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.
*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.
