James Whisenant & Amanda Starnes Coffey

James Whisenant* Coffey was a son of John Davidson Coffey of Ashe Co., NC and, Mary Ann Whisenant of Kentucky.  James was born in Indiana in July, 1846 and died in Ellettsville, Monroe Co., IN on Nov. 28, 1937.  Amanda Starnes was born Feb., 1844 in IN and died in Ellettsville on Jan. 12, 1909.  James and Amanda were married in Indiana on Mar. 16, 1865.**  Both are buried at the Ellettsville Methodist Church Cemetery.

James and Amanda had at lest two children, both sons.***  The eldest was Dora Sherman, born Jul., 1867 and died Dec. 29, 1890.  According to his memorial page on Find-A-Grave, Dora

"was one of the casualties of the "Massacre at Wounded Knee" in South Dakota on Dec. 29, 1890. 1st Sergeant Dora S. Coffey was a member of the 7th Cavalry, Company B. He was originally buried at the Military Cemetary in Pine Ridge, South Dakota but disenterred by his family in Jan. 1891 and presumably moved to Indiana to be reburied in the family burial plot."

He is now buried at Ellettsville Methodist with his parents.  He apparently never married.

George was the second known (to me) child of James and Amanda.  He was born on Apr. 9, 1868 in Monroe Co. and died in Ellettsville on Jul. 19, 1965.  He and Della Jane Billings, a daughter of Francis Marion and Rachel Ann Williams Billings, were married in Monroe Co. on May 13, 1890.  She was born in Monroe Co. in Oct., 1870 and died in Ellettsville on Jan. 2, 1951.  They too are buried at Ellettsville Methodist.

Della and George named the first of their three children after George's brother, Dora Sherman.  That son was born Jan. 1, 1891 in Indiana and died in Detroit, Wayne Co., MI on Sep. 11, 1958.  He married Bertha Irena (or, Irene) Stanger on Jul. 19, 1911 in Monroe Co., IN.  She was born on Jan. 25, 1892 in Ellettsville and died Apr. 19, 1987 in Clarkston, Asotin Co., WA.  I know of one child, Lois Jean, born Jun. 17, 1912 in Monroe Co., died Oct. 11, 1999 in Ellettsville.  Lois married Thomas Lee Litten, born Feb. 16, 1911 in Monroe Co., on Jun. 18, 1932 in Martinsville, Morgan Co.  He was a son of William Elmer and Goldie A. Amelick Litten.  Thomas died on Apr. 9, 1999 in Ellettsville.  Both are buried at Ellettsville Methodist.

Their second son was Frederick "Fred" M., born Aug., 1893 in Monroe Co., and died there in 1917.  He is not known to have married.  He is also at Ellettsville Methodist.

The third child was Nellie A., born Apr. 27, 1896 in Monroe Co., died Aug. 22, 1988 in Bloomington, Monroe Co.  Nellie married Joseph Carl Crum, a son of Harvey and Clara Viola Crum on May 25, 1916 in Monroe Co.  He was born Apr. 18, 1895 in Monroe Co. and died in Ellettsville on Aug. 19, 1959.  They too are at Ellettsville Methodist.  Their children were:  Mary Jane, married Robert N. Robinson; Fredrick [sic] G. "Fred,"; and Robert R.  Robert died on Aug. 4, 1986 in Peru, Miami Co., IN and is buried at Ever Rest Memorial Park in Logansport, Cass Co., IN.

Visit Elletsville Methodist on Find-A-Grave to view memorials to those families mentioned here.

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*Sometimes found as Whisenand.
**Indiana Marriage Records Index, 1845-1920;.Index to Marriage Records Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940.  James W Coffey Spouse Name: Amanda Starnes Marriage Date: 16 Mar 1865 Book: 4 Page: 338
***In the 1900 census Amanda reported that she was the mother of 2, only 1 was then living.