Francis Richmond Coffey

Francis Richmond Coffey was a son of Silas Carroll and Eleanor (Nellie) Green Coffey. He was born in March of 1863 in the Globe community of Caldwell Co., NC. He died in that state on Jun. 13, 1928. He and Etta May Hayes were married in the Globe on Dec. 25, 1891.

Etta was born Jul. 23, 1876 in Caldwell Co. to Richard and Delphia L. Hayes Hayes. She died April 10, 1932 in North Carolina.

There were at least 13 children born to this union. I have some descendant information for seven of them:

Mary E., born Jul. 1, 1894, died Jan. 7, 1896. She died unmarried and is buried at the New Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery near Cary's Flat in Avery Co., NC.

Netie L., born Dec. 1896

Queen Vester, born Oct. 8, 1898 and died Sep. 2, 1988. She married Sylvestere Gragg on May 2, 1920 in NC. he was born c1891 in that state. I do not yet have a death date or parents for Sylvester. She and Sylvester had at least 10 children: Goldie, Hobert, Rolhen Sylvester, Mabel, Agnes, Lewis, Russell, Cecil D., Herman Ray and Dorothy Jean.

[It appears that Sylvester is the son of Luther Burgess and Mary J. Crump Gragg. His birth year c1891 fits in with the other three identified children of Luther: Cora Ella, born Feb. 1894, died May 14, 1973, married Grover C. Coffey, son of David Columbus and Julia N. Beard Coffey; William E., born Nov., 1896; and Sanford Robert, born Jan. 25, 1899, died May 20, 1992, married Edna Mae Raby]

Exie Mae, born Oct. 21, 1901 in NC, and died in that state on Feb. 15, 1926. She married Ivey Watson Coffey, date unknown. He was born May 10, 1900 in Gragg, Avery Co., and died Oct. 20, 1982 in that county. They had at least three children: Odell Joseph who married Velma Gragg; Janet Ruth, and Opal. Ivey was a son of David William and Gertrude Trivette Coffey. After Exie's death, Ivey married Virginia May Woodie, born May 30, 1892, died Jun. 1976 in Caldwell Co. She was the daughter of Rufus Asbury Woodie and Sara Elizabeth (Betty) Reed.

Ellis, born Jul. 10, 1903 in Avery Co., died Apr. 15, 1994 in Banner Elk, Avery Co. She married Walter Raleigh Gragg, a son of David Obodiah and Frances Elizabeth (Fanny) Dellinger. Walter was born Oct. 18, 1900 in Avery Co., and died Mar 12, 1987 in Watauga Co. Ellis is buried in the Gragg Family Cemetery - which I understand is also the Hopewell Cemetery. They were parents of at least eight children: Rome, Ruth, Howard, Ethel, Dallas, Alma, Irene E., and Rachel R.

Dartha (Dolly), born Mar. 8, 1904 in Avery Co., died Mar. 20, 2006 in Caldwell Co. She married Virgil Clingman Gragg on Jul. 24, 1920 in Caldwell Co. He was the son of Larkin Henderson and Lee Ella Gragg Gragg, and was born Jul. 31, 1900 in Caldwell Co. He died there in 1980. There were at least five children in this family: Orville, born c1922; Homer Lee, born 1924, died 1989; Troy, born c1926; Jesse, born c1928; and Lafayette Anthony, born 1945. This last child seems to have been born a bit too long after Jesse, but his birth to this couple is recorded in Caldwell Co. birth register, book 32, Page 1042.

Donald, born May 20, 1906

Fred J., born Aug. 23, 1907, died Feb. 22, 1958.. He married Nellie Gragg, dau of Tilmon Monroe and Lillie May (Mary?) Fortner Gragg.

Nellie was born c1908.

Dallas, born c1910

Edgar, born c1912

Netta Belle, born Feb. 13, 1915. She married Alfred Argie Gragg, a son of John Robert Joshua Gragg and Mary Adelaide (Addie) Coffey. Addie was a daughter of Julius Calvin and Eugenia Lavinia (Genie) Dellinger Coffey. Alfred and Netta Bell had at least 10 children: Busalee, born Jan. 7, 1935; Lela D., born May 15, 1936; Ramona, born Jul. 13,1937; Nellere, born Apr. 17, 1939; Patie, born Jul, 13, 1942; John R., born Nov. 14, 1942 (unlikely, but their births are recorded as such in the Caldwell Co. records); Magatha, born Mar. 7, 1943; Alfred Deane, born Feb. 22, 1948; Billy Brown, born Mar. 5, 1950, died Apr. 2, 2006; and Linda Faye, born Nov. 18, 1952.

Esselene, no birth or death information. She married Shelby Delon Gragg on Oct. 23, 1937 in Watauga Co. He was born Sep. 20, 1915 in Caldwell Co., and died there on Sep. 28, 1974. He was a son of Leason Carrol and Dora Belle Bean Gragg. Esselene and Shelby had at least five children: Billy Wess, born 1936; twins David L., and Kenneth, born 1039; Lois, born 1941 and Shelby Wayne, born 1943.

And finally, Lois Agnes, born Jun. 30, 1919. No other information.

Please send additions and/or corrections to me at the e-mail address below.

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Update, Oct. 14, 2010:  Another child of Rufus and Sarah Reid Woodie, Alfred Wilson Woodie, married Viola Gertrude Coffey, a daughter of Julius Adore and Aster Jane Dellinger Coffey.  Alfred was born May, 1894 and died May 12, 1979 in Banner Elk, Avery Co.  Viola was born in 1903 and died May 23, 1986 at Blowing Rock.

Update, Jul. 28, 2011: Ivey Watson and Exie marriage date was Dec. 28, 1918 in Avery Co., NC.  Odell Joseph Coffey and Velma Gragg were married Mar. 10, 1941 in Carter Co., TN.  Odell died Nov. 14, 2005 in Newland, Avery Co.; Velma on Nov. 19, 2009 in Linville, Avery Co.

Update, Aug. 23,2011:  Louise Woodie, daughter of Alfred Wilson and Viola Gertrude Coffey Woodie, born Jun. 3,1924, passed away on Apr. 25, 2007 in Burke Co. She was first married to Floyd Clark and second to a Mr. Lane.

Her obituary:

Louise Woodie Clark Lane, 83, of Robey Street, Morganton, made an unexpected move to heaven on Wednesday, April 25, 2007.

Born in Avery County, on June 3, 1924, she was a daughter of the late Alfred and Gertrude Coffey Woodie.

She was a retired employee of Broughton Hospital and was a member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. Throughout her life, Louise was a tower of strength to her family and was a loving, caring and sharing woman who adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She always offered a ready smile, a hug and food whenever visitors came to her home. Her accomplishments were many but her greatest ones were the strength, love and faith she instilled in her children and grandchildren. Louise's passing on will leave a vast empty space in many lives; but her arrival in Heaven is reason to rejoice.

She is survived by her children, Jerry Lynn Clark of Morganton, Jean C. Harrell of Asheville, Lonnie F. Clark and June Kunhe of Morganton, and Janell C. Wakefield and her husband, Charles, of Morganton; grandchildren, Chris Clark and his wife, Anita, of Denver, Stacy Clark and his wife, Dana, of Bardstown, Ky., Joel Harrell and his wife, Jenny, of Raleigh, Monica Wakefield, Lisa Dooley and her husband, Floyd, and Stephanie Clark, all of Morganton; great-grandchildren, Zane and Wylie Clark, Camden and Bailey Dooley, Marcus Clark and Elias Wakefield; brothers, Roy Woodie and his wife, Irene, of Jonas Ridge and Ralph Woodie and his wife, Anna, of Oak Hill; a sister, Myrtle Clark of Jonas Ridge; a sister-in-law, Christine Woodie of Jonas Ridge; many special nieces and nephews who loved her as a second mother and all of their spouses and children; and special friends, Jettie Causby and Verna Beach. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Ronald Woodie; and infant sisters, Mary and Betty Woodie.

The funeral will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church with the Rev. Bill Holland officiating.

Burial will follow in the Calloway Cemetery at Jonas Ridge.

The family will receive friends at the church on Sunday beginning at 1:30 p.m. At other times the family will be at Mrs. Lane's home, 103 Robey St. Memorial gifts may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942 or to Calloway Cemetery, c/o Long Ridge Baptist Church, Newland, NC 28657. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Note: Bettie, born Apr. 27, 1936, died Jun. 7, 1938. No information on Mary.  Ralph Woodie died Jun. 23, 2009 and is buried at Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Oak Hill, Burke Co.