Cornelius Jones Coffey

Cornelius was born to McCaleb and Sarah “Sally” Hayes on Apr. 22, 1840 in Watauga Co., NC.  When he was about 21 years old, Jones, as he was called, enlisted on Sep. 18, 1861 in Co. E of the North Carolina 37th Infantry Regt.  He was wounded on Aug. 29, 1862 at Manassas, VA but, returned to duty on Jan. 15, 1963.  He was “accidentally” wounded in the foot on July 16, 1863.  In November, 1864 he was transferred to Co. E, same regiment.  However, another record reports that he was “retired to the Invalid Corps by reason of disability from his wounds.”

On July 1, 1866 he was married to Martha Jane Gragg in Yadkin Valley, Caldwell Co.¹ and together they had at least nine children:  Thomas Herndon (1867-1946); Emma Irene (1868-1947); Simms (c1871-?); Elbert (1872-1900); John Finley (1877-1953); Walter Gwyn (1878-1945); Charles Burton (1882-1960); Hattie (1883-?) and Rufus Monroe (1886-1965).  Martha died at Shulls Mill, Watuaga Co. in 1900 and was buried at White Springs Cemetery at Blowing Rock.

On April 20, 1907 in Watauga Co., Jones was married to Sara Caroline Hodges, a daughter of Jesse and Nancy Storie Hodges.²  They are known to have had only one child, Junie Irene (1908-1982).

Cornelius died of heart failure on Feb. 10, 1917 at Shulls Mill and was also buried at White Springs.  Sarah was remarried on Apr. 23, 1920 at Lower Creek in Caldwell Co., to Calvin Hodges.³  Although there is likely to be some kinship between Sarah and Calvin, I am unaware of any.

The following April 25, 1918 The Watauga Democrat⁴ published the following legal notice:

"NOTICE North Carolina, Watauga County, Sarah Coffey, widow of C. J.Coffey Deceased, and Junio [sic] Coffey, by her guardian, W. D. Ashley, VS, Thos Coffey, Emma Gragg and her husband, John Gragg. John Coffey and wife, Francis Coffey, Gwin Coffey and wife Julia Coffey, Charley Coffey and wife, Amanda Coffey, Hattie Stocks [Stokes?] and husband Charlie Stocks, Rufus Coffey and Emma Coffey.

"By virtue of an order of the Superior court in the above entitled action, appointed the undersigned a commissioner to sell the lands of C. J. Coffey, I will on the 6th day of May 1918 sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described lands to wit: Being the land on which the said C. J. Coffey lived at the time of his death, and being bounded on the north by the lands of the Boone Fork Lumber Co and W. S. Whiting, on the west by Roby Coffey on south by Gwyn Coffey and on the east by Rufus Coffey and Rufe Baldwin Con. about 150 acres.  Said sale will be made subject to the dower right of the said Sarah Coffey, widow of C. J. Coffey, deceased, and allotted by T. L. Critcher, T. F. Greer and W. L. Holshouser, commissioners appointed by the court, to which reference is hereby made for more complete description of said dower.  This 23d day of March 1918.  T. E. Bingham, Com."

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Marriages:  Thomas Herndon married Annie Marilda Pendley on Nov. 19, 1900; Emma married John Alexander Gragg on Dec. 19, 1887; Simms Coffey is thought to be a child in this family but not proven.  If he was, then he was deceased by the time of his father's estate sale.  Elbert Coffey married Margaret Simms on Feb. 14, 1892.  Could this be where a child named Simms Coffey might have entered the family?  John Finley married Frances F. Holloway on Jul. 14, 1894.  Walter Gwyn married Julia Hayes on Jul. 4, 1896. Charles Burton married Amanda Louise Misemore c1918.  Hattie married Charles Stocks or Stokes. Rufus Monroe married Emma Eliza Robbins on Oct. 27, 1906.

Civil War Deaths:  Jone's brother, Thomas Ninevah Coffey, born 1839, died May 3, 1863 at Chancellorsville in Spotsylvania Co., VA. Another brother, Jesse Finley, born 1842, died Mar. 7, 1863 at Big Creek Gap in Campbell Co., TN.  Brother John E., born 1844 is thought to have died on the same date as his older brother Thomas and also at Chancellorsville.

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Sources: 

¹"North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F89P-JLW : accessed 04 Apr 2014), C. J. Coffey and M. J. Gragg, 28 Jun 1866; citing Caldwell, North Carolina, reference bk 2; FHL microfilm 590345.

²”Historical Studies, Appalachian State University, Department of History” (Editors Evelyn G. Shepherd and Brenda M. Greene), compiler, Marriage Register of Watauga County, North Carolina 1873-1954 (Boone, Watauga Co., NC: Dept. of Hist., Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC, 1995).

³"North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979". index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F895-TZX : accessed 04 Apr 2014), Calvin Hodges and Sarah Coffey, 23 Apr 1920; citing Lower Creek, reference ; FHL microfilm 590350.

4”The Watauga Democrat”, Apr. 25, 1918, page 2, col. 4 (http://tinyurl.com/nywde9x)

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.

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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.