Lloyd Arnold Coffey

A recent e-mail reminded me that although I have been researching the Edward Coffey line for sometime, there are still hundreds, perhaps thousands of his descendants which remain unaccounted for in my files. One such is Alonzo Coffey, a son of James Bluford and Mary Elizabeth Bolin Coffey. Although James and Alonzo are in my files, many of James' descendants are not.

James Bluford was the subject of a very well researched book by Marvin Coffey which was first published in 1984, and updated with additions and corrections in 1994. Marvin Coffey was the great-grandson of James, and died in Jun., 2001.

Alonzo was the ninth of the 13 children born to James and Mary Elizabeth. He was born Mar. 6, 1880 in Scio, Linn Co., OR and died Dec. 18, 1951 in Monroe, Snohomish Co., WA. He married Carrie C. Kane on Apr. 30, 1900 in Walla Walla, WA. Carrie was born c1877 in CA and died Sep. 23, 1947 in Everett, Snohomish Co., WA.

Marvin listed four children for Alonzo and Carrie: Lloyd Arnold, born Sep. 14, 1900, died Jun. 18, 1962; Everett, born c1902; Thelma, born c1906; and Bessie, born c1910. The family appeared in each census record from 1910 through 1930 in Snohomish Co.

Lloyd was married several times, and at least once to a wife who was also married a number of times. His first wife was Hazel Mae Cole, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Cole. Joseph was born c1879 in Michigan to Canadian born parents. Sarah was born c1883 in North Dakota to a Scot father and a Canadian mother.

Hazel and Lloyd married Aug. 4, 1918, probably in Snohomish Co. Joseph and Sarah, along with daughters Eva and Ruth, were in that county as early as 1920 making it likely that Hazel had also moved there with them.

At least four children were born to Hazel and Lloyd: Robert Arnold, born Dec. 17, 1918, died May 15, 1919; Margaret Eleanor, born Apr. 11, 1920; Sibyl Elaine, born Jan. 13, 1922; and James Albert, born Nov. 3, 1923, died Jul. 7, 1993.

Lloyd had at least one other child, a son Lloyd Arnold Coffey, Jr., born Jun. 29, 1931, died Aug. 6, 2000 in Portland, Multnomah Co., OR. According to his obituary, Lloyd, Jr. was a veteran of the Korean War, and was survived by daughters Julia Mendoza and Suzanne Moore. A son Dana W. Coffey had died in 1997.

Within a few months of her 1929 divorce from Lloyd, Hazel married a sailor, Irvin McClure Thomas in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles Co., CA. Hazel took James and Donald to her new marriage but her two daughters, Margaret and Sibyl went to live with grandparents Joseph and Sarah in Whatcom Co., OR. Lloyd moved to Pierce Co., WA and was found there in 1930 residing in a lumber camp where he was employed as a laborer.

Apparently James Albert assumed the Thomas surname without benefit of adoption by his new father. His descendants now use that surname.

Please send additions and/or corrections to me.