Willie Newton Coffey

There is no doubt that Willie Newton Coffey was a son of Mathew and Emily Troxell Coffey.

Willie was born in Kentucky in 1903, probably in Wayne Co.  He was in that county in 1910.  In 1920 he and his family lived in McCreary Co.  

Mathew, the father, was born to Henry Baker Coffey and Sarah Elizabeth Dobbs in June of 1875, married Emily, a daughter of Jacob and Salena Steel Troxell in about 1896.

Between Oct., 1896 and Jan., 1917 Emily and Mathew had at least six children. They were: Sarah Jane; William "Willie"; Salena, who is said to have married Lark Bell in about 1924; Sallie; Ed Lincoln, born 1911, married Edna Hatfield; and Goldman, born in 1917.

Willie is something of an enigma.  I write that with some misgivings because he may have been no puzzle at all over his lifetime* and did not try to hide from the law.

A newspaper article appeared in the Lexington  (KY) Herald in July, 1946 announcing the arrest of Willie Newton Coffey in Birmingham, AL for killing his father, Mathew Coffey, in Wayne County in 1928.  It was reported that "shortly before the elder Coffey was slain, his son had escaped from a Wayne county jail where he had been held on a "drunkenness charge."  

That was the first and last article that I have been able to find in any KY newspaper so it is not possible for me to tell you if he was tried, convicted and jailed, or if found innocent or not guilty of his father's death.

News Item, The Lexington Herald, Lexington, KY, Thu., Jul. 11, 1946, Page 9, Col. 4

Arrest Suspect in 1928 Patricide

Monticello, Ky., July 10 (AP) - County Judge S. E. Anderson announced today the arrest of Willie Newton Coffey, 44, wanted in Wayne county for the past 17 1/2 years in connection with the slaying of his father.

Judge Anderson said Coffey was picked up on a disorderly conduct charge at Tarrant, Ala., a Birmingham suburb.  He said Birmingham police notified Wayne county officials that Coffey admitted he fatally shot his father, Matthew Coffey, in 1928.

"Coffey hadn't been seen in Wayne county since then," declared the judge, adding that a murder indictment had been returned in March, 1929, against Coffey.

The judge said Sheriff J. J. Gibson would go to Frankfort, probably Thursday, to get a requisition for the extradition of Coffey from Alabama to Wayne county.

Judge Anderson said that shortly before the elder Coffey was slain, his son had escaped from jail where he had been held on a drunkenness charge.  The judge said Coffey had been quoted as saying he fired as his father was about to attack his mother.

What I do know is in 1930 a William Coffee [sic] appeared in the McDowell Co., WV census with Minnie Jane Carter Coffee.  He was 26 years-old; Minnie was also 26.  With them was Helen Blaylock, a five year-old step-daughter to Willie.  Willie was employed as a coal digger.

There is a 1938 marriage license in  McDowell Co. that tells us he and Minnie were married on Oct. 14 of that year.  The application tells us that he was born in Crossville, TN, and named his parents as George and Mary Coffey**.  Minnie named her parents as Ernest and India Carter.

The 1940 census for Birmingham, Jefferson Co., AL includes William [sic] and Minnie as well as Gladus [sic], a daughter, age 8, born WV; Hershel, a son, age 7, born WV; and William J., a son aged eight months, born in AL.  The step-daughter Helen was no longer with the family.  

Gladys, born in Matewan, Mingo Co., WV, had at least three children:  Lynda Sue Coffey, born KY in 1950; Glynda Gaye, born 1955 in Birmingham and Viola Coffey, born 1965 in McCreary Co.  Glynda Faye died by drowning in 1970 at Birmingham where she had been taken by her grandfather, Willie Coffey to visit relatives.  The obituary reports she was survived by sisters Viola and Lynda as well as a half-brother, Robert Lee Pearson, all of Stearns, KY.

Willie died in Jan., 1973 in McCreary Co. and was buried at Sherd Dobbs Cemetery in Whitley City.

Minnie died Feb. 7, 1986 at Somerset in Pulaski Co., KY.  She was 84 years-old.  Her obituary reports that she was the daughter of Lee and India Carter.  Her husband, William "Willie" Coffey preceded her in death in 1972.  A daughter, Helen Thompson, granddaughter Glynda Coffey, two brothers, Robert and Walter Carter and one sister, Gertrude Sloan also preceded her in death.  She was survived by children Herschel Coffey and Elsie Reynolds of Birmingham, AL; William, Jr. of Wayne Co., KY; Gladys Coffey and Lynda Dobbs of Sterns and a brother, Ray of WV.

Minnie is also buried at Sherd Dobbs.

Comments, corrections and additions welcomed.

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*Apparently, the law was not actively searching for Willie from 1928 until 1946 for killing his father.  It was only after he was arrested near Birmingham for "disorderly conduct" in 1946 and perhaps volunteering information about killing his father that he was returned to Wayne County to face the law.  Certainly, with all of the people who went back and forth between KY and WV to work in the coal mines, someone would have known and reported the whereabouts of Willie to the KY authorities.

**Well, he may have tried somewhat to misdirect any leads to his birthplace and involvement in the death of his father.

John Hunter & Emily Caroline Coffey Grider

The Griders were Kentucky Pioneers.  I have not checked all of them to find which were the earliest to arrive but, I note that Tobias Grider was in Boyle Co., KY in 1800 [1] and one of those who left with his family to settle in Roseville in Placer Co., CA. [2]

John Hunter was born in KY in June of 1816 to parents born in KY.  I do not know who his parents were but may have been part of the Tobias Grider relatives.  John married Emily Caroline Coffey in KY, probably in Casey Co., or perhaps Russell Co., but a marriage record has not been found.

Emily Caroline was born in May of 1826 at Russell Co. to Elijah and Mariah Coffey Coffey.  Elijah was a son of Cleveland and Jane Witherspoon Coffey; Mariah was born in Jan., 1802 to Elias "Eli" and Mary Coffey Coffey.

To summarize and leave for the reader to untangle the relationships, Elias and Cleveland were first cousins as were Elias and Mary and Mary and Cleveland.

I cannot find John and Emily in the 1850 census.  The first I find is 1860 with the family living in Jamestown, Russell Co., when John was 40 years old and Emily was 30.  They had Joshua, age 9; George W., age 5; Maria L., age 3; and Mary, age 1.  Emily and John went on to have 10 children but by 1900 only 4 were still living.  Children that I know of were:  Joshua, born in 1851; Mary Jane, born 1853; George W., born 1855; Maria, born 1856; Mary, born 1858; Robert C., born 1860; Lucy E., born c1865 and John Elisha, born c1867.  The first five of their children were probably born in Russell Co.; the last three perhaps in Casey Co.

In 1870 the family was farming at Liberty, Casey Co. where they remained until death.  Both John and Emily are buried at the Fair Cemetery in Pricetown, Casey Co.  Their death dates are unknown.

Son Joshua married Mary E. Coffey on Nov. 29, 1877 in Adair Co.  I strongly believe Mary to be the daughter of Joseph and Beth Ada Strunk Coffey, but have no proof.  She is in the right place at the right time and of the right age but a marriage record hasn't yet been found.  By the 1880 census they had no living children in the household and, I have been unable to locate them in later census records.  Joshua is buried at Fair Cemetery.  I do not know his death date nor the death date or burial site for Mary.

Jos. Grider-MaryCoffey Mar Record

The marriage record for this couple tells us they were to be married at the home of G. W. Grider, who I presume to be Joshua's brother.  Further down, the license tells us they were married at the home of Warren Grider, hence my reason for naming Joshua's brother as George Warren Grider.  I have no other evidence that Warren was his middle name.

George married Elizabeth E. Moore in Casey Co. on May 20, 1880.  She died before 1900 because that year George appeared as a widower in the Liberty, Casey Co. census.  I have found four children for them:  Ethel., born 1881, died 1949, married William W. Bryant on Dec. 21, 1899 in Liberty; Ziporah, born 1884, married Arthur Will in Liberty in 1911; Eddie, born 1887, married Ruth LNU and had at least four children:  Ruby, Irene, Katherine and Louis.  Their last child was Knacy [sic] R., who married Ruth M. Wesley.  They were married in Indiana on Jul. 5, 1916 and apparently returned right to KY almost immediately.  Ruth was born in KY in 1896 and died there in 1979.  Knacy died in Mercer Co. in 1947.  Their children were June; Juanita; K. Garoname (?); Nelson Lee, Ruel and Beulah, all born between 1918 and 1936.  Knacy and Ruth are buried at the Glenwood Cemetery in Liberty.

I have no info for children Maria and Mary.  It appears to me - subject to error, of course - that the family had two daughters named Mary, the first born in 1853 and the second in 1858.  I am thinking that perhaps the first Mary died as an infant and some years later another daughter was given that name.

Robert was child no. 6, born in 1860, died in 1937, Danville, Boyle Co.  Robert married Flora Ann Bell, a daughter of Edmond and Puss Fair Bell on Mar. 6, 1882 in Casey Co.  Flora was born in 1862 and died in 1940, Casey Co. Both are buried at the Fair Cemetery in Pricetown, Casey Co.

He and Flora had 12 children from Sep. 1882 to 1914, not counting any children that may had been still born or died shortly after birth.  Their known children were:  Ollie, a son born in 1882; Lena, born 1888; Edna, born 1890; Edmond, born in 1891, married Pearl Sanders in 1919; Joshua, born 1894, married Ruth Bell in 1913; George, born 1896; Anna Pearl, born 1898; Robert C., born c1901; Emma E., born c1903; Elisha, born c1906; Jessie C., born c1909 and Bertha, born c1914.

Updates, additions and corrections welcomed.

  Jack

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[1] Kentucky Pioneer and Court Records, compiled by Mrs. Harry Kennett McAdams, Heritage Books, 2009, p103

[2] Images of America Roseville, Roseville Historical Society, Arcadia Pub. Co., 2010, p7

Coleman & Rosa "Rosey" Burks Coffey

A reader recently wrote asking about the Coleman Coffey family of Wayne and McCreary Counties in KY. Until now I had not written much, if anything in my blog about Coleman.  The following represents what information I have found.

Additional information about connecting families can be found at the following links:

http://coffeycousins.blogspot.com/2011/11/sheridan-l-sherd-sarah-sally-coffey.html

http://coffeycousins.blogspot.com/2010/11/sheridan-l-sherd-dobbs-sarah-sally.html

http://coffeycousins.blogspot.com/2007/11/truesdell-coffey-1941-2007.html

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Coleman was the eldest son of Henry Baker and Sarah Elizabeth Dobbs Coffey.  According to information found on his death certificate he was born Nov. 8, 1869 in KY and died in Co-operative, McCreary Co. on Oct. 26, 1948 and was buried at  Sherd Dobbs Cemetery in Stearns.

Rosa or "Rosey" was a daughter of Benjamin Richard and Rebecca Jane Vaughn Burks.  According to her death certificate, Rosa was born Apr. 30, 1875 in Wayne Co. and died in McCreary Co. on Mar. 18, 1942.  She too is buried at Sherd Dobbs Cemetery.

Info provided by others report that Coleman and Rosa were married on Mar. 1, 1891 in KY but, omits the county.  They are said to have had at least nine children, all born in Kentucky between 1892 and 1913.

William Gaines was the first, born Feb. 25, 1892, died Jul. 20, 1963 in McCreary Co.  His first wife was Kizzie Coffey, born May 19, 1901 in McCreary Co., died there on Apr. 8, 1949.  She the daughter of George Washington Coffey and wife Margery "Sis" Troxell and, first cousin to William; their father's were brothers.

To them was born Harrison, Mar 2, 1919, died in Pulaski Co., KY on Aug. 16, 1983, and buried at Sherd Dobbs; Bertie, born c1922 and Martha, born c1926.  I know nothing more about these children.

Both William and Kizzie are buried at Sherd Dobbs.

William married second to Alice Phillips, a daughter of Pate and Elizabeth Cox Phillips.  According to her obituary and the 1940 McCreary Co. census, Alice was born c1935.  She died on Oct. 9, 1978 in Springfield, Clark Co., OH and was buried at Sherd Dobbs.

Alice Coffey, 43, Springfield, Ohio, died Oct. 9 in Springfield.  Funeral services were conducted Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. at Hickman Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Earl Davis officiating.  Burial was in Sherd Dobbs Cemetery.

She was born in 1935 in McCreary County to the late Pate and Elizabeth Cox Phillips.  Her husband, Gaines Coffey, preceded her in death.  She lived here for many years and was a homemaker.

Survivors include her children, Gaines Coffey, Jr., Somerset, Mrs. Bertha Carroll, Covington, Dean and Linda Coffey, both of Dayton, Ky., and Herman Mark Hughes, Smithtown.  One brother, Lloyd Phillips, Cincinnati and two sisters, Flossie Clark, Dayton, Ky., and Lola Irvin, Eaton, Ohio.

Hickman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

The child Herman Mark Hughes may be a step-son from a marriage subsequent to the death of William in 1963.

The second child born to Coleman and Rosa was Ada J., born May 4, 1896, died Jan. 15, 1971 in McCreary Co.  Her husband was John Sherman Dobbs, a son of Stephen Tolbert and Mary Gregory Dobbs.  They were married in KY on Oct. 8, 1912.  Sherman was born Aug. 11, 1885 in Wayne Co. and died in Oneida, Scott Co., TN on Dec. 23, 1968.

Sherman Dobbs, life long resident of the Cooperative community, died Saturday December 23,1968, in Scott County Hospital, Oneida, Tenn.

Mr Dobbs, 82, a retired coal miner, had been ill for more than a year. The deceased was born August 11, 1885, in Wayne County, the son of the late Tolbert Dobbs and Polly Ann Gregory Dobbs. He was a member of the New Haven Baptist Church at Cooperative.

Surviving are his wife, Ada Coffey Dobbs, one daughter, Mrs. Lillie Bell, Muncie, two sons, Dewey Dobbs, Muncie and Roy Dobbs, Cooperative; two brothers, Jeff Dobbs, Monticello, and Albert Dobbs, Cooperative.

Funeral services were held on Christmas Day at 1 o'clock in the afternoon with Rev. Robert Jones and Rev. Earl Davis officiating. Burial was in the Sherd Dobbs Cemetery with Hickman Funeral Home in charge. His grandsons served as pall bearers.

I have their children as:  Roy, born Oct. 30, 1913, died Apr. 26, 1988 in Pulaski Co., KY; Lillie, born Sep. 16, 1915 in Wayne Co.; Dewey, born Oct. 13, 1917 in McCreary Co.; an unnamed child born Nov. 1, 1926; Ida Dester, born and died Mar. 20, 1932 in McCreary Co.; and Hubert, born Feb. 28, 1938, died Oct. 20, 1936 in McCreary Co.

The third child was Sarah E., born Mar. 14, 1898, died Apr. 1, 1984 in McCreary Co.  Her husband was Rhodes Bell, born Mar. 6, 1893 in KY, died Nov. 8, 1977 in Oneida, TN.  Both buried at Sherd Dobbs.

Two children following Sarah was Rosie, born c1902 and Henry, born c1904.  No further information.

Lona was child number six.  She was born on Apr. 30, 1905 and died Jun. 12, 1989.  She married Thomas Gregory, perhaps some kin to Mary Gregory Dobbs, wife of Stephen Tolbert Dobbs.  Thomas was born Feb. 26, 1903 and died May 23, 1967 in McCreary Co.  He and Lona are buried at Sherd Dobbs.

Their children, all born in McCreary Co. were:  Austin, born Jul. 10, 1926, died Dec. 6, 1958.  His wife was Juanita Roberts; Ray, born May 28, 1928, died Feb. 8, 2000 in Clermont Co., OH; Betty M., born c1935; Ina, born c1937; Lona, born c1939 and Donald Lee, born Mar. 24, 1948, died Aug. 22, 1997.

Child seven was Wilburn, born Jun. 7, 1908, died Mar. 16, 1977 in Pulaski Co.  He married Roxie Gregory, a daughter of Obie and Laurie Dobbs Gregory.  Roxie was born Feb. 12, 1910 and died in McCreary Co. on Sep. 29, 1978.

Eva, born Jan. 14, 1912, was child number eight.  I have no other information on her.

The last child was George H., born Aug. 24, 1913, died Mar. 27, 1967.  George married Lucy Haynes on Dec. 28, 1946 at Hill Top in McCreary Co. I am told that Gary T. Coffey, born Mar. 30, 1962, died Apr., 1962 was one of their children.  Lucy is said to have married Lee Sosh after the death of George.  She died on Jun. 14, 1991 and is buried at Sherd Dobbs.  Lucy was the daughter of Albert L. and Cora Tucker Haynes

Corrections and additions welcomed!

William Riffe & Jane L. Bell Coffey

William was the oldest son of Osborn Nightingale and Jane L. Bell Coffey.  He was born Feb. 4,1807 in Kentucky and died in Santa Barbara Co., CA in 1903.  He married Orilla Hill, the daughter of a Mr. Hill who married a Miss Wood.  Orilla was born on May 31, 1856 in IA and died in Santa Barbara on Aug. 3, 1943.  Both are buried at the Goleta cemetery in Santa Barbara Co.

It is unclear to me if William married late or was perhaps married prior to his marriage to Orilla, c1885.  He was 54 years old then and Orilla was 29.  William last appeared in a census with his parents in 1850, Lincoln Co., MO.  I next find him in the 1900 Santa Barbara Co. census with Orilla and their four children:

Minnie Belle, born Aug. 6, 1885, died Mar. 9, 1972.  She never married and is buried at Goleta.

George William, born Jan. 7, 1888, died Nov. 16, 1967.  He apparently never married and is also buried at Goleta.

Lelia J., born Feb. 22, 1892, died Dec. 4, 1964 in Santa Barbara.  She married Jesse R. Hill, perhaps a relative of Orilla, c1920.  Jesse was a widower and brought two sons, Richard, born c1912 and, Clifford, born c1918 to the marriage.  I have not yet found Lelia and Jesse in the 1930 census.  Neither have I found a burial site for them.

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Update - May 2, 2012


 Jesse Reason Hill and Lelia J. Coffey were married on Jul. 27, 1910 in Santa Barbara Co., CA.*  The two children, Richard M., born c1912 and Clifford, born c1918, should then be his children by Lelia. The 1920 census**  names Jesse's wife as Lydia and that her father was born in MO and mother in IA. I suspect the 1920 census to be in error vis-à-vis Lelia.

*California County Marriages, 1850-1952, "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XLZ2-LQ9 : accessed 2 May 2012), Jesse Reason Hill, 1910.

**Mar. 18, 1920 Santa Barbara Co., La Patera, ED101, Sheet 7A, Fair View Road

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Osborne Delano, born Sep. 19, 1894 in CA, died Aug. 7, 1981 in Santa Barbara.  He married c1921 to Josephine E. Lessett, daughter of a French born father and a California born mother.  They were in the 1930 Santa Barbara census with two children:  Helen J., born c1922 and William K., born c1924.  Osborne is buried at Goleta; I have not found death information for Josephine.

John M. & Mary Ellen Ragland Coffey

John was a son of Hugh and Mary Roman Coffey, born Dec. 11, 1848 in Scottsboro, Jackson Co., AL.  Mary Ellen was a daughter of Burrell & Matilda Gentry Ragland, born Jan. 6, 1853 in Omaha, Morris Co., TX.  She and John were married on Jan. 19, 1871 in Omaha.

To them were born at least eight children, all in Omaha:

William Edgar, born Apr. 17, 1872, died Apr. 1, 1948 in Quanah, Hardeman Co., TX.  William married Nora M. Thigpen on Dec. 27, 1894 in Morris Co.  She was a daughter of John and Harriet A. Thigpen.  Nora died Feb. 22, 1902 and William Apr. 1, 1948 in Quahah.  Nora is buried in the public cemetery at Omaha while William was laid to rest in Quahah Cemetery, Hardeman Co., TX.

Update:  William Edgar was married at least three times.  Nora was his first.  Second was Ella May Johnson, born Mar. 5, 1873 in TX, died Apr. 20, 1924 in Hardeman Co., TX.  She is also buried at Quanah Cemetery.  I have a third for him named Anna who appeared with him in the 1930 Hardeman Co. census.  I have found no children for him with either wife.

Thomas Jefferson, born Oct. 14, 1874 in TX, died Jan. 19,1920 in Omaha.  He married Lillian R. Ray on Mar. 6, 1901.  Lillian was born date unknown in Archer Co., TX and died in Omaha in 1971. I have two children for them:  Thomas Ray, born 1909, died 1985 in Shawnee, OK and, Evelyn Lucille, born 1911.

Update:  Still searching for their burial site.  Thomas Ray married Edna Mae Poindexter, c1935, who was born Jul. 26, 1914 in TX, died Nov. 6, 1986 in OK.  Both are buried at Resthaven Memorial Park in Shawnee, Pottawatomie Co., OK.  They had at least two children but, I can find only one:  Thomas Ray, Jr., born Sep. 22, 1936, died Jun. 23, 2010.  He is also buried at Resthaven.  The other was Evelyn Lucille, born c1911 in TX.

Robert Novel, born Jan. 9, 1877, died Nov. 10, 1951 in Dallas.  He married Della S. Barrier on Dec. 27, 1896 in Morris Co.  Della was the daughter of Columbus C. & Dartha E. Cason Barrier.  She was born Feb. 26, 1879 in Omaha and died Nov. 20,1957 in Dallas.  Both are buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Dallas.  I know of one son, John Columbus, born Sep. 15, 1900 in Omaha, died in Dallas on Mar. 1, 1971.  John married a lady by the name of Inez B.  She was born Oct. 25, 1902 and died May 5, 1996 in Tarrant Co., TX.  They are also buried at Mount Calvary.

Hugh Burrell, born Jul. 4, 1879 in Omaha, died Apr. 19, 1944 in Fort Worth.  He first married Vassie Alberta Lewis on Jul. 22, 1900 in Morris Co.  Together they had at least  two children:  Vanita Ann, born May 19, 1902 in Omaha, died Feb. 24, 1997 in Fort Worth.  Vanita Ann married Sebia Ambrose Bell on Aug. 31, 1910 inDallas.  He was born Jul. 21, 1899 in Odell, Wilbarger Co., TX and died Apr. 7, 1962 in San Francisco, CA.  Vanita Ann died Feb. 24, 197 in Fort Worth and is buried in Dallas at Greenwood Cemetery.  Hugh and Vassis's second known child was Tom H., born Sep. 14, 1903 in Omaha and died there on Oct. 4, 1904.  Hugh's second marriage was to Ella Hood on Apr. 16, 1905 in Omaha. Ella apparently died or, they were divorced for sometime after 1910 he married Josephine Angela Blackmon. She was born Dec. 19, 1898 in Dallas; died Jan. 18, 1952 in Fort Worth and was buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Dallas.

Odia L., a son, born Nov. 27, 1881, died Feb. 18, 1901.  He is buried at Concord Cemetery in Omaha.

Lillie May, born Sep. 11, 1884, died Jan. 30, 1941.  She married George Edward Kimmel on Morris Co. on Nov. 2, 1902. George was born Jul. 7, 1879 in TX and died in Naples, Morris Co. on Sep. 16, 1959.  They had at least three children:  John Edward, born 1903, died 1959; Sibyl Meadow, born 1904, died 1999 in Omaha and, Alice Marie, born 1907, died 1953 in Ajo, Pima Co., AZ.  George and Lillie are both buried at Concord Cemetery.

Mary Ann "Annie," born Jun. 7, 1889 in Omaha.  Annie was married three times.  Her first husband was James Marvin Glass, a son of James W. & Alberta Farrier Glass on Dec. 25, 1907 in Omaha.  James was born Jan. 2, 1884 in TX and died Feb. 23, 1934 in San Antonio, Bexar Co., TX.  He and Annie apparently divorced sometime prior to 1915 because c1914 he was married to Gertrude Malone, a daughter of George W. and Florence Evans Malone.  Gertrude was born in TX on Dec. 30, 1885 and died Oct. 23, 1964 in San Antonio.  She was a retired public school teacher.  Gertrude is buried with her folks at Mount Vernon cemetery in Franklin Co., TX.  James is buried at Omaha but I do not know which cemetery.  Annie's second marriage on Oct. 20,1932 was to Dr. Wm. Carl Ledbetter.  He died in Bristol, TX in 1950.  They apparently also divorced because Annie married Benjamin Harrison Ledbetter on Oct. 20,1939.  I presume without proof that the Ledbetters were close kin.  I have found no children born to her with any of her husbands but she apparently had at least one.  She died Jun. 4, 1966 in Bristol, Ellis Co., and was buried in Dallas

Obituaries:

Mrs. Ledbetter Services Held

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Ann Ledbetter, 76 , of Bristol, were held at 2p.m. Monday at Bristol Baptist Church, with the Rev. William Biggs officiating. Interment followed in Restland Memorial Park, Dallas,  with arrangements by Bunch Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were E. E. Ray and Noble Willis, Bristol, Tex; Thomas Beasley, Omaha, Tex.; Fred H. Bell, Arlington, Loyd Legg, Mt. Pleasant, and Willie Carl  Beasley, Dallas.

Mrs. Ledbetter was born June 7, 1889, at Omaha, Tex., daughter of John M. and Mary Coffey.

Her husband, Dr. W. C. Ledbetter of Bristol, died in 1950.  Mrs.Ledbetter had lived in California and Dallas prior to moving to Bristol,Tex.  in 1942.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Bristol, Tex.

Surviving are a sister, Mrs. Nora E. Leeves of Dallas; a niece, Mrs.Walter Cox Johnston of Fort Worth, and several other nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Mary A. Ledbetter

BRISTOL,-Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Ann Ledbetter, 76, who diedSaturday in Ennis, will be held at 2 P.M. Monday in the First Baptist  Church here.  Burial will be in Restland Memorial Park in Dallas.*

Among her survivors is a sister, Mrs. Nora Leeves of Dallas.

Ledbetter

Mrs. Mary Ann, Bristol, Tx.  Survived by sister, Mrs. Nora E. Leeves, Dallas; niece, Mrs. Walter Cox Johnston, Fort Worth; several other nephews and nieces.  Services 2 P.M. Monday, First Baptist Church,Bristol.  Interment, Restland, Dallas.  Bunch Funeral Home, Ennis.

John and Mary Ellen's last child was Nora Eva, born Jun. 1, 1892 in Omaha.  She married George Virgil Leeves, a son of A. J. and Dora McDaniel Leeves on Jun. 21, 1914 in New Boston, Bowie Co., TX.  George was born Feb. 15, 1888 in Naples and died Nov. 6, 1941 in Dallas.  Nora Eva died Apr. 11, 1979 in Fort Worth.  George is buried at Restland in Dallas.  Nora is probably there as well, but I have not found any evidence.

Obituaries:

DEATH CLAIMS G. V. LEEVES

Office Manager of Dairy Concern Succumbs to Heart Attack

George Virgil Leeves, 53, of 5738 Vanderbilt Avenue, office manager for the Triangle Dairy Company, died of a heart attack at this home Thursday. Dr. George W. Truett, pastor of First Baptist Church of which Mr. Leeves was a member, will officiate at funeral services at 2 P.M. Friday at the George A. Brewer Funeral Chapel.  Burial will be in Restland Memorial Park. Mr. Leeves was a native of Morris Co..  He came to Dallas eighteen years ago from Naples and had been associated with the Triangle Diary Company for many years. He is survived by his widow, a brother, E.J. Leeves of Naples, and two sisters, Mrs. C. L. Smith of Port Neches and Mrs. Lloyd Legg of Paris.

Pallbearers will be A.N. Phillips, Paul C. Ledbetter, Elmer Adams, George Short, R. Schenkel and R. L. Pou.

G.V. Leeves Died In Dallas

G. V. Leeves died at about one o'clock Thursday morning at his home in Dallas.

Virgil was born and raised near Naples and left here about thirty years ago making his home in Dallas since.

He is survived by his wife, one brother, E.J. Leeves of Naples, and two sisters, Mrs. Clayton Smith of Port Neches and Mrs. Lloyd Legg ofMarshall

Funeral will be in Dallas at 2o'clock this afternoon.

Deaths and Funeral Notices

LEEVES-George Virgil, are 53, died at the residence, 5738 Vanderbilt,Thursday.  Surviving are his wife, one brother, E.J. Leeves, Naples,Tx.;two sisters, Mrs. C. L. Smith, Port Neches, Tx. and Mrs. Lloyd Legg, Paris, Tx.  Services at the Geo. A. Brewer Funeral Chapel 2 P.M. Friday, Dr. George W. Truett officiating.  Interment Restland Memorial Park. Pallbearers:  A.N. Phillips, Paul C. Ledbetter, Elmer Adams, George Short, R. Schenkel, R.L. Pou.

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*"Mary Ann (Coffey) Ledbetter is buried at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Tx.  in Section T, Blk 19, Row M, Space #1

"Mary Ann was married to a Mr. J.M. Glass Dec. 25, 1907 (Glass Lake in Omaha, Tx.).  They divorced and her last marriage was to Dr. W. C. Ledbetter. She was his 3rd wife and theirs was a rocky marriage according to his grandson.

When he died in 1950 Mary had to sue his 1st wife for part of the estate as he left her nothing.  Mary got widow's rights to the house and a small settlement.  I have returned  Dr. Ledbetter's doctor's bag to Vaughn as it belongs to his family, not mine."  by Vaughn (Joan) Sims, Madison, MS

James Greenberry & Elsie Jane Bell Bristol

Jim Bristol and Elsie were married Jul. 9, 1908 in Yadkin Valley, Caldwell Co., NC.  Jim was born in NC in 1873; Elsie in 1888.  She was the eldest of at least five daughters born to Haywood and Margaret Bristol Bell. Elsie and Jim were the parents of at least nine children, including two sets of twins.

Their first two children were Pearl May and Richard Earl, born May 1, 1909.  Their respective death certificates given two different birth places; Pearl in Lenoir, Caldwell Co., and Richard in Burke Co., NC.  They were likely born in Watauga Co., because in the May, 1910 census they were living at Shawneehaw Twp., in that county.  It is somewhat assured however: they were not born in different counties on the same day.

Their next child was Ira R., born c1913 somewhere in NC.  He was followed by Katie Cline, born c1915 in Caldwell Co., died Oct. 23, 1985 at Burke Co.

Thomas W. followed Katie and was born c1917 somewhere in NC.  Artie, a daughter, was next, born c1920.

Lena Mae (also found as Selenia) was born c1920 in Caldwell Co., died May 24, 2006 in Lenoir.  She married Harlan Eugene Coffey in 1936.  He was born Jul. 26, 1910 in Caldwell Co. to Henry Edward and Alverdia Gragg Coffey.  Harlan died Jul. 27, 1995 at Lenoir.  I know of one child, Raymond Eugene, born Apr. 16, 1939 in Caldwell Co., died Nov. 7, 1998 in Lenoir.

Lena's obituary:

The Hickory Daily Record, Hickory, Catawba Co., NC

Lena B. Coffey

Lenoir - Lena Bristol Coffey, 86, of Lenoir, died May 24, 2006 at her residence.  The funeral will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Pendry's Lenoir Funeral Home and Crematory, with burial in Hartland Missionary Methodist Church Cemetery.  The family will be at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.

The last known (to me) children were Billie, born c1922 and Lawrence, born Mar. 26, 1925 in Caldwell Co., died in Collettsville, Caldwell Co. on Jan. 28, 1967.

Andrew Jackson Coffey 1833NC-1903MO - Update

Photo courtesy of Lloyd Coffey

Andrew J. Coffey*.  Ozark County, Mo., is well known for the richness of its soil, and among those industrious farmers who have assisted in making this section the rich agricultural district that it is may be mentioned Andrew J. Coffey, who was born in Ashe County, N. C., in 1833, of which State his parents, Cleveland and Susan (Hayes) Coffey, were also natives.

During the early boyhood of Andrew J. Coffey, he was taken by his parents to Hawkins County Tenn., and soon after to Granger [sic] County, where the mother died some fifty years ago.  Mr. Coffey remarried afterward and then returned to the Old North State, where he died about 1866, having been a farmer and mechanic throughout life.  He was a man of much industry, led an active and upright life, and in religion was a Missionary Baptist.  His father, Jesse Coffey, was an early settler of North Carolina and breathed his last in Burke County when Andrew J. was a small lad.  He was of Irish ancestry, a farmer by occupation, and was a minister of the Primitive Baptist Church.

The children born to Cleveland and Susan Coffey are as follows:  Andrew J.; William, who was a soldier of the Confederate Army and was killed at Mission Ridge; Thomas was a Federal soldier, but nothing has been heard of him since the war; Martha died young; Susan E. is the wife of Aaron McGinnis, of Ozark County, Mo.

The education and rearing which was given the average farmer's boy of his day was given to Andrew J. Coffey, and in 1849 he came to the conclusion that 'it is not good for a man to live alone' and led to the altar Louisa, daughter of Jeremiah Hutchinson.  She was born in East Tennessee, and died in Ozark County, Mo., in 1871, having become the mother of eight children:  Athela M., widow of Z. T. Marritt; Mary J., who died young; Thomas J., who died after reaching manhood; Susan J., who died in early womanhood; James T.; Andrew J., Jr.; Cleveland and William W. who died in infancy.

January 11, 1872, Mr. Coffey took for his second wife Rachel, daughter of William and Mary Ann Imes, who were Tennesseeans, in which State the father died, and from which the mother emigrated to Ozark Co., Mo., her death occurring in the region.

Mrs. Coffey was born in Tennessee and by Mr. Coffey has become the mother of the following children:  Joseph Ambrose, Louisa, Mahala, Avarilla, Robert (deceased). Charley, John A., Francis M., Etha, Melissa and Albert.

In November, 1854, Mr. Coffey arrived in Ozark County, Mo., the journey by wagon from Tennessee occupying twenty-six days.  He rented land for one year after his arrival here, then lived on Little North Fork until the opening of the war.  During the great struggle between the North and South his family lived in Douglas and Webster Counties.

Mr. Coffey served in the Home Guards until the fall of 1864, when he joined Col. John S. Phelps' regiment of six months' troops and was stationed at Rolla the most of the time.  At the end of his term of enlistment he served again in the Missouri State Militia, after which he was in the Sixth Provisional Regiment until the spring of 1864, when he was detailed home to raise a corps, and in the fall of that year joined the Forty-sixth Missouri Infantry as second lieutenant of Company I, and thereafter in Ozark County and at Springfield the most of the time.  He was a brave and faithful supporter of the Union cause, and after the war was made sheriff of Ozark County, and at the election of 1866 was elected to the office for two years and again in 1874.  In 1884 he was elected to the Legislature on the Democrat ticket and served on the Committees on Retrenchment and Reform, County Boundaries, etc.

Up to 1892 he had been a supporter of Democratic principals, but since that time ha has cast his lot with the Republican party.  His first presidential vote was cast for John Bell, in 1860.  Mr. Coffey is a member of the Robert Burns Lodge No. 496, of the A. F. & A. M., at Gainesville, and of the G. A. R.  He was left a widower February 21, 1892, his wife having been an earnest member of the General Baptist Church, as is he.  He has lived on his present farm since 1869, which comprises a fertile and well-tilled tract of 247 acres, about four miles below Gainesville.

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Click on title link to read first blog about Andrew Jackson Coffey

*Missouri Historical Review, The State Historical Society, Columbia, MO,, Vol. LXXVII, Number 5, Apr., 1983, p206-7 [Retyped to include paragraphs, making reading somewhat better]

Jesse & Elizabeth Riffe Coffey (Follow-up)

Jesse and Elizabeth are known to have had at least 10 children.  Of those, about half of them went west from Kentucky to settle north of Dallas in Collin Co., TX.  Some of them raised their families in Anna, Melissa, and Van Alstyne while some moved just up the road to Sherman in Grayson Co.

Those who ended up in TX:

Osborn Nightingale Coffey, born Feb. 4, 1807 in Casey Co., KY, death date and place unknown.  He married Jane Bell on Sep. 4, 1829 in Lincoln Co., KY.  At least one of their sons, Finley Luckey Coffey, born July 7, 1849, went west and settled in Beaumont, Jefferson Co., TX where he died on Apr. 13, 1926.  Osborn and Jane are not known to have gone to TX but, may have!

Mary Coffey, born Apr. 25, 1808 in Wayne Co., KY, died in Casey Co. on May 29, 1842.  She married Jeremiah Vardaman on Mar. 12, 1829 in Casey Co.  After Mary died, Jeremiah and five of his seven children went to Texas.

Mary Elizabeth, the eldest, born Aug. 1, 1832, died May 1, 1877 in Texas, exact place unknown right now.  Lucy, born Nov. 13, 1834 in Lincoln Co., died Feb. 22, 1901 in Grayson Co., TX.  Third Was Ephriam Pennington born Jan. 9, 1837 in KY, died Mar. 6, 1901 in Collin Co., TX.  Patsy Jane, born Jan. 29, 1838 in Lincoln Co. was next.  She married Richard Nightingale Portman on Jan. 4, 1858 in KY.  He died in Collin Co. in 1886; she on Oct. 18, 1926.  He is buried in the Highland Cemetery at Anna while she is buried at Throckmorton cemetery in Melissa.

Following Patsy Jane was Jesse Morgan Vardaman, born Feb. 3, 1839 in Lincoln Co., died May 17, 1903, I think in Collin Co.  He married Hannah, born c1834 in KY and their first child Mary was born there in 1853.  I know of three others, George, Patsy and Betsy - the last two likely twins, born c1859 - were born in TX.

I believe the last child born to Jeremiah and Mary Coffey Vardaman was Jeremiah, Jr., born Jan. 1840, died May, 1863 in TN during the Civil War.  I've seen another genealogy that credits Jeremiah, Sr. with fathering John in 1846, KY, but that was after Mary died and I have not found him married to anyone after he death.

Minerva Coffey was Jesse and Elizabeth's sixth child.  She was born Nov. 15, 1814 in Casey Co., and died in Collin Co. on Feb. 7, 1891.  Her spouse was James H. Slaughter, born Apr. 8, 1812 in Wayne Co., KY and died in Collin Co. on Apr. 17, 1895.  They apparently did not leave KY until 1851 or 52 because their second to last child was born in KY on Feb. 1, 1851 and the last on Ma.r 19, 1853 in Collin Co.  They had at least nine children and, six are known to have survived to marry and raise their own family.

Jesse Perry was the ninth child and he was born Mar. 17, 1823 in Casey Co., died in Collin Co. on Apr. 5, 1906.  He married Tabitha Slaughter - undoubtedly some relation to James, husband of Minerva - and they had at least eight children, the last four born in TX.  Tabitha was born Feb. 14, 1822 in KY and died Aug. 26, 1909 in Collin Co.

Their eldest son was Matthew Slaughter Coffey, born c1844 in KY, died c1929 in Grayson Co., TX.  He was married in Grayson Co. to Virginia Texana Butridge, a daughter of Riley E. and Susan Watson Butridge.  Virginia was born on Jul. 31, 1854 in Sherman and died there on Sep. 27, 1949.  They raised at least five children:  Gabriella, Birdie, twins Pearl and Earl and Richard "Dick."

Matthew's brother, James Perry, Jr., was born Jan. 18, 1851 in KY and died Jan. 16, 1931 in McKinney.  James married Sally Margaret Griffin, born Sep. 1, 1864, where not known, died Jan. 30, 1943 in Collin Co.  I know they had at least one child, Malcolm T. who lived less than two years, born Oct. 4, 1876, died Oct. 1, 1878 in Collin Co.

Anna Belle Coffey, married Finley Luckey Coffey.  You can read about this family here.

Child six was William G., born c1859; seven was Galen, born Sep. 2, 1862, died Dec. 4, 1889 in Collin Co; and last was Cynthia McKinney, born Oct. 8, 1865, died unmarried on Feb. 23, 1966 in McKinney.

Most of these families are buried in the cemeteries at Anna and Melissa in Collin Co.

Click on the title link to read and earlier blog about Jesse and Elizabeth.

Corrections and/or additions welcomed!





No. 989

Hugh Burrell Coffey

Hugh Burrell Coffey was born in Omaha, Morris Co., TX to John M and Mary Ellen Ragland Coffey.  He was born on Jul. 4, 1879 and lived there until at least 1918 when he relocated to Fort Worth.  There he was in the loan brokerage business and, apparently, at one time a bookkeeper for an electric exchange co., and owner of Worth Radio and Applicance Company on Main St. in Fort Worth.

Hugh was residing in Dallas when he registered for the draft on Sep. 10, 1918.  He named his daughter Vanita as his nearest relative and a resident of Omaha.  He was described as being short and slim with blue eyes and brown hair and confirmed his birth date as July 4, 1879.

He was married at least three times.  His first was to Vassie Alberta Lewis, born Sep, 1881 in Morris Co., TX and who died there on Sep. 13, 1904, apparently from lingering difficulties after the birth of their second child on Sep. 14, 1903.  That child, Tom H. Coffey died on Oct. 4, 1904, some days after the death of Vassie.

Their first child was Vanita Ann, born May 19, 1902 in Morris Co.  She married twice, first to Sebia Ambrose Bell on Aug. 31, 1919 in Dallas.  There was one child, Frederick Hugh Bell, born Jun. 7, 1924 in Dallas.  He died in Arlington, Tarrant Co., TX on Jul. 4, 1982.

This marriage apparently ended in divorce because Vanita married Walter Cox Johnston on Apr. 16, 1935 in Dallas.  Sebia died on Apr. 7, 1962 in San Francisco, CA.  This union to Mr. Johnston produced at least one child, Donald Ray, born Mr. 16, 1939 in Fort Worth and died there on Nov. 12, 2000.

Vanita died Feb. 24, 1997 in Fort Worth.

Her obituary:

FORT WORTH --  Vanita Ann Johnston, 92, a homemaker, died Monday,Feb. 24, 1997, at a Fort Worth nursing home.  Funeral:  2 P.M. Wednesday at Greenwood Funeral Home.  Entombment: Greenwood Mausoleum.  Visitation: 6 to 8 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Vanita Ann Johnston was born May 19, 1904, in Omaha, Tx. Mrs. Walter Cox Johnston was a member of the Optimist Club, Park Hill Neighborhood Association and University Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Cox Johnston; a son,Frederick Hugh Bell; and a grandson, Walter Ray Johnston.

Survivors:  Son, Don R. Johnston of Fort Worth; grandchildren, Teri Stanek of Oklahoma, Okla., Cindy Winegardner of Arlington, Mark Bell of Irving and Lesa Bankhead of Azle; and great-grandchildren, Tyson Stanek, Neil Stanek, Brady Sharp, Tammi Sharp, Troy Sharp and Chelsea Post.  Greenwood Funeral Home 3100 White settlement Road  336-0584

Hugh's second wife was Ella Hood to whom he was married on Apr. 16, 1905 in Omaha.  No further information is known about this wife.  His third wife was Josephine Angela Blackmon c1910.  Jo - as she was named on Hugh's death certificate - was born Dec. 19, 1898 in Dallas and died there on Jan. 18, 1952.  Jo's parents were natives of Germany.  There are no known children from this union.

Hugh died on Apr. 19, 1944 of a cerebral hemorrhage; Jo died on Jan. 18, 1952 of colon cancer.  Both are buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Dallas.

Finley Luckey and Anna Belle Coffey Coffey

Update: 3/22/2010: Some facts need re-checking. Use with caution!

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Finley Luckey Coffey was born in Missouri in Jul., 1849 to Osborn Nightingale and Jane L. Bell Coffey.  Osborn was a son of Jesse and Elizabeth Riffe Coffey.  Anna Belle was born Feb. 10, 1855 in McKinney, Collin Co., TX to Jesse P. and Tabitha Slaughter Coffey.  Jesse and Osborn were brothers.

Osborn was born in Casey Co., KY but was in Missouri by 1835 when he settled in Louisville, Lincoln Co. on property in TS51, R2W, S27.*  Jesse and his wife Tabitha, were in Collin Co. by at least 1855 when their daughter Anna Belle was born.  The family appeared there in the 1860 census.

Finley Luckey was in Texas at least by 1873 when he married Anna Belle.  The family moved around Texas a little:  they were in Collin Co. in 1880, Liberty Co. by 1900 and Jefferson Co. by 1910.

Their first child was Gertella "Gertie", born Jun. 21, 1876 in Anna, Collin Co., and died Oct. 25, 1950 in Beaumont, Jefferson Co., TX.  Gertie married Ernest C. Setliff c1896 in TX and had at least one child, Guy Clifton, born Jan. 12, 1898 in Anna and died May 25, 1961 in Beaumont.  Ernest and Gertie are buried in Magnolia Cemetery while Guy is in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.  Both cemeteries are in Beaumont.

Second child, first son, was Lewis Dennison, born Mar. 7, 1878 in Texas, and died Mar. 21, 1942 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co.  I do not have any information on Lewis's family.  His death certificate reports that he was removed from that city to Beaumont.  He is likely buried in either Forest Lawn or Magnolia.

Robert Lee was next born on Jul. 22, 1880 in Texas.  He died on Dec. 4, 1918 in Port Arthur, Jefferson Co., TX.  Cause of death:  Influenza!  He is buried at Magnolia.

Jesse Sanders was next, born Oct. 2, 1883 in Texas.  He died Jun. 19, 1975 in Houston, Harris Co., TX and is buried at Forest Park - Lawndale cemetery in Houston.

Houston Ernest was number five.  He was born May 8, 1994 in TX and died from influenza on Mar. 10, 1926 in Beaumont.  He too is buried at Magnolia.

Slaughter Bell, a son, was born Apr. 10. 1887 in Anna, Collin Co., and died Aug. 20, 1962 in Beaumont.  Slaughter married Hazel and they had at least three children:  Jesse Lee, Lorris and Erma.  Slaughter is at Forest Lawn in Beaumont and Hazel is likely there as well.

Myrtle May, the only other daughter born to Finley and Anna, came along on Aug. 17, 1889 in Anna.  She died Feb. 15, 1976 and was buried at Magnolia.  Myrtle married a Mr. Ebner.

Finley Luckey, Jr. was born Jun. 17, 1892 in Collin Co., and died Apr. 21, 1948 in Jefferson Co., TX.  He is also buried at Forest Lawn.

Henry Stanley, born Aug. 7, 1894 in Collin Co., died of influenza on Apr. 2, 1926.  He is also buried at Magnolia.

The last, number 10, was John Fielden, born Dec. 14, 1896, died Dec. 27, 1795 in Vidor, Orange Co., TX.  He is buried at Forest Lawn.  In the 1920 census he was newly married to Ruby and had no children.

I have the death certificates for most of the children of Finley, Sr. and Anna.  In many cases they do not agree with the birth order that the children appeared at the various census years.  As with most records of that sort (death certificates) I think I can depend on the death date as reported, but not the birth date without additional sources.  I checked the WW1 draft records for the sons and used those birthdates instead of the ones recorded on the death certificates.

Please send me a note at the above e-mail address to add to or to correct any of this information.
























*History of Lincoln County, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1888), Page 66.

Rhodes Gregory

According to his WW1 draft registration, Rhodes Gregory, a son of Frank and Isabelle Gregory, was born in Kentucky on Apr. 4, 1892 in Slavans, KY.  He was 24 years old at the time, and described as being tall and slender with black eyes and brown hair.  He was married and had two children at that time.

A few birth records for his children have been found, and each names the mother as Mattie Bell.  It is not yet clear to me that Bell was her maiden name.  I do know from the 1920 and 1930 census record that her given name was Mattie.

He and Mattie had at least eight children, two of which married into the Coffey family in Wayne Co., KY.

Lula, their third child, was born Jan. 18, 1918 in Wayne Co., and died there on Mar. 28, 1991.  She married Roscoe Coffey, a son of Joseph and Luvada Martin Coffey.  Roscoe was born Apr. 24, 1907 in Kentucky and died in Coopersville, Wayne Co., on Nov. 10, 1988.

Dina, the sixth child of Rhodes and Martha, was born c1925.  She married Inman Coffey, a brother to Roscoe.

Rhodes died in Wayne Co. on Dec. 15, 1969.  I have an unsourced death date for Mattie as Jun. 8, 1950.

Other children born to Rhodes and Mattie were:

Ethel, born Aug., 6, 1914
Lena, born abt Jul., 1916
Marion F., born Jan. 22, 1920
Herman, born Feb. 6, 1925
Nina, born c1926
Leonard, born Oct. 15, 1931

Corrections and/or additions can be sent to me at the above e-mail address, or entered below as comments.

Jesse and Elizabeth Riffe Coffey

Jesse Coffey, born May 26, 1784 to Osborn and Mary (Polly) Nightingale Coffey, married Elizabeth Riffe Feb. 16, 1805 in Pulaski Co., KY. He died Jul., 1850 in Casey Co., KY. Elizabeth, who some researchers have named Tabitha, was born Jul. 3, 1758 in Lincoln Co., KY, and died Sep. 29, 1842 in Casey Co.

Jesse is also said to have fathered a daughter named Sally, and two sons, C.R., and Jesse, Jr. Their mother is unknown to me.

Jesse was a Colonel in the War of 1812, a state senator in 1834, and a member of the delegation that wrote the Kentucky state constitution in June 1850, a month before he died .

"Probably the most prominent of the early settlers was Colonel Jesse Coffey, a soldier of the War of 1812, who fought in the Battle of Thames in Canada, in which the famous Indian chieftain, Tecumseh, was slain, as was also the noted pioneer Kentuckian, Colonel William Whitley, who founded Whitley's Station near Crab Orchard."

"Colonel Coffey owned a large boundary of good land in and around Middleburg and it was he who built the old watermill, so long a landmark in the little town, on the site occupied by the modern water-power mill now owned and operated by Mr. L. F. Young. Colonel Coffey's mansion, built at about the same time as the old water-mill, stood on the hill just behind the home now owned by Mr. J. W. Short, and was the scene of the famous wedding of Polly Coffey as related in Peter B. Riffe's History of Casey County."

Jesse and Elizabeth's first child was Osborn N. Coffey, born Feb. 4, 1807 in Casey Co. He married Jane L. Bell on Sep. 4, 1829 in Lincoln Co. They were parents of at least seven children:

William, born KY c1832
Grizzell (Grace?), born KY c1834, married John F.
Gillum
Jane, born MO c1837
Jesse, born MO, c1839
Bettie Lee, born
MO, Apr. 30, 1841, died MO Aug. 15, 1911
Ann Robb, born MO, c1846
Finley
L., born MO, c1849

One source had this information about Osborn:

Osborn N. COFFEY, an old and respected citizen and an early settler of Lincoln County, Mo., was born in Casey County, Ky., February 4, 1807, and is the son of Jessee and Elizabeth (RIFFLE) [sic] COFFEY, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. Their ancestors were from Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively. The father was an extensive dealer in hogs, which he used to drive to Richmond, Va., a distance of about five hundred miles. He was a colonel in the War of 1812, was for two terms a member in the State Legislature, and a member of the Constitutional Convention of Kentucky. Both were members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and lived to a good old age. They reared a large family of children, of whom Osborn N., is the second. While growing up, he had very poor opportunities for schooling, though he aided himself very much in that direction after attaining his growth. At the age of eighteen he began for himself, and soon after engaged as clerk in a store, where he remained two years. In 1829 he married Miss Jane L. BELL, a native of Lincoln County, Ky., and in their family were seven children who lived to be grown. One of the sons served in the Confederate Army and was twice severely wounded. In 1831 Mr. COFFEY moved to Missouri, and three years later to Lincoln County, where he opened a store in Louisville. At the same time he dealt in hogs and tobacco, but failing in this he purchased the place where he now lives, which consists of 363 acres of land. Both he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and for many years he was a magistrate. He has done quite well, financially, though he has had many reverses and losses.




Sources:

W. M. Watkins, editor, The Men, Women, Events, Institutions & Lore of Casey County, Kentucky (Louisville, KY : 236 pgs: Standard Print Co., 1939)

History of Lincoln County, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1888)

Biography of Osborn N. Coffey

Osborn N. COFFEY, an old and respected citizen and an early settler of Lincoln County, Mo., was born in Casey County, Ky., February 4, 1807, and is the son of Jessee and Elizabeth (RIFFLE) COFFEY, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. Their ancestors were from Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively. The father was an extensive dealer in hogs, which he used to drive to Richmond, Va., a distance of about five hundred miles. He was a colonel in the War of 1812, was for two terms a member in the State Legislature, and a member of the Constitutional Convention of Kentucky. Both were members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and lived to a good old age. They reared a large family of children, of whom Osborn N., is the second. While growing up, he had very poor opportunities for schooling, though he aided himself very much in that direction after attaining his growth. At the age of eighteen he began for himself, and soon after engaged as clerk in a store, where he remained two years. In 1829 he married Miss Jane L. BELL, a native of Lincoln County, Ky., and in their family were seven children who lived to be grown. One of the sons served in the Confederate Army and was twice severely wounded. In 1831 Mr. COFFEY moved to Missouri, and three years later to Lincoln County, where he opened a store in Louisville. At the same time he dealt in hogs and tobacco, but failing in this he purchased the place where he now lives, which consists of 363 acres of land. Both he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and for many years he was a magistrate. He has done quite well, financially, though he has had many reverses and losses.

Source: Goodspeed Publishing Co., History of Lincoln County, Missouri, pub: Chicago, 1888

Osborn N. Coffey was a son of Osborn Coffey and Mary "Polly" Nightingale. Osborn was a grandson of John Coffey and Jane (Jean) Graves through the marriage of their son William to Elizabeth Osborne.