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Showing posts with label Quesenberry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quesenberry. Show all posts

November 18, 2012

James Granville & Lois Ann Dancy Coffey

James and Lois had at least nine children, including Charles Earnest Coffey, born Apr. 17, 1897 in Freeman, Mercer Co., WV.

Charles Earnest Coffey Death Certificate
Chas. Ernest Coffey Death Cert.
Charles was married to Lockie B. Quesenberry in Coalwood, McDowell Co., WV on Jul. 28, 1921.  Charles, a coal miner, died of a broken back on Oct. 1, 1923 in Beckley, Raleigh Co. and she died in Mar., 1985 in Raleigh Co., WV after having married twice more.

Her child with Charles Earnest Coffey was Charles Raymond, born c1922 in Raleigh Co. Charles married Jane Bush on Dec. 13, 1945 in Raleigh Co.  Jane was born c1924 in Mullens, Wyoming Co., WV.

After Charles' death, Lockie married William Henry M. Wickline on Jun. 15, 1925 in Mullens.  He was born c1899 and died in Beckley on Apr. 24, 1946.  They had at least two children:  Pebble, born c1926 and Jacqueline, born c1928.

Her third husband was Allen Gerald Smith to whom she was married on Apr. 16, 1960 in FayetteCo., WV. He was born there in 1888.

Lockie was a daughter and probably only child of Thomas Henry Quesenberry and his wife, Lucinda "Lucy" Quesenberry.  The couple were likely related but I haven't investigated that possibility.

Thomas was apparently a notorious and unrepentant "moonshiner" in Loudoun Co., VA.*  In 1930 he went to prison in Waupun, Dodge Co., WI, sentenced to 27 years for killing two men in that state.  He is said to have escaped sometime before 1935 and returned to VA where he restarted his bootlegging operation.  He was recaptured and charged with the murder of a revenue agent.  He was returned to prison on Jul. 30, 1935 at Hillsville, Carroll Co., VA.

The story I read is that he shot and killed the agent "at a distance of about a quarter of a mile."  He was apparently not returned to Wisconsin because in 1935 he was in the VA State Penal Farm at Hillsville in Carroll Co. and, in 1940 was in the VA State Prison at Richmond.

I suppose that at the height of WW2 prisoners were being considered for the draft.  Thomas was registered on May 27, 1943 while still in the Virginia State prison.  He was described then as being 6' 1" tall and weight about 195 lbs.  He was a big man for that era.  He was mistakenly recorded as a "negro" with "blue eyes" and "gray hair."

Charles Earnest Coffey is buried at Premier Cemetery at Welch, McDowell Co., WV.  I would appreciate however, hearing from anyone who might know where any of the other folks are buried.

Jack



*Eugene Scheel, Thomas Balch Library, 208 W. Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176, The History of Loudoun County, Virginia (http://www.loudounhistory.org/history/moonshiners.htm : Viewed 18 November 2012), "Mountains Full of Moonshiners".