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Showing posts with label Rice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rice. Show all posts

September 22, 2012

William Harrison Parmley, Spouse of Sara Zerilda Coffey



WILLIAM H. PARMLEY

The farm and gin interests of Montague county, Texas, have an enterprising representative in the subject of this sketch, William H. Parmley.  He is a Kentuckian by birth and was born in Wayne County, September 13, 1858, son of Robert and Serilda (Strunk) Parmley, both natives of Kentucky.

Robert Parmley, Sr., grandfather of William H., was a Virginian and a great hunter who at an early day settled in the wilds of Kentucky, where he improved a farm and carried on agricultural pursuits extensively, having slaves to do his work.  He was twice married.  By his first wife the children were:  James, Garner, John, Washington, Lewis, Robert, Jr., Henderson, Giles, Mrs. Sidney Gan, and Mrs. Rebecca Rice.  Following are the names of the children by the second wife:  Mrs. Betty McBath.  William, Lad, Mrs. Abigail Winchester, Mrs. Ersley Stokes, Mrs. Vie Young, Mrs. Ellen Powers and H. Clay.

Robert Parmley, Jr., in his early manhood taught school for some years.  Although a southerner, he was a Union man, and two of his brothers, William and Lad, were Union soldiers.  He however took no part in the war.  He is politically a Democrat and was honored with official position in his native State, and also since his removal to Kansas.  He moved west in 1877 and settled in Cowley county, Kansas, where he improved a good farm and was for many years successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits.  Now at the age of eighty-two years, and still vigorous, he is living retired in Burden, that county.   Here he has served as justice of the peace and city judge.  He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and of the Masonic fraternity, and has long been known as a generous, big-hearted, broad-minded man with a character in every way above reproach.  His first wife died in 1879. She belonged to one of the early families of Kentucky; was a member of Cumberland Presbyterian church, and was a woman of lovely Christian character.  Little is known of her family history.  Fowlowing are the names of her children:  Mrs. Milda Rice James (deceased); William H.; John (deceased); Ned (deceased); Bell, wife of George R. McClelland, and Ellen, wife of M. Mackey.  The father subsequently married a Mrs. Burris, his present companion. 

William H. Parmley was seventeen when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Kansas.  His education was received chiefly at home under his father's instruction and in the practical school of experience.  He assisted his father in the development of their farm in the new State of Kansas.  Then in 1880 he returned to Kentucky, married the sweetheart of his youth and took her back to Kansas with him. The next two years he was employed in breaking prairie with two yoke of oxen.  He rented land in Chautauqua county one year;  moved to Llano county, Texas, where he raised two crops; returned to Kansas, but soon came back Texas, this time settling in Montague county, where he bought eighty acres of land, to which he afterward added another eighty acres, and where he remained eight years.  His next move was to Indian Territory, but he did not remain there long.  Coming again to Montague County, he purchased land where he now resides.  To his original purchase here, one hundred and sixty acres, he has since added until he is now the owner of one thousand acres, 600 acres of which are under cultivation, most of which he rents, his chief products being corn and cotton.  His farm with its commodious, modern residence and other buildings, wind mill and fine water, large orchard of choice fruits, etc., is certainly an ideal country place.  In 1900 Mr. Parmley became interested in ginning.  He erected a gin with a daily capacity of twenty-five bales, to the operation of which he has since given his attention in ginning season.  It has been by his own energy and good management that Mr. Parmley has accumulated his estate since coming to Montague County, and he has well earned the title of self-made man.

Politically, Mr. Parmley is a Republican, posted and up-to-date in the country's progress and hopeful of Republican success in Texas.  He is one of the active members of the Farmer's Union, and both he and his wife are identified with the Missionary Baptist Church.

Of Mr. Parmley's domestic life, we record that he married Miss Serilda Coffee who was born in Kentucky, December 18, 1858, daughter of Jackson and Martha J. (Spann) Coffee, the former a native of Kentucky, the later of Tennessee. Her grandfather, Nathaniel Coffee, was a prominent farmer of Kentucky.  His children were:  Jackson; Cleve, one of the early settlers of Texas and William.  Jackson, a farmer in Kentucky until 1882, that year moved to Texas and settled in Hopkins county, where he spent two years; then came to Llano county, and two years later to Montague County, where he lived with his daughter for fifteen years.  He died here October 20, 1889. He was a plain, honest farmer, a member of the primitive Baptist church, and was highly respected by all who knew him.  His children in order of birth are:  Shelby, Lewis, Jack, Henry, and Willis, all deceased;  Samuel and Robert of Indian Territory;  Cleve, who resides with his sister, Mrs. Parmley;  Clay, who died in early life;  Eliza, wife of J. Kennett;  Mrs. Serilda Parmley;  and Mollie, deceased.  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Parmley are:  Robert, Leenora, Charles L., Thadeus, William F., Maud, Dosha and Lula S., all living at this writing except Lenora, who died at the age of three months.



A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas.
Captain B.B. Paddock, Editor, Illustrated Vol. II; 1906, The Lewis Publishing Company of Chicago & N.Y. Page 539-540
Thanks to Jacqueline Daffron for providing this info on 9/22/2012 - Click on title link to read earlier blog on this family.

August 13, 2007

Looking for help!

I have the following Coffey families from Caldwell Co., NC that I am unable to place with their parents.




  • Finley C. Coffey, m. Verdie Corpening - a child was Francis Nadine, born 5.18.1840

  • Finley C. Coffey, m. Sarah Pearson - a child was Magalener, born 3.1.1910

  • Henry C. Coffey, m. Ruth Ann Carter - a child was Frances Irene, born 7.27.1937

  • Jasper P. Coffey, m. Mary Jane Minton - a child was Ellis Lafayette, born 7.3.1888

  • Clarence M. Coffey, m. Bessie Simmons - a child was Peggy Jean, born 10.24.1930

  • Wm. H. Coffey, m. Mattie Maltba - a child was Albert Lee, born 6.9.1906 [Mattie could be d/o Wm. Zacharia and Mary Ann Maltba Coffey!?]

  • James C. Coffey, m. Etta Ann Barnette - a child was John Parlier, born 3.13.1896

  • Wm. Monroe Coffey, m. Polly Ann S. Coffey - a child was John Lee, born 9.23.1898 [Wm. Monroe Coffey and Mary Chandler Coffey also had a son named John Lee]

  • Margaret A. Coffey, no husband given - a child was Collis Ray, born 4.4.1911

  • Robert Lee Coffey, m. Jennie Celia Carlton - a child was Fanry [?] Isabell, born 12.18.1911

  • Amanda Coffey, no husband given - a child was Mattie Mae, born 1.9.1900

  • James William Coffey, m. Myra Sudderth - a child was Pearl Lucille, born 6.10.1912 [A Myra Sudderth also married Henry Coffey]

  • Geo. Wash. Coffey, m. Emma Rice - two children: Sidney Thomas, born 6.30.1914 and Auburn Zale, born 9.4.1927

  • Harrison Coffey, m. Wincie R. Teague - two children: Earl H., born 10.28.1907 and Grace Bell, born 11.1.1906

  • George G. Coffey, m. Ella Barnette - a child was Vernon Smith, born 11.17.1912

  • Thos. W. Coffey, m. Mary Lou E. Robbins - a child was Charlie Lee, born 6.14.1907

  • Robert Finley Coffey, m. Crettie Ritch - three children: Beulah Evelyn, born 8.22.1923; Lena Faye, born 5.26.1932, and Beadie Owen, born 2.27.1934*

Please contact me at the e-mail address below if you can help identify any of these people.


*Identified: Robert Finley was a son of Thomas Hall and Cora Ellen Tolbert Coffey. I have five children for them: Beulah Evelyn, born 8.22.1923; Thomas Henry, born 1925, died 1999; Lena Faye, born 5.26.1932; Beadie Oden, born 2.27.1934, and Robert Claude, born 1936. I have not found them in the 1930 census schedule.