Coffey and Rachel Boone.  He was born in TN in 1828 and died 1912 in Hickory Co., MO.  He married Drucilla Parker and had children: Matilda, William D. B.; John R., Mary E., Martha E.; and Malinda J. 

Smith Coffey and Marvel Coffey were half-brothers, sons of Thomas Coffey; Smith by first wife, Elizabeth Smith and Marvel by second wife, Sarah Fields. Rachel and Hannah Boone were sisters, daughters of Jesse Boone who was a son of Israel, a brother to Daniel.

Squire 3 was Squire Jackson and, a son of Irvin S. and Nancy Hughes Coffey.  Irvin was a son of Marvel and Rachel.  Squire Jackson was born c1853 and married Sarah F. Gibson in 1876, Maries Co.  Their children known to me were Carnie Ellis and, Earnest J.

Squire 4 was also Squire Jackson and a son of John M. and Susan A. Vanderpool Coffey.  John M. was a son of Irvin and Nancy Hughes Coffey.  This Squire Jackson married Clara Della Eads on Sep. 29, 1901 in Maries Co.  Two of their children were Leslie H. and James C.

Squire 2 through 4 were double-first cousins to Squire 1, with 50 years separating the youngest from the oldest.







No. 983

John Nelson & Laura Ann Finley Coffey

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The following information about the John Nelson Coffey Family was found in an undated document titled The John Nelson Coffey Family, prepared by Mr. Howard M. Day, 3532 28th Parkway, Temple Hills, MD 20748.

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The John  Nelson  Coffey Family

The John Nelson Coffey Family

John Nelson Coffey was born 7 Aug 1858 in the  Kings Creek  District of Caldwell County, N.C.  He was the son of Larkin Coffey (b1830, d.1863) and Sibby Wyatt (1831- ). His progenitors can be traced through his grandfather, Thomas Coffey, Jr. (b1804) who on 22 Sept 1823 in Wilkes Co., N.C. married Nancy Barlow (b1804). Thomas Coffey Sr. is thought to be the son of Thomas Coffey from Essex Co., Va. (b7 Mar 1742, d 1825) and his first wife, Elizabeth Smith. He in turn was the grandson of the Coffey who immigrated from Ireland to Virginia about the year 1690 according to a compilation by Laurence H. Coffey.*

*"Thomas Coffey (b7 Mar 1742) and his second wife Sally Field along with six children moved to the area of present day Wilkes County sometime between 1775 and 1780 settling on the Upper Waters of the Yadkin River where he died in 1825 at the age of 33”.

Thomas Coffey (b 1777) was married first to a Coffey and second to Nancy Pend1ey .

Larkin Coffey died of diphtheria while serving in the Confederate Army and is buried in Lafollette, Tennessee, His widow raised their family in the old home place, and on 14 Nov 1875 at the age of 44 married Joseph Isenhour of Wilkes Co. who was then 60 years of age and had a family of his own. In fact on 10 Jan 1875, just 11 months prior to their marriage, her first son, Gilum W. Coffey (b1855), was  married to Sarah Jane Isenhour ( b1853) . To the union of Joseph and Sibby Isenhour was born one son Solomon Tilden Isenhour.  .

The children of Larkin Coffey and Sibby Wyatt were: Gilum W. (bl855); John Nelson (1853); Candus who married Lee Cook; Cordey who married Larkin Cook; Mary Ann who married William West; and Lue who married John West.

John Nelson Coffey came to Watauqa County around the year 1880 probably to work on the Moses H. Cone estate. In Blowing Rock he soon met Laura Ann Henley (10 Apr 1863, 2 June 1936) who 1ived with her mother, Loany Greene Henley (5 Feb 1836, 14 Nov 1917), the widow of Henry Henley (2 June 1821, 5 May 1865).  Henry Henley was a member of the Home Guard who was killed in the raid on Hamby's Fort at the end of the Civil War (2). Laura and John Nelson were married 23 Sept 1881 and took up residence at the old Tom Henley place near where Loany Henley 1ived.

John Nelson Coffey was described as a strong willed man, a little stubborn you might say, but he was known to take great pleasure in his work and his family. He was, of necessity, a subsistence farmer, but he also made shoes and worked on the Cone Estate to fill in. Like many of the local farmers in those days he grew more produce than necessary for his family and hauled it down the mountain with horse and wagon to markets in Lenoir. Members of his family often spoke of taking turns living with and taking care of Grandma Henley since she lived alone until her death in 1917. Soon thereafter Nelson and Laura moved to their last home which was at Cook's Gap east of Boone near the Mt. Vernon Church community.

Apparently Nelson and Laura Coffey were musically inclined because several of their [children] played string instruments and loved to dance. My mother, Bertha, knew many traditional mountain songs which she often sang while accompanying herself on the guitar or banjo.

The progeny of John Nelson Coffey and Laura Ann Henley together with the spouse and children of each are as follows: Henry Edward (23 June 1832, 20 Sept 1960) m. 20 Dec 1903 to Elizabeth Foster with whom he raised three children: Malory James, Marjorie and Edward, George F. (23 Oct 1334, 10 Dec 1941) m. 23 April 1905 to Emma Greene with whom  he raised two boys: Arnold (-) and William Franklin (4 Sept 1923); Essie (9 Jan 1837, 5Feb 1972) m. 25 Dec 1904 to Carol Herman with whom she raised 8 children: Fannie Lee, George Alton, Tracy, Bonnie, Marvin, Edith, Phylis and Dessie; Delia (9 Oct 1889, 10 Now 1973) m. 22 July 1909 to Jacob Dillinger (12 Oct 1833, 14 April 1945) with whom she raised six children: Earl, Margaret, Inez, Jay, Wi11iam R. and Robert L. ; Stella (30 April 1393, 21 Oct 1965) m. 3 July 1914 to Grover Walters with whom she raised 5 children: Elizabeth, Verdola, Clifford, Norman and Robert; C1ara (31 Oct 1896, 3 Dec 1977) m. 18 Jan 1914 to George Danner with no children;,Bertha R. (24 Sept 1899) m. 23 Dec 1917 to Howard Day and they had 3 children: Obed, Dorothy and Howard Jr.; Bernice (29 May 1903) m. 29 June 1921 to Charlie Watson, they raised 6 children: Mary Helen, Kathleen, Carma Lee, Bobby, Clemmon and Harold, (three additional children: Laura Mildred, Charles W. and Claude Wayne died in infancy; Milton (1904..,) m. 9 May 1924 to Bell Gilley (1906), who raised one child, Harvey Edward (27 May 1925). After the death of her husband Bertha married Charlie Cook in 1932 with whom she had one child, Kenneth (b 1 Jan 1933). On 22 Feb 1959, after the death of her husband, Delia married Robert Bratton (1904,1960).

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