Bertha Etta (Cookie) Coffey

Leah Meadows
Bertha Etta (Cookie) Coffey was the daughter of James Lawson and Leah Meadows Coffey. She was born Feb. 24, 1883 in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co., MO and died in 1937.

Other children born to James and Leah were:

Zenfauts, no other information.

James Emerson (Emer), born Oct. 14, 1872, died Jul. 28, 1959

Charles Elmer, born Jun. 3, 1876, died Apr. 22, 1934

Nettie Elizabeth, born Jan. 25, 1880, died Jul. 26, 1962.

Jesse Edward, born Mar. 18, 1885, died Sep. 30, 1960. Jesse married Martha J. Anderson c1904 and had children: James W., born c1906; Bonnie Viola, born Sep. 17, 1913, died Feb. 15, 1919; and Velma.

Unnamed infant daughter, born Feb. 7, 1887, no other information

Lulu Ethel, born Jun. 25, 1880. Lula married Otis Bateman

"Cookie" married Elza Ackert Walker, born Aug. 21, 1884 in Alanthus Grove, died Nov., 1949 in Buchanan Co., MO. Their children were Melvin James, born Nov. 21, 1904, died Aug. 25, 1932; and Martin Edgar, born c1909, died 1976.

Elza was the son of Martin Perry Walker and Mary Frances Coffey. Mary was the daughter of Lawson H. Coffey and Eliza Ann Campbell. James Lawson was a nephew of Lawson, and Lawson was a son of Joel Benjamin and Exea Saphronia Stapp Coffey. James Lawson was a son of Jesse H. Buchanan Coffey and Lucinda Burpo. Jesse was also a son of Joel Benjamin and Exea Stapp Coffey.

Mary Frances Coffey was married twice more after the death of her Walker spouse. She married second to David B. Boatwright on Sep. 6, 1889, probably in MO. Mr. Boatwright had been previously married to Lutushia Wright on Dec. 25, 1873. There was at least one child born to Mary and Mr. Boatwright: Bertha M. Boatwright, born Jun. 12, 1890 and who married Manly Judd. Mary's third marriage was to John Barton.

This family is being researched by Sandy Warde who provided the lineage and the photograph. Sandy wrote:

"I have been researching my line from Lawson H. and James L. Coffey's line who intermingled into my Walker family. They have been an elusive bunch. I do have Mary Francis Coffey's death certificate. She was the daughter of Lawson and Eliza Campbell Coffey. She had three husbands, Abner Walker, David Boatwright, and ( John) Henry C. Barton. She was buried in Stanberry, Missouri under her Walker married name with our Walker family. I also have Eliza Campbell Coffey's death certificate..."

Jesse H. Buchanan Coffey

Jesse was the son of Joel Benjamin [perhaps just Benjamin] and Exea [sic] Saphronia Stepp [var] Coffey, both natives of North Carolina. Joel was born in the Globe, Caldwell Co. c1790 to Reuben and Sally Scott Coffey. He died in Owen Co., IN c1843. Exea was born in NC c1805, and died in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co., MO in Jun., 1876.

Jesse was born Oct. 13, 1817 in Burke Co., NC, and married Lucinda Dorcas Burpo on Feb. 14, 1840 in Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN.1 Lucinda was born May 10, 1825 in Burke Co., NC and died Sep. 16, 1897 in Alanthus Grove. Jesse died Oct. 16, 18852 in Alanthus Grove. Both are buried in the Jennings Cemetery at Alanthus Grove.

In 1850 Jesse and his family was in Jefferson Twp., Morgan Co., IN where Jesse was a farmer.

At last count, Jesse and Lucinda were parents of 17 children! The first was born in 1840, the last in 1867. Lucinda lived about 30 more years after the birth of her last child.

By 1860 the family had moved to Gentry Co., MO. Mary, their first child died sometime after 1850 but before 1860.

The family was still in Gentry Co. in 1870. James, Sarah and John as well as Catherine (Kate} were still at home.

Their children were:

Mary Elizabeth, born Dec. 1, 1840, died after 1850

Matilda Jane, born Jan. 12, 1842 in Morgan Co., IN, died Jun. 26, 1910; married Benjamin Franklin Routh. Ben died May 16, 1944

William Wiley, born Oct. 3, 1843 in Jefferson Twp., Morgan Co., IN, died Jun. 6, 1924 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., MO. He married Eliza Anderson, born Jun. 17, 1847, died Oct. 29, 1921 in Kansas City. I have not yet searched for their children, but this appears to be the entire family, all buried together at High Ridge Cemetery in Stanberry, Gentry Co, MO:

• Coffey, William W. 1843 - 1924;
• Coffey, Eliza A. 1847 - 1921; wife of William W.
• Coffey, Emma A. 15 Feb. 1869 - 11 Mar. 1948; possible dau. of Wm. & Eliza.
• Coffey, Myrtle 03 Aug. 1877 - 14 Apr. 1908; possible dau. of Wm. & Eliza.
• Coffey, William R. 1881 - 1943; possible son of Wm. & Eliza
• Coffey, Leora (no dates); possible dau of Wm. & Eliza.
• Coffey, Walter (no dates); possible son of Wm. & Eliza
• Coffey, Sarah J. 15 May 1835 - 17 Nov. 1917

Andy Milton, born Oct. 3, 1843

Louise Amanda, born Nov. 3, 1845

Jesse H., Jr., born May 2, 1847

James Lawson, born Mar. 14, 1849 in Jefferson Twp., died Apr. 25, 1918 in Alanthus Grove. He married Leah Meadows in Alanthus Grove in 1871. Leah was born Jul. 25, 1861 in Russell Co., KY, and died Feb. 24, 1926 in Wilson Twp., Gentry Co., MO. They were the parents of at least eight children [names and info on request]. Both are buried in the Jennings Cemetery at Alanthus Grove.

Martha Anne, born Feb. 18, 1851, Morgan Co., IN

Jasper Parks, born Apr. 12, 1853, Morgan Co., died May 22, 1940

Sarah Caroline, born Apr. 13, 1855 in Jefferson Twp., died Apr. 12, 1923 in Buchanan Co., MO. She married Milton Morris. There is evidence of at least six children, but birth record for only one has been found.3

John Benton, born Feb. 19, 1857 in Morgan Co., died Oct. 11, 1940. He married Emma J. Libby who died in 1907. Both are buried in the Jennings cemetery. In know of one son, Ray O., born Mar. 20, 1887, died Apr. 1969.

Lucinda Catherine, born Sep. 30, 1859 in Alanthus Grove, died Jan. 3, 1947. She married Augustus Joshua Door in 1879.

Malinda Emmeline, born Apr. 2, 1861 in Alanthus Grove, died Jul. 27, 1887.

Colonel R., born Alanthus Grove, Jan. 26, 1863.

Ruphus K., born Alanthus Grove, Mar. 15, 1864

Lincoln Sherman, born Apr. 2, 1865, Alanthus Grove, died Jan. 28, 1933 in Fair Twp., Platte Co., MO. He married Emma A. (Coot) Gunter c1889. She was born in MO in Feb., 1871 and died Feb., 1941 in Platte Co. They were parents of at least eight children [names and info on request].

The last child was Elijah Melvin, born Apr. 22, 1867 in Alanthus Grove and died Jun. 4, 1940. He married Elizabeth, last name unknown. Elijah is thought to be buried in Minot, Ward Co., ND.

Please contact me to add to or correct any of this information!

1Indiana State Library Genealogy Database: Marriages through 1850, Indiana State Library online [http://199.8.200.229/db/marriages_search.asp], accessed Sep.,2005 Coffey, Jesse [to] Burpo, Lucinda, Morgan Co., 2-16-1840

2[http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mo/gentry/cemeteries/c1000001.txt]

3MO birth & Death Records, Gentry Co., Roll No. C 8987, Number 1697, Date of return: 6 May 1891, Morris [no first name given], male, sixth child; born May 2, 1891 in Alanthus, MO; Nat. of Father: American, born Gentry Co., age 38; Nat. of Mother: American, born Morgan Co., IN, age 35; Full name of Mother: Sarah C. Morris, maiden name: Coffey, residence: Gentry Co., Full name of Father: Milton Morris, farmer; J.C. Farr, MD

Born 18 Nov 1818, died 7 Aug 1904. Married Dorcas, born 10 May 1825, on 16 Sep 1897 in Owen Co. IN. Lott records show death of Jesse 16 Oct 1885 in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co. MO. Dorcas also died there, 16 Sep 1897. She was born in Burke Co. Her father was John Burpo, born 1790 in NC and died about 1860 in Morgan Co. IN. Her mother was Leanna Guy, born 1790 in NC and died 1867 near Gosport, but in Morgan Co. Jesse was son of Benj. and Exa [sic] Stepp Coffey. Benjamin was born about 1790/1800 in NC, died about 1840/1849 in Monroe Co. IN. Exa was born 1790/1800 in NC and died April, 1856 (perhaps 1880) in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co. MO. Matilda Janey, their daughter, was born 12 Jan 1842 in Morgan Co. IN and married Benj. Franklin Routh (b1840, d1921) on 16 May 1864 in Gentry Co & d 26 Jun 1910 in Perry, OK. Source: Deloris M. Ward, Stanberry, MO (deceased). Additional information on this family was provided to Coffey Cousins' newsletter by Betty Ann VanderWegen of Union, WA.

*Not all sources have been cited

Jesse Edward Coffey Family

Front L-R: Bonnie, Velma and James W.; Rear R-L: Mattie and Jesse (c1920)

Jesse Edward Coffey, born Mar. 18, 1895, was the son of James Lawson and Leah Meadows Coffey. In about 1904 he married Martha J. Anderson, in Missouri probably, and died Sep. 30, 1960. He and Martha were the parents of at least three children:

- James W., born c1906; Bonnie, born Sep. 17, 1913, died Feb. 5, 1919 and Velma, date of birth unknown.

The only census in which I have found this family was the 1910, Gentry Co., MO:

1910 Gentry Co., Wilson Twp., ED92, Page 3, dwelling 24, family 25, Coffey, Jesse E., head, male, white, age 25, married once for 6 yrs., born MO, father born IN, mother born KY, farm laborer; Mattie J., wife, female, white, age 22, married once for 6 yrs., mother of 1, 1 living, born MO, parents born US; James W., son, male, white, age 4, born MO, parents born MO; Coffey, James E., brother, male, white, age 38, single, born MO, father born IN, mother born KY, laborer at odd jobs

Please contact me with additions and/or corrections.