Mystery Coffey Family Photographs - Update 11/26/09

These are some of the photos in my collection for which I have no information.  If you recognize them please drop me a note.

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C.W. Coffee is Columbus Washington Coffee, born Jan. 20 1856 in Forsyth Co., GA, died 1936.  His wife was Mary Ellen Blackburn who died in 1945.  C. W. was a son of Starling or Sterling Coffey and his wife Nancy Tyler Cannon.  Starling is thought to be a son of Elijah and Polly Hull Coffey.  Nancy, born c1831 in GA is said to be the daughter of Hiram and Hannah Tyler Cannon.

Brenda Adams, a descendant of Starling/Sterling wrote to me way back in Jan. 2005 that this family has always and continues to spell their surname Coffee.

The ancestry of C.W. before Elijah is a bit cloudy.  I have Elijah as a son of Thomas and Sarah "Sally" Fields Coffey.  Brenda thinks he might be a son of Jesse Cleveland.  I don't believe either one of us is absolutely certain.

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The family posing in front of the house has not yet been identified.  They are not believed to be part of C.W.'s family.

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All of these photos are labeled C. W. Coffey with no additional information, except for the last one which indicates it is a 50th anniversary photo.

Marvel Coffey

As long as I've been researching Coffee/Coffey families I've read that other researchers who are interested in the Marvel Coffey who married Rachel Boone, have concluded that he was named Asbury Marvel Coffey. As one who has taken those researchers to be accurate (for the most part), I continued the search for Marvel's father without any success.

Just recently, with thanks to Janet de la Peña and Bonnie Culley, I received a copy of the Jesse Boone will. Jesse was the father of Rachel. In his will Jesse divided his estate between Daniel Boon [sic], Israel Boon, Jonithan Boon, Marvel Coffey, Jonithan [sic] Wilson, Smith Coffey, William Gregg [sic] [Gragg], and William Coffey. The will was written on Nov. 23, 1829 and recorded in McMinn Co., TN.

Jonathan, Daniel and Israel were his sons. Smith Coffey was his son-in-law, husband of Hannah, Jesse's daughter. William Coffey was also a son-in-law, husband of Anna Boone. William "Buck" Gragg was a son-in-law, husband of Celia Boone and Marvel Coffey, a son-in-law, husband of Rachel.

Jonithan Wilson may be the John Wilson who married Rebecca Coffey. Rebecca was the daughter of John Franklin Coffey, another son of Thomas Coffey and Elizabeth Smith.

Jesse appointed Asbury M. Coffey and his son Israel as executors of his will.

It is likely that many people reading this will believe that Asbury M. Coffey was the son-in-law, Marvel. However, Asbury M. was really Asbury Madison Coffey, an attorney in McMinn county at that time and believed to be the son of Eli and Hannah Allen Coffey. Asbury Madison later achieved fame in Kansas and Missouri.

In 1830, the McMinn county census lists only two Coffeys as head of household: Asbury M. and Marvel. We know that both Marvel and Asbury Madison relocated to McMinn county, so this - in my opinion - proves that the two of the Boone will were different people.

Now, how do we determine who the father was of Marvel? I can only speculate and offer the following:

Thomas Coffey, a son of John and Jane Graves Coffey, was twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth Smith with whom he had six children:

Elizabeth "Betsy", born 1763, died 1850 in Indiana, married David Allen.

John Franklin, born c1765, died c1812 in Wilkes Co., NC, married Hannah Wilson. Parents of Rebecca who married John (Jonithan?) Wilson. Several of John Franklin's children married children of Reuben Coffey, another son of John and Jane Graves Coffey.

Thomas Jr. born c1767, married first Margaret Coffey (parents not yet known) and 2) Nancy Pendley. born c1800. There were two Nancy Pendleys, both married Coffey men. However, the two were born about 18 years apart. The second Nancy was born c1818 in NC and married a Marvel Coffey who was the son of James Coffey and Delilah Ferguson. This Marvel remained in NC throughout his lifetime. Thomas, Jr. and his Nancy named one son James Asbury Coffey.

James, born c1772, died c1840 in Wilkes Co., NC is the son who married Delilah Ferguson and were parents of Marvel who married Nancy Pendley. James and Delilah's other children were Thomas, Lovancy, James, Jr., Eli, Myra and Louisa.

Mary, born c1775, died c1828 in NC, married William Coffey, born c1775 in Burke Co., NC, and a son of Benjamin Coffey and Mary "Polly" Hayes. Benjamin was a brother to Thomas making Mary and William first cousins.

Thomas' last child with Elizabeth Smith was Smith Coffey, born c1776, died 1839 in Cherokee Co., NC. He married Jesse Boone's daughter, Hannah.

It is interesting to note that James and Delilah named a son Marvel, and Thomas, Jr. and wife Nancy named one son James Asbury.

It is also interesting to me that of the nine children born to Thomas Coffey and second wife, Sarah Fields, the first four were born pretty much like clock work; e.g., every two years between c1780 and c1788. The next five were also born more or less like clock work, every two years. There is a gap between Elijah - fourth child, born c1788 - and Sarah, the fifth child, born c1792, that Marvel, born c1790 would fit into pretty well.

All of this assumes, of course, that the given approximate birth years for these children are somewhat accurate.

So, let me see if I can sum this up correctly!

- James Coffey was a son of John Coffey and Jane Graves

- James and wife Elizabeth Cleveland were parents of Eli, who married Hannah Allen and were parents of Asbury Madison Coffey.

- Thomas Coffey, also a son of John Coffey and Jane Graves.

- Thomas married 1) Elizabeth Smith and were parents of Smith Coffey. Thomas married second to Sarah "Sally" Fields.

- Thomas and Sarah "Sally" Fields Coffey were parents of William Coffey who married Anna Boone.

- William Coffey, Smith Coffey and Marvel Coffey, along with Asbury Madison Coffey all involved in the Jesse Boone will.

- A gap exists between the first four and last five of Thomas and Sally Fields Coffey's children; a gap that Marvel could fit into given that birth years are somewhat accurate.

Could it then be concluded from this somewhat preponderance of evidence that Marvel Coffey was a son of Thomas and Sarah "Sally" Fields Coffey?

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Jesse and Eleanor Coffey Compton

According to some sources, Eleanor Coffey was born Jan. 9, 1793 in Wilkes Co., NC to John Coffey and Mary Hall.  Mary's maiden name has also not been agreed upon,  Some research shows it as Hull or Harbord.  I do not know which is correct.

John, born c1753, probably in Albemarle Co., VA, was a son of James and Elizabeth Cleveland Coffey.  He died Dec. 27, 1825 in Wilkes Co.  Mary was born Dec. 18, 1755, location unknown.

James Coffey, born Jul 4, 1729 in Essex Co., VA, was a son of John and Jane Graves Coffey.  Elizabeth Cleveland is said by some to be the illegitimate daughter of Grace Cleveland who may have been a daughter of Alexander Cleveland.  Some researchers believe that Elizabeth was the daughter of Edward Coffey, a son of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey, because he eventually married Grace.

By tradition, Alexander's wife has been named Mildred (Milly) Presly.  Her name is also the subject of some controversy.

In my opinion, and to my knowledge, this family arrangement has not been satisfactorily researched.

Eleanor is believed to be the ninth of 11 children born to John and Mary.  Jesse was the son of Hezekiah and Jane Fields Compton.  Jane Fields was the daughter of Thomas Fields and Elizabeth Coffey.  Eleanor is in the fourth generation of descendants of John and Jane Graves Coffey.  Jane Fields is in the third genereation of descendants.

Jesse Compton and Eleanor Coffey are said to have married in Feb., 1819.  They were in Forsyth Co., GA in 1840 and remained there at least through the 1850 census.  Eleanor seems to have died before 1860.  That year found Jesse in the household with his son Marshal in Polk Co., TN.

In addition to Marshall, born c1835, Jesse and Eleanor had at least three other children:  Jane Elvira, born c1821; Mary, born c1825; and Sarah, born c1832.  There were likely others.

Marshal is the only child for whom I have found descendants.  He married Jane, born c1829 in Kentucky, c1856.  Their first two children were Henry, born c1858 and Georgia, born c1859 and were born in TN.  The next child was Lovedy [sic], born c1862 in GA.  In 1870 Jane appeared as a widow in the 1870 Whitfield Co., GA census with those three children as well as a son Caswell [?], born c1867 in GA. 

Marshal enlisted in Co. H., 36th Inf. Regt., GA on Apr. 24, 1862.  He died on May 16, 1863 at Bakers Creek in MS from wounds received there.

Bakers Creek was a battle fought between Union and Confederates as part of the battle at Champion Hill in Hinds Co., MS.  The Raymond Road forded Bakers Creek, and was a Confederate escape route to the Vicksburg road and, of course, into Vicksburg.  The Confederates lost some 4,300 men in the campaign.

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

McCaleb Coffey

McCaleb Coffey was a son of Thomas and Sarah (Sally) Fields Coffey. He was born Aug. 22, 1803 in Wilkes Co., NC and died Feb. 17, 1881 in Caldwell Co., NC. He married Elizabeth Collett on Feb. 2, 1828 in North Carolina. Elizabeth was born Mar. 8, 1809, probably in North Carolina, and died Jul. 9, 1887 in North Carolina.

He and Elizabeth were parents of at least 14 children, including Thomas Jefferson and Julia Jane, both previously written about in this blog.

The following information was found at a website prepared by Terry Erb:*

McCaleb Coffey, as youngest child, was born (near what is now Patterson, NC) August 22, 1803. Before him were William (the father of Gilliam, Wilborn, Daniel. and Calvin Coffey, and Celia Curtis now or late of this county), Reuben, Martha (wife of Rev. James Dowell), Lewis, and Larkin, who migrated to the West about fifty years ago, Elijah, who went farther South about the same time, and Sarah, who married Samuel Stewart, of Burke County, North Carolina.

McCaleb, soon after his majority, on February 5, 1828, married Elizabeth Collett, a sister of John Collett, Esq., of Burke, and Abraham Collett, of Cherokee County and settled in what was then known as the upper dark hollow of the Yadkin River, where he kindled the cheerful light of a home, since widely known as well for the thrift and hospitality of its inmates as for the noble brood of sons and daughters reared and trained under its shelter. Here sixteen children were born to him, of whom nine survive, four sons: T. J. and W. C. Coffey, of Boone; Charles L. Coffey, of Lower Creek; and Henry C. Coffey of Mulberry; and five daughters: Mrs. J. J. Steele, Mrs. David Farthing, Mrs. Thomas Coffey, and Misses Martha and Jennie Coffey who,with their mother, yet remain at the old homestead. Besides these,there are seventeen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren surviving him.

Without seeking to praise the living, it is but justice to the dead to say that children so taught by precept or example as these have been are the best gifts a citizen can bestow upon the State. To their prudence, energy, and uprightness their several counties owe much, and their immediate neighborhoods very much of their prosperity and reputation.

McCaleb Coffey was one of the last and best specimens of an almost extinct class of men. He was a hunter, pioneer, and backwoods farmer. Never long absent from the place where he first laid his hearthstone, commencing life with scanty means, he was able by steady work and just dealing to erect a slightly and commodious mansion, to raise a large family and equip them for active life, and to accumulate a sufficient fortune for the support of his old age.

While never seeking public position, be was once induced by the united voices of his fellow citizens to act as chairman of the first Board of our County Commissioners, and made a faithful and painstaking officer.

He died February 17, 1881, at his home above Patterson, and was buried February 19, at Harper's Chapel, within sight of the roof tree under which he was born. Without ambition, save to live uprightly and do what he found to be his duties at home, of rare prudence in speech and action, never busied in the affairs of others, inflexibly just, yet not uncharitable, this plain farmer's long life was so useful, clean, and pure that as he was followed to his grave by three generations of his descendants and a large concourse of his neighbors. after more than three-fourths of a century spent under the shadow of the same hills that towered over his birthplace, there was not one in all the throng who pressed near the coffin for a last look at the well-known gray head but who could say, "a good man is gone."

*A source was not provided

Note: Many genealogies and other documents refer to McCaleb as Caleb. He was McCaleb in the 1840 and 1860-1880 census records. He was Caleb in the 1850 census record.