James and Martha were contemporaries of Reuben Wetzel, Sr. and Sarah Jane Wood Coffey of Nelson Co., VA. Reuben and Sarah were married on Dec. 16, 1852 in Nelson Co.**
Rose Forest Maywood "Maywood" Coffey was born to Reuben and Sarah on Nov. 28, 1873 in Amherst Co. She was married to Noah on Dec. 4, 1894 in Rockbridge Co.1
Maywood and Noah lived all of their lives within a few miles of their birthplaces. From marriage in 1894 to the census n Jan., 1920 they were residents of Walkers Creek District in Rockbridge Co. In 1930 they were living in the South River District of that county; in 1940 they were in Augusta Co. By then, all of their children were grown with families except one, Minnie, born in 1898, who was still unmarried and living at home.
In addition to Minnie, Maywood and Noah had 10 other children:
Bulah May, born 1895, died 1973, married Brown Hartford Staton.
Minnie was second born.
James Earl, born 1900, died 1980, married Madge Allen.
Nina D., born 1902, married 1) William G. "Jack" Houser; 2) Percy V. Thompson.
Murrell R., born 1904, married Frank Blair Cox.
Rev. Leonard W., born 1905, married Gladys Merita "Bunky" Grimm.
Edith P., born 1907, married Guy Wilton Houser, probably related to Jack, above.
Earnest H., born 1910, not known to have married.
Blanche, born 1912, married Hansford Lee Lynn.
Cecil W., born c1913, probably died young.
Hazel B., born 1915, married Hunter O. Dunaway.
More detail on the children is available on request.
Noah died at age 75 on Mar. 17, 1946 near Spottswood in Augusta Co. and was buried at Mount Carmel Presbyterian Cemetery at Steeles Tavern in Augusta Co.
N. R. Blackwell2
Staunton, March 19 - Funeral rites for N. Rice Blackwell, 75, who died Sunday at his home near Spottswood, were held Tuesday at Mount Carmel Presbyterian Church. Burial was in the adjoining cemetery.
He is survived by 10 children: Mrs. Brown Staton, Mrs. Jack Houser, Mrs. Guy Houser, of Spottswood; Miss Minnie Blackwell, at home; Earl Blackwell, of Moffaits Creek; Mrs. Frank Cox, of Rockbridge Baths; Herman Blackwell, of Middlebrook; L. W. Blackwell, of Waynesboro; Mrs. Hansford Lynn, of Radford; Mrs. Hunter Dunaway, of Fairfield.
Rose preceded Noah in death. She passed away on Mar. 3, 1946 and was also buried at Mount Carmel. She was 72 years old.
More detail on Roses' ancestry is available on request.
*Martha Jane was the second wife of James; his first wife, Nancy Bensen, died in c1856 leaving him with a number of small children to raise. He and Martha were married on April 22, 1858 in Augusta Co., VA ["Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XR73-PW6]
**Marriage Register, Nelson Co., VA - Marriage Register, Book No. 2, 1854 - 1926, p59, line 29.
1Rockbridge County Marriages 1853-1896, VA State Archives, Reel 43; Bureau of Vital Statistics [read and extracted by Mary Ann Taylor].
2
Other sources: 1900-1940 US Federal Census, Find-A-Grave, FamilySearch.org, and Jarrett Wilson Harlow via Carol Hite Harlow, citing marriage, birth, census and death records of Nelson, Amherst and Rockbridge counties as well as family histories.
