Ambrose Coffee, Irish Emigrant c1767

This Ambrose has often been confused with Ambrose Coffey, a son of the Rev. James and Elizabeth Cleveland Coffey.  James was the eldest son of John and Jane Graves Coffey.

A timeline produced by an unknown author, appeared in the March, 1993 issue of the Coffey Cousins' Newsletter, provided the following:

The subject Ambrose was an Irish emigrant who was sent to the Virginia Colony in c1767/68 to work for John Hough (Huff), probably in Loudon Co.

1775/76 Came to Kentucky to Herrodsburg.

1776      Kentucky Historical Society Register, Vol. 30, page 127:  "The tide of emmigration [sic] to the Madison portion of Fincastle was slow but perceptible.  Among the arrivals of 1776, who were to become permanent settlers were --- Ambrose Coffee ---"

1775/76 Was a soldier stationed at Fincastle Co. (now Kentucky) Virginia.  The specific site was most certainly Ft. Boonesboro.  By 1888 Fincastle became Ky. Co. & in 1780 it was divided into 3 counties - Jefferson, Lincoln & Fayette & became a state in 1792.  Ambrose lived in Herrodsburg.

1775/84 Lived in Boonesboro.

1779      10 Oct. Gave deposition regarding lad title at Ft. Boonesboro, Ky.

1780/83 Marriage.

1783      First child, Sarah, was born.  She married James Mcguire.

1785/87 Moved to Ruskes Settlement & stayed a year. or two.

1785       Second child, William was born.  He married Elizabeth Lacy.

1786       Signed petition for division of Lincoln Co., Ky into Mercer, Lincoln, and Madison counties.  Madison Co., Ky. was organized Aug.22, 1786.

1787       Third child, Ambrose Jr., was born.  He mar. 1st. Lucinda Day, 2nd Margaret Norman, a widow.

1789/91 Mill bought by Col. Holder.  Stayed two more yrs.

1791      Moved to Spencer Creek.

1792/1809 Moved to Slate Creek.

1793      Fourth Child, Ailsey, born.  She married Elijah Brown.

1795      Sept. 17, Daniel Williams & wife, Violet (Couch), of Clark Co., Ky. to Ambrose Coffey of same --- for ten pounds --- 20 acrs [sic] on Spencer's Creek, being part of Edward Williams' 400 acres pre-emptioned [sic] and adjoining same. (Daniel and Ambrose were Jim Sparks'* 3rd G-Grandfathers.)

17 Aug 1797     Fifth child, Rebecca Jane, born.  She mar. Wm. S. Lykins.

2 Jan 1799         Ambrose Coffee, deposed, at a spring near Joel Estill's fence, that "about 17 or 18" years ago, he, Ambrose Coffee had camped near this spelling. (1781/82)

1799     Sixth child, Elijah, born.  He mar. 1st Margaret Patrick 2nd Elizabeth Bowen.

1801     Seventh child, Raleigh, born.  He mar. Annis Anne Anderson.

1803     Eighth child, Jesse, Born.

21 Nov 1809  Kentucky Historical Society Register, Vol. 30, p136.  One of the most noted cases (of land disputes) was that of Green Clay vs. Henry Banta.... The depositions taken embrace the name of nearly all the early prominant [sic] settlers of the county.  The positions of the various localities named called into requisition the knowledge of such old hunters, fort builders and Indian scouts, including --- Ambrose Coffee...

1809     In his deposition in the Clay/Banta land dispute, Ambrose Coffee deposed that he first became acquainted with Muddy Creek in the year 1777 as he had come to Kentucky in 1776.  He claimed he had been sold to John Huff/Hough for passage money to America from over the "High Seas."  Ambrose Coffee was referred to as that "Irish Convict" from Ireland in other dispositions in the Clay/Banta dispute.

1810     Census of Montgomery County, Kentucky.

             363 Coffee, Ambrose  1M under 10  1 F 10-26 1 M 16-26  2 F 16-26 1 M over 45  1 F over 45

1820     Death in Montgomery County, Kentucky

Footnote 1:  The above Ambrose Coffee, is in no way to be confused with the Ambrose Coffee [sic] who came later to Kentucky from North Carolina.  They are two separate individuals and as far as cam [sic] be ascertained had no immediate relationship.  Our Ambrose Coffee, having come directly from Ireland to Kentucky [sic] spelled the mane [sic] Coffee, whereas the other often used Coffey/Coffy as the spelling.**

Footnote 2:  County changes in Kentucky during the 1700 and 1800's.

1772...Virginia Colony created Fincastle County which included all of Kentucky.

1774...James Harrod settled Harrodsburg.

1775...Boonesboro, Marison County settled.

1776...All of Kentucky designated as Kentucky County, VA.

1780---Kentucky County, VA. was divided into 3 counties--Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln.

1790...There were nine counties---Mason..1789; Bourbon...1786; Woodford..1789; Fayette..1780; Madison..1786; Jefferson..1780; Mercer..1786; Nelson..1785; and Lincoln..1780

1792...Kentucky became a state.

* No idea who Jim Sparks is/was of date this timeline was created.  Punctuation, spacing, etc. is not consistent in the original.  Reproduced here as close to original as possible. I have made no effort to verify the accuracy of this information..

Through the magic of DNA, Edward researchers know this Ambrose was not related to Edward.

Lee Clayton Coffey

Lee Clayton Coffey

Lee Clayton "Clayton" Coffey was a son of John Narvin and Mollie Couch Coffey, born Oct. 6, 1916 in Zephyr, Brown Co., TX.  This family descends from the still mythical Chesley Coffey.*

"He served in the U.S. Naval Air Corps during WWII and received BS and MA degree from his beloved Texas A&M and a Ph. D. from Iowa State College in Ames, IA."¹

He was married to Sunshine "Sunny" Jackson, on Feb. 1, 1944 in Richardson, Dallas Co., TX.² She was born ca 1923 in Dallas Co.

Sunshine "Sunny" Jackson Coffey

"Bride - Mr. and Mrs. Lee C. Coffey, who were married Tuesday at the Richardson Presbyterian Church, will make their home in Abilene. The bride, above, is the former Miss Sunshine Jackson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Luther J. Jackson of Richardson [TX]. She is a former student of the North Texas State Teacher College. The bridegroom is a graduate of Texas A. & M. College and formerly taught vocational agriculture in the Richardson school. He is county agent of Taylor County."

Lee worked as the Country Agricultural Agent in Mason, Taylor, Fisher and Comanche counties.  He also worked at Texas A & M as a "special agronomist" and Director of The Foundation Seed Program for that university.  In 1964 he and Sunny relocated to Plainview to form the Excel Seed Co., Inc.

There were two children born to the union:  Daughter, Robyn Kay Coffey of Weatherford, TX and a son, Lee "Pete" Jackson Coffey of Lubbock.

Sunny survived at Lee's death in Longview in 2013.

*From DNA testing we know that Chesley was related to Edward.  What we do not know is how, and how far back they became kin.

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 ¹http://bit.ly/1wwKDmm  citing Newspaper Obituary and Death Notice Weatherford Democrat, The (TX) - Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Deceased Name: Lee Clayton Coffey

²http://bit.ly/1wvOUGO citing "The Dallas Morning News, Dallas, Dallas Co., TX", , Sun., Feb. 13, 1944, Section III, Page 8.

John Nathan & Emma Mariah McGowan Coffey

John was born in Texas on Apr. 21, 1847 to William Saunders and Elizabeth Schooler Coffey.  His parents moved from Kentucky to Texas before 1850 and settled in Lavaca Co., where John was likely born.  He was there on Feb. 15, 1872 when he married Emma Mariah McGowan, born Jan. 12, 1849 in MS.  John died Sep. 13, 1919 and Emma died on Nov. 17, 1933, both in Brown Co., TX and are buried in the Zephyr Cemetery.

John and Emma were parents of at least nine children.  At least five of those grew to adulthood.

Elizabeth J., born c1873, Lavaca Co., no further information.
William Sanders [sic], born Jul. 16, 1874, died Aug. 16, 1877 in Lavaca Co.
Lucinda Collins, born Dec. 10, 1875, died Aug. 6, 1877 in Lavaca Co.
Cecil Isadora, born Sep. 4, 1877 in Schulenburg, Fayette Co., TX; died Apr. 11, 1959 at Goldthwaite in Mills Co., TX.
Martha T. "Mattie", born Feb. 9, 1879 in Schulenburg, died Jun. 25, 1949 in Brownwood, Brown Co.
Zula P., born Apr. 1, 1885 in Brown Co., died May 4, 1973 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX.
John Narvin, born Sep. 8, 1886 in Brown Co., died Dec. 8, 1918 in Zephyr, Brown Co.
Zachriah Brooks, born Jan. 1, 1889 in Brown Co., died Mar. 29, 1967 in Brownwood.
Jesse L., born Jul. 11, 1892 in Brown Co., no further information.

Cecil Isadora was the first that I know to have married.  Her spouse was Andrew Franklin Shelton, born Jan. 16, 1871 in Jackson Co., NC, died Feb. 12, 1972 in Goldthwaite, Mills Co., TX.  Both are buried at Oak View Cemetery in Mullin, Mills Co., TX.

Their children were Arthur F., born c1896; Emma Rue, born Jun. 15, 1900 in Mullin, died Aug. 11, 1957 in Bluff Dale, Erath Co., TX.  Emma married a Mr. Hancock and died in an automobile/train accident in which she suffered a severe head injury.  She was returned to Mullin and was also buried there; John Nathan, born c1902; Vada Elizabeth, born Oct. 12, 1906, died Feb. 18, 1933 in Brownwood, Brown Co., TX.  She was buried at Mullin also; William Dewey, born c1908; Homer W., born c1911; and Minnie R., born c1916.

Martha "Mattie," was married c1905 to Cecil McCutchan, born Oct., 1879 in Brown Co.  He was a son of John B. and Emma Goode McCutchan, Missouri natives who moved to TX, probably before the turn of the 20th century.  John died in 1907, Brown Co., and Emma died in 1936 at Abilene in Taylor Co., TX.  Both are buried at Zephyr in Brown Co.

Cecil and Mattie are not known to have had any children.  They were childless in the 1920 census and Cecil died on Sep. 22, 1919.  In 1920 Mattie was enumerated with an "orphan" child, Milford Tenyson, age 14.  She died in 1949 in Brownwood and was buried with Cecil at Zephyr.

Zula is named in the Texas death records as Zula K. McCown.  No other information.

John Narvin married Mollie Couch, a daughter of John Pleas and Maggie Brewer Couch.  John was born in TX and Maggie in TN.  Mollie was born on Mar. 16, 1888 in TX and died in Fort Worth on July 5, 1951.  She and John were parents of:

Effie Pearl, born Mar. 2, 1906 in Brown Co., and died in TX on May 6, 2001.  Effie married James Matthew "Jim" Jones on May 25, 1924 in Brownwood.  He was born in tX on Nov. 15, 1900 and died there on Mar. 27, 1967.  Their children were Jack R., born c1925 and Trelilita (sp?), a daughter, born c1926, both in TX.

John Pleas "Bud". born Jun. 1, 1908 in Brown Co., died Jan. 6, 1970 in Brownwood.  He married Ida Louise Hill on Dec. 7, 1930 in Brownwood.  No further information.

Annie Jessie, born Jul. 10, 1910 in Zephyr, died there of burns on Feb. 28, 1921.  She is also buried at Zephyr.

William Lynn, born Aug. 16, 1912 in Brown Co., died there on Dec. 2, 1989.  William married Sallie Venice Smith, a daughter of Thomas Greenberry and Sarah Jane Williams Smith.  She was born in Cottle Co., TX on Oct. 11, 1911 and died in Brown Co. on Mar. 8, 2004.  Both are buried at Zephyr.  Thomas and Sarah are buried at the Breckinridge cemetery in Stephens Co., TX.

Narvin Wayne, born Oct. 3, 1914 in Zephyr, became a Naval officer.  He married Bonifa A. Williams, a dauther of Russell B. and Lanie R. Williams, on Apr. 11, 1941 in El Paso Co., TX.  Narvin died on Sep. 17, 2005 in Graham, Young Co., TX.  Bonifa died there on Oct. 27, 1994.  I know of one child, Charles Noel, born Dec. 30, 1937 in El Paso Co.  There is an unexplained gap of four years between his birth and his parents marriage date.

Their last child was Lee C., born c1917 in Brown Co.  No further information.

Zachariah Brooks, born Jan. 1, 1889 in Brown Co. and died there on Mar. 29, 1967.  He married Kate Marie "Katie" Graves on Apr. 30, 1911.  Katie was born July 5, 1895 in Red River Co., TX and died in Zephyr on Oct. 5, 1984. Both are buried at Zephyr.

Their children were:

Cecil Franz, born Mar. 12, 1912 in Brown Co., died Feb. 27, 1997.  His spouse was Lee Frances Lunsford, born Oct. 5, 1923, died Dec. 16, 1948.  They too are buried at Zephyr.  Frances was a daughter of Marvin A. and Clara Mae Ramsey Lunsford.  No further information.

Allie, born c1915.  No further information.

Lowell W. "Toss", born Nov. 21, 1918 in Brown Co., died there on Sep. 6, 2002.  He is also buried at Zephyr.

The last known child of John and Emma was a daughter, Jessie L., born Jul., 1892.  No further information.

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Update Jul. 23, 2011:

The McGowan surname seems to have evolved to McCown.  I have seen some death records where it was spelled McCowan but, for the most part, the family appears to have been a bit more consistent with the McCown spelling.

Emma Mariah McCown was a daughter of James P. and Lucinda Isaacs McCown. Her sibling, Zachary Taylor McCown married Sarah Texanna Perkins c1869 in TX and, their son, Ivan Lynn McCown was the husband of Zula Coffey, mentioned above.  Zula was born Apr. 1, 1885 in Brown Co., TX and married Ivan c1902 in TX.  He died Jun. 9, 1940 in Zephyr, Brown Co., TX and is buried at Zephyr Cemetery with Zula.