Austin Coffey - A son of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey?

In his will published Feb. 14, 1715/16 in Deed & Will Book 14, p.669, Edward Coffey named six children; Two or three sons and three or four daughters.  Those named were: John, Edward, Martha, Ann, Anstes, and Elizabeth.

All of the children are pretty much accounted for except Anstes. Was she the oft mentioned Annister or, was she an unaccounted for daughter?  We believe that daughter Ann Coffey might be Annister and that she produced an out-of-wedlock son with James Samuel. Born between 1735 and 36, she named the child James Coffey. More on him at a later date. We know from Chenault researchers that Annister later married Stephen Chenault.

Some interpreters think of Anstes as a male child whose name was Austin.

Dr. Marvin Coffey, descendant and long time Edward Researcher and published of James Bluford Coffey, his ancestors and descendants in America*,  believed that Austin might be the real name instead of Austes because descendants of Edward’s son John and wife Jane Graves Coffey descendants used the name Austin [extensively through many consecutive generations of male descendants*]. That would not have been unusual for a brother to name one of his children, or a influence a son to name a child after his beloved younger brother. He may have been killed in some Indian attack on the colony or otherwise distinguished himself.

Whomever he was, he is never more mentioned in any published history of the Edward Coffey clan.

He (Marvin) wrote that he had no idea where Edward and Ann might have obtained the name Austin but reminded us that there was a Daniel Austin family, contemporary with Edward, residing in Essex Co.  Marvin didn’t consider accurate the idea that the child was a female or named Austes.  But, if he was a male, what happened to him. Was he one of Edward’s children that married a Chenault female?

Marvin also worked to show that the Coffey, Duling and Chenault families were close, he cited the fact that when John sold his Essex county land in 1745, witnesses were Wm Duling and Wm Chenault. In 1747, when he sold more land, Wm Duling and Stephen Chenault Jr were witnesses and presumed that Austin might have been there as well. Could be Austin moved out of the area or perhaps died young. In either case, he left no records.

Searching the early census records of Burke Co., NC reveals that many of the Coffey family members relocated there after John’s death in 1775.  Depending on age of course, Austin, or any name similar to that does not appear.

In wrapping up that section of his book, Marvin wrote that it was possible that Austin existed without creating any public records and managed to have several children.  If that should be true, he speculated that some of the children of Edward, Jr. might actually be Austin’s.

*For reference:

Austin Coffey, born c1800 in NC, was in Wilkes Co. 1840-1860 census.  Great-Grandson of John
Austin Coffey, born c1818 in Burke Co., was in 1850-1860 census in Caldwell Co. also great-grandson of John
Austin Coffey, born c1840 in TN – 2d great-grandson of John
Austin Coffey, born 1871 in MO – 3d great-grandson of John
Austin Coffey, born 1912 in MO – 4th great-grandson of John
Austin Coffey, born 1936 in KY – 6th great-grandson of John

There are seven more Austins in this family.

To confuse things bit, there was an Austis Bedford Coffey, born 1893 in MO who was a 3d great-grandson of John. The ‘s’ could have been a editorial error!. Difficult to determine last letter in his signature on WW1 draft registration. And, on his 1918 marriage record his name was interpreted to be Autis and was spelled Autis on the marriage license. In 1920 Camden Co., AR census, he was Ottis. By 1930 it was back to being Autis. And finally, his grave marker is engraved Autis. He is buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, Wyandotte Co., KS, memorial no.20519495.

I conclude therefore his name was Autis.  Probably a family spelling for Ottis? I am pretty sure that many of us have seen Otis spelled variously.  I went to school with an Odest.

Based on the writings of Dr. Coffey, I believe the child was male and his name was Austin.

What do you think?

• * James Bluford Coffey, his ancestors and descendants in America; v. 01 Author: Coffey, Marvin D. (Marvin Dale), 1930-deceased; Call No. 929.273 C654cm Provenance: Owning Institution Family History Library, FamilySearch International, http"//familysearch.org/: NOTE: This book is not on-line. Talk to your local LDS Library about a library loan.

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Edward and Ann Powell Coffey

William Moseley [sic] was a resident of Essex, Colony of Virginia and gained many land grants by importing indentured servants. For each indenture signed, a quantity of land, typically 50 acres, was given and the servant bound to him for a specific number of years. 

Indentured servitude in the colonies generally meant that the servant coming from abroad signed a contract prior to leaving to work in colonial America.  These servants could be from anywhere (England, Ireland, The Netherlands, etc.) but typically left from English ports.  Their contract generally specified they work as a laborer for 4-7 years; the actual number of years depending on the laws of each colony.  In Virginia it could have been as few as 4 years or as many as 9 years.

At the end of his servitude, the servant would receive "freedom dues" in the form of land, money or other considerations. Some of the plantation owners were required to give their ex-servants a couple of hoes, a spade or two, an ax, a bushel of corn, a new suit of clothes and, other tools to help them get started as freedmen.  Along with any of this he might have received, William Mosely also willed his "servant Ed. Coffe one heifer of 2 years old."

The indenture of Edward Coffey to William Mosely apparently did not end amicable as I previously believed.  R. Stanley Harsh, through John Chenault and published in Issue 118 of the Coffey Cousins' newsletter dated Sept. 10, 2010, wrote that Edward achieved his "freedom, corn and clothes..." in a lawsuit in Essex Co., VA on Sept. 10, 1700.  Mosely was already deceased as his will was proved in Essex Co. on Apr. 10, 1699.  The lawsuit may have been a formality, but we may never know without discovery of further documentation.

Some sources used for this blog point out that indentured servants were neither allowed to marry nor, to participate in politics during their servitude. We know from this that Edward and Ann's marriage date of 1700, as given on page 58 of The Index to Marriages of Old Rappahannock and Essex Counties, Virginia, is accurate.  The source cites  record of marriage as contained in Essex Book D&W 10, page 75. 

There is a mention of Edward's wife Ann Powell Coffey in the March 10, 1700 will of Thomas Powell of Sittingbourne Parish, Essex Co. in which he willed one shilling to his daughter Ann Coffey.  A witness to the will was Edward Coffey.  From this we can deduce that Edward and Ann married between Jan. 1, and March 10, 1700.

Apparently little or nothing is known of their life together between marriage and Feb. 7, 1706 when "Edward Coffey of St. Ann's Parish, Essex Co., bought 118 acres on branches of Occupation Swamp from Mr. Augustine Smith and wife Susanna for 4720 lbs. of tobacco with apparently half down." Edward and Ann took possession on Mar. 6, 1706/7 as witnessed by Robert King and Thomas Warren.  Edward Coffey's name does not appear on the 1704 Quit Rent Roll of Essex Co. indicating that he owned no land on that date.

"This land was part of 2,359 acres granted Smith by patent on 2 May 1705."  The property "adjoined Thomas Warren on east side of Chickahominy Path, corner to Mr. Francis Gouldman hill near head of branch, corner to Beverly's great tract."

Edward and Ann apparently lived on that 118 acres until Nov., 1714 when they sold it to John Barbee for 5000 lbs. tobacco. On July 16, 1716 they purchased from John Mosely, the son and executor of Edward Mosely, "a plantation of 200 acres in St. Ann's Parish." Edward Mosely appears to be the brother of William.

The plantation purchase included "houses, buildings, barns, tobacco sheds, gardens, etc." It was described as being on the "east side of Occupation Creek, a small ranch [sic] [branch] of Gibsons Creek," and "part of a parcel commonly called Mosely's Quarter. They paid 8,000 lbs. of tobacco for the property.

This is the land that Edward left in his will to his sons John and Edward. He died sometime between making his will on Feb. 14, 1716 and July of that year because title to the land was finally recorded in the name Edward Coffey on July 16 of that year.

Edward likely made the deal with the Mosely family well prior to his death but the deed went unrecorded until his death.  I am uncertain what the age of majority was in the colony at the time, but it seems unusual that a pair of teenagers would be permitted by laws at the time to own property.  There may have been other considerations in the law which allowed it in the case of an inheritance.

This is also an indication - as some researchers have maintained - that John and Edward Coffey were twins.  In his work, Marvin Coffey wrote that the boys "were not 16 on February 14, 1716 but were on July 16."

It is also interesting to consider that William Mosely himself may have been an indentured servant at one time.  There is a record of one Major George Colclough receiving 1050 acres on Sep. 5, 1660 for "transportation of 21 persons into this Collony."  In addition to the other 20, the list includes a William Moseley.

Thoughts, additions or corrections welcomed!

James Coffey, son of Annister

Fred Coffey is the Coffey Cousins' DNA "guru."  Today he submitted the following with permission to publish here.  For back issues of the Coffey Cousins' newsletter, contact editor Bonnie Culley..

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DNA PROJECT: THE "SAMUEL" CONECTION


By Fred Coffey

An article by Bonnie Culley in the last CCC Newsletter, "Currents in the Stream", indicated that we were trying to use DNA to determine the paternal ancestry of James Coffey (born about 1735 in Virginia). James is the base born son of Annister, daughter of Edward. And now we know his father was probably "James Samuel"!

After earlier tries, DNA again became a promising tool after we were pointed to a Virginia court order book dated 20 Feb 1738/9 with a record "It is ordered that the Churchwardens of St. Ann's Parish do bind James Coffy a bastard child to James Samuel as the law directs".

The "James Samuel" referenced would be a man born 14 Jun 1690, died 16 May 1759, married Sarah Boulware on 5 Apr 1714. He was born, lived, married, and died in St. Ann's Parish, Essex County, VA – the same location as the above court record.

We now have in hand y-DNA tests on two descendants of James Coffey, and on one descendant of the brother of the above James Samuel. And this, combined with the court record, proves "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the father of James Coffey was someone from this "Samuel" family.

This is in many ways like the famous "Thomas Jefferson/Sally Heming" case, where DNA proves that some male from the Jefferson family fathered at least one of slave Sally Heming's children. It could have been any male "Jefferson", but the overwhelming "circumstantial evidence" suspect is Thomas himself.

Likewise, the father of James Coffey could be any "Samuel" male, such as a son or brother of the named James Samuel. But James Samuel himself must definitely be the most likely suspect?

I have been "chasing" James Coffey for quite some time, and have a lot more information on him than can be covered here, including more detailed discussion of the DNA. You're invited to visit at

www.coffey.ws/FamilyTree/FamilyNotes/JamesCoffee.htm

A FOOTNOTE:

Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally stumbles upon something fortunate, especially while looking for something entirely unrelated. (Wikipedia)

When looking for my "Walker Family" ancestry, I accidentally discovered records for "James Coffee" in Surry County, NC. I asked questions, and Bonnie Culley told me this James was likely the base born son of Annister Coffey, who later married a Chenault. And then two men who believed they descended from this James joined our DNA project. This suggested there might be "Chenault" DNA matches. We found Chenault tests, but no match. However this led me to start exchanging notes with Reverend John Chenault, a genealogist who had information on Annister, and who was Annister's descendant by her later marriage. Then John pointed out that he had seen the above court record connecting James Coffey with one James Samuel. This led to looking for and discovering the Samuel DNA match. This in turn opened communication with the Samuel family, who turned out to also have connections with the Powell family – the same family that Edward Coffey had married into. And thus a new path of information exchanges is opened – see Bonnie's notes from the last newsletter.

Oh, the Samuel exchange included a 1754 reference to one "Robert Taliaferro", which shows the Coffey/Samuel/Powell/Taliaferro families were all interacting no later than 1754. And that ties to another DNA article in the last newsletter tying a Taliaferro to the line of Jordan Coffey, born 1790.

And finally, midway through all this, a "Walker" genealogist did a Google search, and discovered postings I had made about James Coffee, wherein I mentioned my Walker search. And this led to more information exchanges and to a Walker DNA test. And that led to new sources of info on the origins of my "Walker" family!

So what will we stumble across tomorrow?

Sign up for our DNA Project, and maybe in addition to helping with your "Coffey" research, our note exchanges may turn up unexpected sources? Visit us at:

www.coffey.ws/FamilyTree/DNA

The Coffey / Chenault Connection

Fred Coffey, in collaboration with Rev. John Chenault of Frankfort, KY has made several discoveries that provide clues to probable descendants of Annister Coffey, daughter of Edward Coffey and Ann Powell.

Click on the title link to view Fred's discussion.