Dr. Edmond Aurelius Coffey

Edmond Aurelius Coffey was a son of Lewis and Elizabeth Cleveland Coffey, born Mar. 3, 1810 in North Carolina, died Aug. 28, 1895 in Aubrey, Denton Co., TX.  He is buried at Belew Cemetery in Aubrey.*

He married Dianah Bagby c1830, probably in NC where she was born on Jan. 27, 1811 to Edmond and Nancy Ann Martin Bagby.  Dianah died in 1889 in Etowah Co., AL and was buried at Union No. 3 Baptist Church Cemetery at Ballplay, Etowah Co.

Many researchers believe the family first settled in Gwinnett Co., GA where their 12 children were born.  The 1840 census for that county does show an Edmon Coffee with 2 males under 5; 1 male, age 5 to 9; 1 male, 30-39; 1 female under 5; 2 females, age 5-9; and 1 female, age 20-29.  The census also counted 8 slaves at the residence.

Census records for 1850 and 1860 show the family residing in Cherokee Co., GA.  In 1870 they were in Etowah Co and, 1880 in Blount Co.  Sometime shortly after Dianah's death, Dr. Coffey relocated to Denton Co., TX, perhaps to join number seven son, Aurelius (1842-1918) who was in the Denton Co. census of 1880 and 1900 and who died there in 1918.

There were twelve children born to Edmond and Dianah:

Their first was Edmund Bagby, born Jan. 1, 1831, died before 1870 in AL.  He married Melissa Jane Sewell, born c1831 in GA.  Their marriage was between 1850 when Melissa was living with her widowed mother in Cherokee Co., AL, and 1854 when their first child Frances was born.  Their other children were:  Sarah Malinda, born 1856 in Cherokee Co., died Sep. 4, 1918 in Blount Co., AL; Lydia Jane, born 1858 in St. Claire Co., AL, died Jan. 8, 1926 in Etowah; and Rachel B., born c1859.  There may have been others; these are all I know of.

Second born was Elizabeth Ann on Aug. 27, 1832, died Aug. 8, 1877 in AL.  She married Elisha Trimble Walker c1854 and had at least seven children:  Nancy; Josephine, Benjamin; Webster; Aurelius; Martha and Elizabeth.

Next was Loany who married William Woodard. She was born 1835, died Jan. 12, 1894 in Chepultepec, Blount Co.   Her children were Dianah, born 1854; Jesse T., born c1857; Edmund, born c1859; and William M., Jr., born 1862, died 1930.

Benjamin L., born May 3, 1836, death date unknown. He married Lucy Shields, born c1852 in GA.  Their children were Elizabeth, Edmond John; Nancy Walker; and Asberry Aurelius.  Probably others that I have not yet located.  Asberry Aurelius died in Denton Co., TX in 1951.

Sarah Caroline followed c1838.  She married John W. Tidmore, born in AL c1846.

Webster Gilbert was born Jun. 20, 1840 and died in Etowah Co. in 1911.  He married Louise Evaline Tidmore, possibly brother to John, c1865.  She was born Jan. 22, 1845 in AL and died in Etowah Co. in 1935.  They were the parents of 12:  James Henry; John Adams; William Thomas; Anna Elizabeth; Webster Gernagin; Edmond Columbus; Buddy J. [who probably died an infant]; Minnie Luella; Martha Jane; Nancy Victoria; Jesse L.; Mary Evergreen; Grover Cleveland; and General.

Aurelius, born Mar. 9, 1842, died Jan. 7, 1918 in Denton Co., TX.  His wife was Grace Penelope Hodges, born Oct. 4, 1844 in AL, died shortly after her husband, on Jun. 1, 1918 in Aubrey.  Their children were:  Wm Riley; Edmund Harrison; James Madison; Francis; Kathryn; Bertha Maurine; Cora and Tommy.  The first four were born in AL, perhaps Etowah Co.; the last four in Denton Co., TX.

Child number 8 was Thomas Arvil, born Jun. 30, 1843, died Mar. 9, 1917 in Pontotoc Co., OK.  His wife was Hannah Henson, born in AL c1845, died Aug., 1914 in Pontotoc Co.  Their children were:  Nathan; Mary D., Thomas; Henry Gilbert; Mettie Ellen; James Martin; John Thomas; Aurelius; and Walter Curtis.

James Madison was next.  He was born Jun. 4, 1845, died in 1922, perhaps in TX.  His wife was Elizabeth Susan Caddell, born 1847 in AL.  They married in Etowah Co. in 1867.  Chidren:  Lewis Edmond; Lemuel A; Basil C; Amanda Evergreen; Aurelius; one unnamed son (1878-1879); Mallie Jane; Laura Valera; James R.; Barbara Elizabeth; and Dessie Victoria.

Eliza Jane, born 1847, died 1915.  She married John Boone McKinney on Sep. 19, 1868 in Etowah Co.  He was born c1847 and died c1884.  Children were:  John Thomas; Edmond James; William Webster; Benjamin Aurelius; Dinah Elizabeth; Samuel Washington; and Lorena Martha Creacy Evergreen [sic].

No. 11 was Martha, born 1850, died c1920.  Her husband was Perry E. Daily, born 1853 in AL.  They were married Aug. 4, 1872 in Blount Co., AL.  Children:  Edmond; Mary; Ellen, and William.

The last child born to Edmond and Dianah was Chaney Evergreen on Dec. 28, 1852.  No other info has been found and, she likely died in infancy.

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*Gloria B. Mayfield Project Mgr, "Cemeteries of Denton County Texas", database, Cemeteries of Texas, Cemeteries of Denton County Texas (http://www.cemeteries-of-tx.com/etx/denton/listdenton.html).

More information about this family and their descendants is available on the Edward Coffey Project DVD.

Webster Gilbert "Webb" Coffey

In all of the census pages that I have read, this family's surname was spelled Coffee.  However, on the few headstones that I have found, the name was spelled Coffey.

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Webster "Webb" Gilbert Coffey was a son of Dr. Edmond Aurelius and Diannah Bagby Coffey.  He was born Jun. 20, 1840 in Gwintett Co., GA and married Louise E. Tidmore c1865 in Alabama.  Louise was born Jan. 22, 1845 in that state and died in Etowah Co., AL on Feb. 25, 1935.

Louise was the daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Tidmore, both born in South Carolina who homesteaded in Etowah Co. in 1842.

Webb died Feb. 2, 1911 and Louise died Feb. 5, 1935.  She and Webb are buried at Union Baptist Cemetery No. 3 in Ballplay, Etowah Co.

Webb was a member of Co. J, Alabama 55th Inf. Regiment, CSA during the Civil War.  He enlisted in that unit but a date has not been found.

I have found 13 children for this couple:

James Henry, born Oct., 1866, married Malvern (?) M., c1883 in AL.  Two children found:  Fannie, born Jun., 1883 and Emma, born Aug., 1897.

John Adams, born Apr. 30, 1868, died Dec. 10, 1948 in Dallas, TX.  He married Frances Lougenia Robertson, born Apr. 2, 1868, died Sep. 29, 1906 in Denton, TX.  One child found:  Albert Lee, born Aug. 23, 1903, died Jun. 26, 1964.  John and Frances are buried at Belew Cemetery in Aubrey, Denton Co., TX while Albert is buried at Waco Memorial Park in McClennan Co., TX.

William Thomas, born Dec. 27, 1869, died Oct. 9, 1957.  He married Martha C. c1892.  Their children were Leo Thomas, born Jul., 1892, married Minnie A. and had at least two children: Fannie B., born c1915 and Gertrude, born c1918.  Birty [sic] B., born Jul., 1897; Myrtie B., born c1903, married Robert Nail; Sarah Eveline, born Jan. 26, 1905, died Jul. 26, 1912, buried at Union Baptist No. 3; Cadella (?), a daughter, born c1909 and Majorie, born c1915.

Anna Elizabeth, born 1871; Webster Gernagin (?), born 1873

Edmond Columbus, born Aug 13, 1874, died Jan. 30, 1966 in Dallas, TX.  He married Pearl and had at least two daughters, Alice T., born c1908 and Inez, born c1909, both born in TX.  Edmund is buried at Laurel Land cemetery in Dallas.

Buddy J., born c1876; Fannie L., born c1877; Martha Jane, born c1879; Nancy Victoria, born c1881

Jesse L., born c1882, married Laura, b1905 and had at least three children:  Myrtle, born c1906; Jesse C., born c1908 and Mary Lou, born c1910.

And, finally Mary Evergreen, born 1884 and Grover Cleveland "Cleve", born May 15, 1886, died Mar. 10, 1953.  Cleve is buried at Union No. 3 as well.

Corrections and additions welcomed.

Nathan Coffey (1788 KY - 1834 IL)

Nathan or, perhaps, Nathaniel Coffey was a son of Joel and Martha Stepp [var] Coffey. He was born Jan. 10, 1788 in Kentucky, and married Sarah (Sally) Meredith on Nov. 11, 1806 in Adair Co., KY. Sarah was the daughter of David and Hannah Cook Meredith.

Twelve of their 13 children were born in KY, the last there in Feb., 1829. Their last was born in IL in Jan., 1831. These dates indicate that the family left Adair Co. in about 1830 for IL, and arrived there before Jan., 1831. Nathan died in Pike Co., IL on Sep. 19, 1834. Sarah died there on Dec. 26, 1853.

Their children were:

Martha Bagby, born Jan. 8, 1808, and married Charles M. Benbook in Eadsville, Wayne Co., KY on Mar. 18, 1826.

Woodson Rickets, born Oct. 1, 1809.

Elizabeth Graham, born Apr. 27, 1811.

Meredith Washington, born Mar. 3, 1813, married Eliza Hutchinson on Jul. 24, 1836 in Pike Co., IL. They appeared in the 1840 census in Pike Co.

Joel Woodson, born Mar. 5, 1815.

Daniel Franklin, born Apr. 18, 1817, died Sep. 22, 1867. He married Elizabeth Conner, born c1820 in KY, on Aug. 6,1842 in Pike Co., IL. Daniel died Sep. 22, 1867 in Griggsville, Pike Co., IL. Their children were: Sarah E., born c1843; Nathan F., born c1845; J. Hardin, born c1847; Tabitha (Delitha?) M., born c1849; Daniel Franklin, Jr., born c1851, married Nancy M. [LNU] c1876 in IL. their children were Russell J., born c1877 and Burton B., born Feb. 1880. Burton B., born c1853; Thomas M., born Apr. 2, 1855, married Lillian May Hathaway on Jul, 5, 1883 in Pike Co., IL; Lillian was born c1862 in Griggsville, Pike Co.; Mary J., born c1857; Grace L., born c1861, died May 19, 1914 in Kaw, Jackson Co., MO. The family appears in the 1850 and 1860 in Griggsville, Pike Co. census.

Hannah Jane, born Mar. 19, 1819, married William Wells Apr. 12, 1835 in Pike Co. William was born c1815 in KY and apparently died before 1860. He was not present for the census that year. However, two of the children born to Hannah Jane were born after 1860, making it possible that William was away at war, returned before 1863 and died before the 1870 census. Their children were Haster M., born c1837; William, born c1843; John, born c1845; Hardin, born c1849; Jane, born c1851; Frances, born c1854; George, born c1863, and Nelly, born c1865. William is with the family in the 1850 Griggsville, Pike Co. census, but was absent in 1860 and 1870.

Kizia Catherine, born Jan. 9, 1821, married Archibald Campbell Mar. 9, 1840 in Pike Co. Archibald was born c1817 in KY. Their known children were as son, J. W., born c1843 and E. E., a daughter, born c1846. She and Archibald were in the 1850 Pike Co. census.

Thomas Chelton, born Dec. 18, 1822, married Rebecca J. Daigh, Jun. 11, 1848 in Pike Co. Rebecca was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Daigh. Thomas later married Helen L. Brower. They were in the 1850 Pike Co. census in the household with Rebecca's parents.

Eliza Emeline, born Mar. 10, 1825 in Simpson Co., KY, died Dec. 9, 1901 in Pike Co., IL. She married John Porter Nov. 28, 1850 in Pike Co. He died May 27, 1895 in Pike Co., and Eliza died there on Dec. 9, 1901. Their known children were: Emma, born Jan. 8, 1852; Sarah, born Oct. 6, 1856; Jane, born c1858; and John D., born Sep. 23, 1860. They appeared in the 1860 through 1880 Newburg Twp., Pike Co., IL census.

James Cleveland, born May 31, 1827.

Sarah Ann, born Feb. 4, 1829, married Charles Tomlinson Nov. 14, 1863 in Pike Co. Charles was born c1831 in New Jersey. They appeared in the 1870 Macon Co., MO census and in 1880 in Warrensburg, Johnson Co., MO. They had no known children.

Corrections and/or additions can be sent to me at the e-mail address below.