Leland L. "Lee" and Elizabeth Jane Manis Coffey

"Lee" was a son of John Morgan and Elizabeth Day Coffey, and was born in Cherokee Co., NC on Jul. 28, 1851. He was married to Elizabeth Jane Manis but I have not found the marriage date. Elizabeth was born Feb. 28, 1856 in NC and died on Dec. 22, 1943 in Marble, Cherokee Co. Lee died there on Nov. 11, 1907. Both are buried in the Moss Cemetery at Marble.

He and Elizabeth were parents of at least seven children, all boys except for one daughter.

Barney Luther, born Aug. 1, 1876 in Union Co., GA and died Oct. 21, 1957 in Enka, Hominy Twp., Buncombe Co., NC. He married Melissa Wilson on Aug. 15, 1903 in Cherokee Co. Melissa was born c1884 in NC. Their children were Lois Alma; Barney, Jr.; Jack Edgar; and Paul Lee. Barney registered for the WW1 draft in Marble, Cherokee Co. on Sep. 12, 1918. He was described as being short with blue eyes and black hair. Build was not provided. He was 42 yrs old, born Aug. 1, 1876. He was a farmer who resided at Marble. He named Mrs. Jessie Coffee [sic] as his nearest relative. Both are buried at Moss.

Virgil Lee, born Dec. 29, 1877 in Cherokee Co., and was married there on Jul. 2, 1903 to Nora Texie Bryson. Nora was born Jun. 28, 1885 in Cherokee Co. and died there on Feb. 13, 1971. Virgil died Oct. 10, 1964. Both are buried at Moss. Their children were Cornelia, Roscoe and Hattie. Perhaps they had more. Virgil registered for the WW1 draft in Marble, Cherokee Co. on Sep. 12, 1918. He was described as being of medium height and build with blue eyes and black hair. He gave his age as 39 yrs., born Dec. 29, 1877. He was a farmer at Marble and named Mrs. Nora Coffee [sic] of Marble as his nearest relative.

Emma was born Mar. 19, 1879, probably in Cherokee Co., and died there on Sep. 27, 1964. She married William Jackson Barton, born May 24, 1872 in Georgia, on Oct. 17, 1894. William died in Marble on Dec. 18, 1960. Both are buried at Moss. They likely had children but I have not yet searched for them. William also probably registered for the WW1 draft but I have not yet found his registration card.

Squire Morgan was the fourth child, born Jan. 2, 1882 in Cherokee Co., and died of cardiac arrest in Marble on Dec. 17, 1971. He is also buried at Moss. Morgan Squire Coffee [sic] registered for the draft on Sep. 12, 1918 in Cherokee Co., NC. He was of medium height and build with blue eyes and brown hair. He was 36 years old, born Jan. 2, 1882. He was a farmer at Marble, Cherokee Co. He named Elizabeth Coffee of Marble as his nearest relative. I have not determined if Elizabeth was his mother or his wife. I have not yet found any other information about him.

William Edgar, born Jun. 20, 1886 in Cherokee, died of a coronary occlusion on Sep. 25, 1959 at Marble. He married c1910 to Lucy Ashe, born c1886 in NC. Together they had at least nine children: Gene, Harold T., Carl Lee, William Wade, Ora Bell, James Woodrow, Lenora, Marvin and Dorothy May. William registered for the draft on Jun. 5, 1917 in Marble, Cherokee Co., NC. He was 30 yrs. old, born Jun. 25, 1882 in Cherokee Co. He was a farmer at Marble and was described as being of medium height with slender build, blue eyes and light colored hair.

Stedman M. Smith Coffey, born Sep. 14, 1889 in Macon Co., NC, died Jul 16, 1987 in Marble. He married on Jan. 10, 1909 to Ethel M. Adams. Ethel was born Mar. 23, 1891 in Cherokee Co., and died Jan. 29, 1971 in Marble. Both she and Stedman are buried at Moss. Their children were Stella, Blanche, John Lee, Rev. Clyde, Vance, Vesta and Mildred. Smith S. Coffee [sic] registered for the draft in Marble, Cherokee Co., NC on Jun 5, 1917. He was described as being of medium height and slender build with brown eyes and black hair. He gave his age as 27 yrs., born Sep. 14, 1889 in Macon Co., NC. He was a farmer who lived with his wife and two children at Marble.

Frank was the last child born to "Lee" and Elizabeth Jane. He came into the world on Dec. 5, 1896 in NC and died Nov. 18, 1983 in Buncombe Co. He married Mary E. Craig c1922. Mary was born Sep. 21, 1906 in NC and died May 5, 1994 in Cherokee Co. Both are buried at Moss. Their children were Lucille and Jean. Frank registered for the draft in Marble, Cherokee Co., NC on Jun 5, 1917. He was described as being of medium height and build with dark blue eyes and dark hair. He gave his age as 21 yrs., born Dec. 5, 1896 in Cherokee Co., NC. He was a farmer at Marble, unmarried and cared for his mother.

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Sources: Death certificates; Cherokee Co. Marriages 1860-1905;