Celia "Sealy" "Cela" Coffey Coffey

NOTE:  After further review the call on the field is reversed.

This Cela, recorded by researchers as a daughter of Joel and Jane Coffey Coffey, was never married.  The will is hers and the siblings listed therein are (so far) thought to be children of Joel and Jane.  Sister Elizabeth likewise never married and also left a will in Russell Co., KY.  It remains now to determine who was Celia/Cela that married Fielding M. Coffey and, who was James Coffey alluded to as her father in this Cela's will.

Clues welcomed!

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For years Coffey researchers have claimed that Joel and Jane Coffey Coffey were the parents of at least six children:

• James, born c1800, NC, died between Mar. 2 and Mar. 20, 1857 in Russell Co., KY; married Mahala Coffey, daughter of Fielding M. and Celia "Sealy" Coffey Coffey. Fielding¹ and Joel were brothers, sons of Nebuzaradan and Elizabeth Hayes Coffey.
• Celia, born NC, died Sep. 24, 1857 in Russell Co., KY; married Fielding M. Coffey, 
• Jane, born c1815 in KY 
• Joel, born Jun. 10, 1818 in Russell Co., died Mar. 21, 1901 in Kentucky; married Permilia Haynes on Jul. 31, 1836 in Russell Co. Permilia was born c1818 in Russell Co., died there on Jan. 19,1853. 
• Cynthia, married a Mr. Southwood. 
• Elizabeth

A will for Cely [sic] Coffey has been found in Russell Co. that seems to belie the wide spread assumption that her father was named Joel.

The will was made Sept. 2, 1857 and names nephews Quintice (var.) and Logan Coffey, sons of "my brother Joel Coffey..."  She names her brother Wilborn, sister Cyntha [sic] Southerland, sister Elizabeth, who apparently never married and also left a will in Russell Co. naming essentially the same people,

She willed "Quinties and his brother Logan Coffey my interest in the tract of land on which I now reside which was deeded to me by my father or from James Coffey to be held and enjoyed by them forever after my death equally."

She willed (but does not name) her mother a "coverlet."  If her children with Fielding were born beginning c1797 and ended in c1825 as reported in several genealogies, she was likely born sometime c1780.  If that is close to being accurate, she was near 77 when she died.  Her mother is said to have been born c1774, meaning at Celia's death in 1857 the mother was about 83 years old, a difference of only 6 years!

I'm beginning to believe that too many assumptions have been made by earlier researchers.

Celia or Cely, is said to have married Fielding M. Coffey on Mar. 13, 1800 in Madison Co., KY.*  In his will, Fielding, who died in Russell Co., in either Nov., 1833 or Jan., 1834, named his children in this order: Mahala, Elizabeth, Sealy, Fieldin, Louis, Alice and Thomas H., who apparently was already deceased. Thomas' inheritance was left to his children. Hays Coffey, brother to Fielding was named Executor. Thomas was apparently deceased at the time because Fielding names "the children of my son Thomas H. Coffey as one [sic] of my legal heirs,..."

There were a lot of daughters named Celia, nicknamed Sealy, etc.  There were several Coffey men named Fielding.  A few mostly accurate genealogies name Celia as a daughter of Joel and Jane Coffey Coffey and give her the death date of 1857 in Russell Co,, yet I'm skeptical!

So, did the clerk recording the will for her mistake James for Joel?  If not, who was James?

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¹Fielding and Joel, among others, are said to be but not proven sons of Nebuzaradan and Elizabeth Hayes Coffey.

*“Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V5ZC-247 : accessed 13 Feb 2013), Fielden Coffy and Sealy Coffy, 1800.

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.