William Lee Coffey (1870-1915)

William Lee Coffey was a son of Milton Wolford "Mint" and Amanda Virginia "Jenny" Lewis Coffey.

He was born on Oct. 29, 1870 in Collin Co., TX and died in Lone Grove, Carter Co., OK on Jan. 12, 1915.  He was married on Oct. 31, 1901* to Mary Lillie Cannon in Indian Territory, Southern District, Carter Co., OK.  The couple remained in Lone Grove, Carter county until William's death and he was buried there in the Lone Grove Cemetery

His obituary reveals that he "...was born...in Collin county [TX], near the town of Allen; and lived there until about eighteen years of age, when he removed with his parents to Oklahoma (then Indian Territory.)"¹

In 1922 the following "Notice of Sale of Oil and Gas Lease" appeared in the local paper:

"In the county court of Carter county, Oklahoma.

"In the matter of the guardianship of the estate of Dorris O. Coffey, Daniel Joyce Coffey and Lillian Idell Coffey, minors, Lillie Coffey, Guardian.

The Daily Ardmoreite Jan. 18, 1922

"Notice is hereby given in pursuance of an order of the county court of Carter county, Oklahoma, made and entered on the 18th day of January, A. D., 1922, the undersigned guardian of the estate of Dorris O. Coffey, Daniel Joyce Coffey and Lillian Idell Coffey, minors, will offer for sale and sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder an oil and gas mining lease on the 25th day of January, 1922, at 10 o'clock a, m. on the following described lands situated in Carter county, state of Oklahoma, to-wit:..."]²

Sometime after 1922 Lillie remarried to Charles F. Sullivan, In 1930 he was 67 years old; she was 49.  Two Coffey children, Joyce and Lillian were enumerated in the household but also shown as "absent" and without occupation.  There appears to be no other children born to Lillie in her union with Mr. Sullivan.

The Coffey children included one that died young.  She was Omal Lee, born Nov. 4, 1903 in Carter Co. and died there on Oct. 6,1904.  She is buried near her father in the Lone Grove cemetery.

Dorris Overton Coffey, born Jul. 27, 1905 in OK, married Gayle Wilkinson in Ardmore on Apr. 6, 1930.³  She was born in OK on Nov. 22, 1908.  He died on Nov. 7, 1977 and she on Sep. 25, 1993, also in OK.  Both are buried at the Rose Hill cemetery in Ardmore.

Daniel Joyce Coffey, born Aug. 24, 1907 in OK, died Apr. 17, 1981 in OK and buried at Rose Hill.  A marriage record for him has not been found.

Lillian Idell Coffey, born c1914 and no other info yet found.

Additions and corrections invited!

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*"Oklahoma County Marriages, 1890-1995", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VXL5-5QG : accessed 30 Sep 2014), Lee Coffey and Lillie Cannon, 31 Oct 1901; citing p. 62, , Carter, Oklahoma, United States; FHL microfilm 1313671.

¹Easley, John F., editor. The Daily Ardmoreite. (Ardmore, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 88, Ed. 1 Monday, January 18, 1915, Newspaper, January 18, 1915; digital images, (http://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc154128/ : accessed August 11, 2013), Oklahoma Historical Society, The Gateway to Oklahoma History, http://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

²The Daily Ardmoreite - Ardmore, OK 1893-Current, http://tinyurl.com/k824mq8, Jan. 19, 1922, Page 5, Col. 1

³"Oklahoma County Marriages, 1890-1995", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VXL1-YMZ : accessed 30 Sep 2014), Dorris O Coffey and Gayle Wilkinson, 06 Apr 1930; citing p. 41, , Carter, Oklahoma, United States; FHL microfilm 2295520.

Alton Powell Coffey

Alton Powell Coffey, and his twin Arthur Livingston Coffey were born on July 3, 1904 in Nashville, Brown Co., IN to William Lewis and Rosa Belle Clarke Coffey.  William Lewis was a son of Richard L. and Julia Mattie Mason Coffey in the Edward Coffey/Ann Powell line.

Alton's other siblings were Lela Marie, born 1895, for whom I have no information; James William Wendell Coffey, 1902, died 1973 at Tucson, Pima Co., AZ and, Marguerite, 1910, again no info.  Arthur died in 1972 and is buried at Greenlawn in Nashville, Brown Co., IN.

Alton graduated from high school in about 1922 and began study at the John Herron Art School in Indianapolis.  For four years he studied under William Forsyth and Clifton Wheeler and, became an accomplished artist. Although he had studied figure and still life painting, he produced memorable landscape paintings.

I believe many of his paintings are being sold today at auction.  Some details are available at the Ask/Art website where I found these samples.  Some other of his paintings can be found by searching for "Alton Powell Coffey" on Google.

Note:  I believe that in order to get anything other than what you see on the Ask/Art website, you have to become a patron through paid membership.  I believe that membership can be on a monthly or yearly basis.

Alton married Pauline Wilkinson, born May 11, 1919 in Brown Co. on Sep. 11, 1937.  They appeared in the Apr. 24, 1940 census in Wayne Township, Marion Co., IN when he was 35 and Pauline was about 18.  Although married for nearly three years, they did not have any children.  Alton was employed as an inspector of motors in an aviation motor plant.  In 1942, the couple appeared in the Indianapolis city directory, residing at 4924 W. 24th.

He died in Jul., 1978 at the age of 74 in Brown Co. and is thought to have also been buried at Greenlawn Cemetery in Nashville, Brown Co.  with his mother and father.  I have not found any clues yet to the death date or place of burial for Pauline.  She was not yet 60 when Alton died and may have remarried.

Updates and corrections welcomed.

  Jack