Genealogy research is not just for pros

The following item appeared in The News Star, a daily newspaper published in Northeast Louisiana, on Monday, Mar. 24, 2008. It was written by Lora Peppers of the Ouachita Parish Public Library's Genealogy Department.

"Genealogy is one of the fastest growing pastimes in the United States today. It preserves family ties and provides a legacy for future generations. The following suggestions will aid you in tracing your lineage and provide guidelines for compiling your family tree information. Good luck in your search!

The first and most basic principle in doing genealogy research is to always begin with yourself and work back in time. Never try to trace your line from a known person down to yourself. It may turn out that you are not actually related to George Washington, and you will have wasted hours of research!"

Click on the title link to read the remainder.

Civil War Bandit in Louisiana

Acadiana Diary: Bandit may have been most powerful Civil War leader
Jim Bradshaw

During the Civil War, the most powerful fighting force in Acadiana might not have worn either Federal blue or Confederate gray. Some people think it was a ragtag band of outlaws under the command of Ozeme Carriere of St. Landry Parish.

Read the remainder of this fascinating tale by clicking on the title link.

Mary E. Coffee Ames

Mary E. Coffee was the sister of my great-grandfather, James M. Coffee and the wife of Finis E. Ames. She was born c1848 in Tennessee and died Apr. 21, 1916 in Hope, Hempstead Co., AR. She and Finis were married on Sep. 5, 1869 in Hempstead Co. in a ceremony officiated by H. D. McKennon, MG.

Finis is believed to be the son of Sylvester C. and Delila Brown Ames. He was born Apr. 27, 1844 in Mississippi and died Jan. 19, 1916 in Hope. His siblings are thought to have been: Brother O., born 1845, Mary E., born c1847; Sylvester, born 1851; George Washington, born 1856, and Jonathan Ashmore, born 1857.

Mary and Finis were found in the 1870 Hempstead Co., Ozan Twp. census. In 1880 they were in Bowie Co., TX, and were neighbors of the William Watson family. The 1900 census found them back in Hempstead Co. Finis reported that his parents were born in Michigan. Finis was also on the Hempstead Co. voter rolls for the years 1892-1893, and 1897-1898. The family apparently moved several times between Texas and Arkansas.

Of the few remaining burial sites that can be identified in the old Hanegan-Robinson cemetery near Old Washington, Hempstead Co., is that of Finis and Mary.

The newspaper, Star of Hope, the forerunner of the present day Hope Star, wrote on Jan. 19, 1916, page 4:

"AMES, F. E., one of the oldest and best known citizens of this section, died this morning at his home about 1 mile north of Hope."

The same newspaper wrote on Apr. 29, 1916, page 4:

"AMES, Mrs. F. E., at an advanced age, died at the home of her son, E. E. Ames, near this city last Friday. Her death was preceded by that of her husband only recently."

Children of Finis and Mary were:

William W. (Willie), born May., 1872. He married Emma, last name unknown, c1894. They had at least three children: Fred C., born Nov., 1896; Clara J., born Dec., 1897; and Hazel, born Jan., 1900.

Albert Alexander, born Jan. 29, 1874 in Hempstead Co., and married Marie, last name unknown, who was born in Louisiana c1887.

Everett Edward, born Jul. 5, 1876 in Hempstead Co., and died there on Sep. 29, 1930. He married Ollie Herrin c1906. She was born in Texas on Feb. 13, 1887 and died Sep. 5, 1980 in Hempstead Co.

Their children were:

- Pauline, born c1907, died Jul., 1912;

- Hernand0 (Uncle Bub), born Dec. 20, 1908, died May, 1982; Jewel Edward, born Nov. 22, 1914, died Nov., 1967; and William, who died c1943. Hernando married Cathleen G., last name unknown, c1929. She was born in Arkansas on Aug. 24, 1907 and died Nov. 20, 1999 in Sour Lake, Hardin Co., TX. There was at least one child, Jimmie D., born Sep., 1929.

- Jewel Edward, born Nov. 22, 1914, died Nov., 1967; and

- William, who died c1943

Everett Edward Ames registered for the draft in Hempstead Co. on Sep. 12, 1918. He was described as having of medium height and build with blue eyes and light colored hair. He was 41 yrs. old; born July 4, 1876. He was a self-employed farmer at RFD #4, in Hope where he resided with his wife Margaret Olive Ames.

Harry, born Nov., 1879

John, born Jun., 1885

I would really like to hear from any descendants of Sylvester and Delila Brown Ames. I can be reached at the above e-mail address.

Homer Ernest Coffey

Homer Ernest Coffey was a son of Adolphus and Susan H. Miller Coffey. He was born in Oct., 1863 in Illinois and died May 21, 1941 in Los Angeles, CA. Somewhere between Illinois and California he married Ina Sproul, a daughter of Henry and Melissa Jane Grainger Sproul. The marriage probably occurred in California because their first child was born there.

Adolphus was a native of North Carolina where he was born Sep. 16, 1836 to Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey. Adolphus married Susan H. Miller on Sep. 16, 1860 in Owen Co., IN. Susan was born on Jan. 26, 1838 in New York and died in Owen Co. on Oct. 10, 1873. They were the parents of five children. Adolphus was married a second time to Susan F. Stoneman on Mar. 12, 1874 and fathered three additional children.

Homer was the second of the five children born to Adolphus and Susan. In 1880 he was a resident in the Owen Co., IN household of his cousin Asbury Coffey. By 1900 he and Ina had been married for 11 years, and resided in Ventura Co., CA where Homer worked as a carpenter. By 1910 they had moved to Los Angeles where Homer continued to work as a carpenter, and by 1920 the family was living in Orange Co. where Homer went to work in the oil fields. Ina died on Dec. 7 of that year in Placentia, Orange Co. and was buried on Dec. 9, 1920 in Loma Vista Cemetery at Fullerton.

Homer had apparently retired by 1930 because he did not provide an occupation in the census taken in April of that year. He died on May 21, 1941 in Los Angeles and was buried on May 24, 1941 in Loma Vista.

There were eight children born to the union of Homer and Ina:

- Walter Floyd, born Oct. 27, 1889 in Santa Paula, Ventura Co., and died in San Francisco on May. 20, 1947. He was buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery at San Bruno in San Mateo Co. Walter married Bernice Alameda Holbert who was born Jul. 6, 1898 in Terre Haute, Vigo Co., IN. She died on Nov. 23, 1958 in San Francisco and was also buried at Golden Gate.

In 1930 he and Bernice resided in Orange Co. where he worked as a warehouseman for an oil company. By 1936 they had relocated to Los Angeles where Walter worked as a carpenter.

Their children were: Walter Keith, born Jun. 14, 1929, died Feb. 22, 1978; Mary Ellen - no dates; and Robert Sidney, born Jul. 17, 1936, died Aug. 21, 1961.

- Fred Everett, born Mar., 1891, died Apr. 21, 1947. He apparently remained a bachelor for sometime. He was employed in the motion picture business in Santa Monica in 1920.

- Harley Adolphus, born Apr. 12, 1893 in Santa Paula, and died Jun. 14, 1973 in Medina Co., OH. He married a Hungarian born lady by the name of Christine. She emigrated to the US in 1900 and was naturalized in 1917. In 1928 they resided in Los Angeles. According to voter rolls, they remained in Los Angeles as a couple until about 1937 or 1938. From 1938 until about 1945 they resided at different addresses in Los Angeles Co. By 1946 however, they were again living as man and wife in Los Angeles Co. I believe they had only one child, a daughter named Evelyn J., born c1921. When Harley registered for the WW1 draft in Orange Co. on Jun. 5, 1917, he described himself as being of medium height with slender build, blue eyes and light colored hair.

- Leonard O., born Jul., 1895. By 1930 Leonard was a prisoner in the state penal farm at Angola, Louisiana.

- Agnes R., born Aug. 26, 1898. Agnes married George Walter Bowen, born Dec., 1898 in Louisiana to Samuel and Victoria A. Bowen. George was an oil field hand in 1920 Orange Co. By 1930 the family resided in Huntington Beach, Orange Co. where George worked as an oil field draftsman. I know of one child, a daughter Beverley Agnes, born Oct. 12, 1925 in Los Angeles Co. Prior to her marriage Agnes was a stenographer in Fullerton, Orange Co.

- Avis, born Jul. 6, 1901. In 1922 she was also a stenographer in Fullerton.

- Donald Keith, born Jul. 6, 1904, died Apr. 23, 1984 in Ventural Co. He married Ora P. c1928 in California. Their children were Donald Homer, born Jun. 28, 1928 and, Edith Lorraine, born Oct. 6, 1929.

Additions and/or corrections can be sent to me at the above e-mail address.

Coffey Cemeteries in Watauga Co., NC

As might be imagined, it is quite difficult for someone in Louisiana to determine official vs local names of the various Coffey cemeteries in Watauga Co.

Burial information is available on various websites listing individuals buried in "Coffey Family Cemetery" but, I am unsure if they are all in the same cemetery.

Please contact me if you can provide "official" names and locations and/or, accurate GPS coordinates for any of the Watauga Co. cemeteries where the following are buried:

Thomas Carlton and Martha Ellen Cook Coffey Family:

Thomas Carlton Coffey, born Jan. 1, 1853, died Dec. 17, 1915
Martha Ellen Cook Coffey, born Jul. 3, 1858, died Mar. 25, 1939
Emma L. Coffey, born Jan. 21, 1880, died Jul. 10, 1885
Franklin M. Coffey, born Jan. 6, 1890, died 10 Feb. 1890
James Burton Coffey, born Feb. 11, 1878, died Nov. 2, 1900
Thomas Carlton Coffey, Jr., born May 1, 1895, died May 1, 1895

Children of Marion Oliver and Lydia Ruth Edmisten Coffey:

John Robert Coffey, born Aug. 12, 1922, died Oct. 11, 1923
Marion Audra Coffey, born Oct. 6, 1924, died Jan. 8, 1925
Sadie Ruth Coffey, born Mar. 4, 1926, died Feb. 15, 1927
William Ray Coffey, born May 27, 1920, died Nov. 10, 1996

Millard Winfield Day Family:

Nancy Isabelle Coffey, wife of Millard Winfield Day, born Oct. 3, 1876, died Dec. 12, 1834
Anna Selma Day, daughter of Millard, born Jan. 17, 1906, died Jun. 8, 1908

George Hamilton Hayes Family:

Rosa Ethel (Rosie) Coffey, wife of George Hamilton Hayes, born Jan. 15, 1883, died Jan. 2, 1940
Joseph Ransom Hayes, son of George and Rosa, born Sep. 10, 1912, died Feb. 13, 2005

Smith W. Coffey Family:

Smith W. Coffey, born May 1832, died Jan. 11, 1916 in Carter Co., TN, buried in Coffey Cemetery at Shull Mills, NC. Son of Squire and Ella (Alley?) Webb Coffey.
Elizabeth Redmond [sic], wife of Smith, born Jun. 25, 1836, died May 20, 1912

Henry Boone Coffey Family:

Virginia Frances (Jennie) Brown, born Sep. 25, 1878, died Jul. 1, 1962, buried at Shulls Mill.

I can be reached at the above e-mail address.

I've been busy!

I'm sorry for not having posted a new blog in a couple of weeks. Last week my wife and I were in south Louisiana having the motorhome serviced and visiting grandkids. While down south the surprise hurricane Humberto came ashore along the TX/LA line, turned NE and came over our home on Lake Bruin on the LA/MS state line. We received only 3" of rain but wind force was apparently high.


We didn't suffer any damage to the house, but we have lots of trees on the nearly one acre we call home. Many of those trees are fully mature pecan trees. Limbs had become brittle from the lack of rain and were ready to snap with the slightest wind. Many were loaded with yet unripened pecans and the wind played havoc with them. One large limb from an Oak tree adjacent to the house fell on the rear deck. Fortunately, it was not long enough for the heavy part to hit the house, but the tip of the limb did come to rest on the roof.


Our area is extremely rural and as such does not have trash service. While household trash is collected, some stuff that we need to get rid of has to be hauled to a landfill. We find it easier to just cut limbs into pieces that we can easily carry to the burn site on the rear of the property. So, for the past two days we have cut, stacked and burned a lot of oak and pecan wood. There were also a couple of pines on the place that looked pretty bad so I cut and burned them as well.


As a result of all that, my normal four to five hours a day spent researching, replying to e-mail, etc. came to a near complete halt. I did manage to answer a few e-mails and, prepare a couple of Edward Coffey CDs that had been ordered but, everything else I love about Genealogy research suffered.


So, all of this is probably more information than readers really needed but, it does serve as an excuse for not having recently blogged.


We still have some outside work to do, but is mostly grass cutting. Hopefully, I'll be back to regular blogging in the next few days.

Arthur A. & Gatie Ramsey Coffey

Arthur, born Nov. 25, 1876 in Rockcastle Co., KY, was the first child and son of Lee and Isabelle Hiatt [var.] Coffey. Lee was a son of Thomas Jefferson and Perlina Hayes Coffey. Arthur married Gatie [sic] Ramsey on Jan. 28, 1897 in Rockcastle Co.

Gatie is said to have been a daughter of Joseph Love and Martha Jane Bryant Ramsey., born in May, 1881. The 1870 census names only one child, Elly [sic], born c1896 in Rockcastle Co. In 1880 Ella was still the only child in the household. There isn't a census record for 1890, and according to marriage records, Gatie was married by 1897, therefore there is not a way to verify by census that she was born to Joseph and Martha.

After Martha died in 1895, Joseph married Galathia Jane Coffey on Feb. 28, 1898 in Rockcastle Co. Galathia was the second daughter and fourth child born to James Madison and Lydia Ann Wolfe Coffey. She was born in Oct. 1865 and died Jun. 24, 1939 in Madison Co., KY. James was a son of Ausburn and Tildy Dalton Coffey.

There was one known child born to this marriage, a daughter named Janie Lydia Ramsey, born Apr. 8, 1899 in Rockcastle Co., and died there on Apr. 12, 1998. Her headstone stands in the Berea Cemetery, Madison Co. She apparently never married.

The Rockcastle Co. census of 1900 shows Joseph and Galathia in the household with Ella Baker, Joseph's daughter by Mary Jane Bryant.

Children all born in Rockcastle Co. to Arthur A. and Gatie Ramsey Coffey were:

Ella Mae, born Apr. 24, 1898, died Dec. 29, 1983

William Mat, born Nov. 26, 1899, died Sep. 6, 1975. He married Anna Lee Adams on Sep. 28, 1924 in Kenton Co., KY. They were parents of twins, Dorothy and Doris, born Aug. 6, 1927. He and Anna are buried in the Elmwood Cemetery at Mt. Vernon in Rockcastle Co.

Bud, or "Little Buddy", born Apr. 1, 1902, died Apr. 8, 1902. He was buried in the Hiatt Cemetery in Renfro Valley, Rockcastle Co.

Anna Wright, born Apr. 12, 1903, died Mar. 16, 1984.

Robert Lee, born Jul. 7, 1905, died Jul. 8, 1985 in Rockcastle Co. He married Sallie Minerva Livesay, born Nov. 17, 1905, died Jan. 12, 1997. Both are buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Brodhead in Rockcastle Co.

Arthur Earl, born Mar. 16, 1907, died Jul. 14, 2000. He married Norma Nollen Beck on Feb. 4, 1934.

Colonel Ramsey, born Apr. 26, 1911, died Jan. 8, 1912. He is buried in the Hiatt Cemetery in Renfro Valley.

Pearl Givens, born Nov. 15, 1912, married Thelma Lillian Green on Feb. 11, 1940.

Jesse James, born Sep. 17, 1915, married Katherine L. Croddy on Mar. 21, 1935.

Edna Ruth, born Dec. 8, 1917, died Oct. 11, 1919.

Bradford Lewis, born Jul. 30, 1922, died Apr. 23, 1996. He married Blanche Marie Snipes on Dec. 13, 1947. Blanche was born Jan. 20, 1927 in Dayton, Campbell Co., KY and died Jul. 14, 2007 in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA. Both are buried in the Elmwood Cemetery at Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle Co.

This obituary appeared in The Shreveport Times, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA on Jul. 16, 2007:

SHREVEPORT, LA - Blanche Marie Coffey died July 14, 2007 at Willis-Knighton Pierremont Hospital in Shreveport, LA. She was born January 20, 1927 in Dayton, Kentucky, the daughter of Ruth Snipe Schmolt and Robert Lee Snipe. She was the beloved wife of Bradford Lewis Coffey. She served faithfully in gospel ministry with her husband for 45 years.

Blanche's family will receive friends Monday, July 16, 2007 at Rose-Neath Southside Chapel from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Survivors include four daughters, Patricia Boswell and husband Gary of Shreveport, Louisiana, Deborah Baker of Memphis, Tennessee, Rebecca Brenner and husband John of Tacoma, Washington, and Martha Harris of Enid, Oklahoma; one sister Mary Carroll of Hamilton, Ohio; eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. Her husband and two infant sons preceded her in death.

Burial will be at 1:00 p.m. on July 19, 2007 at Elmwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky. The services will be under the direction of Dowell-Martin Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky.Memorials may be made to the building fund of Westview Christian Church of Shreveport, Louisiana. Rose-Neath Funeral Home.

Update 8/20/07: A reader has notified me that there was another child born to Arthur and Gatie: Vearl Hyatt Coffey, b.23 May 1909, Renfro Valley, Rockcastle, Kentucky d.12 Sep 1972 Married Lou Ceil Cross on 15 Jun 1933.

I'm gone!

I'm off to the Coffey Cousins' Convention in Dubuque, IA. My wife and I are leaving a few days early and will spend sometime in Springfield, IL visiting Abe Lincoln landmarks and doing other "touristy" things.

I'll post photos and an update on the "goings on" when I get back, which will likely be after May 5. We have to be in south Louisiana then for a grandson's birthday party.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I will be away for the Thanksgiving holiday, enjoying grand children in south Louisiana, and later in the Houston area. If all goes well and the creek don't rise, I should be back home the first week in December.

Converting 1930 Census EDs to 1940 EDs

The bad news:

The 1940 United States census will not be released until April 1, 2012.

The good news:

If you have completed your 1930 census work, and recorded the ED (Enumeration District), you'll be able to find the new ED in the 1940 census. This will be useful to those who do not want to wait until a name index has been created.

I used one of my families, and entered the Louisiana parish name, ED60, and the suffix, 14, into the appropriate places on the conversion page. It told me that ED60-14 will be partially or fully contained in EDs 60-14, and 60-15A-B in 1940. So, when I do get a chance to look at the 1940 census, I'll be able to jump right to the correct ED and begin searching for my family.

Incidentally, 1940 will be the first census in which many of us will be able to find ourselves with our parents, or guardians.

You might not need this now, but store the website in your browser favorites. You'll be prepared when the 1940 census hits the libraries and on-line websites.

Smith Coffee Daniel II

Smith Coffee Daniel, Jr. [sometimes spelled Daniell] was, as his name implies, the son of Smith Coffee Daniel, Sr., and wife Priscilla Skinner. Senior was a son of Charles Daniel and Elizabeth Coffee, a daughter of Peter Coffee, Jr. and Sarah Smith. Peter, Jr. was the son of Peter, Sr. and wife Susannah Matthews.

I have not found any documentation substantiating the lineage, dates of births, deaths, etc. of the this line. To my knowledge no one has published a scholarly work documenting the Peter Coffee - Susannah Matthews descendants.

We do know that Smith Coffey Daniel, Jr. lived in Claiborne Co., MS where he married Catherine Skinner Freeland in about 1849. Together they had three children: Priscilla, born about 1851, Thomas Freeland, born about 1852, and Smith Coffee III, born about 1861. If these birthdates are close to accurate, there must have been other children born and died between 1852 and 1861.

Smith and Catherine began building Windsor, their Mississippi River plantation home in about 1859. A University of Mississippi website (click on title link) states that the home was supported by "29 forty-five (45) ft tall columns..."

The home survived the Civil War, and was used by both Confederate and Union forces. When U.S. Grant crossed the Mississippi River from the Hard Times Plantation in Tensas Parish, Louisiana side to Bruinsburg on the Mississippi side, the house was used as a Union Hospital. There are no known drawings or other representations of the home except for a sketch made by a Union soldier during their occupation of the home.

Unfortunately, the home was lost to fire on Feb. 17, 1890 when a lighted cigar fell into scrap left over by workers making repairs to the home. Today, only a few columns remain to attest to the magnificience of this plantation.

I visited the site a number of years ago and was dismayed to see that it had deteroriated into nothing more than a dump where visitors dropped their trash. The area was overgrown, and little had been done to preserve it. I understand that it has now been placed on the National Registry of Historical Places, and that Mississippi state parks officials administer the site.

Other links to Windsor:

Photographs by Mac McGuffee

National Scenic Byways Program

or, search Google

Back home...Again!

We have just returned from another week or so on the road. My wife and I camped for three days down near Breaux Bridge, LA with friends from all over the state.

When that was over we drove a few miles to Youngsville, LA and spent time with our youngest son and his family. They have two boys: a three year old and a seven month old. It's like living in a circus when we're there! Not really! They are two of the best behaved of the 7 grandchildren that we have.

South Louisiana is currently in drought condition. Since October, 2005 they have experienced something like 21 inches of the 40+ inches that they normally receive. North central Louisiana where we live is almost in the same condition. We did have rain shortly after getting back from our trip out west, but nothing since.

I'm really having a difficult time getting back into the groove of writing regularly about the Coffey and Coffee families. I don't have any new families to report on at the moment, but will start digging a bit more as the summer gets hotter and I stay in the air conditioning more.

In the meantime please write to me with suggestions, family info, photographs, etc. If you have a Coffee/y that you've hit the proverbial brick wall on, let me know and I'll see if I can help.

Coffee/Coffey in Louisiana

The following are names and data from my miscellaneous file:

Mary Coffey, no date, married John Kline, p34, St. Theresa of Avila Marriage Book 2 (1862-1890) (There is a St. Theresa of Avila in Ascension Parish, LA)

B. R. Coffee, member of Louisiana Militia (Wagon Wheel*, March 1984 edition)

John Coffey, Harbor policeman; Pvt., Co. A., 1st (Strawbridge's) La. Inf.; enlisted Apr. 1, 1861 in New Orleans; present on rolls Jun., Jul. and Aug., 1861; detached service to harbor police from Jul. 1 to Aug. 21, 1861; present from Sep. 1861 to Dec. 1861 and Jan. 1 to Apr. 30, 1862; discharged and final settlement given Apr. 1, 1862 (Wagon Wheel, Mar 1984, citing Confederate Research Source, Vol. 1, p370)

John B. Coffee, born LA, clerk, married, enlisted in New Orleans (Wagon Wheel, Mar., 1984, no other info)

G. Coffee, born Ireland, resided in New Orleans, married; private in Co. K, 1st (Nelligan's) La. Inf.; record copied from Memorial Hall, New Orleans, LA by War Dept., Washington, DC, May, 1908, occupation mechanic. (Wagon Wheel, Mar. 1984, citing Confederate Research Source, Vol. 1, p370)

Mary Coffey married James Lally (St. Theresa of Avila Marriage Book 2, p72 (1862-1890; exact date not given)

Kate Coffee married Edward Drury (ibid, p217, no other info)

Julia Coffee married Arthur Jacquet (ibid, p6, no other info)

Patrick Coffey, taken prisoner (Wagon Wheel, Mar., 1984; no other info)

John Coffee, parolled at Port Hudson (Wagon Wheel, Mar., 1984, no other info)

Roby Coffee, married Henry McDowell (Red River Parish Heritage Society, Vol. 1, 1989, p383)

Alice Coffee baptised at St. Mary's Italian Church, Orleans Parish, LA 1805 (Church baptismal registry No. 1, p20)

Charlotte Coffee married James Gleason Mar. 31, 1824 (source not listed)

H. M Coffee, 1830 Concordia Parish census, p156; 000011-101011

B. Coffee, 1830 Jefferson Parish census, p176; 200001-100001

Lisa Coffee, 1830 Orleans Parish census, p92; 0-000001

Hugh Coffee, 1845 Ouachita Parish, Louisiana Land Records, Doc., 163, Sep. 22, base line 18, twp. 12N, range 13E, sec. 1, 193.12 acres




















*A now defunct genealogy newsletter published in TN a number of years ago

Loy Grady Coffee 1917-1944

Loy Grady COFFEE

[Loy Grady Coffee was my father's younger brother, and the last son of Albert Lilburn and Ora Elizabeth Braley Coffee. He married Martha Easely of Harlingen, TX in Mar., 1943, but had no descendants.]


First Generation

1. Loy Grady COFFEE was born on July 27, 1917 in De Ann, Hempstead Co., AR. He enlisted in the military on December 9, 1941 He served in the military between 1941 and 1944 in United States Army Air Corps.1,2 He died on December 30, 1944 in Hays, Ellis Co., KS. He was buried in January 1945 in City Cemetery, Minden, Webster Parish, LA. News clipping from undated source, but probably from the Signal Tribune:

Headline:

Grady Coffee Is Attending Large Bombing School

Minden Boy Is In Second Class of U. S. Army's "Hell From Heaven Men"

Midland Army Flying School, Texas - Among the "Hell from Heaven Men" making up the second class at this world's greatest bombardier training school is Aviation Cadet Loy G. Coffee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert L. Coffee of Minden, Louisiana. At the completion of his course Cadet Coffee will become a commissioned officer in the United States army.

Formerly a student at Louisiana State university, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Cadet Coffee had previously received R. O. T. C. and national guard training, and while in civilian life he was actively interested in golf.

Training

At this huge new training school for America's bombardiers, young men learn the secrets and operation of our country's most devastating weapon of offense, the famed U. S. bombsight. The bombardier cadets divide their time between groundschool classrooms, spacious training hangars, and the swift-flying AT'LL's, specially designed bombadier training planes.

When they have the theory down pat, when they understand the why-and-wherefore of bombs and bombsights, the cadets crawl into the glass-enclosed nose compartments of their planes, spend day and night sending 100-pound practice bombs streaking toward targets that surround this bombardier college in an eighty mile circle.

Their course completed, these "Hell from Heaven Men" are good; are in fact, the best. That's why they've been dubbed "the most dangerous men in the world."

From the Webster Review (The Signal Tribune), Minden, Webster Parish, LA, January 2, 1945, page 1:

Headline:

Captain L. Grady Coffee Killed in Plane Crash

Body Will Be Returned With Military Escort For Funeral Service In Minden

Captain Loy Grady Coffee, 27, army air forces, was one of the ten servicemen killed when a plane exploded in mid-air and crashed at Walker Field, Hays, Kansas, Saturday, December 30. Only three of the crew were reported to have bailed out, and one is not expected to live.

Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Coffee, Captain Coffee was born and reared in Minden. He was a graduate of Minden high school where he was a football star, and attended L. S. U.. He volunteered for service on December 8, 1941, just six months before receiving his law degree. His initial training was received at Maxwell Field, Alabama, and he was commissioned a second lieutenant after completing training at the bombadier school, Midland, Texas. After graduation he remained at the school to serve as an instruction. From there he went to San Angelo and on to Harlingen. He was commissioned a first lieutenant at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, which was his last station before reporting to Walker Field as bombardier instructor. Soon after his arrival there, he was assigned other duties and promoted to the rank of captain.

He married the former Miss Martha Easley of Harlingen, Texas, in March, 1943. She has been with him since their marriage and will arrive in Minden sometime today accompanying the remains, which are being shipped with military escort.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed, but services are expected to be held at the First Baptist church, of which the deceased was a member, sometime following the arrival of Harry D. Coffee.

Besides his wife and parents, he is survived by four brothers, Frank H. Coffee, Minden; Dr. James Coffee, Baton Rouge; Harry D. Coffee, U. S. Coast Guard, now serving overseas; and Carl Coffee, Hope, Arkansas; and three sisters, Mrs. S. B. Samuel and Mrs. Gus Howell, both of Minden; and Miss Ruby Coffee, Shreveport.

The following is a summary of the accident report prepared by an Investigating Committee shortly after the accident:

Capt. Coffee was an Instructor Bombardier on a B-29 Flying Fortress. The B-29 took off at 9:15am and climbed to an altitude of 25,000 ft. At about 10:20am the No. 3 engine backfired and caught fire. An extinguisher was activated and the fire seemed to go out, but shortly flared up again, this time burning fiercely. Another extinguisher was activated but was not effective. The investigation determined that the fire had caused fuel lines to rupture and fuel was flowing uncontrolled into the engine.

The engine exploded causing the plane to lose its left wing and part of the fuselage. Part of the tail section was destroyed as the planed cartwheeled to earth. Crew members lost their oxygen equipment in the spin and were incapacitated to such as extent while bouncing around the inside of the plane that jumping was a "physical impossibility."

The pilot, 1st Lt Rufus C. Anderson, had previously alerted the crew to jump. Capt. Coffee, the navigator and the radio operator proceeded toward the door leading into the forward bombay. Capt. Coffee was being assisted into the leg straps of his parachute by the radio operator. The report of a survivor indicated that Capt. Coffee was later seen lying unconscious on the bombbay doors, and that he had probably been knocked unconscious. He had a deep gash on the top rear of his head. He later fell free of the plane, and his body was found intact and unburned.

Loy Grady COFFEE and Martha EASELY were married in March 1943 in Harlingen, Cameron Co., TX. Martha EASELY was born in Harlingen, Cameron Co., TX.

Sources

1. The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Men and Women in World War II from Webster Parish (After WW2). Capt. Grady L. Coffee, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Coffee, Minden, husband of Martha Easley, graduate of LSU. Entered Army AC, 1941, trained in Midland AAF, Boise, Idaho and Walker Field, Kan. Served in Amer. Theater. Killed in B-29 Crash in Walker Field Kansas.
2. National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Original data: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946 [Archival Database]; World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. Name: Loy G Coffee Birth Year: 1917 Race: White, citizen Enlistment Date: 9 Dec 1941 Branch: Air Corps Branch Code: Air Corps Grade: Aviation Cadet Grade Code: Aviation Cadet Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law Component: Army of the United States - includes the following: Voluntary enlistments effective December 8, 1941 and thereafter; One year enlistments of National Guardsman whose State enlistment expires while in the Federal Service; Officers appointed in the Army of Source: Enlisted Man, Regular Army, within 3 months of Discharge or former WAAC Auxiliary Education: 4 years of college Civil Occupation: Actor (Motion picture actor. ) or Director, Motion Picture (Motion picture director.) or Entertainer Marital Status: Single, without dependents Height: 72 Weight: 151.

Soldier's grave puzzles Bossier Parish historian

"Nearly a century after his death, Dave Conway is teasing Bossier Parish [Louisiana] historian Clif Cardin.

Conway rests beneath a wooded hillside in south Bossier Parish, deep in the Stonewall Baptist Church cemetery, now fully overgrown by forest. His marker says he died in 1911, age 81, and that he served three years in the U.S. Army."

Click on the title link to read more about the mysterious Dave Conway, and this old cemetery.

Use this link to check names of people buried in the Stonewall Baptist Church cemetery.

Andrew Jackson Coffee

Andrew Jackson Coffee, Captain of Company I, First Regiment, O. N. G., is a native son of the Golden State, born in Oakland, January 13, 1861. His ancestors were among the early settlers of Virginia, and the immediate descendants engaged in planting. Joshua Coffee was an officer in the Revolutionary war, and General John Coffee was a distinguished soldier in the war of 1812; he was General Jackson's most trusted friend and lieutenant, and was selected to make the right attack upon the British, which resulted in that memorable hand-to-hand combat on the night of December 23, 1814, when the Tennesseeans used their hunting-knives in place of bayonets. Colonel Andrew Jackson Coffee, the father of our subject, was born near Nashville, Tennessee, August 20, 1819. In 1837 he was appointed a cadet at West Point, but afterward resigned to become a civil engineer. In 1846 he was appointed Paymaster in the army, and served through the war with Mexico to the battle of Buena Vista, in which he won the rank of Major with the brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel for gallant and meritorious conduct. After the battle, as a mark of especial confidence and appreciation he was selected to carry dispatches to President Polk. Thus at the early age of twenty-nine years he had attained distinction in his country's service. He retained his position in the army, serving in Texas and Louisiana until 1853, when he was assigned to duty on the Pacific coast with headquarters at San Francisco. In July of 1859 he resigned his position, and retired to civil life. He was one of a syndicate to acquire almost the whole of the present site of Oakland, but misfortunes came, and he lost his property. he was married April 3, 1839, to Miss Elizabeth A. Hutchings, of Huntsville, Alabama. Captain A. J. Coffee is the youngest of the family of five children born of this union. He was educated in the public schools of Oakland, and San Francisco, at Urban Academy, and Heald's Business College of San Francisco, California. He then took up the study of electricity, and in 1876 he accepted a position as salesman and assistant electrician with the Electrical Construction & Maintenance Company of San Francisco. he continued his duties and the following year he entered the employ of the American District Telegraph Company of San Francisco; in the fall of that year he put up the first telephone in San Francisco. He was also connected with the Belle Telephone Company and the Golden Stock Telegraph Company until October, 1880, when he came to Portland, as superintendent of the Portland Telephone, Telegraph and Electric Light Company; he remained with this corporation until 1883 when he became electrician for the United States Electric Light and power Company, which was merged into the Willamette Falls Electric Company. In 1884 Captain Coffee was appointed city electrician of Portland, oregon, and has charge of all the electric works of the city.

He was married in San Francisco in 1882, to Miss Edith Hinton, who died in July, 1889, leaving one son, Luen H. He was married a secod time in Portland, October, 1890, to Miss Ella L. Muffley, of California, and to this union one child has been born, Lenore.

The military education of the Captain began in San Francisco, in 1877, during the Chinese riots; he joined Company B, Volunteer Citizens' Safety Committee, and was actively engaged in supressing the Mail Dock riot and other disturbances about the city. After peace was restored, a military company was organized, knows as Company F., Second Infantry Regiment, O. N. G., he was mustered in April 3, 1878, and was an active member until leaving the city. In 1882, he with two others organized Company "G," First Regiment O. N. G. of Portland, Oregon and which soon proved the banner company by meritorious service in the threatened riots of 1885. In 1887 he was elected Captain of Company I, formerly known as the High School Cadets; this company was organized by some of the older pupils, and attracting attention by their enthusiam, they received encouragement and assistance from Professor Warren, who drilled them to a degree of excellence and perfection not (now) attained. After the resignation of Captain Warren, Captain Coffee was elected to the same position by the unanimous voice of the company; through the personal efforts of Captain Warren this company was admitted as Company I, First Regiment; they have always been noted for their zeal and energy, and are one of the best drilled companies of the Regiment. In 1890 Captain Coffee, assisted by George P. Frank, Police Commissioner, instituted a system of company drill in the police force of the city, and have acquired so high a degree of proficienty that their exhibitions are highly commended, and their skill in maneuvers would do credit to any company of the National Guards.

Hines, H. K. An illustrated history of the state of Oregon : containing a history of Oregon from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future, illustrations and full-page portraits of some of its eminent men and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day
Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1893, 1329 pgs.

[O. N. G. = Oregon National Guard]
[I recall that John Coffey Hayes, the former Texas Ranger, was also involved in purchasing property, and establishing what is known today as Oakland, CA (jkc)]

San Francisco Genealogy

The City of San Francisco has finally contributed something to the genealogy world.

Pamela Storm Wolfskill and Ron Filion have created San Francisco Genealogy with a number of on-line records.

I did a quick search for Coffee and found - in addition to the usual links to coffee houses, etc., the following:


"COFFEE--In this city, March 30, 1946, Ernest H. COFFEE, beloved son of the late Patrick John and Elizabeth HIGGS COFFEE, loving brother of Florence Ellis COFFEE and the late Walter A. COFFEE." Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr 1946"

COFFEE--In New Orleans, La., January 21 [1912], Frank L. COFFEE, a native of Louisiana." Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Jan 1912."

COFFEE--In this city, November 15, P.J. dearly beloved husband of Elizabeth COFFEE (nee HIGGS) and loving father of Ernest H, and Florence Ellis COFFEE and the late Walter A. COFFEE, a native of Boston, Mass. aged 83 years. Remains at his late residence, 571 Waller Street. Cypress Lawn Burial." Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Nov 1921"

COFFEE--In this city, March 10, Walter Andrew, beloved son of P.J. and Elizabeth (nee HIGGS) COFFEE, and brother of Florence E. and Ernest H. COFFEE, a native of California, aged 37 years, ll months and 10 days. San Francisco Daily Morning Call, 12 July, 1873."

I found only one reference to Coffey:

COFFEY--San Francisco, September 18 - Some four months ago a warrant was issued for the arrest of Patrick COFFEY, charged with wholesale carting away of old iron from Pacific Foundry on First Street. This morning at about 11 o' clock, officers WAITE and RYAN arrested COFFEY on Main Street and took him to Booth's Foundry on First Street for identification. While WAITE and COFFEY were standing on the sidewalk waiting for RYAN, who had entered the foundry, COFFEY started to run. WAITE, after calling to him several times to stop, fired at him with a revolver, intending, as he says, to frighten COFFEY. The ball struck the fugitive in the back, penetrating the right lung. He was taken to the prison hospital and died on reaching it. COFFEY was a boilermaker, by trade, aged 30 years and a family man." Source: Sacramento Bee, 18 Sept 1875, p.2."

Each entry has the name of the transcriber, and in some cases a contact e-mail address.

Click on the title link to investigate this new and interesting site.

Random Coffey Information - From Louisiana Newspapers

Obituary: The Alexandria Daily Town Talk, April 8, 2004: Lawrence B. Coffey, 71, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania died Wednesday, April 7, 2004 in Department of Veterans Medical Center in Alexandria.

Arrangements are under the direction of John Kramer & Son Funeral Home.

Wedding: The Alexandria Daily Town Talk, Apr. 3, 2003: Bonnie Nicole Coffey and Matthew Ronald Jacques were married on Saturday, July 12, at 6 p.m. in Boston, Mass. The sunset ceremony took place on the "Charles I" riverboat, near the Esplanade, on the Charles River.

Bonnie is the daughter of Sharon L. Cole of Greensboro, N.C., formerly of Alexandria, and James O. Coffey of Calvin. Her paternal grandparents are Patty Jean Coffey of Natchitoches and the late Olan L. Coffey. Her maternal grandparents are the late Mr. and Mrs. Vermon and Lonnie S. Cole.

Matthew is the son of Ron and Kathy Jacques of Lewiston, Maine. His paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Jacques, also of Lewiston. His maternal grandparents are Irene Cote of Topsham, Maine, and the late Paul Cote.

The bride wore a white floor length gown with beaded corset bodice and long sheer sleeves which formed a square neckline over the shoulders. The dress also featured a full ballgown skirt and chapel length train. She carried a hand tied bouquet of white roses and hydrangea with blue delphinium.

Her maid of honor was Heather Green of Baton Rouge. Music was performed by violinist Julia Cash, and the ceremony was officiated by Richard Laham.

Bonnie is a 1999 graduate of Bolton High School. In May of this year, she graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama with a bachelor of science in mathematics and philosophy. In September she will begin attending Boston College on a teaching fellowship, in pursuit of a master of science in teaching in the field of mathematics.

The groom is a 2001 cum laude graduate of Boston College, with a B.A. in computer science and philosophy. He is employed as a software engineer for General Dynamics Corp. in Taunton, Mass.

The couple now reside at their new home in Boston, Mass.

Obituary: The Alexandria Daily Town Talk, Nov. 21, 1999: Services for Eudie L. Guidry will be at 2 p.m. Monday in the chapel of Hixson Bros., Alexandria, with Dr. Henry Blount, the Revs. Roy James and Tim Everett officiating. Burial will be in Alexandria Memorial Gardens.

Mrs. Guidry, 83, of Alexandria died Friday, Nov. 19, 1999, in a family residence.

She was a Baptist. She sang with Jimmy Davis in the Louisiana Hayride and also sang on KWKH Radio Station, Shreveport.

Survivors include four sons, Jimmy Guidry, Robby Guidry and Gary Guidry, all of Nashville, Tenn., and Danny Guidry of Alexandria five daughters, Pat Decuire of Melder, Barbara Wilson of New Orleans, Janie LeBlanc of Nashville, Tenn., and Martha Chapman and Donna Cannon, both of Alexandria one sister, Roberta Coffey of Conroe, Texas 26 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. until time of services Monday in the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, 605C Medical Center Drive, Alexandria, La., 71301-8127.

A Privacy Issue?

Recently, I received an e-mail from someone demanding that they be removed from my database, and from a genealogy website that I own (not Coffey Cousins'). Not satisfied with merely making the demand, they insinuated that an attorney relative had assured him I had no legal right to use his name on the web.

It was apparent that the writer - a very young man according to my records - was using the old "I'll get my attorney onto you" ploy, or had one that had failed the bar exam! I reminded the young man that "public records" means that the records belong to the public. Births, deaths, marriages, divorces, property transfers, and the like appear in newspapers, and on the web. Many of those notices are posted by the person(s) involved. Except for some remote possibility of copyright infringement, there is nothing illegal about using that type of "public" information in a genealogy file.

Most family historians recognize that some people are paranoid that others may find out about them. My wife tears our names and address off envelopes before discarding them. I have often reminded her that our name and address is listed in several area telephone directories, not to mention the city directory, and such websites as Switchboard.com! I am not always happy about removing someone from my files; that has happened perhaps three or four times in the years that I have been researching family. But, I do it no matter how reluctant I am. I do understand privacy issues, and make every effort to restrict public postings of living people to their names only.

Fortunately, I had already published a book that contains the young man's ancestry. The book can be found in several Arkansas and Louisiana libraries, and future generations of his family will not wonder why their ancestors did not appear in the family history.

I would be interested in learning the views of other researchers on this subject.

Arkansas History Commission and State Archives

E-mail just arrived from Russell P. Baker, CA, Archival Manager of the Arkansas History Commission and State Archives in Little Rock:

ITS OFFICIAL

HISTORY COMMISSION TO REOPEN ON SATURDAYS

The Arkansas History Commission and State Archives will be open on Saturdays, beginning June 4, for the convenience of those who can’t come during regular weekday hours. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and staff, including either an archivist or librarian, will be on hand to assist researchers and visitors. “We’ve had a lot of demand from the public for Saturday hours,” said Wendy Richter, the new state historian who took office on May 16. “We are aware that it is difficult for some people to visit the archives during the work week, especially those from out-of-town. Being open on Saturdays will make the information more accessible to the public, whether they’re doing genealogical or historical research, or both.”

A treat is in store for those who have never visited the archives, located on the second floor of the Multi-Agency Complex building at One Capitol Mall, west of the State Capitol building. The areas open to the public represent a microcosm of both American and Arkansas timelines. The oldest information owned by the agency is French Louisiana records purchased from France that cover the time frame 1680 to 1800. Some of the other earliest papers on file include “Matrimonios De Blanco” which loosely translated is “White Marriages,” those that took place at "Poste de Arkansea" from 1791 to 1840. These files, along U.S. Census, county, church and military records, are mostly accessible on microfilm.

A couple of Arkansas history gems on view in the offices that are sure to thrill the history buff include Edward P. Washbourne’s original Arkansas Traveller painting, and the original 1912 Arkansas flag design submission by Willie Kavanaugh Hocker of Wabbaseka. An interesting note missed by most is that the original flag did not include the state’s name. A mock-up of the winning entry to which Arkansas has been added hangs below the original. nother popular exhibit is one of authentic Civil War currency, which is available for viewing by appointment. Portraits of well-known personages that had an impact on the state, such as Henri de Tonti, plus famous Arkansans like Albert Pike, line the walls. A rotating exhibit of artifacts owned by the Commission can be viewed just outside the office’s main entrance.

For more information, contact Wendy Richter at (501) 682-6900 or e-mail wendy.richter@arkansas.gov . Directions on how to reach the offices can be found on the official History Commission Web site: www.ark-ives.com