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.]

David & Nancy Coffey Ernest

Nancy was a daughter of Thomas and Nancy Barlow Coffey, and was born in Caldwell Co., NC in 1836.  She married David Ernest*, born c1835 in North Carolina, on Oct. 17, 1858** in Caldwell Co.  He died in 1885 and she in 1879.  Both are buried at Lower Creek Baptist Church cemetery in Lenoir, Caldwell Co., NC.

I have found seven children for this couple, all born in Caldwell Co.:

Thomas Levi, born Apr. 9, 1859.  He married Mary Clippard, who was apparently previously married to a Clippard, in Caldwell Co. on Apr. 26, 1888.**  The marriage record for her and Levi tells us that she was the daughter of Crump and Louisa Barlow.  However, I have been unable to find a Crump Barlow in a North Carolina census record.  Neither have I been able to find a death record for Mary.  Levi died Nov. 11, 1921*** and is buried as "Lee T." at the Lower Creek cemetery.

Mary Selena, born May 19, 1862, married John P. Sherrill on Jan. 9, 1890** in Lower Creek Twp.  John was a son of Milton and Caroline Barlow Sherrill and was born Sep. 16, 1863 in Caldwell Co.  He died there in Lower Creek Twp. on Oct. 20, 1945 and was buried at the Tabernacle Advent Church Cemetery in Lenoir.  Mary died on Jun. 14, 1954 and is also buried at the Tabernacle cemetery.

Eveline or Eva E., was born in 1871 and married August Felt, born 1869, on May 2, 1897** in Lower Creek.  No other information has been found.

John was born Dec. 12, 1868 and died unmarried on Feb. 2, 1936 in Lenoir.  He is buried at the Lower Creek cemetery.

William Calvin was born on Apr. 16, 1871 and died in Lenoir on Apr. 7, 1946.  His spouse was Mary Day, daughter of D. T. & Jerusha R. Day, who was born in 1877, probably in Caldwell Co.  She and William married on Apr. 16, 1896** in Lower Creek Twp.  He is buried at Belleview Cemetery in Lenoir.  Mary's death information has not been found.

Julia A., born in 1875, married John H. Thompson of Feb. 16, 1892** in Lower Creek.  No other information has been found.

The last child was Samuel H., born Mar. 3, 1875, died Mar. 26, 1926 in Lenoir.  His spouse was Bertha Hall to whom he was married on Aug. 25, 1898** in Lenoir.  Bertha's death information has not been found.  Samuel is buried at the Lower Creek cemetery.

Please contact me if you can connect the Barlow women.

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*David's surname, as well as some of his descendants has also been found as Earnest
**North Carolina County Marriages, 1759-1979 , digital images, FamilySearch.Org (www.familysearch.org).
***All complete birth and death dates for this family were taken from NC Death Certificates.  Those death dates consisting of year only were taken from the respective headstones found at Find-A-Grave.