Alton Powell Coffey

Alton Powell Coffey, and his twin Arthur Livingston Coffey were born on July 3, 1904 in Nashville, Brown Co., IN to William Lewis and Rosa Belle Clarke Coffey.  William Lewis was a son of Richard L. and Julia Mattie Mason Coffey in the Edward Coffey/Ann Powell line.

Alton's other siblings were Lela Marie, born 1895, for whom I have no information; James William Wendell Coffey, 1902, died 1973 at Tucson, Pima Co., AZ and, Marguerite, 1910, again no info.  Arthur died in 1972 and is buried at Greenlawn in Nashville, Brown Co., IN.

Alton graduated from high school in about 1922 and began study at the John Herron Art School in Indianapolis.  For four years he studied under William Forsyth and Clifton Wheeler and, became an accomplished artist. Although he had studied figure and still life painting, he produced memorable landscape paintings.

I believe many of his paintings are being sold today at auction.  Some details are available at the Ask/Art website where I found these samples.  Some other of his paintings can be found by searching for "Alton Powell Coffey" on Google.

Note:  I believe that in order to get anything other than what you see on the Ask/Art website, you have to become a patron through paid membership.  I believe that membership can be on a monthly or yearly basis.

Alton married Pauline Wilkinson, born May 11, 1919 in Brown Co. on Sep. 11, 1937.  They appeared in the Apr. 24, 1940 census in Wayne Township, Marion Co., IN when he was 35 and Pauline was about 18.  Although married for nearly three years, they did not have any children.  Alton was employed as an inspector of motors in an aviation motor plant.  In 1942, the couple appeared in the Indianapolis city directory, residing at 4924 W. 24th.

He died in Jul., 1978 at the age of 74 in Brown Co. and is thought to have also been buried at Greenlawn Cemetery in Nashville, Brown Co.  with his mother and father.  I have not found any clues yet to the death date or place of burial for Pauline.  She was not yet 60 when Alton died and may have remarried.

Updates and corrections welcomed.

  Jack

Armstead Armstrong Coffee

Armstrong sometimes appears in the census record with his first name only and sometimes with only his middle name.  He was born to Nathaniel and Nancy Clarke Coffee in July, 1836, and married Catherine Cannon, born in Jan., 1841 in North Carolina in 1866.  I do not have a death date or burial place for Armstrong or Catherine.

Their children were:

Newton Asbury, born c1867 in Lower Creek Twp., Burke Co..  He married Ella D. Baker c1892 and died of pneumonia on 3 Feb., 1941 at Morganton in Burke Co.  Ella also died of pneumonia on 21 Jan 1943 at Grace Hospital in Morganton and both are buried there at Forest Hill Cemetery.

Their children, all born in Morganton, were Essie M., born c1900; Grace M., born c1902, Rosa E., born c1906 and Homer D., born c1910.

Emma C., born c1869 in Lower Creek, married George Matlock c1898.  Emma and George are known to have had at least one child, Walter, born Oct., 1898.

Louisa, born c1874.  No further information.

Samuel Wesley, born Oct., 1878 in NC, married the widow Mable Moses.  He died of uremia at Grace Hospital in Morganton on 20 Sep., 1945 and was buried at Forest Hill.  I have not found a death record for Mable.  She was young enough to have remarried and had other children after Sam died.

Lula Jane, born c1880 in Caldwell Co., married first to George Wortman and second to Waid Preston Raby.  She died of third degree burns on 28 Aug 1930 in Hickory, Catawba Co., NC.  She was burned while attempting to start a fire using kerosene.  Her grave site is also at Forest Hill.  She is thought to have had at least one child by each of her husbands.

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Update Mar. 17, 2012 - Armstead served with the 26 Regt., NC Infantry, CSA, during the Civil War. Catherine died before the 1910 census because Armstead appeared then as a widower in Morganton, Burke Co., NC. His son Samuel still lived with him and Sarah Carpenter was a cook for the pair. Homer D., son of Newton Asbury and Ella D. Baker, married Willie Eloise Hines c1930 and they had a son named Homer H. Coffey, born Apr. 19,1931.

Daniel & Matilda Setzer Crump

While sitting home today waiting for the Doctor to tell me whether or not I have mumps - which he tells me is rare these days - I was trying to come up with a Coffey-associated family to write about.

What I typically do is scroll about in my family names until I find someone that has a long list of descendants.  When I settle on one name, I then check to see if I have enough facts to properly connect everyone.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't!  Perhaps it did this time.

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Daniel Crump is the earliest of that surname in my file.  He was born c1830 in Caldwell Co., NC and married Matilda Setzer, also born in Caldwell in c1836.  I have not found a death date or place for either, nor have I found a marriage date.  They must have married sometime in early 1850 because their first child was born Jul. 15, 1851.

That child was David who married Mary (or, Mahulda) Jane Clarke on Dec. 29, 1869 in Caldwell Co.  She was born Sep. 10, 1849 in Hudson Twp., Caldwell Co., and died in the Globe on Jan. 23, 1929.  David died on Jan. 5, 1931 in Caldwell Co.  Both are buried in the Globe but I know not exactly where.

The children of David and Mary - as I know them - were: Mary Jane, born Jul. 9, 1872 in Avery Co., died Aug. 11, 1968 in Banner Elk, Avery Co.; Theodore H. "Steve", born Jun. 15, 1881 in Caldwell and died in Lenoir on Jan. 27, 1975.  Theodore married Cansadia [sic] Coffey c1910, the daughter of Rabon Scott and Margaret E. Hollander Coffey; and Martha Etta Destimonia "Dessie" Crump who married (2d wife) David William Coffey, a son of Joseph Reubin and Martha Elizabeth Gragg Coffey.

David William and Dessie were the parents of at least seven children, all but one living to marry and raise their own families.

Jennie Decola, born Dec. 22, 1903, died Apr. 17, 1972, married William Sidney Joplin, born Mar. 7, 1903, died Jun. 28, 1974.  They lived and died in Lenoir.  I do not yet know who their children were.

Joseph Howard, born Mar. 7, 1905, died Oct. 14, 1990, married Florence Oleen Hartley, born Jun. 13, 1910, died Feb. 12, 1994.  They also lived and died in Lenoir.  Florence was the daughter of Granville Monroe and Cora Jane Tester Hartley.

Leonard Gilbert was born Feb. 10, 1907 and died Dec. 8, 1985.  He married Beulah Crump, born Jul. 26, 1919 in Buckingham Co., VA and died Jul. 26, 1998 in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co.

Daniel Jerome, born Mar. 19, 1909, died Mar. 20, 1983 in Boone, Watauga Co.  He married Lela L. (LNU), born c1914, died 1990.

Lewis B. is the only known child of David and Dessie no died young.  He was born Dec. 27, 1910 and died Nov. 29, 1913.

Dillard Greene, born Dec. 7, 1912 in Avery Co., and died Aug. 10, 1988.  Dillard married a distant cousin, Nancy Elizabeth Coffey, born Oct. 6, 1919, died 1989.  She was the daughter of William Carlton "Will" and Bessie Mae Townsend Coffey.

Nell Verlene was the last known child of David and Dessie.  She was born c1915 and died Jan. 12, 2010 in Burke Co., NC.  Her husband was Samuel Leroy Beck.

Her obituary:

Obituary, The News-Topic, Lenoir, Caldwell Co., NC, Jan. 19, 2010

Nell Beck

Nell Verleen Coffey Beck 94, of Morganton, formerly of Lenoir, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, at Carolina Rehabilitation Center.

Mrs. Beck was born in Avery County to the late David W. Coffey and Martha Dessiemona Crump Coffey. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Leroy Beck; a son, Henry M. Beck Sr.; five brothers, Howard, Dillard, Ivey, Leonard and Jerome Coffey; one sister, Jennie Coffey Joplin.

She was a homemaker and a member of Mountain Grove Baptist Church. Mrs. Beck was also a member of the Eastern Star.

Survivors include two daughters, Nancy Swenson of Colorado and Desta Ureel of Michigan; one daughter-in-law, Joann Beck of Casco Mich. She also is survived by seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mrs. Beck were Monday, Jan. 18, 2010, at 2 p.m. at Pendry's Chapel with the Rev. Randy Gibson officiating the service. Burial followed at Blue Ridge Memorial Park.

The family received friends at Pendry's Funeral Home one hour prior to the service.

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 No. 987