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October 5, 2005

Joshua and Mary "Polly" Coffey Oatts

Mary, a daughter of Lewis Russell and Bidant "Biddy" Moore Coffey, was born Oct. 19, 1800 in North Carolina, and died at age 54 on Mar. 29, 1855 in Wayne Co., KY. According to the Oatts family Bible, she married Joshua Oatts on Jan. 4, 1821. The location is not given.

Joshua was born Jul. 5, 1791 in Virginia, and died Jul. 4, 1858 in Wayne Co. The family Bible indicates that he died in 1856.

At least 8 children were born to Mary and Joshua:

Cleveland, born c1829; Emily B., born c1832; John R., born c1835; Safrona, born c1836; Lewis C., born c1840; Thomas J., born c1842; Shelby C., born c1844, and Russell W., born c1845. Safrona (or, Safronia) seems to be the only one of those children to marry.

Cleveland is found in the 1860 and 1870 Wayne Co. census records as a single man residing in the household with William H. Oatts. Emily, John, Lewis, Thomas, Shelby and Russell remained together in the same household through 1870. Some remained through the 1880's with John as "manager" of the household.

Lewis and Thomas, along with the above William H. enlisted in the 6th Kentucky Cav. Regiment. The brothers enlisted together on Jan. 14, 1862, and William enlisted the following Feb. Lewis was wounded at Greasy Creek, KY on May 20, 1863, and again on Jul. 19, 1863 at Buffington Island, OH.**

Safron(i)a married Cleveland L. Coffey, believed to be her uncle. her mother's brother.

The Oatts Family*

Roger Oatts, the first of the name in Wayne County, was there before 1800. Thereafter he was prominently identified with the life of the county.

He had the first tavern in Monticello. He served several years as Justice. He came from Southwest Virginia.

Roger Oatts is noted as a juror in Fincastle County, Virginia, in 1793. He was son of William Oatts, a Revolutionary soldier. He married Mary Jones, daughter of Joshua Jones, in 1790. His oldest son, Joshua, married Polly Coffey. Their children were: Cleveland; James, married Harriet Worsham; Cosby, married (1) Irene Frisbie, (2) Marietta Frisbie; William; John R.; Lewis; Russell, married Emily Hardin; Emily, married Eben Jones; T. J., married Nancy Ingram; Sophronia.

Roger Oatts; descendants have been noted for their high qualities of citizenship and business acumen.

From the Oatts Bible

Roger Oatts, born 1760, died 1837
Mary Jones, born 1772, died 1840
They were married in 1790

Joshua Oatts, born 1791, died 1856
Polly Coffey, born 1800, died 1855
They were married in 1821

T. J. Oatts, born 1837, died 1913
Nancy Ingram, born 1860
They were married in 1888




I would like to hear from anyone researching this family and their descendants.

*Johnson, Augusta Phillips, A Century of Wayne County, Kentucky, 1800-1900 (Louisville, KY: Standard Print Co., c1939)

**Military Records of Individual Civil War Soldiers. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 1999-. Data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA from the following list of works. Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 -