Thomas Harrison & Mary Catherine Squires Coffey

Thomas, a son of Willis Andrew and Sarah A. Bernard Coffey, was born in Kentucky on Apr. 11, 1865.  He married Mary Catherine Squires on Aug. 19, 1880 in Adair Co., KY and died there on Nov. 30, 1940.  He was buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Esto, Russell Co., KY.

Mary's parents have not been located. She was born Jul. 22, 1858 and a Mary C. Squires was found in Green Co., KY in the Kenton Co., KY household with Mary Gore or Glore.  But, no proof that this is Mary who married Thomas.

Mary who married Thomas is said to have died Jan. 23, 1923 and was buried at Esto in the Coffey Family Cemetery.  But this Coffey is given the maiden name of Allen and also linked as the spouse of Golson Wilson Coffey. There is a marriage record for her marriage to Golson, found at Liberty, Casey Co., KY dated Nov. 5, 1873. After the death of Golson's wife, he is said to have married a lady named Mary Jane but I have not found a marriage record.

There is also a marriage record dated Aug. 19, 1880 in Adair Co. for Mary Catherine Squires to Thomas.

It is entirely possible that Mary Catherine Squires and Mary Katherine Allen are the same woman.  If so however, she would hold a birth record, or come very close to making one, having given birth to 10 children with Thomas and 9 with Golson.  But, both families appear in the 1900 census with Golson in Adair Co. and Thomas in Russell Co. and both women were giving birth in 1883-1884 and giving them the same names.

Children of Thomas and Mary Squires Coffey were Mattie M., born May, 1882; Leonor, Apr., 1885; Ancil, born May, 1886; Vernia A., born Mar., 1890; Sally E., born May, 1896; Liddie R., born Apr., 1898 and Oscar Gilbert, born c1904.

Children of Golson and Mary Catherine Allen were James W., born 7 Aug., 1874, died Apr. 18, 1951, Russell Springs; John Wesley, born 9 Mar 1876, died 26 Feb., 1953, also in Russell Springs; Levi Pink, born Sep. 29, 1878, died Mar. 10, 1905 in Adair Co.; Samuel Marion, born Feb. 25, 1881, died 19 Sep., 1959 in Adair Co.; Andrew J., born Feb. 11, 1883, died Jul. 20, 1963 in Adair Co.; Hershel, born Dec. 14, 1884, died Feb. 25, 1948 in Adair Co.; Della M., born Aug. 18, 1886, died Mar. 23, 1904 in Adair Co.; Arthur, born Feb. 6, 1894, died Jan. 10, 1962.

Work remains to be completed on the Thomas Harrison family.  Not of his children's descendants have been researched.

It might be worthwhile to mention here that Samuel Marion Coffey married Ethel Squires in 1937.  Ethel was born Mar. 30, 1899 in Green Co., KY and died Nov. 26, 1986 in Campbellsville, Taylor Co., KY. Their marriage record mistakenly transposes their parents; his as Luther and Sally Squires and hers as Golson Wilson and Mary Catherine Allen.

Please contact me if you have figured out the two Mary C/Katherines.

Sources: US Federal Census and Find-A-Grave.

Elias "Eli" Coffey (1775-1833)

Elias Coffey
Will & Probate

This Elias "Eli" Coffey is said to be a son of Salathiel and Elizabeth Gore Coffey,  Salathiel is said to be a son of the thus far mythical Chesley and Jane Cleveland Coffey.

According to one researcher, Eli was born on May 8, 1775 in Wilkes Co., NC.  We know from Green Co., KY marriage records he married Mary "Polly" Coffey, a first cousin and daughter of his uncle Nathan Coffey and wife Mary Saunders, the marriage having occurred on Mar. 22, 1801 in that county.

Eli and Mary had at least 12 children, all born in KY, some in Logan Co. and, some in Adair and Russell Counties.  There are a few we do not yet have an exact place of birth but suspect some of their older children were born in Greene Co.[1]

Eli died in Russell Co., KY in Jul., 1833, leaving a will dated Nov. 10, 1832.[2]

"In the name of God amen.  I Eli Coffey of Russell county and State of Kentucky, calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and knowing that all men have got to die to [sic] make this my last will and Testament in the following manner and form

"My will and desire is that all of my property such as are land and stock of all description and house furniture and farming interests to belong to my wife Poly Coffey during her natural life and at her death an equal distribution to be made of all my property of any kind among my children  My will and desire is that as my sons come of age for my wife to give them one horse briale [sic] [bridle] and saddle apiece and I appoint Acillis [sic] Coffey my sole execution of this my last will and testament  In witness where of I herewite [sic] set my hand and seal this 10th day of November 1832"

Eli signed with his mark.

Nebuzaradan Coffey and William Payne were witnesses.

By the time the will was probated on Dec. 9, 1833 at Jamestown, the witness Nebuzaradan was deceased.  A person who appears to be Will F. Patterson made his testimony that the signature of the deceased Nebuzaradan was genuine.

I do not know who this Nebuzaradan was.  Salathiel and Elizabeth are not known to have had a son by that name.  But, then we do not know with any certainty how many children they did have and all of their names.  The same researcher mentioned in paragraph 2, above, tells me Salathiel died intestate and his wife was named administratrix of his estate.  No children were named in the paperwork that followed.  Later, the wife and children moved to Adair Co., to what was then Green Co., KY, about 1799-1801.  Some of the children later migrated into the Illinois territory.

I am aware of at least three men named Nebuzaradan Coffey.  The first is said to be a son of Joel Coffey and Martha Stepp, Joel being another son of Chesley and brother to Salathial.  This is the Nebuzaradan, said to have been born in 1789, died in 1867 at Marion Co., OR.  His wife was Elizabeth Easley.[3]

The next I know of was born in Jun., 1831 to Willis and Violetta "Lotty" Haynes Coffey of Russell Co., KY.  This Nebuzaradan married Anna Leach "Annie" Baxter on Apr. 8, 1868 in Buchanan Co., MO.  Annie was born to Joseph and Frances George Baxter in MO in Sep., 1844.  She died in Denver Co., CO in 1934.  Her spouse preceded her in death in 1901.  Both are buried in the Fairmont Cemetery in Denver.  They were parents of at least seven children, all but one born in MO.  The last, Hattie, was born in CO.

And finally, the third Nebuzaradan was born c1757[4] in Albemarle Co., VA to Chesley and Jane Cleveland Coffey.  I believe earlier researchers more or less assigned some children to Chesley based on time and place.  I have not seen any documentation which confirms Chesley existed, much less had certain named children.

In any event, by tradition, Nebuzaradan moved to Madison Co., KY c1794[5].  He made his will in Madison Co. on Oct. 1, 1796 and was probated on Mar. 7, 1797.[6]  Again by tradition, his wife was Elizabeth Hayes, born c1760, died c1830.  A marriage record has not been found.

So, who was the Nebuzaradan Coffey who witnessed the will of Elias "Eli" Coffey?

  Jack

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Sources

[1] More information is available in the Edward Coffey Project or, via private email.

[2] Kentucky Probate Records, 1792-1977, familysearch.org 

[3] "Nebuzardan Coffey, born in North Carolina in 1790, moved to Kentucky, where in 1810 he married Miss Easley, 14 days older than himself. He removed to Illinois in 1831, and came to Oregon in 1847. He died at his home in Marion County on the 20th of January, 1867, leaving his wife, who with him, had borne the vicissitudes of 57 years on the frontier." The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Vox. XXIX [Vol I, History of Oregon 1834-1848 citing the Salem Unionist of Feb. 11, 1867.

[4] Birth year could have been earlier.  If his son was the Joel who married Jane Coffey in Wilkes Co., NC on Aug. 22, 1793, then Nebuzaradon was born earlier than 1780.  First name could be Isaac as suggested in the Coffey Cousins' Clearinghouse newsletter of March 1997 by Donna McDonald of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  She also suggested he was born in Wilkes Co., NC.  Birth year must have been earlier.  If 1757 is close to accurate, he was 13 yrs. old when he married Elizabeth, who if born in 1760 would have been ten years old at her marriage!  It's rather obvious their birth and/or marriage dates of way off.

[5] No records found dated prior to 1796

[6] Julia Spencer Ardery, Compiler, Kentucky Court and Other Records, 2 Vols. (Baltimore, MD: Genealogy Pub. Co., 1979). Coffey, Nebuzarden - To wife, and all chdn. viz: Joel, Sary, Polly, Fieldin, Sail, Nilas, Hays, Betsy and Ruth; property divided when youngest child comes of age. Extrs.: Joel Coffey, Jas. Coffey, Fieldin Coffey. Written Oct. 1, 1796. Wts. Allin, Cleveland Coffey, Marthy Coffey. Probated March 7, 1797.  See also Junie Estelle Stewart King, compiler, Abstract of Early Kentucky Wills and Inventories (: Heritage Books, 2001), p. 162.

Willis Coffey (1804-1893)

Willis Coffey was born May 2, 1804 in Kentucky to the union of Eli and Mary (Polly) Coffey Coffey. Eli was a son of Salathiel and Elizabeth Gore Coffey while Mary was a daughter of Nathan Coffey and Mary Saunders (var). Nathan and Salathiel were brothers. Researchers are not yet clear on who their parents were.

Willis was the second of twelve children born to Eli and Mary. He married Violetta (Lotty) Haynes on Mar. 28, 1828 in Russell Co., KY. Lotty was born Mar. 17, 1805 in Virginia and died Oct. 10, 1869 in DeKalb Co., MO. Willis died there on Sep. 26, 1893.

Nine children were born to this marriage:

Eliza, born Jul. 28, 1829, died Jul. 27, 1870, married to Willis Washington Warriner.

Nebuzaradon, born c1832 in Russell Co., married Ann Baxter

Teckley, born May 18, 1833 in Russell Co., died Mar. 11, 1902 in Jefferson Co., KY. She married John Rippetoe, born Aug. 6, 1829 in Russell Co., died Apr. 18, 1903 in Jefferson Co.

Sarah, born Feb. 22, 1835 in Russell Co., died Jun. 1, 1908 in DeKalb Co., MO, married Barnes Clark.

Mary, born c1837 in Russell Co.

Jackson, born c1839 in Russell Co.

Lotty Emeline, born c1840 in Russell Co., died Jan. 4, 1899 in OK, maarried William Henry Carter Oct. 22, 1857 in DeKalb Co., MO.

Nancy, born c1843

James C., born Mar. 16, 1845, died Oct. 1, 1875 in DeKalb Co., MO.

Willis and Lotty left Kentucky sometime between 1850 and 1860 and settled in Washington Twp., DeKalb Co., MO where they remained for the rest of their lives.

After Lotty died Willis married the widow, Susan Pickett, who had children of her own. At the age of 71 years, Willis fathered another son, Willis Franklin, born
in Oct., 1874.

When he was 20, Willis Franklin married Laura Alice Thornton. They were the parents of three children:

Elva L., born Jul. 1894, died Aug. 21, 1970. She married Forest James, born Jan. 1895 in Kansas and died Nov. 5, 1973 in Multnomah Co., OR. Their children were Howard, born 1920; Wendell, born c1923; and Kenneth, born c1926.

Alice B., born Oct., 1896, married Benjamin Charles Knight, born c1895 in Washington. I know of one child, Velma E., born c1917.

Erin M., born c1902, died Mar. 19, 1942 in Multnomah Co. He married Delores (LNU), born c1906 in Wyoming. They had at least two children: Willis C., born c1926, and Ronald G., born Oct. 3, 1927, died Jul. 3, 1900.

I know very little about the children of Willis and Lotty Haynes Coffey. Additions and/or corrections can be sent to me at the e-mail address below.