James Asbury Coffey (1827-1879

"While Coffeyville was named for Colonel James A. Coffey, he only stayed long enough to help lay out the town and its foundation. Not being one to stay in one place for too long, Coffey made many stops in his 51 years, helped lay out two towns - Coffeyville and Humboldt - fought slavery and set up several trading posts."

The preceding is from a longer article in Coffeyville's Legacy, a story by Roger Huff. Click on the title link to read more of Huff's story about this historic figure and to view James' photograph.

From my files:

James Asbury Coffey was born Nov. 18, 1827 in Gallatin Co., IL, and died Jan., 1879 in Dodge City, Ford Co., KS. He was the son of Achilles (some genealogies say his father's nam was Archelus) and Jane Dean Coffey. He is a descendant of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey through their son John and wife Jane Graves Coffey.

As far as we know, James was married only once and then to Louisa Adelade Ferris Long Carnahan, who was born c1833 in Wayne Co., KY. There were at least eight children born to this union: John Jerry, Phoebe, Mary, Ebben Rice, Lulu, Irena, Amy and Elizabeth.

There is some descendant information available for Lulu who married Thomas Cline Murdock on Dec. 25, 1888 in Dodge City, and for Irena who married John Franklin Moore, probably also in Dodge City. However, more research is needed on the families and descendants of the remaining children of James and Louisa.

---

Update Nov. 23, 2011 - The Huff piece is no longer on-line at the link given.  James is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Dodge City, Ford Co., KS.  Louisa died in Delta Co., CO and is buried there in the Cory Cemetery, along with other family members, chiefly those of her son Eban Coffey.

---

Update May 4, 2012

Children of James and Louisa:

Ebenezer (Eben) Rice was married c1887 to a lady named Iola.  They appeared in the Beaver Co., OK census in 1900 and then from 1910 through 1930 in Austin, Delta Co., CO.  Eben died there on Oct. 6, 1935 and is buried in the Cory Cemetery in Delta, Delta Co.  Iola died in Delta in 1923 and is also buried at Cory Cemetery.  They were parents of at least six:  James L., Sarah Louise, Eben Ruble, Clara, Oscar K. and Mary A.  All but Oscar were born in OK; he was born in KS.

The daughter Amy is said to have married George Stacy Emerson c1882 in KS.  In 1900 they were residing in Huerfano Co., CO and, in 1920 in Pueblo Co., CO.  Children were:  Waldo S., Louise, Ruth and George E.  George died in Mesa Co., CO in 1980 and is buried at Orchard Mesa Cemetery in Grand Junction.

The daughter Elizabeth is thought to be Laura Elizabeth, born c1859 in Humboldt, Allen Co., KS. I have yet to find any descendant information for her, Phoebe, John Jerry or Mary J. Could be they died young.

Coffeyville has a brief on-line history of that city and cites the Huff book mentioned in the 2011 update to this blog.