Ernest Reid Coffey

Ernest* was a native of North Caroline, born on Christmas day in 1916.  He was the seventh of eight children and last of four sons born to John Wesley and Nancy Kizzie Ann Hatley Coffey.

Prior to his conviction for the murder of his uncle, James Hardy Coffey in 1936, Ernest was a suspect in a number of petty crimes.

James Hardy Coffey was a son of Thomas Avery and Louisa E. Gragg Coffey and brother to John Wesley Coffey.  He was married on Sep. 10, 1905 in Watauga Co., NC to Lillian Mae "Lillie" Gray, daughter of William and Delia A. Gray of Boone, Watauga Co., NC.  Together, they had seven children, the middle being a son born in 1912; the others all daughters.

James became a law enforcement officer and at the time of his death he was a deputy sheriff in Watauga Co.  In 1936, the year he was killed, a number of vacant summer homes and camps in the surrounding forests had been broken into and items stolen.  Through investigation James apparently began to suspect that his nephew Ernest, and others were involved.  News items of the day report that James was about to charge the nephew when he was killed.

He was killed on Apr. 5, 1936.  News items of the day draw a picture of him arriving home after a day on the job and being killed by a shotgun blast through a window while giving one of his daughters a violin lesson.  Other reports tell of him singing hymns while omitting the violin lesson.

Ernest was arrested after allegedly boasting to a friend that he had killed his uncle.  The trial did not last very long and he was convicted in July, 1936 of murder in the first degree.  The first degree conviction was the first in the history  of Avery County and, he was sentenced to death in the state's gas chamber.  The conviction was upheld in Oct., 1936 by the state supreme court.

Another news item - undated - reported that Ernest's execution was delayed by Gov. John C. B. Ehringhaus. In Aug., 1937, then Governor, Clyde Hoey commuted the sentence to life imprisonment. In 1940. As more evidence giving credence to Ernest constant denial of guilt began to emerge, Gov. Hoey again changed his sentence to "20 to 30 years."  In 1948 he was paroled!

James Thomas Rusher, in his book** entitled Until he is Dead, considerable space was given to the murder trial and subsequent efforts to free Ernest, called Reid in the book.

Ernest father never believed that his son was guilty and spent years pursuing his release.  Other family members also believed in his innocence and worked for his release.

After his release, he married Zula May Baker, believed to be of Robeson Co.  She was born c1917 and died on May 16, 1977.  Ernest died on Mar. 16, 1981 in Raleigh, Wake Co.  Both are buried at Brier Creek Memorial Gardens in Leesville, Wake Co.

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*See also The Edward Coffey Project: James Hardy Coffey - http://bit.ly/1jWOS5d and, The Edward Coffey Project: Murder of James Hardy Coffey - http://bit.ly/1jWOQKQ

 ** Until He is Dead: Capital Punishment in the Western North Carolina History, Parkway Publishers, 2003, ISBN: 1887905731, 9781887905732, 246 pages

Henry Spencer & Phoebe Coffey Dix

Phoebe Coffey was a daughter of Arnett and Kissiah Gray Coffey; Arnett being a son of William E. and Sarah Lucinda Coffey Coffey.  These Coffeys began life in Grainger Co., TN and eventually migrated to West Plains in Howell Co., MO.

Arnett was born May 22, 1848 in Rutledge, Grainger Co., and died on Apr. 6, 1915 in West Plains.  He married Kissiah, a daughter of Martin and Anna Gray, c1875 in MO.  She was born in Sep., 1857 and died on Mar. 23, 1928 in Shenandoah, Page Co., IA.  Arnett died of pneumonia and both he and Kissiah are buried at Howell Valley Cemetery in West Plains.

Arnett and Kissiah had at least three children:  Lucinda, born 1871, died 1943 in Bingham, Page Co., IA.  She married James Tully Campbell on Jul 21, 1887 in Pleasant Hill, Cass Co., MO.  James was born Sep. 11, 1864 in Neosho, Newton Co., MO and died in Bingham on Jul. 26, 1957.  Lucinda died on Jun. 6, 1943 in Bingham.  Both are buried at Howell Valley Cemetery.

The second child that I know of was Ira but have yet to locate any factual info about him.

Phoebe was probably their second child. She was born on Dec. 8, 1874 at Chapin in Howell Co. and, died Jul. 10, 1957 at McCrory in Woodruff Co., AR.  She married Henry Spencer Dix, born May 6, 1873 in Paulding Twp., Paulding Co., OH, on Jan. 7, 1896 in West Plains.  He died on Dec. 31, 1944 in Memphis, Shelby Co., TN and was buried at Corning Cemetery in Corning, Clay Co., AR.  Phoebe is also buried at Corning.

There were at least nine children born to their union:

Alfred Sidney, 1896-1981; married Lula Euphena Goss on Sep. 19, 1919 in West Plains and parents of at least seven children.

Caroline, 1899-1989; married James David Jacobs on Dec. 12, 1920 in Beedeville, Jackson Co., AR.  He was born in 1887 at McMinnville, Warren Co., TN and died in 1987 at McCrory.  Caroline is buried at Eight Mile Cemetery in Beedeville.  Children yet unknown.

May Oma, 1901-1991, was born at Chapin and died at Poplar Bluff in Butler Co., MO.  Her spouse was John Ephraim Marr, born 1890 in South Haven, Van Buren Co., MI and died 1982 at Poplar Bluff.  Both are buried at Corning.  Three known children:  Juanita, Earl and Lula Mae.

Lula, 1904-2001, married John Asbury Bullington on Sep. 29, 1923 in Jackson Co., AR.  She is buried at Corning along with her husband, born 1901 in AL, died at Knobel, Clay Co., AR in 1985.  I know of one child, Ernest, born 1925 at Dunklin Co., MO., diedd 2004 at Corning and buried in the Corning cemetery.

Ollie, 1907-1987, married Alfred Jacobs c1927.  She is buried at Eight Mile Cemetery with Alfred, born 1902 in Jackson Co., AR. and, died 1966.  Children yet unknown.

Ira, 1910-2007, married Edith Ashburn c1950 and Nora Williamson sometime later.  He is buried at Bald Knob in White Co., AR.  Burial location of his two wives is yet unknown.

Dorotha [sic] Irene, 1912-2002, was born at Chapin and died in TN.  Her spouse was Eual Duffel (no info) in 1929 at Jackson Co., AR.  She is buried at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens in Bartlett, Shelby Co., TN.  Children yet unknown.

Henry Charles, 1916-1992 was born at Chapin and died in AR.  No other information yet found.

The last known child was Lawrence Irwin, 1919 at Chapin, 2006 at Fort Branch, Gibson Co., IN.  He married V. Faye Pierce in AR c1939.  She was born in AR in 1923 and died in 1940 at the age of 17 and, probably in child birth.   No other information on either.

I have not yet completed all of the census and other research work to make this family complete.  Anyone with better information is invited to submit or discuss it.

  Jack

Burrell Thadeus and Alpha Mae Coffey Armor

Burrell, a son of James R. and Mary Emma Bass Armor, was born in Alabama on Dec. 9, 1894 and died at Moulton, Lawrence Co., AL on Nov. 12, 1981.  Alpha (Alphie) was born May 13, 1898 in Lawrence Co. and died there on Oct. 26, 1977.  Both are buried at Moulton Memory Gardens.[1]

Alphie was the daughter of Henry Clay and Martha Jane "Jennie" Gray Coffey.  She and Burrell were married on Sep. 16, 1916 in Lawrence Co.[2]  They lived in and around Moulton all of their married lives and two children were born to them there.

Their first child was Burrell, Jr., born Apr. 30, 1918, died Jun. 2, 1918.  He is buried at Memory Gardens in Moulton.[3]

Their second child was Lawrence E., born in 1919.  Lawrence remained with his parents until 1943 when he married Marie Davis in Lawrence Co. on Apr. 10 that year[4]  On Apr. 20, 1945 he enlisted in the US Army at Fort McClellan in AL.[5]  The war in Europe was mostly over by then, and his headstone does not indicate that he was involved in any overseas action in the Pacific.

Lawrence and his family apparently settled in Will Co., IL after the war.  He passed away in Monee, Will Co. on Apr. 1, 2008 and was buried at the Skyline Memorial Park in Monee.[6]

His obituary from Northwest Indiana and Illinois Times [7]

Lawrence Armor, age 88, of Lansing, IL, passed away Tuesday, April 1, 2008. 

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Marie; daughter, Joyce (Jerry) Brasel; son, Jim (Evelyn) Armor; five grandchildren: Jeff Armor, Mark (Julie) Armor, Karen (Keith) Bohne, Rick (Sharon) Brasel and Stephen (Kelly) Brasel; nine great grandsons; four great granddaughters; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 3, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. from the Schroeder-Lauer Funeral Home, 3227 Ridge Road, Lansing, IL with burial to follow at Skyline Memorial Park in Monee, IL. 

Friends are invited to meet with the family on Wednesday from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Whiting Baptist Church, 1541 119th Street, Whiting, IN 46394. 

Lawrence was a member of Whiting Baptist Church, having served as a Deacon and Sunday School teacher for over 40 years at his previous churches. He was a Mason and a member of the Carpenter's Union Local 434. 

Burrell Armor had a sister, Willie E. or B. Armor, born c1898 in AL.  A Willie E. Armor married a Charlie Coffey on Dec. 14, 1924 in Alabama.  I'm not certain, but it appears that Charlie might be a younger brother of Alpha.  That Charlie was born Apr. 3, 1909 and died Mar. 30, 1959, both in Moulton.

There is a marriage record for Alpha's brother Charlie to Ezma E. Moody in Lawrence Co. on Aug. 27, 1929.  They remained man and wife until his death in 1959.  Emza died in 2000.  The death record for Willie Armor[8] reports that her parents were James R. and Mary Emma Bass Armor and her spouse was William R. McCarty [deceased in 1982] to whom she was married on Apr. 2, 1916.

The license for Charlie and Willie[9] suggests there were perhaps two couples with the similar names in Lawrence Co.  I do not know.  If you do, please let me know.

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Sources:

[1] Find A Grave Memorial # 44257471 & Find A Grave Memorial # 44257601.

[2]  "Lawrence County, Alabama Archives" [http://www.lawrencecoarchives.com], Lawrence Co. Marriage Book P, Page 431.

[3] Find A Grave Memorial # 44257493

[4] Early American Marriages: Alabama, 1800 to 1920, Dodd, Jordan R., Ancestry.com Alabama Marriage Collection, 1800-1969

[5] "US World War II Army Enlistment Records," Ancestry.com

[6] Military Marker for Lawrence E. Armor, SSgt, US Army, World War II, 1919 - 2008 - Loving Husband, Dad, Grandpa Papaw, Skyline Memorial Park, Monee, Will Co., IL. Photo by Rachel White.  Find A Grave Memorial # 86918208

[7] http://vitalrec.com/obitindexes/LakePorterIndiana.html

[8] Find a Grave Memorial # 42034571

[9] "Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQML-GFM : accessed 02 Jun 2013), Charlie Coffey and Willie Bell Amor, 14 Dec 1924.

Daniel T. & Mary Linnie Coffey Montgomery

Mary was a daughter of Larkin D. & Temperence Elaine "Tempi" Gravitt.  My original blog on Larkin and Tempi can be read here.

Mary was born c1853 in Georgia and died c1909, probably in AL.  She married Daniel T. Montgomery, date unknown but probably c1879 in Alabama  Nov. 27, 1870 in Lawrence Co., AL.* Daniel was born Aug. 15, 1846 in AL, died in Leon, Love Co., OK on May 30, 1937 and was buried there.  The family has not been found in the 1900 census ** and by 1910 Daniel was in Love and enumerated as a widower.

I believe he was a son of Alex and Salina Caroline Thompson.  Little information has been found on Alex and Salina except that Alex died in AL on Dec. 28, 1886.  In census records, Daniel always said that his mother was born in Ireland and his father in IL.  In addition to Daniel, they were also parents to Mary Elizabeth Montgomery, born c1852, died Mar. 22, 1948 in Moulton, Lawrence Co., AL.

In 1850 Alex was in Limestone Co., AL and appears to be unmarried.  He was enumerated with the Joseph Montgomery family; Joseph, age 39, was likely his brother.  Joseph's wife was Mary. Others in the household were Hannah L. Montgomery, age 23 (sister perhaps); and Mary J., age 17 and John, age 11.  Alex had children Sarah, age 13; Joseph M., age 11; Christian (?) J., female, age 9 and Daniel, age 4.

By 1860 Alex had remarried Priscilla Holt and the family was in Moulton, Lawrence Co., AL.  Others in the household were: Sarah, age 22; Joseph, age 21; Floran (?), female, age 16; Daniel, age 12; Mary, age 6; and James, age 5.

Alex and family remained in Moulton for the 1870 census.  In addition to Alex and Priscilla, others in the household were:  Sarah, age 33; Daniel, age 23; Mary, age 18; James, age 15; John D., age 12; Robert, age 10; and Margaret, age 3.  In the index, Priscilla is spelled "La Sillie."

Daniel T. Montgomery

Daniel was married and living in Pinhook, Lawrence Co. in 1880.  His census entry is dim and rather difficult to read.  The index, however, lists D. T., age 32, farmer, born TN, parents born TN; M. L., age 22, wife, born GA, parents born GA; E. T.; J. L.; and D. J.

Daniel and Mary had at least two children, David Lawrence, born Jan. 26, 1881 and, John C., born Jul. 1, 1891, both in AL.  Birth and death dates are from headstones.

After 1880, Daniel can be found in the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census in Leon, Love Co.  In 1920 he lived with Laurence and with John in 1930.  He died in Leon on May 30, 1937 and was buried at Leon Cemetery.

Ethel Brintle Montgomery

David married Nov. 3, 1902 in Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX to Ethel Isola Brintle.  She was born Dec. 19, 1885 in Giles Co., TN and died Oct. 19, 1971 in Marengo, McHenry Co., IL.  David died Mar. 8, 1945 in Marietta, Love Co., OK.  Both he and Ethel are buried there at the Lakeview Cemetery.  They had at least one child, Myrtle, born c1905 in OK, died in Oct. 1968.  Her spouse was W. O. Smith.

John C. Montgomery

Gertrude Montgomery

John married a lady named Gertrude***, born Apr. 15, 1891 in AR, died Mar. 28, 1980 in Love Co., OK.  Their children were Cecilia, LaJuana, twins Wilma and Nilma and Laurence, all born in OK.  The 1930 census record for these children is a bit difficult to read and I have guessed at the names Louisiana and Nilma.  John died on Feb. 17, 1961 in Love Co. Both he and Gertrude are buried at Lakeview Cemetery.

Update:  The family still lived in Love Co., Marietta, OK, in 1940.  John was the proprietor of a retail grocery store.  Cecilia had two years of college behind her and, Wilma and Nelda were a high school graduates.  Son Laurence was in his second year of high school.

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Mary Elizabeth Montgomery was born c1852 and died Mar. 22, 1948 in Moulton, Lawrence Co., AL.  She married William R. Coffey, brother to Mary Coffey Montgomery.  William was born c1848 in GA and died in Moulton on Apr. 15, 1930.  They are both buried at the Montgomery Cemetery in Moulton.  Their children, as I know them, were William Albert, born c1871 in Lawrence Co., died there on Dec. 11, 1925, also buried at the Montgomery Cemetery; Henry Clay, born Nov., 1873, died Feb. 13, 1940; L. C., born c1876; Daisy L., born Jan., 1881 and Julia M., born Apr., 1887, all in Lawrence Co.

Henry Clay married c1895 to Martha Jane "Jennie" Gray, a daughter of Matthew A. and Martha Pettus Gray.  She was born in AL in May, 1875 and died on Mar. 30, 1946 in Moulton.  Both are buried in Moulton and probably at the Montgomery Cemetery.  Their children were: Alpha M., born May, 1898; Wilbur Lawrence, born c1903; Daisy, born c1907; Charlie Clay, born c1909 and Sanders H., born Jul. 26, 1913.  All were born in Lawrence Co.

Wilbur Lawrence married Nancy Myrtle Jackson, a daughter of Robert E. and Mary E. Ezell Jackson.  She was born in AL in 1902 and died Dec. 2, 1948 in Moulton.  Wilbur died May 10, 1960 in Moulton.

Sanders married Velma Gobbe [sic], and died Sep. 10, 1939 in Moulton.

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Sources:

*County Marriage Records, Lawrence Co. Marriage Book F, Page 24.

**1900 IT, Chickasaw Nation, TS6-7 S. R1-2 W, ED 177, Sheet 22A, dwelling 334, family 341, Montgomery, D. T., head, white male, born Aug., 1846, age 53, married 29 yrs., born AL, parents born AL, farmer; Mary L., wife, white female, born Jan., 1853, age 47, married 29 yrs., mother of 7, 5 living, born GA, parents born GA; Daniel J., son, white male, bor Jun., 1881, age 19, single, born AL, farm laborer; John C., son, white male, born Jul, 1891, age 8, born AL

***Gertrude Benning, daughter of John K. & Mattie Melissa Clark Benning.  Index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NMB8-WP5

Indexes of Vital Records for Alabama: Deaths, 1908-1959. Montgomery, AL: State of Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Record Services Division, 19--

United States Federal Census. Original data: United States Federal Census for years cited. 

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