Degraffenreid & Coffey

There are Degraffenreid* families in Lawrence Co., AL and in Polk Co., MO who married Coffey women. I have connected the ladies but, I have not been able to connect their husbands.

In Moulton, Lawrence Co.,AL was the family of Orson Murray Degraffenreid, born Nov. 20, 1882 in Moulton. He married Mattie Edna Coffey, a daughter of Martin Van Buren and Orpha Jane Letson Coffey on Dec. 4, 1901 in Lawrence Co. Orson died Jan. 20, 1968 in Morgan Co., AL. Mattie Edna died on Mar. 27, 1936. Both are buried at Roselawn Gardens of Memory in Decatur, AL.

Together they had at least three children, all born in Lawrence Co.

Regena M., born May 6, 1909, died Mar. 11, 1973 in Morgan Co., AL. She married a Mr. Backus, no further info. Regena is buried at Roselawn Gardens.

Theo's Marriage Record

Murray V., born Jun. 12, 1913, died Oct. 9, 1972 in Decatur. In the 1920 census he was enumerated as Harry V. He married a lady by the name of Katherine W. c1930 in AL. She was born Apr. 30, 1916 in that state and died in Decatur on Apr. 18, 1993. They too are buried at Roselawn. Their children - that I am aware of - were Douglas B., born 1933, died 2008 and R. Aron, born 1940, died 1987.

Theo, born Oct. 2, 1918, died Oct. 21, 1989. He married Lena Belle Lee on May 4, 1940 in Cullman, AL, the daughter of Robert E. Lee and Hattie Farris. Lena was born Sep. 13, 1919 in AL and died in Morgan Co. on Aug. 22, 2004. They too are buried at Roselawn.

Following Mattie's death, Orson married Florence Cartee, date unknown. I know of no children born to this union.

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The Missouri Degraffenreid family that I am interested in was headed by Charles Cebert [sic] and wife Alta E. (Eugenia?, often referred to as Genie or Genia), the daughter of Thomas Cimean and Sarah Alice Combs Coffey.  Orson's wife Mattie Edna and Alta's father were fourth cousins.

Charles was the eldest son of William E. and Julia Ann House Degraffenreid.  Charles was born on Mar. 7, 1880 in Missouri - probably Polk Co. - and died Feb. 16, 1959 in Bolivar, Polk Co.  Alta was born Jan. 1, 1885 in Polk Co., and died Sep. 29, 1978 in MO. Both are buried at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Aldrich.

Alta Coffey Marriage License

He and Alta were married on Nov. 17, 1901 in Aldrich, Polk Co.  For most of their lives they lived in or near Aldrich, Union Township where Alta gave birth to at least 12 children.  In 1940 the family had relocated to Henry Co.

Their children, all born in Polk Co., were:

Fay, born c1903; Doris, born c1905; Nellie Maurine, born Sep. 17, 1905, died Dec. 20, 1921; Alline, born c1907, married a Mr. Stevens c1928 and was a childless widow living with her parents in 1930;  Adrian, born c1909; Paul, born c1912; Lucille, born c1916; Ruth Florence, born c1918, Lee, born c1921; an unnamed male child born prematurely and died on May 29, 1922; Charles Wade, born Jul. 31, 1921, died Oct. 22, 2012 and, Billie Joe, born c1926.

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Please contact me with corrections, additions or, if you can connect the Degraffenreid families.





*Surname also found as Degraffenried & de Graffenreid