Lester B. Coffey 1894-1954 Laurel Co., KY

In the 1900 Fariston, Laurel Co., KY census, Linville Coffey named one member of the household as Lester Coffey, born Jun., 1894, age 5, as his grandson. He also named Lula Brown, born Apr., 1898, age 2, as a granddaughter.

Linville's oldest child was Samuel Madison Coffey who had married c1894, had two children of his own by 1900 and also resided in Fariston. Sam's wife Sarah reported that she was the mother of two children and that both were living at the time. Those two were Russell, born Dec., 1896 and Lucy, born Jan., 1898.

So, it appears then that Lester was not a son of Samuel Madison Coffey.

Linville's next oldest child was his daughter, Edna. She was born c1876 and was not in the family household at the time of the 1900 census. Edna may have been the mother of Lula and/or Lester. I have not found an Edna of any surname in 1900 Laurel Co. that could be Linville's Edna.

Lester married c1916 Arretta "Retta" Jones, a daughter of James M. and Mary Jones of Laurel Co. She was born Jun. 17, 1896 in Kentucky and died Aug., 19, 1987 in Laurel Co. "Retta" and Lester were the parents of Opal M., born Sep., 1917 and Earl M., born Oct., 1919.

In 1930 Lester and "Retta" were enumerated in the Rough [Rouge?] Creek Pct., Laurel Co. A member of the household was David Coffee [sic] who was named as a brother to Lester. Also in the household was David F., a son of David, age 1, whom Lester named as his nephew.

David was David Ira, and a son of Linville, born Jun. 13, 1882, died Apr. 1, 1944 in Laurel Co. He married Maggie Epperson c1922 and they had four children before Maggie died on Nov. 16, 1928 in McHargue, Laurel Co.

So, for lack of any better evidence to the contrary, I have attached Lester to Linville though his daughter Edna, father unknown.

Linville and his wife Mary Jane Stansberry Coffey are buried at the Campground Cemetery in Boreing, Laurel Co., KY

Earl E. Coffey, a son of Samuel Madison and his wife Sarah died in 2001 and is buried at Pottawatomie Co., OK in the Tecumseh Cemetery.

Lester and his wife Arretta are buried at London, Laurel Co. in the Whitaker Cemetery.

Lester's son Earl M., married Emma Kathleen Burnett. They and their son Donald R. are also buried at Whitaker.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address if you have information concerning this family, especially Lester's parents.