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Showing posts with label Owens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Owens. Show all posts

May 3, 2012

Nathan E. Coffey

Nathan E. (Edward?) was born c1867 in Texas to Thomas Arvil and Hannah Henson Coffey.  On Jan. 17, 1889* he married Elizabeth "Betty" McNatt in Denton Co., the daughter of James W. and Amanda Jane "Mandy" Hammonds McNatt.  Betty was born on Feb. 17, 1869 in Benton Co., AR and died on Mar. 6, 1938 in Denton, Denton Co., TX.

She and Nathan apparently divorced, or perhaps Nathan died, before 1898.  Before that however, she gave birth to their only known child, Andrew Jackson Coffey in Aubrey, Denton Co. on Jun. 26, 1895.  Following that, Nathan disappeared into history, some genealogies reporting that he died in Indian Territory, OK, but offering no proof.

Betty married again on Aug. 26, 1898** in Denton Co. to Jeremiah Washington "Jerry" Looper.  Jerry was born on May 5, 1850 in Alabama and died Feb. 2, 1940 in Aubrey.

Prior to his marriage to Betty, Jerry had married Ellen Elizabeth "Lizzie" Kelley in Etowah Co., AL on Dec. 31, 1873***.  She was born c1859 in AL and died on May 31, 1895 in Denton Co.  In those 22 years, she gave birth to seven children:  Leonard; Dennis; Arlan Murray; Andrew J.; James W.; Bertie; and Hollie Rollin.

The only known child born to Jerry and Betty was Jerry Edward, on Aug. 16, 1899, died Apr. 8, 1971 in Denton Co.  Jerry married Vera Tennessee Coffey, a daughter of Asberry Aurelius and Louisa Elizabeth Owens Coffey, c1925 in TX.  Vera was born Jul. 9, 1905 in TX and probably in Denton Co., and died there on Aug. 28, 1986.  I know of two children, Doyce Edward, born 1926 and Kenneth Gerald, born 1930, both in Denton Co.

Jeremiah Washington "Jerry" Looper and his two wives are buried at the Belew Cemetery in Aubrey, Denton Co.  Several of his children with Elizabeth Kelly are also buried there:  Andrew J., Nov. 14, 1880 to Aug. 21, 1882; James W., born Oct. 29, 1882 died Jan. 1, 1893; and Hollie Rollin, Feb. 7, 1888, died Sep. 28, 1944. His child with Betty McNatt, Jerry Edward, died Apr. 8, 1971, and his wife Vera, died Aug. 28, 1986 in Denton are also buried at Belew.

Primarily, I am wondering if there was a divorce between Nathan and Betty McNatt and, if so, when.  Did he survive to remarry and have additional children?  When and where did he die and where is he buried?


*Texas Marriages, 1837-1973, www.familysearch.org
**Texas Marriages, 1814-1909 & 1966-2002, www.familysearch.org [Texas source:  Texas Marriages, 1851-1900]
***Early American Marriages: Alabama, 1800-1920, Dodd, Jordan R., Name: J W Looper Spouse: Ellen Kelly Marriage Date: 31 Dec 1873 County: Etowah State: Alabama Performed By Title: Minister of Gospel Performed by Name: J W Trotter Source information: Jordan Dodd, Liahona Research

December 16, 2011

James Marion & Jessie Richards Coffey

James and Jessie were married in Gentry Co., MO on Feb. 20, 1884.  James was born in that county to Milton Hiatt and Cynthia Jane Nichols in Mar., 1861.  Jessie was born in Richland Co., IL in Feb., 1866.  I do not have her parents.  James died in Gentry Co. on Dec. 9, 1941 and Jessie died there on Dec. 13, 1959.  Both are buried at the Jennings Cemetery in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co.

The couple were parents to at least eight children, one of which was Fanny Armilda Coffey born Ar. 19, 1892 in Gentry Co.  Fanny first married Ira Sylvester Kuhn on Aug. 22, 1910 in Maryville, Nodaway Co., MO.  They had two children, Nola in 1912 and Merlin in 1915.  Ira died on Dec. 19, 1918 and Fanny moved back with her parents where she and her children were enumerated on Jan. 17, 1920.

Shortly thereafter Fanny is said to have married Weaver Getz, born c1881.  I have not pinned down when they were married but, I know this about Mr. Getz:  He was with his parents in Nodaway Co. in 1900.  He was 19 and unmarried.  In 1910 he was married and residing with his wife Elsie Owens Getz in Bogle, Gentry Co.  There was one child in the household, a son named Eldan.

Elsie died on Sep. 19, 1920 in St. Joseph, Buchanan Co., MO and was buried at Worth Co., MO.  If Weaver and Fanny married, they did not make it to the 1930 census together.  That year, Fanny can be found in Center Twp., Greene Co., MO with her two Kuhn children - enumerated as Getz - and a daughter named Pauline Getz, born c1925.  Fanny also reported that she was a widow.

Weaver did not appear in the 1930 census and, I have not been able to find a death record for him until Jun., 1968 when he died in Buchanan Co.

Readers with information about the Getz union are invited to contact me.  I would like to know when and where he and Fanny were married, what happened to his son Eldan and the daughter Pauline.  Information about the Kuhn children would also be welcomed.

November 26, 2010

Joseph Elzie and Mary Ann Coffey Hays

Joseph's parents were Gabriel Hays, Jr. born c1792 in VA who married Martha Coffey in Adair Co., KY on Dec. 26, 1813.  Martha was the daughter of Cleveland and Jane Witherspoon Coffey.  Her date of birth and death is not known to me, but given the time of marriage, she was likely born around the same time frame as Gabriel.

Martha and Gabriel were the parents of Joseph Elzie Hays, born Dec. 6, 1822 in Russell Co., and died there on Jan. 23, 1904.

Joseph was married three times.  His first was to Sophia M. Saufley on Oct. 19, 1848 in KY.  Sophia was born c1822 in VA and died on Mar. 14, 1853 in KY.  If there were children born to this union, none survived.

On Mar 25, 1854 in Russell Co., Joseph married Mary Ann Coffey, a second cousin to his mother, Martha Coffey Hays.  Mary Ann was born Jul. 4, 1828 in Russell Co., and died there on May 24, 1869, apparently in childbirth while delivering their fourth child, Rose.  Their first three children were Sophia, born c1856 who became the wife of Judge W. S. Stone; Mary A., born c1866 and Rose L., born c1869, all in Russell Co.

Joseph's third wife was Elizabeth C. Young of Wayne Co., daughter of G. W. and Margaret Pemberton Young.  There were no children.

A biography* of Joseph, published in 1888, reveals that his father Gabriel Hays, Jr. came from VA to settle in a part of Adair Co. that is now in Russell Co.  Gabriel Hays, Sr., was a "native of Scotland" who came to the "American colonies and went into the war of Revolution, arose to the position of major, and served in that capacity until independence was achieved."

An very interesting part of this bio reads: 
"Martha (Coffey) Hays was born in Adair, now Russell County, was a daughter of Cleveland Coffey, a native of North Carolina who was an early settler in Adair, now Russell County, Ky.; he was a farmer and stock-trader, and a son of Joel Coffey, also a native of North Carolina, whose father, Joel Coffey, Sr. was of English parentage.  Joseph E. Hays is of Scotch [sic] descent on his father's side, and of English on his mother's."

Joel, father of Cleveland, was probably born in VA and was married to Martha Stepp/Stapp c 1753,  Certainly, the number of Joel Coffeys floating around between VA and KY in that timeframe makes it extremely difficult to sort them out.

The following are some random notes that I have and which I believe pertain to Joel who married Martha Stepp/Stapp:
Joel, born 1780, m Martha "Patsy"?.  They had 6 children: Nathaniel, m1 Louisa Durham, m2 Nancy Clark; Alvina (Elvira), b 1811, m Martin Wright, Mar 27, 1828.  She died Sep 7, 1869; Caroline, m Unk Summers; Martha L., m Perry M. Stacy; Francis m Jackson Jones; Henry B., m Sara Ann Isbele. Source:  Lee Robert, Nov., 1998.

Joel was b. late 1740's and d. 1789.  Married Martha in 1753. Martha was b. 1737.  Joel was son of Chesley and Jane Cleveland Coffee. Their children were Jesse Cleveland; James, Joel, Nathan, Caty, Frances Jane, Sealey, Nebuzarren, Cleveland.  Source:  Revolutionary Ancestors, 1976; Wood Coffee Will and Inventory.

Joel and Martha are mentioned in The Georgians, Genealogies of Pioneer Settlers, by J. H. Austin.

Joel's will (probate) dated 1789 Wilkes Co., NC.  Children listed as James, Joel, Cleveland, Nathan, Katy, Jane and Celia.  See North Carolina will book C, page 321.

Marvin Coffey wrote in his works that DAR has always listed Joel as born 1730, and married in 1753 to Martha Sealy, born 1737.  Nebuzaradon, their youngest son, was born in 1780 meaning that Martha would have been aged 52 at his birth.

A number of researchers have theorized that Joel married Martha Sealey who died, and he then married Martha Step.  Others have the opinion that Joel married a widow by the name of Mrs. Martha Step Sealey while another group has said that Sealey was a nickname for Celia which was the middle name of Martha.  Another thought is that Joel was born much earlier, about 1750.

Joseph is not listed in Joel's 1789 will (Wilkes Co., NC Will Book I, p260) but does appear in other researcher's works.  He could have been born to Joel's first wife and died before the will was made.  Joseph has also been reported to have gone to Kentucky quite early, and already otherwise provided for by his father thereby not making the will.  And, even if Joel had only one wife, Joseph could still have died quite young.  Marvin noted that there was a Joseph Coffey on early tax records of Adair Co., KY.
The bio paragraph cited above says that Joel (Martha Stepp) Coffey was the son of a Joel of English parents.  To me, this says the belief (among some Coffey researchers) that Joel was a son of the elusive - almost mythical - Chesley Coffey, may not be accurate. I am told that the DNA test results of some researchers who trace their lineage to this Joel are descendants of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey.

So, it could be that some in the 1888 biography - and who undoubtedly contributed to it - believed they were of English not Irish descent.  We know that Edward was Irish and came to America as an indentured servant and, likely come here through England.  We know that Peter Coffee, an Irishman and Edward's distant relative, came to America from an English prison.  Given that Edward may also have departed from England, seems logical to me that 100-plus year old family tales could have mistakenly told of Edward being of English descent.  Edward may have thought of himself as being English, given the Ireland-England politics of the era.

Continuing with Joseph...

The Bio tells us that his father was a "life-long invalid," and that Joseph was self-educated.  By the time he was 17 he was the deputy county surveyor, working under Hiram Rowe.  He began teaching school at age 19 and at the age of 21 was elected to the Kentucky militia as a captain and, rose the the rank of colonel.  He read law with Gen. Rice Maxey and admitted to the Kentucky bar in 1846.

Being a somewhat wealthy man and the largest slave owner in the county, he was naturally a southern sympathizer during the Civil War.  At the close of the war he returned to his law practice and was appointed "master commissioner of the Russell Circuit Court."  It did not take long for him to recoup the wealth he lost as a result of the war.

His son, Hiram was born on Dec. 7, 1858 and was educated in the law by his father.  He "was admitted to the bar at the age of seventeen years and six months."  He also taught school in Jamestown at the age of 14; spent a year in Texas and returned to KY at the age of 20.  He settled in Monticello, Wayne Co. where he practiced law and became county attorney.

He married Eva Owens, a daughter of Dr. S. R. Owens, a well known physician of the time.  They were parents of one daughter, Mary Owen Hays.  In 1882 Hiram was a candidate for Congress.  While on the stump however, he became ill and withdrew.  He died on Jan. 14, 1888 at the home of Dr. Owens.



* W. H. Perrin, Author, Kentucky: A History of the State: Embracing a concise account of the origin and development of the Virginia Colony; its expansion westward, and the settlement of the frontier beyond the Alleghenies; the erection of Kentucky as an independent state, and its subsequent development, J. H. Battle & G. C. Kniffin, Authors, eighth edition (Lewisville, KY, & Chicago, IL: F. A. Battey and Company, 1888), Pgs 860-861.

October 7, 2008

Milton Carter Dalton Family


Milton Carter Dalton was a son of Carter and Nancy Elizabeth Whitsett Dalton. Carter was a son of Tandy Witcher and Matilda Coffey Dalton while Nancy Elizabeth was a daughter of Nathan and Elizabeth Coffey Whitsett.

Matilda and Elizabeth were double first cousins, descendants of Benjamin Coffey and Mary Hayes as well as Colby Rucker and Sarah Roberts.

Milton was the seventh of at least eight children born to Carter and Nancy. He was born Dec. 20, 1879 in Tazewell, Claiborne Co., TN. I believe that he married Elizabeth Jane Owens, born Aug. 4, 1876 and died Nov., 1941.

According to the 1920 census [not yet found in 1900 or 1910], their children were Cassie, born c1904; James C., born c1906; Andrew, born c1907; and Fred, born c1914.

The photograph - source unknown - is said to be one of Nancy Elizabeth Whitsett Dalton, Cassie, Milton Carter and Elizabeth Jane with James C. on her lap.

Please contact me if you are the source of the photograph, or can add to or correct any of the family information.