Crabtree to Coffey Tree

Seth Hopkins Crabtree was the son of the physician, John Crabtree of Penobscot Co., ME and the older brother of Addison Crabtree, also a physician.  The census record shows that Seth was a "laborer."

He was born in 1830 and did not marry until he was nearly 50 years old and then only after moving across country to Humboldt Co., CA.  I do not know how he got to the west coast; maybe hitched a ride in a wagon train heading across the plains.  From birth until at least Aug. 18, 1870, the date his family was enumerated, he lived at home, first in Hancock Co., ME then in 1860 and 1870 he lived at home in Penobscot Co., ME.

It took about 7 months for a wagon train to reach the west coast from Missouri. On Mar. 20, 1871 he was a registered voter in Eureka, Humboldt Co., CA meaning it took Seth only seven months to travel from Maine to California, a distance of about 3500 miles.

That, I believe would have been his great adventure!  He would probably have seen New York, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada, albeit site-seeing from a train window.

Seth remained a bachelor for about seven more years before he married Emeline Helena Felt, born in Wisconsin in Sep., 1853.  The marriage took place in Rohnerville Twp., Humboldt Co. on Dec. 25, 1878.  The 1880 Census tells us that he was a merchant, probably dry goods.

Emeline is probably the daughter of Lysander and Martha Felt, found in the 1870 census for Cannon Falls, Lillian Twp., Goodhue Co., MN.  In later census records, Emeline reported her father was born in MA and her mother in England.  That matches information given to the enumerator in 1870.

Over the next eight to nine years, three children were born to them:  Martha Leona on Jul. 13, 1880; Mark Jestin [sic] on Sep. 26, 1884 and Seth Haskel on Apr. 23, 1887.  Seth the father died before 1900 because Emeline was enumerated in the census that year as a widow in Rohnerville Twp.  She lived there as well in 1910, and in 1920 she lived with her son Haskal in Eureka, Humboldt Co.  A death date for Seth and Emeline has not been found.  Their burial sites are also unknown.

Martha was married on Dec. 16, 1901 in Mountain View, Santa Clara Co., CA to Willis Howe Faxon, a son of Samuel and Rebecca Elizabeth Scranton Faxon.  Willis was born in Hillsdale Co., MI in 1872 and died in Albany, Linn Co., OR in 1953.  Martha died in 1966 in Lebanon, Linn Co.  Both are buried at Waverly Memorial Cemetery in Albany.

Their son, Glen Shirley Faxon was born in Vallejo, Solano Co., CA in 1903 and married Lida "Dearie" Anne Coffey on Jun. 11, 1927 in Solano Co.  Dearie was a daughter of Ernest Garfield and Ester Martina Nelson Coffey, born in Clatsop Co., OR in 1909.  Ernest was a son of James Norman and Laura Ellen Hayes; Ester a daughter of Martin and Lydia Taylor Nelson.

Both Lida and Glen died in Edinburg, Shenandoah Co., VA.  The disposition of their remains is not known to me.

Obituary, The Shenandoah Valley Herald, Mar. 29, 2007, Woodstock, Shenandoah Co., VA

Lida Anne Faxon

EDINBURG- Lida Anne Faxon, 97, died Saturday, March 24, 2007, at her home.
Mrs. Faxon was born in Hammond, Ore., daughter of the late Ernest G. and Ester Nelson Coffey. She was the wife of the late Glen S. Faxon.

Surviving are a son, Glen S. Faxon Jr. of Sacramento, Calif.; daughter, Barbara F. Stout of Edinburg; sister, Norma Johnston of Vallejo, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Services will be private.

The family will received friends from 1 to 4 pm. Saturday, March 31, at the Faxon home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork St., Suite 405, Winchester, VA 22601.

The Faxon children, Glen, Jr. and Barbara, were great-grandchildren of Seth and Emeline.

More information for both Crabtree and Coffey families is available.

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Sources:  CA County Marriage Records, 1850-1952, US Census and CA voter rolls

[Dearie was the second of eight children born to Ernest and Ester Coffey.  Others, in birth order, were Pearl Matina; Norma B., Laura H., Erma Louise; Nellie E., Eleanora Lorene, and Milton E.]

[Note:  Ironically, in 1940 the Faxon family live just blocks from my maternal grandparents in Baton Rouge, LA.]

Gilson D. & Hannah Crabtree Coffey - Corrections & Updates

Gilson D. Coffey

Joseph and Beth Ada Strunk Coffey were the parents of 13 children; Gilson was the 12th.  He was born Mar. 25, 1878 in Scott Co., TN and died in McCreary Co., KY n Aug. 23, 1961.  On May 12, 1895 he married Hannah Crabtree in KY.  She was born Mar. 5, 1879 in Whitley Co., KY and died in McCreary Co. on Sep. 13, 1951.  Both are buried at the Lower Hickory Grove Cemetery in McCreary Co.  Gilson was a coal miner for most of his life.

Hannah was the daughter of James and Martha Crabtree.  Hannah was found with her parents in the 1880 census of Marsh Creek, Whitley Co.

Hannah Crabtree

They were the parents of seven children:

Carrie, born Oct. 6, 1900, died Jul. 21, 1921

Nora A., born Mar., 1896
Pearl May, born May 2, 1898, died Dec. 27, 1979

Martha, born 1904. Martha married a Mr. Williams c1925 and had one child, a daughter Barbara, born c1926. She and Williams divorced before Apr. 21, 1930 when she was enumerated as a divorced daughter, in the census with Barbara and her parents on that date.
William "Bill", born Aug, 7, 1906, died Jun. 23, 1955.  Bill married Harriett Bailey, born May 29, 1919 in Florida, died Sep. 17, 2007 in Florida.  They are also buried at Lower Hickory Grove cemetery.

Willard Haskall, born Jan. 17, 1911, died Jun. 30, 1996 in McCreary Co.

Beulah, born 1914 in McCreary Co., died Apr. 2, 2004 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH

I'm still working on this family, keeping an eye open especially for burial sites of the children.

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1900 Whitley Co., West Pine Knot Pct., ED133, Sheet 68B, dwelling 448, family 456, Coffey, Gilson, head, white male, born Mar., 1877, age 23, married once for 5 yrs., born KY, parents born KY, coal miner; Hannah, wife, white female, born Mar., 1878, age 22, married once for 5 yrs., mother of 2, 2 living, born KY, parents born KY; Nora A., dau., white female, born Mar., 1896, age 4, born KY; Pearlie M., dau., white female, born May, 1898, age 2, born KY

1910 Whitley Co., Stearns, Pct. 14, ED239, Sheet 14B, dwelling 267, family 273, Coffey, Gilson D., head, male, white, age 32, married once for 15 yrs., born KY, parents born KY, coal miner; Hannah, wife, female, white, age 31, married once for 15 yrs., mother of 5, 5 living, born KY, parents born KY; Nora, dau., female, white, age 14, single, born KY; Pearlie, dau., female, white, age 11, born KY; Carried, dau., female, white, age 9, born KY; Martha, dau., female, white, age 7, born KY; Willie, son, male, white, age 3, born KY; Perkins, Ernest (?), lodger, male, white, age 18, single, born KY, parents born KY, laborer at lumber mill; Ridner, John, boarder, male, white, age 22, single, born TN, parents born KY, coal miner; Stephens, George, boarder, male, white, age 19, single, born KY, parents born KY, laborer at lumber mill

1920 McCreary Co., Stearns, ED167, Sheet 13A, dwelling 223, family 226, Coffey, Gilson, head, male, white, age 42, married, born KY, parents born KY, coal miner; Hannah, wife, female, white, age 41, married, born KY, parents born KY; Carrie, dau., female, white, age 19, single, born KY, parents born KY, telephone operator; Martha, dau., female, white, age 17, single, born KY; Willie, son, male, white, age 13, single, born KY; Willard, son, male, white, age 9, born KY; Beulah, dau., female, white, age 6, born KY

1930 McCreary Co., Dist 1, ED3, Sheet 27B, dwelling 400, family 410, Coffey, Gils D., head, male, white age 52, married at age 17, born KY, parents born KY, coal miner; Hannah, wife, female, white, age 51, married at age 16, born KY, parents born KY; William son, male, white, age 23, single, born KY, laborer in lumber mill; Willard, son, male, white, age 19, single, born KY, machinist on Railroad; Beula, dau., female, white, age 16, single, born KY; Williams, Martha, dau., female, white, age 26, divorced, born KY, servant for private family; Williams, Barbara, g-dau., female, white, age 3 yrs., 11 mos., born KY, parents born KY