Dillard Greene Coffey (1912-1988)

Dillard Greene Coffey was a son of David William and Martha Etta Destimona "Dessie" Crump Coffey, born in Avery Co., NC on Dec. 7, 1912.  In 1935 he was married to Maude Dellinger, a daughter of Raymond D. and Melvina "Vina" Jennings Dellinger.

Within a few months following the union, Dillard confessed to and was arrested for the murder of  his father-in-law.  Included in the indictment was Austin Blaine Coffey, multiple times cousin to Dillard and a son of David Nathaniel and Caroline Lavinia Coffey Coffey.

The Greensboro [NC] Daily News of Dec. 29, 1936 reported Dillard's surrender and confession to the murder to Watauga Co. Sheriff Edmundson. Neither Coffey nor the Sheriff made a statement as to why he committed the murder.

In a subsequent press report by the Greensboro Record on Apr. 28, 1937, it was reported that former state representative Blaine Coffey and Dillard Coffey had been denied bail at a habeas corpus hearing before Judge A. Hall Johnston.  A trial date was not announced.

I have not found a newspaper follow-up reporting on the disposition of the two. It can be supposed they were exonerated because Austin Blaine Coffey was enumerated as a widower on Apr. 23, 1940 in Watauga Twp., Watauga Co.  That same year, in October*, Dillard registered for the WW2 draft and, in 1941, married in Johnson Co., TN, a distant cousin, Nancy Elizabeth Coffey, a daughter of William Carlton and Bessie Mae Townsend Coffey.

Dillard died on Aug. 10, 1988 in Watauga Co. and was buried at White Springs Cemetery in Blowing Rock. Nancy died on Apr. 30, 2001 and was also buried at White Springs.

*He did spend nearly three years in the state prison in Stanly Co., NC.  He was enumerated there on Apr. 20, 1940.  The May 30, 1940 edition of the Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC, reported his parole on May 29 after serving about 2 yrs., 8 mos. of a 10 to 15 year sentence for 2d degree murder.

James & Nancy Greene Coffey

This James was born in 1806, probably in Cherokee Co., NC.  He was a son of Levi and Dolly Edmundson Coffey and, brother to Rice, Mary Ann, James, Robert, John, Keziah, Elisha, Levi, Jr., and Nancy.

Rice married Dorothy Jane Medaris; James married Nancy Greene; Robert married Mary LNU, Elisha married Anna Harmon Moody; and Levi, Jr. married Louisa Turnbull.

My interest at the moment is centered on James who married Nancy Greene, a daughter of John “Moccasin” and Elizabeth Coffey Greene.  Elizabeth Coffey Greene was a first cousin to James.

Their children were Abram, born c1829; Charity, born c1831; Sarah Elizabeth, born 1836; Daniel M., born c1844; James W., born c1846; and Mary Jane, born c1847.  All were likely born in Cherokee Co.

Sarah Elizabeth married Thomas Cummins West on Dec. 16, 1855 in Murphy, Cherokee Co.  He was born May 14, 1834 in Buncombe Co., NC and died in Graham Co., AZ on Jan. 8, 1888.  Sarah died Dec. 19, 1877 in McKinley Co., NM.  Thomas is buried at Graham Cemetery while Sarah was buried at Savola Pioneer Cemetery in McKinley Co.

James W. married Jane LNU and had a daughter named Dora, born c1878 in NC.

Mary Jane was born c1847 and is said to have married Henry Alexander Ditmore.

While researching this family I found a marriage for a Jane Ditmore in Clay Co., NC dated 25 Feb. 1875.  Her parents were named as James and Nancy Coffey.  One genealogy that I have found reports that a Mary Jane Coffey married Henry Alexander Ditmore c1865 in Cherokee Co.  A search for Henry Alexander Ditmore found him in Tom Greene Co., TX where he died in 1923.  His wife was named Elvira and they are said to have married c1869 in Panola Co., TX.  He was a native of McMinn Co., TN.

The thought occurred to me that the above Jane LNU who James W. Coffey might be Mary Jane Coffey Ditmore. There are problems with this thought, however:  James W. and Mary Jane Coffey Ditmore were brother and sister and, the marriage record for Jane Coffey Ditmore shows her groom to be James M. Coffey, a son of John Coffey.*

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Update 8/15/2013:

Henry Alexander Ditmore (son). Henry was born September 27, 1841 in McMinn County, Tennessee. About 1844 his family moved to Cherokee County, North Carolina. In 1862 he enlisted in the Confederate Army and served for the duration of the war. After the war ended he returned home to Cherokee County, North Carolina where he married Mary Jane Coffey. They had one son.

He left Mary and moved west where he settled in Panola County, Texas and remarried to Elvira C. Mathews. They had thirteen children. Around 1886 the family moved to San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas. Henry died there on January 29, 1923. 

Thanks to Elizabeth [lizzyiscrazy23 @ gmail.com] for the update!

The marriage info below* is that of Henry's former wife, Mary Jane Coffey and her marriage to James M. Coffey.  James M. was a son of James Coffey and Nancy Greene, born c1846 in NC.  

Henry Alexander Ditmore and his second wife, Elvira C. Mathews, are buried at the Grape Creek Cemetery in Grape Creek, Tom Green Co., TX. 

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*Groom's Name: James M. Coffey Groom's Birth Date: Groom's Birthplace: Groom's Age: Bride's Name: Jane Ditmore  Bride's Birth Date: Bride's Birthplace: Bride's Age: Marriage Date: 25 Feb 1875 Marriage Place: Brasstown, Clay, North Carolina Groom's Father's Name: John Coffey Groom's Mother's Name: Bride's Father's Name: James Coffey Bride's Mother's Name: Nancy Coffey Groom's Race: Groom's Marital Status: Unknown  Groom's Previous Wife's Name: Bride's Race: Bride's Marital Status: Unknown Bride's Previous Husband's Name: Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M75237-1 System Origin: North Carolina-EASy Source Film Number: 840423 Reference Number: P 5

Rice Coffey [follow-up]

A little more research, and additions/corrections by Janine Ramsey, has revealed more information on Rice Coffey, a son of Levi and Dolly Edmundson Coffey.

We do not yet know when Rice died.  He has been found in the 1870 census residing in the household with the John and Rachel Padgett family in Hayesville Twp., Clay Co., NC, and was reported to be "insane" in that census.

Rachel Padgett is believed to be a younger sister of Rice's wife, Dorotha Jane Medaris.  Dorotha probably died prior to 1870, and Rice prior to 1880. 

John Padgett was born c1803 and Rachel c1813, both in NC.  Two children have been found:  Roseline, born c1849 and Festus Lander, born c1851.  Roseline was unmarried and found in both the 1870 and 1880 census with her parents.  Festus was found with the family in 1870.  I am still searching for them in 1850 and 1860.