James Calvin & Lucinda Elizabeth Coffey Welker

A day or so ago I wrote about James and Sarah Emerline Sumpter Coffey.  I have some concerns of whether or not the James Coffey, Jr who married Sophia Gibear was their son.  I still have not figured that out but, will publish what information I have been able to gather on James and Sophia's children, especially their son Glenton Oliver Welker.  See also Aug. 30, 2010 blog for more info about this family.

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John Calvin Welker

Lucinda Eliz. Coffey

 John Calvin Welker was born in Cinque Homme Twp., Perry Co., MO on Jul. 9, 1858 to Louis and Mary Salina Will Welker.  Lucinda Elizabeth Coffey was the daughter of James, Jr. and Sophia Giebear Coffey.  She and John were married on Sep. 24, 1877 in Perry Co., MO.

To them were born at least eight children, all born in Cinque Homme:  William E., Victoria Edith, Ola Elma, Jesse Clarenton, Glenton Oliver, Mary Ethel, Annie Della, and Reath Rosa.  I have been able to find some descendant information on all except Ola.

William was born on Aug. 30, 1877 and died on Jun. 8,1950 in Friedheim, in Cape Girardeau Co., MO.  His spouse was Josephine Maria Lappe, born Dec. 15, 1880 in MO, died there on Jun. 10, 1968.  Their marriage took plae on Jul. 30, 1901 in Perry Co.  Children:  Rudolph A., born c1905 and, Elmo T., born c1908, both in Cape Girardeau Co.  William and Josephine were buried at Saint Maurus Catholic Church Cemetery in Biehle, Perry Co.

Victoria Edith was born Oct. 28,1881 and died in Nebraska on Jun. 26, 1988.  Her husband was Joseph A. Baudendistel, born in MO c1855.  They were married there c1908.  Joseph died Aug. 28, 1937 in Rulo, Richardson Co., NC.  Both are buried at the Rulo city cemetery.  The census record shows this family lived for a time in North Dakota and on the Iowa Indian reservation in Brown Co., KS.  They had at least eight children:  John E., born c1910 in ND; Raymond S., born c1912 in NC, died 1977 in Rulo; Victor, born Oct. 7, 1914 in MO, died in St. Louis on Sep. 1, 1916.  He was buried at McBride in Perry Co.; Lillian, born c1917 in MO; Paul, born c1921 in KS; Mildred, born c1923 in KS; Juanita, born c1925 in KS and Wesley E., born c1927 in KS.

Jesse Clarenton was born Jun. 7, 1886 and died on Mar. 19, 1975 in Perry Co.  He married Frances Schümer on Oct. 20, 1908 in Cingue Homme Twp.  Frances was born in Perry Co. on Feb. 4, 1882 to Francis Anton "Frank" and Samantha M. Leonard Schümer.  Frances died on Nov. 4, 1965 in Perry Co.  Both she and Jesse are buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Highland, Perry Co.  Their children numbered at least eight, all born in Cinque Homme:  Lawrence, born Sep., 1909; Veronica, born c1912; Ida, born c1915; Clara, born c1916; Buela, born c1918; Wilbert E., born c1920; Hilda B., born c1923 and Glenn J., born c1926.

Samantha Leonard Schümer was a daughter of Christian and Priscilla Conrad Leonard.  Christian and Priscilla were parents of at least 15 children and, Samantha was their youngest.  Christian served on the Union side during the Civil War as 3d Sgt. in the 3rd Regt., US Reserve Corps, Missouri Infantry.

Glenton & Elizabeth Macke
Wedding Photo

Elizabeth Catherine Macke

Glenton Oliver was born Jun. 14, 1888 in Cinque Homme and died in Perryville on Mar. 9, 1974.  He first married Bertha Mary "Birdie" Bunker on Apr. 9, 1912 in Perryville.  Birdie was born there on Nov. 11, 1890 and died there on Jan. 31, 1929.  Their children, all born in Perryville, were:  Myrna, born c1914; Marie, born c1916; Robert L., born Jun. 15, 1918, died Nov. 26, 2009 in Perryville; and William H., born Apr. 6, 1921, died Apr. 2, 1923 in Perryville.  Glenton, Birdie and the two sons are all buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Perryville.

Glenton married for a second time to Elizabeth Catherine Macke, a daughter of Henry and Henrietta van der Mierden Macke.  Henry was born on Jun. 6, 1856 in Oldenburg, now a city in Lower Saxony, Germany.  In the 10th century this city was named Auldenburg and became part of the new German state of Lower Saxony after WW2.  Henrietta was born in Noord Brabant province of Holland on Aug. 5, 1864.  Henry died on May 30, 1914 in Leopold, Bollinger Co., MO and Henrietta died there on Mar. 27, 1940.  She is buried at the Leopold cemetery; Henry is probably there as well.

Henrietta van der Mierden Macke

Henry Macke

Prior to her marriage to Glenton, Elizabeth was married to Thomas Alvie Hart on Nov. 5, 1919 in Leopold. Thomas was a son of Thomas Alexander and Mary Rosella Moore Hart and was born on Jul. 26, 1896.  He died at age 30 in Perryville on Jan. 2, 1927.  He is also buried at Mount Hope.  It is my understanding from a descendant grandson that Elizabeth is buried adjacent to Thomas and that Glenton is buried adjacent to Birdie.

Following Glenton, the next born to John and Lucinda was Mary Ethel, born Sep. 1, 1892.  Her husband was Henry August Bohnert, born Apr. 6, 1889 in Uniontown, Perry Co., died in St. Louis on Nov. 9, 1955.    He and Mary were married on Sep. 25, 1917 in Perry Co.  Henry and Mary are buried at Saint Rose of Lima Cemetery in Silver Lake, Perry Co.

Annie Della was born Nov. 15, 1895 and died in Perryville on Sep. 26, 1977.  She married Frank John Krumm c1920 in MO.  He was born there on Jul. 10, 1888 and died in Perry Co. on Apr. 9,1961.  Both are buried at Mount Hope.

The last child was Reath Rosa, born Jan., 1897.  She married Charles H. Schnurr on Jun. 10, 1919 in Perry Co.  Their children were:  Russell, born c1920; Clifford, born c1924; Everett, born c1927 and Dorothy, born c1930.  I have not found a death date or burial place for either.

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The photos are courtesy of Greg Heck and subject to this exclusive rights.

James & Sarah Emerline Sumpter Coffey

James, a son of Reuben and Mildred Morris* Coffey was born Aug. 27, 1790 in Burke Co., NC and died in Pulaski Co., KY on Jun. 4, 1892.  He is thought to be buried in an unmarked grave at Wiborg Cemetery in Flat Rock, McCreary Co., KY.  The part of Pulaski Co. that this family lived in later became part of McCreary Co.

Sarah Sumpter, parents yet unknown, was born on Jul. 7, 1792 in Burke Co., and died in KY in 1869.  Her burial place is also thought to be at Wiborg.  She and James were married on Jul. 7, 1810** in Burke Co.

It is believed by many researchers that the family left North Carolina before 1815 and settled in Pulaski Co., KY where eight of their known 10 children were born.  James, and his son James, Jr. patented land in that county on Mar. 28, 1851.  The 100 acres was described as being on "Big Creek, South Fork of Cumberland River" in the Joseph Porter survey.¹  Whether or not the family left this land at some future date is not known by me, but they remained in the county until death.

James and Sarah had at least 10 children.  The one I will concentrate on here is James, Jr., born c1820, died Nov. 16, 1862 in Perry Co., MO.³ James, Jr. appears to have left Pulaski Co. less than a year following the property patent with his father.  A record in Adair Co., MO shows that he married Sophia Giebear there on Mar. 4, 1852².  Sophia was the daughter of French born Nicholas Giebear and Ann Marie Drouard.  She was born May 22, 1834 in MO and died Aug. 8, 1880 in Perry Co.  Both she and James are buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Perryville.

James and Sophia had at least four children:

James Henry, born Feb. 14, 1853, died Jun. 11, 1940 in Saline Twp., Perry Co.  James married Matilda Ann Moore, born Apr. 14, 1853 in Perry Co.  I know of one child, James Edward, born Aug. 25, 1895 in Perry Co., died Aug. 14,1961 in Perry Co.  He married Mary Zilpha Layton and had at least five children:  Mary Ann, James Henry, Orma Mary, Leo, and Joseph John.  Orma is said to have married Lester William Eichholz of Wisconsin on Nov. 2, 1941 in Wisconsin.  There is some confusion with this family as well.  James Henry is thought to have also married Mary Emma Dickerson, born c1866 in MO.  It is not yet clear to me whether Mary or Matilda was the mother of James Edward.  Based on birth year of Matilda (1853) and birth year of James Edward (1895) I rather lean towards Mary Emma as his mother.

William Austin, born Mar. 18, 1855 in Perry Co., and died there on Dec. 7, 1923.  He married Margaret Adaline Fowler and had at least 10 children:  Robert, Florence, James Austin, Rosalie, John Edward, Maude, Jesse, Everett, Charles H., and Lillie. Charles H. married Alice Mary Staelens.  She and Charles at buried near his parents at Mount Hope in Perryville.

Mary Jane, born Feb. 12, 1857, married John D. Red, c1885 in MO.  John was born Sep. 17, 1842 in IL and died in Perryville on Jan. 30, 1908.  Mary Jane died Jun. 24, 1954 in Perryville. They too are at Mount Hope.  I know of three children:  Mary S., born 1886 in IL;  Julia, born Apr., 1888 in CA; and Charles, born in Mar., 1894 in MO.

John Calvin Welker

Lucinda E. Coffey Welker

Lucinda Elizabeth¨, born Sep. 10, 1859 in Adair Co., MO, died in Perryville on Aug. 7, 1937.  She married John Calvin Welker on Sep. 24, 1877 in Perry Co.˜  John was born Jul. 9, 1858 in Cinque Homme Twp., Perry Co. to Louis and Mary Salina Will Welker.  He died on Nov. 6, 1931 in Perryville.  They are also buried at Mount Hope.  Their children were:  William E., Victoria Edith, Ola Elma, Jesse Clarenton, Glenton O., Mary Ethel, Annie Della, and Reath Rose.



I am very interested in learning if this James, Jr. is indeed the son James & Sally Sumpter Coffey!

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*traditional
**Name: James Coffey Spouse: Salley Sumter Marriage Date: 7 Jul 1810 Marriage County: Burke Marriage State: North Carolina Source Vendor: Liahona Research.  Source: County Court Records at Morganton, NC and, North Carolina Marriage Bonds 1741-1868; Original data: State of North Carolina.
¹Land Office, Kentucky Secretary of State, online, Patent No. 16563, Book 32, Page 310.
²State of Missouri County of Adair} I do hereby certify that I solemnized the rites of matrimony between James Coffee and Sophia Gibarror (?) the 4 - Day of March 1852 - Nicholas W. Turner J. P. - Transcribed by order of the County Court March 11th AD 1856 - E M C Morelock
³There are enough inconsistencies in this genealogy to cause pause.  More research is needed to assure that this James Coffey, Jr. was indeed the son of James & Sarah Sumpter Coffey.  The best info that I have at the moment says he is, but I remain skeptical.
˜Missouri Marriage Records. Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives. Microfilm.  "State of Missouri, County of Perry } SS: I, the Undersigned, a Catholic Priest, do hereby certify that on the twenty fourth day of September 1877, I joined in marriage John C. Welker and Lucinda E. Coffee, in Perry county, Mo. Given under my hand, this twenty eighth day of March, A. D. 1878 W. (?)T. Moore"
¨John Calvin Welker photo source:  http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/3302962/person/-1664895378; Lucinda's from http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/6681171/person/-1248885440

2012 Coffey Cousins' Reunion - Preliminary Info

As I wrote earlier, we had to quickly change plans for the 2010 reunion.

New dates and place have been confirmed.  The reunion will be April 26-28 at the lodge at Lake Cumberland State Park in Jamestown, KY.

Those of you who attended a few years back at the same lodge know this is a wonderful area, full of scenic vistas, deer and wild turkey everywhere, and a staff that knows how to treat its guests.

I'll have more info on rates, etc., a bit later.  If  you want to call and get info ahead of time, call call 1-800-325-1709 and tell the receptionist you are with Coffey Cousins'.  The physical address is 4565 State Park Road, Jamestown KY, 32629.  Email is LakeCumberland@ky.gov.

Jesse Calton & Nancy A. Raines Coffey Home Place

The photo depicts the old homeplace of Jesse Calton and Nancy A. Raines Coffey.  As I understand it, the home was located on what is now Tweetsie Railroad property, near Boone, NC.  The home was torn down some years ago.

Jesse was a son of Reuben and Rachel Hayes Coffey; Nancy, a daughter of Henry and Abigail White Raines.  The family has been mentioned several times in this blog.  One early blog can be found here.  Use the search box at top right to find others, and use quotation marks around your search term.

Roxanna Coffey (1858 NC-1946 TX)

Roxanna was a daughter of Athan and Mary "Polly" McGuire Coffey.  She was the eighth of their 10 known children and until I stumbled upon her death certificate, she was one of several for which I had no clue what happened to.  She was born Sep. 19, 1858 in North Carolina and died in Sherman, Grayson Co., TX on Nov. 30, 1946.

Frank & Marty NC Birth Record

She was likely born in Cherokee Co. where he family lived at least through June of 1860.  In July of 1870 the family was enumerated in Towns Co., GA.  It was in that county where Rosanna married her first husband, Joseph B. Byers on Jan. 5, 1875*.  That marriage produced two sons, Ephriam, c1876 and Joseph, Jr., c1877.  Joseph died in 1878 and was buried at the Old Union Cemetery in Young Harris, Towns Co.

For reasons not apparent to me, Roxanna returned to North Carolina where she was married c1885 to James P. Evans, born in GA, c1845.  That union produced another six children:  Luther M., born Jan., 1886; George R., born Apr., 1888; Murty (?), born Jan., 1890; Marty May, born Jan. 27, 1892**, Brasstown, Clay Co., NC; Frank Edman, born May 16, 1894** in Warne, Clay Co., and Jennie (?) P., born c1899.

At some point between the Jun. 1900 census in Brasstown and the Apr. 1910 census, Roxanne became a widow again and moved with part of her family to Grayson Co., TX.  She was enumerated there with her daughters Marty May and Jennie (?), and son Frank, where they farmed.

Around 1913. Frank married a lady by the name of Lenna.  In 1930, this family was in Littlefield, Lamb Co., TX.  Roxanna lived with them.  She died on Nov. 30, 1946 of acute broncho pneumonia at St. Vincent Hospital in Sherman, Grayson Co. and was laid to rest there at West Hill Cemetery.

I have not yet found any of her children with Joseph Byers and, so far, I have found only Frank of her Evans children.

Roxanna's sisters, Mary Emaline and Sarah Jane also married Byers men in Towns Co.  I'm certain these husbands must be related to Joseph, Roxie's first husband.  Mary Emaline married David J. Byers on Feb. 15, 1873* in Towns Co.  Sarah Jane married Phidella Ceburn Byers on Jul. 30, 1870*, also in Towns Co.  Phidella died Mar. 29, 1929 and Sarah on Feb. 8, 1942.  Both are buried at Ivylog Cemetery, in Union Co.

Contact me if you can fill in any blanks!

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Update Oct. 23, 2011:  Roxanna's older sister, Sarah Jane, was born in NC on Feb. 16, 1853 and died in Union Co., GA on Feb. 8,1942.  Phidella Ceburn Byers was born Oct. 27, 1845 in NC and died Mar. 29, 1929 in Union Co., GA.  Both are buried at the Ivy Log Cemetery in Union Co.  This couple had at least 11 children.  The only one that I have so far found is Lawrence, born May 2, 1892 in NC, died Jan. 1, 1971 in Union Co.  He and his wife Lillian, and perhaps a child or two, are also buried at Ivy Log.

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*Georgia State Archives, "Towns County Marriage Records 1855-1904," book from microfilm, Georgia State Archives, Georgia's Virtual Vault (http://cdm.sos.state.ga.us/index.php, Pages5,  6,and 7,  Marriage Record, Byers brothers to Coffee [sic] sisters.
**Delayed NC birth certificate

Ebin Cleveland Coffee

Nathan and Louisa Eliza Durham Coffey were married c1823 in Wayne Co., KY.  Their eldest child was Andrew Jackson Coffey, born c1825 in Wayne Co., died Oct. 25, 1899 in Montague Co., TX.  Ebin was their second and last child, born Mar., 1826 in Wayne Co. The couple divorced in 1830.

According to Wayne Co. marriage records (1801-1860) and the research of Ken Coffee of Del Rio, TX, Ebin married Elizabeth Farmer on Aug. 7, 1845.  Elizabeth was born either in TN or KY in 1825 and died on Dec. 10, 1885 in Eastland Co., TX.  She gave Ebin at least seven children:

William Madison Coffee

Frances Elvira Bennett

1) William Madison, born Feb. 6, 1847 in KY, died Apr. 7, 1913 in Brownwood, Brown Co., TX.  He married Frances Elvira Bennett on Apr. 21, 1870 in TX.  Frances was born c1845 in IL.  Prior to her marriage to William, Frances had been married to Francis M. Citty with whom she had at least one child Mary Frances.  With William they had at least six, all born in TX:  John Henry, born Feb. 25, 1871, died in Brown Co. in Apr., 1873; George Ebin, born Dec. 28, 1873 died Aug. 15, 1875; Adeline Florence, born Feb. 12, 1874; Williann, born Feb. 12, 1876, died Jan. 5, 1892; James Madison, born Jan. 6, 1884, died Jul. 8, 1892 in Brown Co.; and Elizabeth, born Aug., 1885.  At sometime or another this family began to spell their surname** ending with double-E.

James Madison Coffee

Mattie Mae Gilley Coffee

I only have some descendant info on James Madison.  He married Mattie Mae Gilley, date not found.  She was born Jun. 27, 1887 in Floresville, Wilson Co., TX and died in Brownwood on Feb. 27, 1964.  Their children were Ellen or Aileen, born c1905; Russell Francis., born Jul. 14, 1908, died Oct. 8, 1987 in Brown Co.; an unnamed infant daughter born in 1910 and lived only five days; Wilbur E., born Sep. 3, 1911, died Mar. 11, 1971 in Fort Worth; Wilmot, born Sep. 3, 1911; Maud, born c1915; James Paul, born Jul. 16, 1917, died May 22, 1972 in Fort Worth; Eugene (?), born c1921 and Leonard L., born c1925.

Russell Francis married Reba S. Price on Mar. 3, 1934 in TX.  She was born Aug. 11, 1913 in Brown Co. and died in Bangs, Brown Co. on Jan. 26, 2002.  Both are buried at the Bangs Cemetery.

Wilbur married Velta Rosevelt "Veltie" Holland.  She was born on Jan. 2, 1908 in Village Mills, Hardin Co., TX, and died on Jul. 21, 1982.  Wilbur is buried at Emerald Hills Memorial Park in Fort Worth.  Veltie died on Jul. 21, 1982 and was buried at Richard Cemetery in Warren, Tyler Co., TX

Wilmot was born Sep. 3, 1911 (twin to Wilbur) and died May 20, 1974.  He is buried at Danville Cemetery in Kilgore, Gregg Co., TX

James Paul is also buried at Emerald Hills.

2) Louisa Elizabeth, born Apr. 4, 1849, died Sep. 16, 1913.  She is said to have married Benjamin Lee Boen, born Feb. 28, 1888, died Sep. 10, 1954.  I have been unable to independently confirm any of this information.

3), 4), 5) Mary A., born c1851; James H., born c1854; and George Washington, born c1856

6) Victoria P., born May 28, 1860 in Rusk Co., TX, died Oct. 9, 1938 in Fisher Co., TX.  She married John Marion Jones on Oct. 15, 1879 in Hopkins Co., TX.  John was born in TX in Feb., 1860. Victoria is buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Merkel, Taylor Co., TX.  Children were Ebb, Walter Marion, Jesse, Cody, Trudy and Mattie.

7) Texana, born Oct., 1865.  She married a Mr. Fry and had at least one child, Mary P., born Jun., 1894.  In 1900 Texana, a widow, and her child were living in Comanche Co., TX with her parents.

Elizabeth Farmer Coffee died on Dec. 10 1885 in Eastland Co., TX and was buried in Desdemona cemetery in that county.  On Oct. 11, 1886, Ebin took his second wife, Frances Virginia Jones, the widow of Timothy Rasberry Haddox, as his bride.  Frances was born Sep., 1845 in AL to Littleton and Dorcas Natts Jones.  She and Timothy were married on Oct. 26, 1868 in McLennan Co., TX* and had three children before his death in 1881(Chapman).  Children were: Ella Eugenia; Rufus Forrest and Eula Benton.  More info is available on these children and their spouses on request.  Frances and Ebin are not known to have had any children.  She died on Mar. 13, 1933 at Beattie in Comanche Co., TX and was buried there at Taylors Chapel Cemetery.  Ebin died in Comanche Co. on Jul. 14, 1905 and removed to Brownwood for burial at the Greenleaf cemetery.

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*Texas Marriages, 1837-1973, digital images, FamilySearch internet (www.familysearch.org). groom's name: T. R. Haddox groom's birth date: groom's birthplace: groom's age: bride's name: Francis V. Jones bride's birth date: bride's birthplace: bride's age: marriage date: 26 Oct 1868 marriage place: Mclennan, Texas groom's father's name: groom's mother's name: bride's father's name: bride's mother's name: groom's race: groom's marital status: groom's previous wife's name: bride's race: bride's marital status: bride's previous husband's name: indexing project (batch) number: M59007-4 system origin: Texas-EASy source film number: 987554 reference number
** Or, had it spelled that way for them
Other sources: US Federal Census and James W. Chapman, Compiler/Researcher, Soda Springs Community, Comanche County, Texas Cemeteries, Donna L. Chapman, Compiler/Researcher (Comanche, TX: H. V. Chapman & Sons, 2007).  This publication does not provide a fact source.

Photographs are courtesy of Ken Coffee, Del Rio, TX and remain his property.

Garnett Odell Dudley & Leona Alberta Plogger Coffey

An obituary in my morning e-mail alerted me to the death of Nancy Virginia Plogger Graves on Oct. 15, 2011 in Roanoke City, VA.  After reading the obituary I learned that Nancy was the sister of Leona Alberta Plogger who married Garnett Coffey in Virginia on Dec. 29, 1944.

The Plogger sisters were two of the children born to Sandy Jackson & Goldie Mae Overhulser Plogger of Rockbridge Co., VA.  Leona was born Nov. 22, 1928 and died Oct. 26, 1999 in Buena Vista, VA.  She and Garnett had at least one child, Randolph Jackson Coffey who married Linda Sue Clark.  Linda died on May 8, 1999 in Lexington, VA and was buried at Collierstown Presbyterian Cemetery in Rockbridge, Co.

Her obituary:

The News-Gazette, Lexington, VA, May 12, 1999

Mrs. Randolph Coffey

Linda Sue Clark Coffey, 48, of Buena Vista died Saturday, May 8, at the University of Virginia Medical Center. 

She was born Aug. 18, 1950, in Rockbridge County, daughter of Nellie Clark Knick and Roy Knick of Buena Vista.  She was married to Randolph Coffey.

In addition to her husband and her parents, she is survived by three daughters, Nancy B. Coffey, Kristi M. Floyd and Elizabeth G. Coffey, all of Buena Vista; a son, Richard W. Coffey of Buena Vista; two brothers, Delmas Clark of Collierstown and Charles McNeil of Buena Vista; a sister, Martha McNeil of Fairfield; and three grandchildren.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. today, Wednesday, at Harrison's Funeral Chapel by the Rev. Ballard Shepherd.  Burial will follow at Collierstown Presbyterian Cemetery.

Garnett Coffey was the 10th son and last child born to Lafayette Washington and Annie Mariah Ward Coffey who, in total were parents of 14 children.  Garnett was born Jan. 6, 1922 in Rockbridge Co. and died on Dec. 26, 1991, and probably buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista with Leona.

Nancy Virginia's obituary:

Obituary, Roanoke Times, Oct. 18, 2011 

Nancy Virginia Plogger Graves 

Nancy Virginia Plogger Graves, 73, of Lexington, died on Saturday, October 15, 2011, at Heritage Hall. She was born on October 25, 1937, in Rockbridge County, a daughter of the late Sandy Jackson Plogger and Goldie Mae Overhulser. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Leona Coffey, Mary Reynolds, Ruby Fluty; and her granddaughter, Kalli Rylie Johnson.  

Mrs. Graves was a member of the Timber Ridge ARP Church. Surviving are her husband, Charles Leo Graves, of Lexington; one son, Charles Eddie Graves and wife, Lori, of Lexington; three daughters, Debbie Mohler and husband, Odie, of Lexington, Margie Koogler and husband, David, of Montpelier, Va., and Donna Johnson and husband, Barry, of Natural Bridge; one brother, Dennis Plogger, of Rockbridge Baths; two sisters, Nellie Graves, of Rockbridge Baths, and Frances Reynolds, of Stuarts Draft; five grandchildren, Heather Mohler, Nicole Koogler Clark and husband, Jonathan, Matthew Mohler and wife, Danielle, Courtney Koogler Gilbert and husband, Jimmy, and Samantha McDougle; three great-grandchildren, Hadleigh, Will, and Alexis; and one stepgreat-grandson, Treyce McCormick.  

A Funeral Service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 19, 2011, at Harrison Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Robert Gordon and the Rev William Bearden officiating. Burial will follow at Timber Ridge ARP Cemetery.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Rockbridge Area Hospice, P.O. Box 948, Lexington, VA 24450 or to the Heritage Hall Resident Aid Fund, 205 Houston Street, Lexington, VA 24450. 

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2011, at Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory, Lexington, Va., 540-463-2912.

Sandy Jackson Plogger was a son of Samuel Jackson and Nancy Virginia Hyman Plogger and was born Oct. 25, 1890 in VA, died Mar. 1, 1949.  He and Goldie Mae Overhulser, a daughter of Isaac and Alda Overhulser, born Sep. 23, 1904 in OH, married on Aug. 14, 1928 in Lexington.  She died in Lexington, VA on Dec. 29, 1976.  Both she and Sandy are buried at the New Monmouth Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Lexington.  They lived in the Kerrs Creek area of Lexington.

William Paxton Plogger and Sarah Frances Reid were the parents of Samuel Jackson.  Samuel's sister, Alice Baker Plogger is known to have had at least two children, Rosa Lillie and Reid Franklin, but their father is unknown.  Rosa married John William Riley on Dec. 6, 1906 in Lexington and had a number of children, including Alice Baker Riley on Oct. 17, 1907, who married Harry L. Falls; and Margaret Lee Riley who married Saylor Marshall Coffey.  Saylor was a son of Jacob Morris and Mary Jane Lotts Coffey.  Jacob and Garnett were cousins many times over.

Rev. John H. & Minerva Jane Coffey Nelson

John, sometimes referred to as "Rev. John Nelson," was a farmer in Caldwell Co. when he married Minerva Jane Coffey in that county in 1865.  He was a son of John M. & Elizabeth Penley Nelson*, born in Caldwell Co. on May 19, 1841.  Minerva, a daughter of Wilborn & Sarah Cottrell Coffey, was born there on Dec. 20, 1844.  John likely served the Confederacy during the Civil War.  There were at least three with the name from NC who enlisted.**  Which if any, is this John has not been determined.

Minerva gave John at least 11 children, all born in Caldwell Co. between 1869 and 1890.  They were:

Nora Cornelia, born Sep. 25, 1869, died May 22, 1953 at Belmont in South Point Twp., Gaston Co., NC.  Her spouse was Seth J. Setzer, a son of Larkin and Julia Holsclaw Setzer, born c1862.  They were married at Patterson on Mar. 20, 1888.  Seth died on Sep. 5, 1937 at Reidsville in Rockingham Co. and Nora on May 22, 1953 at Belmont.  Seth was buried at Mount Holly city cemetery in Gaston Co. while Nora was buried at Greenwood cemetery in Belmont.

Sarah, born Sep., 1870.  No further information.

Thomas, born c1873, married Mary Ingle, daughter of Mark & Nancy Ingle on Jul. 24, 1898 in Patterson Twp.  Mary was born c1876 in NC.

Minnie J., born Dec., 1874, married William "Willie" Estes on Feb. 15, 1903 in Johns River Twp.  He was born in 1880 in NC.

Robert Lee, born Feb. 1, 1875, married Junie Mae Phillips on Jun. 28, 1913 in Caldwell Co.  Robert died Jun. 6, 1955 in Lenoir; Junie there on Mar. 9, 1962.  Both are buried at Lenoir in Harpers Chapel cemetery.

William Rufus was born Dec. 6, 1879 and married Kate Pearl Suddreth, a daughter of Toliver Suddreth, on Oct. 4, 1913 in Caldwell Co.Kate was born c1890.  Rufus died Jun. 23, 1954 and was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Park in Lenoir.  No info on Kate's death date and burial location. They had at least two children:  Albert Lee and Edna Minerva.

Henry L. & Mary C. were born in Dec., 1880 and Aug., 1883, respectively.  No further information.

George W. was born Mar., 1885 and married China Carlton on Feb. 14, 1910 in Burke Co., NC.  Children that I know of were:  Rubie, born c1917, Lorrane, born c1919, one unnamed, born c1926 and Willis Ester, a male?, born c1935.

Milton League, born Aug. 2, 1887, died in Lenoir on Feb. 18, 1966.  Milton married Cora Lee Kirby, born Sep. 3, 1894 in Caldwell Co. on Jun. 29, 1917.  Cora died Oct. 31, 1971 in Lenoir.  Both are buried at the Nelson Chapel in Lenoir.

The last child born to John and Minerva was Albert J., born in Apr., 1890.  He married Lucy B. Greene in 1919.  She died Oct. 4, 1938 and he followed her on Apr. 22, 1939.  I'm still looking for their burial places.  Chidlren:  Hattie Belle, born 1920; Mattie, born 1921; Annie Mae, born 1923; and Willie Wilson, born 1924.

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*John H. was not the only child of John M and Elizabeth to marry a Coffey.  Their son George W., born 1837, married Mary Lou Coffey on Jun. 9, 1859 in Caldwell Co.  Mary Lou was a daughter of McCaleb and Elizabeth Collett Coffey.  George died on Jun. 8, 1860 in Lenoir; Mary Lou on Sep. 24, 1863.  They are both buried at Nelson's Chapel in Lenoir.  Another of the Nelson children, a daughter named Mary Ann, married Elijah L. Coffey on Jun. 20, 1867 in Caldwell Co.  Elijah was a son of William Coffey, Jr., and his wife Margaret Robbins.
**One John H. enlisted in Co. F, 6th Regiment, NC Infantry. Another enlisted in Co. D, 52d Regiment, NC Infantry and a third [John H. D.] enlisted in the 33d Regiment, NC Infantry.

Other sources used:  1850, 1870, 1880, 1900 US Federal Census; NC Death Certificates; Various cemetery records; NC Registrar of Deeds web service; familysearch.org


All of the surnames in this blog represent some very old Caldwell and Watauga  Co. NC families, some pre-Revolutionary.  Many of the ancestors of these herein named were pioneer hunters, explorers and settlers in those counties..

William Sullins & Docia Lou Coffey Orme

William Sullins and Docia Coffey Orme apparently left no descendants.  In 1900 and again in 1910 she reported to the census taker that she was the mother of none.  In 1920 and 1930 there were no children in the household.

William was born on Sep. 17, 1873 in Hunt Co., TX to William Melvin and Mary Eliza Sullins Orme.  He was the eldest of about seven children; his siblings were:  James, born Feb., 1876, Lela, Leota, born Aug., 1883, John Shelton, Walter, born Oct., 1899, and Charlsie Eliza, born Nov. 29, 1892, died Jan. 7, 1962 in Ranger, Eastland Co., TX.

Lela Orme was born Jan. 28, 1879 in Hill Co., TX.  She married William Walter Christian c1897 in TX.  He was born to J. W. & Mattie Christian on Nov. 30, 1873 in Parker Co., TX, died May 29, 1935 in Palo Pinto.  Lela died Feb. 21, 1932. Both are buried at Brad Cemetery in Palo Pinto Co.

John Shelton Orme was born Aug. 8, 1886 in TX,  married Ethel Irene Smith, a daughter of A. B. and Anna Hamilton Smith.  John died Aug. 15, 1964 in Palo Pinto and Ethel, born Nov. 16, 1888 in Brad died there on Jul. 26, 1966 and they are also buried at Brad Cemetery.

Docia Lou Coffey was born May 13, 1873 in TX and died May 19, 1962 in Strawn, Palo Pinto Co.  Her parents were William I. and Mary Ann Cantrell Coffey.  William I. was born to Charles Oliver and Diana Blansett on Nov. 27, 1830 in IL and died Feb. 8,1 902 in Meeker, Lincoln Co., OK.  Mary Ann was born c1833 in TN.

William I. Coffey Parentage

There is some confusion concerning the real mother of William I. Coffey.  Charles Oliver was born c1794 in KY and married on Oct. 18, 1815* in Burke Co., NC to Mary Sally Ramsey.  At least five children were born to this union:  Temperence, born c1823, Elizabeth, born c1825; Almira, born 1826, died 1905; Lavinia, born c1828, Wayne Co., KY; and Barbara, born c1829.

Charles later married Diana Blansett, born May, 1814 in Missouri and researchers of that union say he was William I. was born in 1830, followed by Sarah in 1837, Benjamin in 1843, Amanda Jane in 1845 and Eliza in 1849, all in MO.  A sixth child was Charles, Jr., born c1856 in TX.

I have a problem believing that Charles' first wife died in 1829 (at birth of Barbara) then, left KY that year for IL, met a woman, married her and had a son by 1830.  Because the second child Sarah was not born until c1837, I think perhaps that William was really the son of Charles' first wife, Mary Ramsey.  Of course, because we have no firm date for Mary's death, the wife in the 1840 census (next para.) could very likely be Mary Ramsey.  If it was her, it would get rid of my problem mentioned above.

Charles O. appeared in the 1840 Macon Co., MO census with a wife and three children.  There was a male child born between 1830 and 1835 (William was born 1830) and, a female child, born between 1835 and 1840 (Sarah was born in 1837).  A third female child was enumerated, born between 1825 and 1830.  Mary Ramsey Coffey's last known (to me) child was the daughter Barbara, born c1829. If the wife in this census was Mary Ramsey, then Sarah, born 1837 would also be her child.  This would put off any marriage of Charles to Diana by a year or two.

Charles appears next in the 1850 census for Collin Co., TX.  In that record, his wife is named "Deener," which is probably mid-19th century TX twang for Dinah. We don't know when they married, but probably after 1840.  If we move William and Sarah from the list of Charles' children with Diana and give them to Mary Ramsay, then the first born to Dinah would have been Benjamin in 1843, followed by Amanda in 1845, Eliza in 1849 and Charles, Jr. in 1856.

In 1860 Charles and Diana were in Kerr Co., TX; 1870 in Kendall Co., TX; in 1880 Kimble Co., TX and at his death in 1889 he was living in Menard, Menard Co., TX where he was buried in the Pioneer Rest Cemetery.  I have not found a record of Diana's death or place of burial.

William I. apparently like to roam as well.  In 1860 he and wife Mary Ann Cantrell were in Parker Co., TX.  In 1870 they were in Limestone Co; TX and in 1880 they were in Johnson Co., In 1900 they were living with Docia's family in Dallas Co., TX and, when he died in 1902 he was buried at the New Salem cemetery in Meeker, Lincoln Co., OK.

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*Research of Joe Newbrough, Sep., 1995.  Documentation not provided.

Katherine Grace "Katy" Coffee

Katherine Grace Coffee

A recent tragedy in New Castle, Weston Co., WY is the yet unsolved murder of a young woman by the name of Katherine Grace "Katy" Coffee, and which spurred a search for her ancestry.

Katy was born on Jan. 12, 1976 in Kerrville, Kerr Co., TX to Harold Alan and Bobbie Stoebe Coffee.  She was murdered on Jun. 3, 2011 in New Castle where she had been newly hired as a district conservationist in Newcastle.

Katy's father was a son of Walter Cleve and Irene Elizabeth Gutschow Coffee. Walter was a son of Clyde M. and Abbie E. Griff Coffee. Up to now, few if any researchers knew who Clyde had married. I discovered her in the Texas birth records for their children, Walter Cleve and Tom Franklin Coffee.

This family goes back to the mythical Chesley. Beginning with Clyde, whose parents were Cleaveland C. and Mattie Leonora Swagerty Coffey. Cleaveland was a son of Mansel Matthews and Georgiana Frances Reynolds Coffee. Mansel was the son of Logan McMillon and Mary Elizabeth Ragland Coffee. Logan was the son of James and Elizabeth Coffey Coffey. James appears to be the son of Joel and Martha Stepp Coffey while Elizabeth was the daughter of Nathan and Mary Saunders Coffey. Both Nathan and Joel are currently thought to be sons of mythical Chesley and Jane Cleveland Coffey.

The Coffee spelling is thought to go back to Logan and Mary when they lived in Jackson Co., AL. The family, I believe (based on an obituary) thought incorrectly that they were descended from Gen. John Coffee of that state. Part of the obituary for Mansel (1839-1891) reads:

"His family is intimately connected with the history of this country as far back as Gen'l Coffee who, was second in command at the Battle of New Orleans in 1816."

That part was lined out by someone else by the time I received a copy.

The following appeared in a news article found at Trib.com, a website for the Wyoming Star-Tribune:

On the morning of June 3, 2011, the body of Katherine Grace Coffee, age 35, was discovered in her home in Newcastle, WY, the victim of an apparent homicide. The death is being investigated by the Newcastle Police Department and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Anyone that has information about the crime or has knowledge of Coffee's whereabouts on the evening and night time hours of Thursday, June 2, 2011 are asked to call the Newcastle Police Department at (307)746-4486. Coffee's family has offered a $25,000 reward to anyone that can provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction or the person/s involved in this crime.

The Coffey/Nessel Connection in Oregon and California

In Nov., 1995 I wrote a short blog about Augustus Benjamin "Buster" Coffey, the son of John Taylor and Sarah Adeline "Sofie" Gates Coffey and, touched a bit on their sons.

Following her divorce from Buster c1920, Dolly married again.  Her second husband was Lewis L. Nessel who had been born in Brussels, Belgium on Aug. 6, 1883.  Lewis later became a longshoreman at the Port of San Francisco.

Lewis first married Emma May Coffey, a sister to "Buster."  They were married on Aug. 15, 1916 in Clatsop Co., OR.  Emma died there on Jan. 20, 1919 and Lewis married Dorothy, the ex-wife of Emma's brother.

Dorothy brought to the marriage at least three of the four children that she and "Buster" had together.  They were:

Velma Signett, born Sep. 18, 1913 in Oregon and died Jul. 15, 1993 in Enumclaw, King Co., WA.  Dorothy apparently had this child before her marriage to "Buster."  The Signett name, I am told*, comes from the fact that  some of the family had difficulty with the pronunciation of the Lousignont surname.

George Coffey Nessel

George Norman, born Sep. 27, 1915 in Svensen, died Jul. 17, 1996 in Redwood City, San Mateo Co., CA.  He is said to have married at least three times; first on Dec. 16, 1933 to Frances Louisa Wellcome, born Sep. 4, 1915 in Minnesota, died May 1, 2000 in Riverside Co., CA.  This marriage apparently ended in divorce c1950 because he then married Eileen Mary Nancey, born Nov. 30, 1920 in Minnesota, died Dec. 29, 1983 in San Francisco, CA, on Feb. 12, 1951 in Virginia City, Storey Co., NV.  That marriage also ended in divorce in 1974 in San Mateo Co., CA and in 1978 he married Maudie Gladys Silverman in Carson City, NV.  George died in 1996 in Redwood City., San Mateo Co., CA.  I do not know if George was adopted by Lewis Nessel, but he legally changed it to Nessel in 1976.  He enlisted in the US Army as George N. Nessel on Jul. 28, 1945 at Camp Beale in Yuba Co., CA and served with the 1129th Military Co. He was discharged on Oct. 19, 1946.

Howard Walter Coffey

Howard Walter, born Jun. 27, 1917 in Svensen, and died there on Mar. 28, 2002.  Howard kept the Coffey name and was married to Joyce Lee Mifflin, born May. 8, 1923 in Norfolk, VA, c1940.  They had at least one child, Larry Howard, born Jul. 27, 1941 in San Francisco, died there on Nov. 16, 2006.

Albert Robert Coffey Nessel

Albert Robert took his step-fathers name.  He was born Mar. 24, 1919 in Svensen and died Apr. 25, 2005 at Modesto in Stanislaus Co., CA.  He was married at least four times, first to Helen Volis c1940 in CA.  Helen was the daughter of Michael G. Volis, a 1907 Greek emigrant and, Freda G. Quedens, born Jan. 15, 1897 in Illinois to German emigrant parents, John Quedens and Engeline P. Garretts.  He and Helen had at least two children, Robert and Judith.  Judith died on Jun. 10, 1995 in San Mateo Co., CA.  Albert's second wife was Violet Wallen; third was Alice Rose Prefontaine, a WW2 Army sergeant.  Alice was a native of Boise, Ada Co., ID, born there on Aug. 29, 1927 and died in Modesto on May 31, 2003.  Fourth and last known wife was Norma Beatrice Gaska.  They were married on Sep. 5, 2003 in Carson City, NV. I know of no children born to any of these marriages.

The last known child born to "Buster" and Dolly was Harold Franklin.  He was born Jul. 22, 1921 in Clatsop Co. and also took the Nessel surname.  I am told that he married twice; first to Connie Mifflin** and second to Terry Tryphe.  I have no other information on this son. [No photo available to me]

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*Descendants of Lewis Moses Coffey, GEDCOM file submitted by Dorothy Louise Crawford, 289 Maui Circle, Union City, CA 94587, and received 24 Oct 2005., follow-up e-mail Nov. 7, 2005. (Dolly is believed to now be deceased)
**The Mifflin ladies were probably related but I have not investigated a connection.

Filmore Garfield & Martha Blanche Coffey Ford

Filmore Garfield Ford was a son of John Squire and Cenia Cook Ford, born Dec. 18, 1880 in Watauga Co.  Martha Blanche Coffey was a daughter of Thomas Carlton and Martha Ellen Cook Coffey, born Dec. 25, 1886 in Watauga Co.  The Cook ladies are probably related, but I have not investigated that connection.

Filmore and Martha Blanche was married on Nov. 13, 1904 in Watauga Co.*  They were parents of at least 12, seven of which I know to have lived and raised their own families.  I have found no info on sons Thomas Blaine Ford, born Mar. 4, 1918 or Farthing Gordon, born Jan. 3, 1930.  Son Herman was born Nov. 16, 1920 and died on the following day.

Update:  Farthing Gordon Ford died Jan. 7, 2002 in Davidson Co., NC.  Still searching for his wife's name.

Thomas Blaine Ford died Apr. 15, 1995 in Boone, Watauga Co.  His wife was Mary Rachel Herman, born 1923 in Alexander Co., NC.

The first born was William Stewart on Oct. 11, 1905 in Aho, Watauga Co.  He died Jan. 15, 1995 in Lenoir, Caldwell Co. and was buried at Baileys Camp Baptist Church Cemetery in Lenoir.  His wife was Lillie May Ford, likely a cousin, but I have not found her parents.

His obituary:

Mr. William Stewart Ford

Mr. William Stewart Ford, 89, of Route 1, Hudson, a former resident of Route 8, Lenoir, died Sunday, Jan. 15, at Caldwell Memorial Hospital in Lenoir.

He was born Oct. 11, 1905, in the Aho community of Watauga County, a son of the late Filmore and Blanche Coffey Ford.  He was a retired farmer and a former employee of Broyhill Furniture Company.  He was a member of Bailey's Camp Baptist Church.

Survivors include six sons, Alfred Ford of Newton, Frank Ford and Walter Fork [sic] [Ford], both of Black Mountain, Ray Ford of Morganton, James Ford of Hudson and Paul Ford of Lenoir; one daughter, Lucy Smith of Morganton; three sisters, Mary Belle Hampton and Ella Richardson, both of Lenoir, and Sadie Church of Fleetwood; and three brothers, Glenn Ford and Blaine Ford, both of Boone, and Farthing Ford of Lexington.  He is also survived by 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mrs. Lillie Mae Ford Ford, one sister, Mrs. Pansy Jackson; and three brothers, Mr. Ralph Ford, Mr. Frank Ford and Mr. Ingle Ford.

Services were Wednesday afternoon at Bailey's Camp Baptist Church, officiated by the Rev. Max West and the Rev. Edgar Ford.  Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Ralph Allen was second, born May 25, 1906 in Watauga Co.  He died Aug. 1, 1972 and was buried at Reform Church Cemetery in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co.  His death certificate tells us that he was a widower at time of death, but I have not found his spouse.

Third born was David Frank on Jan. 21, 1909.  Caldwell Co. records report his death in 1981 in that county, but so far I have found nothing else.

Update:  David Frank Ford married Ida Greene, born 1911 in NC, on Apr. 22, 1933 in Blowing Rock Twp., Watauga Co., NC

Fourth was Pansy Ellen, born Jun. 18, 1910 in Watauga Co., died Jun. 16, 1975 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co.  Her spouse was Clyde Jackson.  Pansy is buried at Old Mount Pleasant-Bethany Luthern Church Cemetery in Boone.

Julia Ella was next, born May 6, 1913 in Watauga Co.  She married Lonnie Curtis Harrison, son of Shuford Edward (Emanuel?) and Sarah Malinda Bradshaw Harrison.  The marriage took place in Boone on Dec. 24, 1942.**  Lonnie died in Caldwell Co. in 2005; Julia in Blowing Rock on Apr. 22, 2007.  She is buried at Bethany Baptist Church in Finley, Caldwell Co.  Lonnie is probably also there.

Her obituary:

The Watauga Democrat, Boone, Watauga Co., NC, Apr. 26, 2007

Julia Ella Ford Harrison

Mrs. Julia Ford Harrison, 93, of Richland Road, Lenoir, died Sunday, April 22, 2007, at Blowing Rock Hospital.

She was born May 6, 1913 in Watauga County to the late Filmore Garfield and Martha Blanche Coffey Ford.

Mrs. Harrison was a homemaker and a member of Unity Baptist Church.

Survivors include two sons, Eric Anthony Harrison of Lenoir and Shuford Edward Harrison of Wilkesboro; three daughters, Ms. Adairn Elaine Harrison of Hickory, Mrs. Joe (Evelyn Annette) Snyder of Hudson and Mrs. Gwyn (A. Elizabeth) Icenhour of Lenoir; a brother, Marion Glenn Ford of Boone; two sisters, Mrs. Mary Belle Hampton of Whitnel and Mrs. Sadie Blanche Church of Fleetwood; ten grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lonnie C. Harrison; a daughter, Aleda Eva Burress; seven brothers, Ralph, Frank, Stewart, Blaine, Ingle, Hooker, and Farthing Ford; a sister, Pansy Jackson; and a grandchild, Curtis Snyder.

Services were conducted Wednesday morning, April 25, at 11 a.m. at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home Chapel conducted by the Rev. Paul Dula and the Rev. Gary Waters. Interment followed at Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Bethany Baptist Church, 6777 Richland Rd., Lenoir, N.C. 28645; The Eva Harrison Burress Scholarship Fund, c/o Appalachian State University Foundation, P.O. Box 32014, Boone, N.C. 28608-2014; Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, 902 Kirkwood St., Lenoir, N.C. 28645; and Alzheimers Association, 31 College Place, Suite D320, Asheville, N.C. 28801-2644.

Online condolences may be left at www.greer-mcelveenfuneralhome.com.

Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory was in charge of the arrangements.

Child number six was John Ingle, born Aug. 1, 1915 in Watauga Co., died Aug. 6, 1973 at Boone.  John married Rhonda R. Greene, date unknown.  She was born May 19,1918 and died Apr. 12, 2009 at Boone.  Both are buried at Friendship United Methodist Church Cemetery at Boone.

Seven and eight, Thomas Blaine and Herman are mentioned above.

Number nine was Marion Glenn, born May 10, 1922 in Watauga Co., died in Boone on Oct. 28, 2009.  Glenn's spouse was Brook Stanbury to whom he was married on Mar 16, 1947** at New River Twp., in Watauga Co.  He is buried at Laurel Springs Baptist Church cemetery at Deep Gap, Watauga Co.

His obituary:

The Watauga Democrat, Nov. 2, 2009

Mr. Glenn Ford, 87, of 560 Pine Branch Road, Boone, died Wednesday evening, Oct. 28, 2009, at his home.

Mr. Ford was born May 10, 1922 in Watauga County, a son of the late  Filmore and Martha Blanche Coffey Ford. He was a retired salesman and supervisor for Coca Cola Bottling Company, and a member of Laurel Springs Baptist Church.

Obituary Photo

Glenn served in the United States Army during World War II.

Mr. Ford is survived by his wife, Brooke Stanbery Ford of the home; two daughters, Rebecca Barkley and husband, H.E, of Columbia, S.C., and Marian Ford of Hickory; one son, Mark Ford and wife, Gail, of Boone; one sister, Mary Belle Hampton of Lenoir; two granddaughters, Erin Ford Patterson and husband, John, of Boone, and Meredith Barkley Murphy and husband, Andy, of Columbia; one grandson, Michael Barkley of Columbia; and one great-granddaughter, Lauren Patterson of Boone.  He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters,  Pansy Jackson, Ellen Harrison and Sadie Church, and six brothers, Stewart, Ralph, Frank, Ingle, Blaine and Farthing Ford.

Services were conducted, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. at Laurel Springs Baptist Church. Officiating were the Rev. Brent Bolick and Dr. Matt Brown.  Burial followed in Laurel Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Laurel Springs Baptist Church Building Fund, or to the Laurel Springs Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 7504 U.S. Highway 421 South, Deep Gap, N.C. 28618.

Online condolences may be sent to the Ford family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

The tenth born was Mary Belle on Mar. 28, 1925.  She married Rhonda Gerald Hampton on Aug. 1, 1947 at Zionville in Watauga Co.**  He was born in 1918.  Their death dates and burial sites have not found.

Update: Rhonda Gerald Hampton was born Mar. 31, 1918 in NC and died Sep. 14, 1977 in Asheville, Buncombe Co., NC.  Mary Belle passed away on Feb. 1, 2012 in Lenoir.  She was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Park in Lenoir.  Rhonda's burial site has not been found.

Next born was Sadie Blanche Ford on Apr. 8,1927 in Watauga Co.  She married Elster Brown Church, date unknown, who was born in North Carolina on Oct. 26, 1918 and died Jul. 14, 1985 in Watauga Co.  Sadie died Dec. 12, 2007.  She is buried at Liberty Grove Baptist Church cemetery at Deep Gap where Elster is probably also buried.

Her obituary:

The Watauga Democrat, Boone, NC, Dec. 17, 2007

Sadie Ford Church

Mrs. Sadie Ford Church, 80, of Fleetwood, N.C., died Wednesday morning, Dec. 12, 2007, at Ashe Memorial Hospital in Jefferson.

Obituary Photo

She was born in Watauga County, Friday, April 8, 1927, to the late Filmora and Blanche Coffey Ford.

Survivors include a son, Kenneth Church and wife, Debbie, of Fleetwood; a brother, Glenn “Brook” Ford of Boone, N.C.; a sister, Mary Bell Hampton of Lenoir, N.C.; two grandchildren, Becky Howell and husband, Gene, of Sparta, and Alicia Howell and husband, Richard Lee, of Walnut Cove, N.C.; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Elster Church; seven brothers; and two sisters.

Services were held at 2 p.m., Friday, Dec. 14, 2007, at Liberty Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. John Elledge and the Rev. David Long officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to: Liberty Grove Baptist Church, PO Box 400, Deep Gap, N.C. 28618.

You may give the family your condolences at our Web site www.boonefuneralhome.com.

Boone Family Funeral Home of West Jefferson is in charge of these arrangements.

Farthing Gordon Ford was their last child.  See above.

Update:  Farthing Gordon Ford was born Jan. 3, 1930 in Watauga Co. and died on Jan. 7, 2002 in Davidson Co., NC.  His burial site is not known.

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*Historical Studies, Appalachian State University, Department of History (Editors Evelyn G. Shepherd and Brenda M. Greene), compiler, Marriage Register of Watauga County, North Carolina 1873-1954 (Boone, Watauga Co., NC: Dept. of Hist., Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC, 1995).  Officiated by A. J. Shull.


**North Carolina County Marriages, 1759-1979 , digital images, FamilySearch.Org (www.familysearch.org).

William & Anna "Annie" Boone Coffey

William was one of the sons of Thomas and Sarah "Sally" Fields Coffey.  He was the second of 10 children born to that couple and the first of eight sons.  Bible records provided in 1990 by Mary E. Thornburg, tells us that William was born "November 29th in the year of our Lord 1782," and died May 22, 1839 in Wilkes Co., NC.  He was buried there at the Rufus Baptist Church Cemetery in the Mulberry Community, now part of Caldwell Co. (Lat: 36.00080, Lon: -81.64390).

Mary's Bible records tell us that William married Annie Boone on Oct. 16, 1804 in Boone, Watauga Co., the daughter of Jesse Boone and his wife Sarah McMahan.  Annie appears to be the sixth of at least eight children born to Jesse and Sarah.  She was born Jul. 26, 1785 in Burke Co. and died in Caldwell on Jan. 16, 1876.  She is also buried at the Rufus cemetery.

At least six children were born to William and Annie, the first being Daniel Boone Coffey, born Nov. 12, 1805 in Burke Co., died Jan. 21, 1862 in Caldwell Co.  Daniel married Clarissa Estes on Sep. 11, 1834.  She was born Jul. 18, 1817 in Burke Co., died Jul. 17, 1884, probably in Caldwell Co.  They were parents of at least nine children:  1) Emily who married her first cousin (once removed) Charles Lewis Coffey, a son of McCaleb and Elizabeth "Betsy" Collett Coffey; 2) Drury Dobbins who married Harriet Elizabeth Collett on Aug. 25, 1859; 3) Martha Ellen who married Elijah L. Moore on Oct. 12, 1858 in Caldwell Co.; 4) Sophronia Tate who married Henry Clay Coffey, brother to Charles Lewis; 5) Jonah, born May 9, 1843 in Caldwell Co.  He may have died in infancy; 6) Israel Boone, born Apr. 19, 1845 in Caldwell Co., died Jul. 10, 1920 in Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS, married Catherine Emma Spainhour of North Carolina on Sep. 19, 1867 in Caldwell Co. 7) Julia, born Aug. 3, 1847; 8) Hezekiah, born 1852; 9) Celia, born Nov. 7, 1855, died Apr. 15, 1858.

Second born to William and Annie was Wilborn on May 14, 1807 in  Burke Co.  He married Sarah "Sallie" Cottrell on Jan. 2, 1832 in Caldwell Co.  Sallie was born May 1, 1812 in Wilkes Co. and died in Caldwell Co. on Mar. 25, 1894.  Wilborn died on Nov. 27, 1897.  Both are buried at the Rufus cemetery.  They were parents of at least eight children:  1) William Rufus, who married Harriet E. Moore on Dec. 4, 1856; 2) Thomas Milton, born c1835, died Aug. 12, 1863 on the Gettysburg battlefield; 3) Myra Emeline, born c1836, died before 1860; 4) James Grayson, born 1839, died Aug. 24, 1863 at the Union POW camp, Davis Island, New York Harbor, NY; 5) Minerva Jane, born Dec. 20, 1844, died Oct. 10,1934 and who married the Rev. John H. Nelson, born May 19, 1841 in Caldwell Co., died May 22, 1915; 6) John Calvin, born Apr. 30, 1848 in Caldwell Co., died in Mulberry Twp., Caldwell Co. on Feb. 27, 1930.  He married Nancy Caroline Tuttle, born Jan. 10,1854 in Caldwell Co., died Mar. 10, 1939 at Lenoir, Caldwell Co.; 7) Finley Patterson, born Apr. 30, 1848 in Mulberry Twp., died in Lenoir on Apr. 13, 1937.  His wife was Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Tuttle, born Sep. 11, 1851 in Caldwell Co, died Apr. 20, 1931 in Lenoir.  Nancy Caroline and Mary Elizabeth Tuttle were sisters, daughters of Robert G. & Lucinda Puett Tuttle. 8) Charlotte Caroline, born Dec. 2, 1851 in Caldwell Co., died Mar. 18, 1944.  She married Jesse Richmond Moore on Oct. 21, 1869 in Caldwell Co.  He was born Mar. 16, 1849 in Globe Twp., Caldwell Co. and died in the Mulberry Twp. on Sep. 13, 1921

William and Annie's third was Gilliam, born May 21, 1810, died Jan. 8,1910 in Patterson Twp., Caldwell Co.  He married Mary "Polly" Moore on Jan. 2, 1832.  She was born c1820 in Burke Co. and died in Caldwell Co. on May 26, 1871.  They were parents of at least six:  1) Harvey N., born 1837, died 1912, married Jane Cochran; 2) William Elbert, born 1839, died 1912 at Morganton, Burke Co.  His wife was Margaret Anne Kinkaid, born 1837 in Burke Co., died Dec. 22, 1921 in Morganton.  Margaret had a child after William died and whose father is not known to me.  She and William Elbert had at least six children:  Mary, William Alvin, Lula Eloise; Annie Jane, Harvey Macan, and Maggie Lee. 3) Harriet E., born Sep. 6, 1843 in Cedar Valley, Caldwell Co., died Dec. 12, 1937 in Elizabethton, Carter Co., TN.  Harriet's spouse was James Brown Blair to whom she was married on Oct. 7, 1866 in Caldwell Co.  James was born in Cedar Valley on May 1, 1844 and died in Carter Co. on May 24, 1920.  They had at least eight children:  Henry Lee, Gilliam Colbert, Harvey, John Caldwell, Job W., Mary E., Hatibel, and Lillie M. 4) Celia Adeline, born c1847, died before 1910.  Her husband was John Wesley Estes and they were married on Dec. 2, 1868 in Caldwell Co.  Their children were at least eight:  Benjamin G., Albert Lafayette, Horace Herndon; John C., Victor Scotland, Emma E., Homer Roy, and May C.  This family left NC sometime after 1880 and journeyed west to Iowa where Emma was born and then to Idaho where May was born.  5) Cordelia Adaline, born Jan. 10, 1853, died Jul. 9,1918.  She married John Boone Gragg on Dec. 17,1 877 in Caldwell Co.  He was born Feb. 15, 1856 in Caldwell Co., and died in Globe Twp., on May 23, 1937.  Both are buried at the Job Moore cemetery in the Globe.  Their children were at least seven:  William Hardie, Charlie, Stella Victoria, John Vernon, Laurance Dillard, Mamie, and Horace Milton.  Child 6) was Emma, born c1855.  Unfortunately, nothing else has been found for her.

The fourth child of William and Annie was Celia, Jun. 29, 1813 in Burke Co., died in Wilkes Co. on Jul. 12, 1899.  She married Hezekiah Curtis, a son of Samuel and Susanna Cottrell Curtis, on Dec. 26, 1833 in Wilkes Co.  Hezekiah was born May 16, 1810 in Wilkes Co., and died there on Jan. 20, 1901.  Both are buried at Mountain Park Cemetery in Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co.  Their children were Darcus, Judson, Larkin Junius, Julia, Finley Patterson, Caroline L., and Martha Gertrude.

The fifth and last child born to William and Annie was Calvin on Sep. 30, 1819.  He died Apr. 2, 1847 after a short marriage to Mary Greene in about 1839-40.  Four children were born to Calvin and Mary:  Harrison, Alexander, William and Patterson Vance.  William also died on the battlefield at Gettysburg.

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This is quite a long blog and I hope that I have not made it too complicated to follow.  Many of these folks have been written about in previous blogs.  Use the search window in the sidebar to look for them.  To assure accuracy, place "quotation marks" around the name your are searching for.  All of these, plus all of their known (to me) ancestors and descendants are present on the Edward Coffey Project DVD.  Readers can also use the "Search Also For" links at the bottom of each blog.

Perkins & Coffey in Kentucky

Lewis Perkins married Rhoda "Rodie" Coffey, the daughter of Nelson N. and Keziah Watters Coffey, c1861 and probably in Wayne Co., KY.

They had:

Louvenia, born c1863
Nelson, born c1864
William, born c1866
Rachel, born Nov., 1873, married Elisha Slaven
John M., born Jan., 1876, married Gertrude Toby

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James B. Perkins married Nancy Rue Coffey on Aug. 1, 1859 in Wayne Co.

They had:

Rebecca, born 1859
Minerva Jane, born 1862
Sally, born 1865
William, born 1866
Keziah E., born 1868
Fannie B., born 1871
James Z. (?), born 1873
Hardin, born 1873
Mary A., born 1875
Elijah, born 1891; Louis, born 1881 (twins)
Nettie, born unk., died 1943 Monticello, Wayne Co.
Kizzie, born unk., died 1948, Nicholasville, Jessamine Co., KY

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A William Perkins, born in Mar., 1866 in KY married Nancy, last name unknown, c1888 in KY, probably Wayne Co.  Nancy was born in KY in Apr., 1870.

They had (at least two):

Sallie O., born Nov. 9, 1888, married Obie Alexander
Linnie, born Feb., 1891 in Wayne Co.

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My question to readers:  Is this last William either of the first two?

Jefferson (Jeff) and Margie M. King Coffey

Jefferson was born on Jan. 24, 1866 in Scott Co., TN to Joseph and Beth Ada (Bethada?) Strunk Coffey.  He died in Whitley Co., KY on Jul. 7, 1899.  Joseph was a son of James and Sarah "Sally" Sumpter Coffey and Beth Ada was the daughter of William and Charlotta Sellers Strunk.  Ada was born Feb. 28, 1835 in KY - perhaps Pulaski Co., where she and Joseph were married on Dec. 8, 1853.  Both Joseph and Ada died in Oneida, Scott Co., TN; he on Jun. 4, 1882, she on Jun. 3, 1920 and were buried there in the Coffey cemetery.* 

Margie M. King was born Mar. 25, 1870 in KY and died there in McCreary Co. on Aug. 16, 1921.  A marriage date for her and Jefferson has not been found.  They were however, likely married in McCreary Co. in early 1889.  Their first child was born there in Mar., 1890.  Margie was a daughter of Burrell (var.) and Margie M. Foster King.  Burrell was born Feb. 11, 1826 in KY and died in McCreary Co. on Jan. 26, 1917.  Margie was born May 26, 1835 in KY and died there on Oct. 16, 1884.  Both are buried in the Burrell King Family Cemetery at Pine Knot in McCreary Co.

Following the death of Margie, and of Joseph Coffey, Burrell married Beth Ada on May 17, 1885 in Scott Co.  She is however, buried with Joseph in Oneida while Burrell is buried with Margie at his family cemetery in Pine Knot.  Her death certificate reads "Mrs. Ada Coffey or (King)" and her headstone reads "Ada Coffey."  There are no known children born to Burrell and Ada.

Children of Jefferson "Jeff" Coffey and Margie M. King

The first child was William Oscar Coffey, born Mar. 6, 1890 at Pine Knot, died Feb. 18, 1955 in McCreary Co.  His wife was Martha Angeline Trammell (var.), born Oct. 10, 1884 in KY and died there on Jul. 7, 1962.

Their children were:

Ada Bell, born Jul. 4, 1912 in McCreary Co., died Aug. 31, 1995 in Oneida, Scott Co.  Ada's spouse was William Clark, born Sep. 23, 1915, died Mar. 23, 1989.  Both are buried at the Smith Cemetery in Stearns, McCreary Co.

Edith Mae, born May 25, 1917 in McCreary Co., died there on Dec. 28, 1961.  Her spouse was Roscoe Bowling, born Jun. 6, 1916 and died Dec. 18, 1997.  They too are buried at the Smith Cemetery.

Their last child (as I know them) was Margie Marie, born Aug. 30, 1921, died Jul. 4, 2002 in KY.  She married George Arnold Taylor, born Mar. 31, 1921 in McCreary Co., died in Pulaski Co. on Mar. 2, 2003.  They share the Smith Cemetery.

Cole is believed to be on left

The second child born to Jefferson and Margie was Charles Coleman "Cole" Coffey, born Dec. 10, 1891 in TN - probably Scott Co. - and died May 10, 1920 in McCreary Co.  On his WW1 draft registration card, Coleman was described as being of medium height and build with blue eyes and red hair.  He was a veteran of "The Great War," having served as a Private in the 112 AM, Tn., 37th Div.  I believe the 112th AM was an ammo supply unit that trained at Camp Sheridan in Montgomery Co., AL with the Ohio National Guard's 37th Infantry Division.

Cole is said to have "drank excessively" after he came back home and soon found himself in trouble with one George Staley.  Having heard that George was out to kill him, Cole went to the man's home where he shot and killed George.  He was released when the court decided that it was "self defense."  Some time later, on May 14, 1920, Cole was accused of peddling whiskey and arrested by Oliver Slaven, a deputy sheriff in Somerset, KY.  Cole was able to escape and later that same day was discovered hiding in a nearby home where Slaven, while attempting to again arrest him, was shot and killed.  A few days later, with officers approaching his hideout, Cole fired a bullet into his own head and died instantly.  He was buried at the King Cemetery in Pine Knot.

An article in the Somerset Herald on May 10, 1920 reads:

(Special to the Herald) Somerset, Ky., May 10-- The town of Stearns, near Somerset, was thrown in turmoil this afternoon when Cole Coffey, a miner, shot to death Deputy Sheriff Oliver Slavens, who was attempting to arrest him and a companion named West and afterwards killed himself by shooting through the head with the same revolver with which he had killed the deputy sheriff. Coffey had been accused of having some whisky and when Slavens went to the place where he and West were stopping, Coffey opened fire on Slavens, shooting at him three times, three of the shots taking effect, from which Slavens died a few hours later. When the sheriff went to the home of Coffey to arrest him for the crime Coffey placed a revolver to his head and blew his brains out.

Other children of Jeff and Margie were Ada, born Nov., 1893 in TN; Gertrude M., born 1895 in McCreary Co., died there in 1899; and Fanny, born 1897 in McCreary Co., died there in 1898.  Both Gertrude and Fanny are buried at the King Cemetery.  The disposition of Ada is unknown to me.

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*This cemetery is north of the intersection of US27 (Depot St.) via W. 3d Ave. to Stanley St. Geo-coordinates are Lat. 36 deg., 29 min., 43.02 sec.; Lon. 84 deg., 30 min., 46.01 sec.
After Jeff died, Margie remained a widow for sometime before finally marrying Jess Crabtree of McCreary Co.
Photo and other information about Cole is courtesy of William Jones.