Blacks mentioned in my Coffee/y Files

Over the years I have collected a virtual ton of miscellaneous Coffee/y information. In an effort to "sort" it all out, I created a database, one that I could sort on any field, including date, source, etc.

I have often thought of printing and publishing the nearly 12,000 entries in the database, but just have never gotten around to it. The expense associated with printing it at home, then having it copied and bound is not something that I'm prepared to absorb.

So, in an effort to see that at least some of the info is available to Coffee/y researchers, I hope to pull various records from the file and post them here. The first will be nine records in which "Negro" is mentioned.

So far, as I start this project, I can think of only one "rule." None of the information has been proven by me, or anyone else that I know of. I will list the source of the information when available.

Here goes:

No first or middle name, Coffee; Year: 1712; State: MA; Event: Marriage; Source: Boston Massachusetts Marriages, 1700-1809; Remarks: Negro, married 4 Sep by Rev. Mr. Eben'r Pemberton, Presbytn

Joshua Coffee; Year: 1745, State: VA; County: Prince Edward; Spouse: Elizabeth Graves; Event: Birth; Source: The Georgians, Genealogies of Pioneer Settlers by J. J. Austin; Remarks: Joshua, son of Peter, was Capt of VA Mounted Guards, moved to Granville Co., NC where he witd deed dtd May 26, 1779 of Thomas Mutter to Geo. Terry of Mecklenburg Co., VA for 2000pds and four negroes. Granville Co., N. C. deed book 1, p342, Acct of Sale of Negroes of Est. of Robert Pryor, decd, sold to Joshua Coffee, to Mrs. Olive Pryor and to Is. Pope 8/1782. Colonial Granville and its People by Worth S. Ray states that Rev. Joshua Coffee m Eliz. Graves. Joshua listed in 1790 Rockingham Co., NC census. Eliz. Graves b 1751, d1804, m1769. Joshua d c1793 in Rockingham Co., and his widow and son, Gen. John, moved to Haysborough, TN.

Elijah Coffey; Year: 1822; State: TN; Memphis; Event: History; Source: The Biography of A River Town - Its Heroic Age by Gerald Mortimer Capers, Jr., Chapel Hill, UNC Press, 1939, p65; Remarks: Elijah Coffey, a shoemaker and a Freewill Baptist, who left a wife and an unsavory reputation behind him in Ill, arrived in Memphis on a Sunday in March of 1822, and he had hardly landed before he was reproaching the residents, at a service in the cabin of Barney Flynn on the batture, for their sinful lives. During his career he belonged to all denominations even the Catholic, but severed his connection with the latter when he found that it did not encourage preaching by laymen. He served on board of Aldermen for Negro African Church and was mayor of Memphis for a brief period. The Nat. Banner and Nashville Daily Advertiser, of Mon., Jun 17, 1833, reported the death in Memphis of Eliz. Coffey, wife of Rev. Elijah Coffey.

Henry B. Coffey; Year: 1837; State: TN; County: Bedford; Event: Sale; Source: Chancery Court Records 1837-1845 by Marsh, p14; March 6, proceeded to sell Negro boy. Boy was bid off by Alfred Campbell and money handed over to Henry on April 10.

Rice Coffey; Year: 1840; State: TN; County: Bedford; Event: Info; Source: Land Deed Genealogy of Bedford Co., TN 1807-1852, p32, by Marsh; Remarks: Deed Book JJ, Benjamin F. and Wm. P. Bowers, bill of sale to Rice Coffey, purchased Isham, a negro man, from estate of John Bowers, June 1.

Edward Coffee; Year: 1842, State: SC; County: Pickens; Spouse: Elizabeth LNU; Event: Probate; Source: A Collection of Upper South Carolina Genealogical and Family Records, Vol. II, by James E. Wooley; Remarks: ISBN 0-89308-210-4, p53: Coffee, Elizabeth, Box 11, No. 138, Probate Judge Office, Pickens, SC; Elizabeth, wife of Edward Coffee was probably a daughter of James Nevill whose will was proven in 1842. He bequeathed to them a Negro girl named Minerva.

William B. Coffee; Year: 1842, State: TN; County: Hamilton; Event: Deed; Source: Records of Hamilton County, WPA Project, 1936, and Deed Book E., 1841-1843; Remarks: Book E, p. 428, Sep. 14, 1842: Bill of Sale and Trust, Beriah Frazier to William Coffee, trustee to secure payment of two hunderd and twenty dollars due Samuel Frazier by note--one negro boy named Frank aged about eight years, two horses, 2 saddles and 2 bridles, 2 cows and 2 calves, fourteen head of hogs, three feather beds, bedsteads and all their necessary furniture, one bureau, two tables and one lot of medicine. Witnesses: P. T. Rawlings, Asahel Rawlings; Registered Hamilton Co., 14 Sep 1842, Book E, p. 184-185

Henry B. Coffey; Year: 1854; State: TN; County: Bedford; Event: Info; Source: Chancery Court Enrollment Book "D"; Remarks: p99, Stokes and Mullins vs Green, Coffey, et al; Inj. Bill, Apr 4. John M. Stokes and James Mullins filed against Henry B. Coffey, R. E. Coffey and W. P. Green, all of Bedford Co. John M. Stokes states he purchased of Henry B. Coffee on 19 Apr 1852 a negro man, Abner, age 44 or 45 years.

David S. Coffey; Year: 1859; State: NC; County: Mecklenburg; Event: Will; Source: Mecklenburg County, NC Wills 1791-1868, Books A-J; Remarks: Book J, p121; Charles E. Spratte wills to David, the Negro Sinth and her daughter, Adeline. Sarah Ann Coffey also named but relation not given.