Joel Lawrence Coffey, Jr.

Joel Lawrence Coffey, Jr.

Joel Lawrence Coffey, Jr., was the first son and second child born to Joel Lawrence, Sr. and Myrtle Watson Coffey.

A short bio for Jr. appeared in the Watauga Democrat newspaper on Nov. 11, 2011 and relates a part of his adventures during WW2 in the European Theater of Operations. The item, written by Sherrie Norris tells how he came to earn those medals you see spread before him. His obituary provides a bit more information.

I recognize some of the decorations.  He earned the (l-r) Bronze Star medal with two oak leaf clusters; a Purple Heart for wounds that got him sent back to England for treatment; a Germany Occupation Medal; WWII Victory Medal; a Good Conduct Medal and a European Theater of Operation medal.  I have been unable to identify the  center medal.

Also shown in the photograph is his CBI or  Combat Infantryman's Badge.

Joel descends from Edward Coffey and Ann Powell through their son John and his wife Jane Graves; their son Reuben and wife Sarah Scott; Jesse and wife Peggy Edmisten; their son Reuben and Rachel Hayes; Jesse Calton and wife Nancy Raines; Thos. Carlton and wife Martha Cook and finally, his father, Joel, Sr.

Joel died Nov. 5, 2014 in Boone, Watauga Co., and was buried at Laurel Springs Baptist Church Cemetery at Deep Gap, Watauga Co.

HIS OBITUARY

Obituary, The Watauga Democrat, Boone, NC, Fri., Nov. 7, 2014

Joel L. Coffey, 90, of Deep Gap, passed away Wednesday evening, Nov. 5, 2014, at Watauga Medical Center. 

Joel was born January 13, 1924, in Watauga County, a son of the late Joe L. Coffey and Myrtle Watson Coffey. He was a retired rural mail carrier and a lifetime member, past superintendent, and deacon of Laurel Springs Baptist Church. Joel served in the U.S. Army during World War II, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, and received two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. He was also a charter member of the Deep Gap Volunteer Fire Department, where he retired as chaplain. 

Joel is survived by his wife, Geraldine "Gerry" Coffey* of the home; one son, Michael Thomas Coffey, Sr. and wife, Mary Alice, of Deep Gap; one daughter, Brenda Coffey Farthing and husband, Len B., of Vilas; one step-daughter, Jane Ragan Pignolet and husband, Mark, of Braselton, Ga.; one granddaughter, Amanda Farthing Huff and husband, Todd, of Deep Gap; two grandsons, Michael T. Coffey, Jr. of Sanford, and Joel Farthing and wife, Nicole, of Vilas; five great-grandchildren, Jackson, Walker, Ella, Colt and Hattie Mae; one step-granddaughter, Amy Ragan Grady and husband, Gary, of Kettering, Ohio, as well as their children, Ragan and Riley. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews. 

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Gaye Warren Coffey; and three sisters, Louis Cary, Margaret Lane, and Sue Craig. 

Funeral services for Mr. Joel L. Coffey will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, at Laurel Springs Baptist Church. The body will lie in state, at the church, from 1 until 2 p.m. Officiating will be Pastor Tim Lynch. Military graveside rites and burial, provided by American Legion Post 130 and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 90, will follow in Laurel Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. 

The family will receive friends Friday, from 6 until 9 p.m. at Hampton Funeral Service. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Laurel Springs Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Stewart Rhymer, 6596 Old US Hwy 421, Deep Gap, NC, 28618; Disabled American Veterans Chapter 90, PO Box 2914, Boone, NC 28607; American Heart Association, 128 South Tryon Street, Suite 1588, Charlotte, NC, 28202; or to a charity of the donors choice. 

Online condolences may be sent to the Coffey family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com. 

Click on this Watauga Democrat link to read his story.

*Geraldine was his second wife.  His first wife was Laura Gaye Warren to whom he was married on Jul. 18, 1949.  Laura died on Dec. 10, 1966 and is also buried at Laurel Springs.

John Marshal “Marsh” Coffey

John Marshall, or Marsh as some called him, was born in Wayne Co., KY on Jan. 2, 1850 and died in Boyle Co., KY on May 17, 1908.  He was a son of Thomas Coleman and Patience Jane Miller Coffey.  Upon his death, he was laid to rest at Stanford in Lincoln Co. in the Buffalo Springs Cemetery.

He was married, date unknown, to Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Jones, a daughter of Absolom S. “Albin” and Telitha Coffey Jones.  Marsh and Telitha were first cousins whose common ancestors were Lewis Russell and Bidant “Biddy” Moore Coffey.  Lizzie was born Dec. 5, 1857 in KY and died in Boyle Co. on Apr. 23, 1930.  She is also buried at Buffalo Springs.

Their children numbered at least four, three of which married and had children:

Alvin Jones, born Nov. 14, 1882, died Sep. 20, 1947 in Lincoln Co., married Elizabeth “Bettie” Hayden, a daughter of Andrew Jackson and Nancy Alexander “Nannie” Coffey Hayden.  Nancy was a daughter of Henderson and Minerva Alexander Coffey, born Dec. 12, 1839 in Monticello, Wayne Co., KY, died Jan. 4, 1930 in Danville, Boyle Co.  Andrew was born in TN in 1840 and died in Danville on Aug. 8, 1912.  He and Nannie are buried at Buffalo Springs.  Alvin died on Sep. 20, 1947 in Lincoln Co.; Elizabeth died Aug. 24, 1950 in Danville.  They too are buried at Buffalo Springs.  I have no children for them.

Joseph & Shelly's Marriage Announcement

Shelly H., born Mar. 16, 1885, died Aug. 22, 1961, married Joseph Henry Newland in late July or early August, 1907¹ at Stanford.  Joseph was born Aug. 2, 1884 in KY and died May,  22, 1961.  Both he and Shelly are buried at Buffalo Springs.  Their children were Mary Elizabeth, born c1908 and, Jenny Roe, born c1918, both in Lincoln Co.

Ebbie B., born Mar. 7, 1896, died Jun. 23, 1930 in Washington, D.C.  Ebbie married Robert J. Warren c1922.  He was born in KY about 1893.  Their children were Robert A., born c1924 in TN; John M., born c1926 in KY and Irene E., born c1927 in OH.  In the 1930 census, Robert was employed as a “marble mason.”  Ebbie died within a couple of months after the 1930 census found them in Washington, D.C., and was returned to KY for burial at Buffalo Springs.  In the 1940 census Robert was found in Gary, Lake Co., IN with new wife, Christine E.  With them was Ebbie’s children, John M., and Irene E.

The fourth child of Marsh and Lizzie was Mary Elizabeth, born Dec. 11, 1900 in KY, died in Lincoln Co. on Jun. 30, 1914.  She too is buried at Buffalo Springs.

  Jack

¹The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY, Aug. 2, 1907, Page 3, Col. 4 (http://tinyurl.com/la5hx52)

Update Apr 9, 2014:  

John and Lizzie had at least seven children.  In addition to the above four, there was Jennie, born Apr. 9, 1887 in Boyle Co., KY, died Jan. 23, 1962 in Hamilton Co., OH.  She was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnatti; John Coleman, born Sep. 1, 1889 in Stanford, KY, died on Sep. 15, 1961 and was buried at Raton, Colfax Co., NM; Margaret, born Sep. 23, 1891 in KY, died Oct. 5 1919 in Danville, Boyle Co., KY and buried at Bellevue Cemetery in Danville

John Marshall's Find-A-Grave memorial no. is 96322267.  His children can be followed on FAG from that site.

Edward and Ann Powell Coffey

William Moseley [sic] was a resident of Essex, Colony of Virginia and gained many land grants by importing indentured servants. For each indenture signed, a quantity of land, typically 50 acres, was given and the servant bound to him for a specific number of years. 

Indentured servitude in the colonies generally meant that the servant coming from abroad signed a contract prior to leaving to work in colonial America.  These servants could be from anywhere (England, Ireland, The Netherlands, etc.) but typically left from English ports.  Their contract generally specified they work as a laborer for 4-7 years; the actual number of years depending on the laws of each colony.  In Virginia it could have been as few as 4 years or as many as 9 years.

At the end of his servitude, the servant would receive "freedom dues" in the form of land, money or other considerations. Some of the plantation owners were required to give their ex-servants a couple of hoes, a spade or two, an ax, a bushel of corn, a new suit of clothes and, other tools to help them get started as freedmen.  Along with any of this he might have received, William Mosely also willed his "servant Ed. Coffe one heifer of 2 years old."

The indenture of Edward Coffey to William Mosely apparently did not end amicable as I previously believed.  R. Stanley Harsh, through John Chenault and published in Issue 118 of the Coffey Cousins' newsletter dated Sept. 10, 2010, wrote that Edward achieved his "freedom, corn and clothes..." in a lawsuit in Essex Co., VA on Sept. 10, 1700.  Mosely was already deceased as his will was proved in Essex Co. on Apr. 10, 1699.  The lawsuit may have been a formality, but we may never know without discovery of further documentation.

Some sources used for this blog point out that indentured servants were neither allowed to marry nor, to participate in politics during their servitude. We know from this that Edward and Ann's marriage date of 1700, as given on page 58 of The Index to Marriages of Old Rappahannock and Essex Counties, Virginia, is accurate.  The source cites  record of marriage as contained in Essex Book D&W 10, page 75. 

There is a mention of Edward's wife Ann Powell Coffey in the March 10, 1700 will of Thomas Powell of Sittingbourne Parish, Essex Co. in which he willed one shilling to his daughter Ann Coffey.  A witness to the will was Edward Coffey.  From this we can deduce that Edward and Ann married between Jan. 1, and March 10, 1700.

Apparently little or nothing is known of their life together between marriage and Feb. 7, 1706 when "Edward Coffey of St. Ann's Parish, Essex Co., bought 118 acres on branches of Occupation Swamp from Mr. Augustine Smith and wife Susanna for 4720 lbs. of tobacco with apparently half down." Edward and Ann took possession on Mar. 6, 1706/7 as witnessed by Robert King and Thomas Warren.  Edward Coffey's name does not appear on the 1704 Quit Rent Roll of Essex Co. indicating that he owned no land on that date.

"This land was part of 2,359 acres granted Smith by patent on 2 May 1705."  The property "adjoined Thomas Warren on east side of Chickahominy Path, corner to Mr. Francis Gouldman hill near head of branch, corner to Beverly's great tract."

Edward and Ann apparently lived on that 118 acres until Nov., 1714 when they sold it to John Barbee for 5000 lbs. tobacco. On July 16, 1716 they purchased from John Mosely, the son and executor of Edward Mosely, "a plantation of 200 acres in St. Ann's Parish." Edward Mosely appears to be the brother of William.

The plantation purchase included "houses, buildings, barns, tobacco sheds, gardens, etc." It was described as being on the "east side of Occupation Creek, a small ranch [sic] [branch] of Gibsons Creek," and "part of a parcel commonly called Mosely's Quarter. They paid 8,000 lbs. of tobacco for the property.

This is the land that Edward left in his will to his sons John and Edward. He died sometime between making his will on Feb. 14, 1716 and July of that year because title to the land was finally recorded in the name Edward Coffey on July 16 of that year.

Edward likely made the deal with the Mosely family well prior to his death but the deed went unrecorded until his death.  I am uncertain what the age of majority was in the colony at the time, but it seems unusual that a pair of teenagers would be permitted by laws at the time to own property.  There may have been other considerations in the law which allowed it in the case of an inheritance.

This is also an indication - as some researchers have maintained - that John and Edward Coffey were twins.  In his work, Marvin Coffey wrote that the boys "were not 16 on February 14, 1716 but were on July 16."

It is also interesting to consider that William Mosely himself may have been an indentured servant at one time.  There is a record of one Major George Colclough receiving 1050 acres on Sep. 5, 1660 for "transportation of 21 persons into this Collony."  In addition to the other 20, the list includes a William Moseley.

Thoughts, additions or corrections welcomed!