While plowing through my Edward Coffey files today I ran headlong into Enoch Jordan whose wife is either Alice "Allie" Mills or Alice "Allie" Coffey.
If Mills, then I have no idea who she belongs to. I have touched base with a couple of Mills researchers who tell me she was Alice Coffey, a daughter of Bennett Coffey and his wife Sarah Ferguson.
Some researchers believe but cannot prove that Bennett was a son of Benjamin and Mary "Polly" Hayes Coffey. He - Bennett - is said to have been born in 1779 in Wilkes Co., NC which fits with the speculative birth year of 1747 for Benjamin and 1760 for Polly. They are thought to have married c1773 in North Carolina. That year would have made Polly a brand new teenager while Benjamin would have been twice her age.
Tax lists, witness to deeds, etc., show that Bennett and Benjamin had more in common than a shared surname. Is it coincidence that while in Wilkes Co., Benjamin and his family resided in Ferguson's District and that Bennett married a Ferguson girl?
Laurence H. Coffey, researcher of the book Thomas Coffey and His Descendants* wrote that Bennett married Sarah "Sally" Ferguson on Feb. 5, 1805 in Wilkes Co. Marriages of Wilkes County, North Carolina, 1778-1868** by Brent Holcomb, reports that the groom was Bengiman [sic] Coffey and Benet [sic] Coffey was the bondsman. I believe Holcomb's book inadvertently transposes the names. In both compilations, Thomas Norman was a witness.
One would think that having married so early and fathering a number of children well before 1830 Bennett would have shown in early census records. I made a search for him from 1787 (NC state census) through 1830 and he appears only once, and then in 1830 Hawkins Co., TN. I did find a number of Benjamin Coffeys, and a few Bens but, only one Bennett. It's impossible - for me anyway - to figure out if one of those might have instead been Bennett.
I know that his name appears on a document dated Feb. 9, 1812 in Hawkins Co. in which he was witness to an indenture*** involving John Claxton of Grainger Co., TN and Hezekiah Stratton of Hawkins Co. The tract was 75 acres on War Creek. In addition to Bennett, William Stuart and James Byrd were also witnesses. Patrick Donihae [sic], Hezekiah Stratton and Joseph Claud [sic] [Cloud] were mentioned as owning adjacent property.
Bennie Coffey Loftin in her book Clinch Mountain, Tennessee and Beyond,**** wrote that Bennett and his sons Joel and Caswell lived near Benjamin on Big War Creek. Bennett sold to his son Joel, 94 acres for $300 on Feb. 10, 1834. That part of Hawkins Co. later became part of Hancock with was created in 1844. Bennett was also involved in some sort of land dispute with Shadrach Epperson in May of 1835 ending with a judgment for Epperson in which Bennett had to pay him $121.44 for a tract of land that Bennett was then residing on.
The 1840 census for Hawkins county show only four Coffey families in the county: Bennett, Caswell, Jesse and Jane. I am not certain who Jane is. She appeared there in 1830 as well, and with children. Jesse was her neighbor in 1830 and 1840 but I have not identified him either. He could be Bennett's son. Caswell is believed by me to be Bennett's eldest child. By the time of the 1850 census, Bennett was a widower and a Jesse, age 22, and Louisa Coffey, age 19, were living with him. By 1850 Bennett was dead.****
The thought that Jane might be Jane Graves, wife of John Coffey and mother of Benjamin, briefly crossed my mind, but she died in Wilkes Co. in 1792.
In addition to Caswell, Joel and Jesse, it is speculated that William Carrol Coffey, born c1824 in Hawkins Co., and Louisa Coffey, born c1831 are his as well. It would seem likely that we have not yet identified all of his children. In 1830 there were seven people under the age of 20 in his household and two aged 20 to 49, which would account for him and Sally.
In all likelihood Benjamin is Bennett's father. He may also have been named Benjamin and called Ben or Bennett to distinguish one from the other. It would be a plus if it can be documented that Alice Coffey, wife of Enoch Jordan was also his daughter.
Tips and discussion are welcomed.
Aug 4 Update: One important thing I left out: Marvel Jordan was enumerated in the 1880 Rockcastle Co., KY census with his "cousin," Thomas Jefferson Coffey, Jr. This becomes more puzzling as Thomas Jefferson's father was not Thomas Jefferson, Sr. His parents were Ausburn and Matilda Dalton Coffey. I need to work a bit on T.J, Jr. to see if I can gain a bit of insight as to how he might have become a cousin to Marvel.
*Chattanooga, TN: N. Sanders, 1931, Page 85
**Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1983, Page 41
***Joyce Martin Murray, 2921 Daniel, Dallas, TX 75205, compiler, Hawkins Co. TN Deed Abstracts 1801-1819; Deed Book 3, Page 329
****Privately published by Loftin, 1984 [Hawkins Co. Deed book 14, pages 406-410]
Showing posts with label Epperson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Epperson. Show all posts
August 4, 2010
August 10, 2009
Lester B. Coffey 1894-1954 Laurel Co., KY
In the 1900 Fariston, Laurel Co., KY census, Linville Coffey named one member of the household as Lester Coffey, born Jun., 1894, age 5, as his grandson. He also named Lula Brown, born Apr., 1898, age 2, as a granddaughter.
Linville's oldest child was Samuel Madison Coffey who had married c1894, had two children of his own by 1900 and also resided in Fariston. Sam's wife Sarah reported that she was the mother of two children and that both were living at the time. Those two were Russell, born Dec., 1896 and Lucy, born Jan., 1898.
So, it appears then that Lester was not a son of Samuel Madison Coffey.
Linville's next oldest child was his daughter, Edna. She was born c1876 and was not in the family household at the time of the 1900 census. Edna may have been the mother of Lula and/or Lester. I have not found an Edna of any surname in 1900 Laurel Co. that could be Linville's Edna.
Lester married c1916 Arretta "Retta" Jones, a daughter of James M. and Mary Jones of Laurel Co. She was born Jun. 17, 1896 in Kentucky and died Aug., 19, 1987 in Laurel Co. "Retta" and Lester were the parents of Opal M., born Sep., 1917 and Earl M., born Oct., 1919.
In 1930 Lester and "Retta" were enumerated in the Rough [Rouge?] Creek Pct., Laurel Co. A member of the household was David Coffee [sic] who was named as a brother to Lester. Also in the household was David F., a son of David, age 1, whom Lester named as his nephew.
David was David Ira, and a son of Linville, born Jun. 13, 1882, died Apr. 1, 1944 in Laurel Co. He married Maggie Epperson c1922 and they had four children before Maggie died on Nov. 16, 1928 in McHargue, Laurel Co.
So, for lack of any better evidence to the contrary, I have attached Lester to Linville though his daughter Edna, father unknown.
Linville and his wife Mary Jane Stansberry Coffey are buried at the Campground Cemetery in Boreing, Laurel Co., KY
Earl E. Coffey, a son of Samuel Madison and his wife Sarah died in 2001 and is buried at Pottawatomie Co., OK in the Tecumseh Cemetery.
Lester and his wife Arretta are buried at London, Laurel Co. in the Whitaker Cemetery.
Lester's son Earl M., married Emma Kathleen Burnett. They and their son Donald R. are also buried at Whitaker.
Please contact me at the above e-mail address if you have information concerning this family, especially Lester's parents.
Linville's oldest child was Samuel Madison Coffey who had married c1894, had two children of his own by 1900 and also resided in Fariston. Sam's wife Sarah reported that she was the mother of two children and that both were living at the time. Those two were Russell, born Dec., 1896 and Lucy, born Jan., 1898.
So, it appears then that Lester was not a son of Samuel Madison Coffey.
Linville's next oldest child was his daughter, Edna. She was born c1876 and was not in the family household at the time of the 1900 census. Edna may have been the mother of Lula and/or Lester. I have not found an Edna of any surname in 1900 Laurel Co. that could be Linville's Edna.
Lester married c1916 Arretta "Retta" Jones, a daughter of James M. and Mary Jones of Laurel Co. She was born Jun. 17, 1896 in Kentucky and died Aug., 19, 1987 in Laurel Co. "Retta" and Lester were the parents of Opal M., born Sep., 1917 and Earl M., born Oct., 1919.
In 1930 Lester and "Retta" were enumerated in the Rough [Rouge?] Creek Pct., Laurel Co. A member of the household was David Coffee [sic] who was named as a brother to Lester. Also in the household was David F., a son of David, age 1, whom Lester named as his nephew.
David was David Ira, and a son of Linville, born Jun. 13, 1882, died Apr. 1, 1944 in Laurel Co. He married Maggie Epperson c1922 and they had four children before Maggie died on Nov. 16, 1928 in McHargue, Laurel Co.
So, for lack of any better evidence to the contrary, I have attached Lester to Linville though his daughter Edna, father unknown.
Linville and his wife Mary Jane Stansberry Coffey are buried at the Campground Cemetery in Boreing, Laurel Co., KY
Earl E. Coffey, a son of Samuel Madison and his wife Sarah died in 2001 and is buried at Pottawatomie Co., OK in the Tecumseh Cemetery.
Lester and his wife Arretta are buried at London, Laurel Co. in the Whitaker Cemetery.
Lester's son Earl M., married Emma Kathleen Burnett. They and their son Donald R. are also buried at Whitaker.
Please contact me at the above e-mail address if you have information concerning this family, especially Lester's parents.
May 25, 2008
Daniel Webster Coffey
Daniel Webster Coffey was a son of Joel William and Elizabeth Ann Moore Coffey, born Feb. 14, 1858 in Alabama. This family is thought to be in the Edward Coffey-Grace Cleveland line. To my knowledge, Grace and Edward have not been extensively researched.
Other children, all born in Alabama, born to Joel and Elizabeth were:
John James, born c1851, married Martha Virginia Epperson, a daughter of William and Sarah Epperson of Alabama. They married c1871 and had at least seven children: William Ann (female), born c1871; Joel William, born c1874; John D., born Feb. 1878; James Arthur, born Jun. 1882; Oscar O., born Oct., 1885; Buena Vista, born 22 Feb. 1888, died 4 Dec 1959; and Rufus M., born Oct. 1891.
Ann Eliza, born c1852
Joel William, born c1855, married Fannie E.; children were William W., born c1886 and Mary D., born c1895. There may have been others.
Sarah E., born Jan., 1860
Eleanor, born c1861
Joseph, born c1864
Harrison, born c1867
Charles, born c1869
Daniel married Margaret Leeann Coates on Sep. 16, 1877 in Rock Creek, AL. She was born Dec. 5, 1861 in Hot Springs, Garland Co., AR and died Jun. 24, 1928 in Ravia, Johnston Co., OK. Daniel died Apr. 24, 1928 in Ardmore, Carter Co., OK.
More information, including photographs, can be found at the well designed website created by Joan Coffey. She has researched Daniel, her husband's grandfather, quite well and lists her findings in chronological order.
Joan's website can be found here.
Other children, all born in Alabama, born to Joel and Elizabeth were:
John James, born c1851, married Martha Virginia Epperson, a daughter of William and Sarah Epperson of Alabama. They married c1871 and had at least seven children: William Ann (female), born c1871; Joel William, born c1874; John D., born Feb. 1878; James Arthur, born Jun. 1882; Oscar O., born Oct., 1885; Buena Vista, born 22 Feb. 1888, died 4 Dec 1959; and Rufus M., born Oct. 1891.
Ann Eliza, born c1852
Joel William, born c1855, married Fannie E.; children were William W., born c1886 and Mary D., born c1895. There may have been others.
Sarah E., born Jan., 1860
Eleanor, born c1861
Joseph, born c1864
Harrison, born c1867
Charles, born c1869
Daniel married Margaret Leeann Coates on Sep. 16, 1877 in Rock Creek, AL. She was born Dec. 5, 1861 in Hot Springs, Garland Co., AR and died Jun. 24, 1928 in Ravia, Johnston Co., OK. Daniel died Apr. 24, 1928 in Ardmore, Carter Co., OK.
More information, including photographs, can be found at the well designed website created by Joan Coffey. She has researched Daniel, her husband's grandfather, quite well and lists her findings in chronological order.
Joan's website can be found here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)