William Lewis and Martha Cropp Coffey

William and Martha Cropp Coffey, whose headstones can be view by clicking on the title link, have been identified.

William (Willie) is the son of John Robey and Mamie W. Womack Coffey. John, Mamie, William and Martha are buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista, Rockbridge Co., VA.

For those of you have been to Coffeytown and have seen the Coffeytown stone, Willie was the creator.

The following was sent to me by John Taylor:

"Willie painted the rock you photographed which says ”Coffeytown”. It’s the second rock to say that. The house next to the church – the green one – was Charles E Coffey’s house and has been sold out of the family. In his sideyard (away from the church) is a huge bolder, It originally had the word “Coffeytown” painted on it, but the locals ticked off the new owner of the property, so he stripped the paint off the rock. Then “Willie” had a boulder brought in and he painted it with the “Coffeytown” word!

Willie’s son Pike presently lives on the hill to the right of the [new] rock as you see it from the main road."

Lois Coffey Webb Update

Lois Coffey Webb was the daughter of Nelson McKinley Coffey, born Aug. 4, 1898 in Amherst Co., and died May 19, 1958. Nelson was the son of Nathan and Luella Davis Coffey. He is also buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista. Nathan and Louella are buried at Bridge Hill Cemetery near Coffeytown in Amherst Co. Click on the title link to view Lois' grave marker.

Her obituary:

Obituary, The Rockbridge Weekly, Lexington, VA, Jul. 18, 2006

Lois Marie Coffey Webb

Was N. B. Fellowship Church Member

Lois Marie Coffey Webb, 75, of Natural Bridge, died Tuesday, July 18, 2006 in the Augusta Medical Center, Fishersville.

Mrs. Webb was born on July 30, 1930 in Appomattox, a daughter of the late Nelson McKinely and Mary Thompson Coffey.

She was retired from the Natural Bridge, Inc., and was a member of the Natural Bridge Christian Fellowship Church.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Webb was preceded in death by an infant daughter and a son, Delton Wayne Webb.

Surviving is a daughter and a son-in-law, Marie and Charles Bouchard of Natural Bridge; a sister and brother-in-law, Madeline and Jerry Johnson of Rockbridge Baths; two brothers and sisters-in-law: Lewis M. and Lois Coffey of Lexington, and Aubrey and Mary Frances Coffey of Buena Vista; two grandchildren: Elena Bouchard and Chad Bouchard and his wife, Jammie; and three great grandchildren: Noah, Elizabeth and Tristan.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 20, 2006 in the Natural Bridge Christian Fellowship Church by the Revs. Nathan Phillips, W. David Bain and Conald Fogus. Burial will follow in the Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista.

The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bolling, Grose & Lotts Funeral Service, Buena Vista.

Another child of Nelson and Mary Thompson Coffey was Madeline Coffey. She was born Sep. 17, 1932 and died Sep. 16, 2007.

Her obituary:

The Rockbridge Weekly, Lexington, VA, Sep. 17, 2007

Madeline Coffey Johnson

Bethesda Presbyterian Church Member Dies At Age 74

Madeline Coffey Johnson, 74, of Rockbridge Baths, died Sunday, September 16, 2007 at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville.

She was born September 17, 1932 in Amherst, a daughter of the late McKinley Coffey and Mary Thompson Coffey.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one sister, Lois Webb.

Mrs. Johnson was a member of the Bethesda Presbyterian Church.

She is survived by her husband, Jerry P. Johnson; three sons: Ronald R. Mull, Smithfield, VA; Richard L. Johnson, Newport News, VA; Michael L. Johnson, Gloucester, VA; one daughter, Linda M. Hartless, Vesuvius; nine grandchildren, seven great grandchildren; two brothers: Lewis Coffey of Lexington and Aubrey Coffey, Buena Vista; and a very special friend, Rosemary Via.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at the Bolling, Grose & Lotts Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Malcolm Brownlee officiating. Burial will follow in the Green Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at the Bolling, Grose & Lotts Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Buena Vista, Virginia.

Hilda Marie Coffey 1939-1940

Hilda Marie is another Coffey buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista, VA. She may be the daughter of Fermin H. Coffey. He is the only male Coffey that I find in my file from that area with a name that fits the initials on the headstone.

Fermin was born c1900 in Rockbridge Co., VA to Matthew D. and Willie Jane Ramsey Coffey. I have not found a wife for him.

Anyone who can help may contact me at the above e-mail address.

Hilda A. Coffey 1944-1948

This is another Coffey gravesite found in Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista, VA that I need help identifying.

According to the headstone, Hilda was born on Aug. 30, 1944 and died Apr. 25, 1988. I do not know if she married a Coffey, or was born and died a Coffey.

Anyone who can help can contact me via the above e-mail address.

Gilmer Clinton and Catherine Wiseman Coffey

This couple is buried at the Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista, Virginia.

According to the headstone, Gilmer was born Nov. 27, 1909 and died Jun. 23, 1951. Catherine was born Apr. 17, 1919. There is no death date for Catherine on the stone.

I need help finding his parents. A search of the census record for 1910 failed to find him.

Anyone with information can contact me at the above e-mail address.

Dawson Henry Coffey 1875-1934

Dawson Henry (or, Henry Dawson on WW1 draft registration and Henry D. on his headstone) was born on Jul. 4, 1875 in Nelson Co., VA. He died on Aug. 13, 1934 and was buried in the Green Hill Cemetery at Buena Vista in Rockbridge Co., VA.


When he registered for the draft on Sep. 12, 1918 in Rockbridge Co., he was described as being short and slender with blue eyes and brown hair. He was at the time 43 years old, and gave his birthdate as Jul. 4, 1875. Henry was then a farmer who resided at Buena Vista with his wife, Katie.

He and Katie appeared in the census record from 1900 through 1930 in Buena Vista. In 1900 he gave his occupation as "laborer." In 1920 and 1930 he gave his occupation as "teamster." In those days and that place, being a teamster had nothing to do with driving a truck. However, the jobs were the same. A teamster in those days generally had their own team of horses and, hired out to move or haul furniture, equipment, etc.

Katie was Katherine Davidson, born in Aug., 1879 in Amherst Co., VA. She died on Jul. 12, 1937, probably in Rockbridge Co. She too is buried at Green Hill.

There were eight children born to the marriage:

Littie, born Aug. 12, 1900, died Sep. 7, 1958.

Walker Lee, born Mar. 3, 1904, died Sep. 11, 1947. Walker married Sarah Montgomery on May 24, 1924 in Buena Vista. She was born Jan. 12, 1908 in Buena Vista and died there on Sep. 24, 1990. They had at least one child, Thurman L., born Oct. 13, 1929, died Feb. 21, 1991. Thurman is buried at Green Hill. I do not yet know where Walker and Sarah are buried.

Eva Lena, born Aug. 30,1908 in Nelson Co., and died Mar. 28, 1963 in Lexington, VA. She married Horace Orey Pugh on Mar. 16, 1936 in Buena Vista. Horace ws born there on Oct. 3, 1894 and died there on mar. 14, 1958. Both are buried at Green Hill.

Eva's obituary:

Obituary, Roanoke Times

Mrs. Eva Coffey Pugh, 55, died last Thursday morning in a Lexington hospital. Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Edward Potter, Buena Vista; one son, Marshall Ray Pugh, Buena Vista; three sisters, Mrs. James Fitzgerald, Miss Myrtle Coffey, both of Buena Vista, Mrs. Jewel Everett, Maryland; one brother, Russell Coffey, Glasgow; four grandchildren. funeral services were held at 4 PM Saturday at the Pentecostal Holiness Church by the Rev. B. L. Underwood. Burial was in Green Hill Cemetery.

William McKenley, born Jan. 26, 1909 in Nelson Co., and died Aug. 30, 1998 in Buena Vista. He married Annie Burley in Buena Vista on Sep. 27, 1926. Annie was born May 22, 1907 in Amherst Co., and died on Aug. 30, 1998 in Buena Vista. Both are buried in Green Hill.

Annie's Obituary:

Chittum, Annie Burley, 91 of Buena Vista, died Sunday, August 20, 1998 [sic] at Shenandoah Valley Health Care Center. She was born May 22, 1907 in Amherst County, daughter of the late James Burley and Sarah Lawhorne Burley. She was preceded in death by two husbands, William Coffey and George T. Chittum. She is survived by two sisters-in-law, Frances Burley and Blanch Burley, both of Covington, several nieces and nephews, a stepson, Thomas Chittum of Covington, many stepgrandchildren and a special friend, Ruby Humphries of Buena Vista. Graveside services will be conducted 11 a.m. Tuesday in Green Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at Bolling, Grose & Lotts Funeral Service.

Myrtle Idell, born Dec. 14, 1911, died Sep. 8, 1988

Mabel L., born Sep. 15, 1912, died May 16, 1989

Mamie Virginia, born May 6, 1915 in Rockbridge Co., died Feb. 24, 1973 in Lexington. Mamie was married on May 23, 1942 in Lynchburg, VA to James Henry Fitzgerald, born in Rockbridge Co. on Jan. 12, 1897. James passed away on Jan. 27, 1972 in Lexington.

Russell Henry Coffey was born Apr. 11, 1920 in Rockbridge Co., and died on Jan. 23, 1998 in Roanoke, VA. He married Elizabeth (Nettie) Wheeler. Russell is buried in the Glasgow Cemetery in Rockbridge Co. I have no further information on Nettie.

Russell's Obituary

Obituary, Roanoke Times, Roanoke, VA

Coffey, Russell Henry, 77, of Natural Bridge Station, died Friday, January 23, 1998 at Roanoke Community Hospital, Roanoke, Va. Born August 11, 1920 he was the son of the late Henry D. and Catherine Davis Coffey. He was a farmer and retired from the N & W Railroad after 31 years service. He was a veteran of WW II. He was preceded in death by a son, Russell "Boona" Coffey. Surviving are his wife, Myrtle Campbell Coffey, eight children, Joyce Pugh, Buena Vista, Kenneth Coffey, Buena Vista, Hazel Link, Natural Bridge, Kathy Walters, Timber Ridge, Darrell Coffey, Clifton "Chuck" Coffey, Tammy Coffey, and Daniel Coffey, all of Natural Bridge, sixteen grandchildren and nine great-granschildren. funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Monday, January 26, 1998 at the Lomax Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ralph VanNess officiating. Burial will follow in the Glasgow Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Lomax Funeral Home.

More information on this family is available from Marshall Pugh, who contributed the photograph and his family history.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address for additions or corrections.