Robert W. Coffey (1845-1929)

A reader recently wrote to ask for any information about Mary Ann Bennett who married Robert W. Coffey of Adair Co., KY.

Robert was a son of Zidner and Morgana "Ann" Keltner Coffey and was born c1845 in Adair Co., KY.  Researchers believe that he was married at least three times between 1868 and 1890.  

Robert first married Mary Ann Bennett in Adair Co. on Aug. 13, 1868.  In 1870 the couple lived in East Fork, Metcalfe Co., KY and in 1880 they were in Gradyville, Adair Co.  They apparently had no children that survived much beyond birth because there were none to appear in the household at either census.

We believe Mary Ann died sometime after 1880 because Robert was subsequently married on Feb. 12, 1890 to Sally Catherine Compton in Adair Co. 

They remained married for nearly 30 years and were the parents of at least two children:  

Maggie Pearl, born Dec. 31, 1890 in Adair Co. and died there on May 1, 1937.  Maggie married Curt Stephens of Metcalfe Co. on Apr. 12, 1924 in Jeffersonville, Clarke Co., IN.  She was 33 years old and very likely had been previously married.  There are no known children.

William Zidner, born 1892 in Columbia, Adair Co., died in Ohio on Dec. 18, 1961.  He married three times.  His first was to Maggie Helm, born 1892 in Columbia, Adair Co., died 1972 in Butler Co., OH.  They are known to have had one child, Eunice Katherine, born 1925, died in Hamilton Co., OH in 1983.

William's second wife was Louise Estel DeBolt on May 27, 1919.  She was a native of Wetzel Co., WV and no children are known.  Third marriage was to Lydia A. Williams in c1922 OH.  She was born there in 1895 and died there in 1991.  Again, no known children.

It is thought that Robert was married again, and after Mary Ann in the period between 1880 and 1890.  This thought arises from the fact that in 1900 Robert reported that he had been married three times.  In the household that year was Lillian M. Coffey, age 16, born Mar., 1884 and enumerated as Robert's daughter.  Maggie and William were also included in this census.

My reader believes that Lillian married Charles M. Bragg in 1906.  Others, like me, believe Charles' bride was Lillie Mae, the daughter of Cyrus C. and Parthenia "Emma" Wheat Coffey.  In the marriage record to Charles, she was named Lillie May.

Please contact me if you have any information that might be helpful in determining whose daughter married Charles M. Bragg.

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*There is a marriage record dated Jul. 1, 1882 for an "R. W. or Robert W. Coffey" in Taylor Co., KY, situated some 30 miles distant from Adair Co.  On the license abstract, the groom's birth year is way off leading me to believe this is not the R. W. we are looking for.  The bride of record was Martha Taylor, age 19.

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.

A Downside to using Headstone Info

Monroe Cleveland or Jesse Cleveland Coffey?

Within a couple of days of writing the previous blog about headstones, I received this from Lloyd Coffey, a grandson of Jesse Cleveland Coffey.  Jesse was a son of  Jesse "Red Eye" and Lucinda Louise Coffey Coffey:

"My grandfather, Jesse Cleveland Coffey, son of Jesse C. 'Red Eye' Coffey, is buried in Glencoe Cemetery in Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Virginia.  It is in southwestern Virginia and is the location of the 'Richmond District' about which I wrote you earlier.  For some reason, his grave marker has his name as Monroe Cleveland Coffey.  I know that the name Monroe is in our family several times, but I do not know how it got attached to my grandfather.  I have attached a picture of his gravestone.  I do not know the source of any of the information on the stone."

Unless this information is passed on through the family, future researchers looking for Jesse Cleveland's grave site will be disappointed when it cannot be found.

Jesse Cleveland, who I'm sure I've written about in earlier blogs, married Eliza Loudermilk, a daughter of Finley T. & Mary Clark Loudermilk in Caldwell Co., NC in 1910. Eliza was born on Dec. 3, 1892 and died Mar. 18, 1987 in Hiddenite, Alexander Co., NC.

Her obituary:

The Watauga Democrat, Boone, NC Mar. 20, 1987

Mrs. Eliza Coffey

Hiddenite Resident

Mrs. Eliza Coffey, 94, of Route 1, Hiddenite, died Wednesday, March 18, at the residence following an illness of one week.

She was born in Caldwell County, Dec. 23, 1892. She was a daughter of the late Finley Loudermilk and Mary Clark Loudermilk. She was a homemaker. He husband, Cleveland Coffey, preceded her in death.

Survivors include three sons, Lester Coffey and Rayford Coffey, both of Lenoir, and Eugene Coffey of Statesville, two daughters Mrs. Zelma Campbell of Hiddenite and Mrs. Nettie Hodge of Lenoir; one brother, Daniel Loudermilk of Taylorsville, and 36 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Services were held today at 2 p.m. at the Adams Funeral Home Chapel in Taylorsville. Officiating were the Revs. Homer Baity and Bobby Eads. Burial was in the Rocky Face Baptist Church Cemetery in Alexander County.

Adams Funeral Home in Taylorsville was in charge of arrangements.

She and Jesse were parents of six children:

1 - Annie Rivers "Nannie", born Jan. 1, 1910 in Avery Co., NC, died Apr 15, 1952 in Boone.  Annie married her second cousin, William Glenn Coffey and had at least one son, Jerry Guy, born Sep., 12, 1933, died Jan. 25, 1998 in NC.

2 - Lester Deverlin, born Apr. 12, 1913 in NC, died Jul 20, 1988 in Lenoir, Caldwell Co.  His wife was Grace Thelma Bennett, born Jul. 27, 1924 in Avery Co., died Feb. 22, 2005 in Lenoir.

Her obituary:

The Hickory Daily Record, Catawba Co., NC, Feb. 25, 2005

GRACE B. COFFEY

LENOIR - Grace Bennett Coffey, 80, of Rosedale Drive, died Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005, at Gateway Nursing Center.

She was born July 27, 1924, in Avery County to the late Jesse Cleveland and Etta Naomi Hardin Bennett.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Deverlin Coffey; four brothers; and two sisters.

Mrs. Coffey was a homemaker and a member of Zacks Fork Baptist Church.
Survivors include three sons, Donald Odell Coffey Sr. of South Sioux City, Neb., Lloyd Everette Coffey of Taylorsville and Benson Howard Coffey and wife, Teena, of Lenoir; a daughter and son-in-law, Estie Loretta Coffey Smith and Tallie Smith of Lenoir; a stepbrother, Jimmy Kirksey of Hickory; three sisters, Mrs. Virginia Whittington of Lenoir, Mrs. Ollie Coffey of Boone and Mrs. Jean Holdridge of Gainesville, Fla.; seven grandchildren, Jerry Smith, Sharon Smith Clonch, Wayne Smith, Jeannie Smith Childress and Stella Coffey, all of Lenoir, Donald Coffey Jr. of Granite Falls and Gail Coffey Farmer of Arizona; 16 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 25, 2005, at 2 p.m. at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Jerry Smith, Ken Osier and Eliza Bishop.  Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens.

Serving as pallbearers will be Cregg Clonch, Ryan Smith, Dustin Smith, Josh Coffey, Scott Coffey, Victor Whittington and Shane Whittington.

The family will receive friends tonight, Thursday, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

For additional information, the family contact person will be Sharon Clonch, granddaughter, at 1216 Cottrell Hill Road, Lenoir.

Memorial contributions may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 9140 Arrowpoint Blvd., Suite 380, Charlotte, N.C. 28273, or the Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders Association, Western N.C. Chapter, 31 College Place, Suite D320, Asheville, N.C. 28801-2644.

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

3 - Zelma Izora, born Sep. 1, 1915 in NC, died Aug. 6, 1993 in Alexander Co.  She married Lex Garland Campbell, born 1910, died Mar. 8, 1992, also in Alexander Co.  They had at least two children, Betty Lou, born 1935 in Alexander Co., died in Harmony, Irdell Co. on Jan. 24, 2005 and, Gary Lee, born Nov. 25, 1947 in Alexander Co., died Jul. 30, 2005 in Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., NC

I have obituaries for both of these and will forward on request.

4 - Charley, born 1918 in Avery Co., died Apr. 14, 1919 in Wilson Creek Twp., Avery Co.  His death record gives his name as Chasley, but Lloyd tells me that is an error.

5 - Nettie J., born Feb. 27, 1920 in Watauga Co.  No further info.

6 - Jerry Baxter, born Mar. 21, 1923 in NC, died at Blowing Rock, Watauga Co. on Jan. 14, 1973.

Clavis Coffey Obituary

Clavis was the son of Cassius Curl and Ina Coomer Coffey. He is one of the descendants of the mysterious Chesley Coffey for whom nothing has yet been found. He goes back to Chesley through Andrew Jackson "Jack" Coffey, Zidner Coffey, Ananias Coffey, and Nebuzaraden Coffey.

Clavis Coffey age 83 years a resident of Summit Manor Health & Rehab in Columbia, KY formerly of the Gradyville Community passed away Friday, June 5, 2009 at 10:15pmCT, at Summit Manor, Columbia, KY

The Funeral service will be Monday, June 8, 2009 at 11:00amCT at Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home, 210 Greensburg ST, Columbia, KY, with Bro. Bobby Withers and Bro. Ronnie Dooley the officiating clergy. Interment will be in the Jones Chapel Cemetery, Jones Chapel RD, Columbia, KY. The family request visiting after 4:30pmCT on Sunday, May 7, 2009, at Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home.

He was born June 17, 1925, the son of the late Cassius and Ina Coomer Coffey of Adair Co. KY.

Survived by his wife Beatrice Corbin Coffey of Columbia, KY, and the following:
Two daughters: Patsy Robertson of Columbia, KY; and Nancy Cundiff of Columbia, KY

One sister: Pearl Bennett of Columbia, KY

Two grandchildren: Bryan Robertson and Sonya Washam

Four great grandchildren: Shelby Robertson, Colby Robertson, Brooklynn Robertson and Miller Allen Washam

And a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends
He was preceded in death by these brothers and sisters: Earl Coffey, Ural Coffey, Elroy Coffey, Garon Coffey, Joe Coffey, Raymond Coffey, Avis Coffey, Margie Corbin and Charity Edwards.

Mr. Coffey was a member of the Jones Chapel United Methodist Church and a farmer and was retired from the maintenance department of the Adair County Board of Education.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of a donation to the Jones Chapel Building Fund and may be left at the funeral home.

Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home in charge of funeral arrangements.