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Showing posts with label Freeman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freeman. Show all posts

December 21, 2012

Albert and Sarah Goodnight Coffey

Albert was the second eldest son of the Rev. Reuben A. and Martha "Polly" Dowell Coffey, born Feb. 22, 1810 in Wilkes Co., NC.  Albert married Sarah Goodnight in Monroe Co., IN on Dec. 5, 1833.[1]  Sarah was born c1803 in Shelby Co., KY.

Albert died in Jan., 1837, just a few years into his marriage with Sarah, and leaving her with two young children to raise.  The first was Julia Ann, born in Aug., 1836 followed by Wesley W., born Dec. 13, 1837 in Owen Co., IN.  Sarah never remarried and died c1880 in Spencer, Owen Co., IN.  Daughter Julia married William R. Stogsdill in Owen Co. in 1856 and Sarah lived with them in Owen Co. for almost 30 years.

Sarah's son Wesley married Laura Joseph Howe in Owen Co. in 1865.[2]  Laura was the daughter of Amon Price and Harriet C. Thatcher Howe and was born in IN in 1843.  Together, they had three children, only one of which married and has descendants.  That was Bryon Howe, born in 1866, Owen Co., died 1945 in Los Angeles, CA.  He was their first born, followed by Hallie H. in 1874 and Albert Price in 1876.  Laura was the mother of four children but only three survived to become adults.[3]

Hallie and Albert never married and pretty much lived with their mother, or with each other, from birth to death in Los Angeles.  Albert died in 1936 at age 70, and Hallie died in 1969 at age 95.  I have not found their burial places.  In the 1941 city directory for Wilmar City in Los Angeles Co., Albert gave his occupation as "musician." Hallie reported her occupation as "stenographer."

Byron married Nellie Branham in Owen Co. in 1894.[2]  She was a daughter of Laroes and Susan Amanda Halbert Branham, born in Indiana in Sep., 1873.  She died on Jul. 4, 1962 in Los Angeles.

There were four children born to their marriage, all in Spencer, Owen Co.:

Thatcher Howe, born 1895, died 1956 in Los Angeles.  Thatcher married Lessa Leona Freeman in Riverside Co., CA in 1919.  She was the daughter of Fletcher and Margaret McClellan Freeman, born in Oct., 1899 in Iowa, died in Los Angeles in 1979.  I believe that Thatcher and Lessa had just one child, a daughter named Mary Jane, born in 1920.  She married John Batterso and they both lived with her parents in LA in 1940.

Thatcher's sister, Naomi Josephine was born in 1896 and died in LA County in 1970.  She was married to Karl Keeler in Marion Co., IN in 1916.[2]  They had at least two children, Lois Karlyn, born c1919 and Karl, Jr., born c1921.  Lois married a Mr. Teters and died in LA County in 1990.

Byron's third child was Cecile Louise, born 1897, died in LA County in 1946.  She married Joseph Adolph Iverson c1927, probably in CA.  He died in Chatsworth, LA County in 1986.  She died well before that, in 1946, LA County.  This may be the same Joseph who was buried at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, LA Co.  His bio at Find-A-Grave reads:  "Son of Carl Johan and Augusta Matilda (Wagman) Iverson. Husband of Louise and Iva. Brother of Carl Jr and Aaron Iverson, Anna Foss and Sena Baker. Joe was the owner, along with brother Aaron, of the Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth, famed filming place of many American westerns of the 1930s through the 1960s, including The Lone Ranger series and numerous episodes of Bonanza."  I know of no children born to his union with Louise but, a website devoted to the ranch and some of the history, has a photo of Ed Iverson, reported there to be the one of "the owner," which could be Aaron's son..

Coffey Sprinkler
Click for larger view

The fourth child and second son was Jule Hubert, born in 1899, died in LA County in 1979. He married Harried Ellen Johnson c1925. She was born in Ramsey Co., MN in 1899 and was the mother of at least two children: Harry, born c1927 and Priscilla H., born c1931. Jule held numerous patents during his lifetime, including US 3088677 for the "Oscillating Arm Pop-Up Sprinkler," seen on many lawns across the US.  To be sure, others have made "improvements," but the basic concept remains Jule's.

He was a 1924 graduate of CalTech and died in Clarement, CA in 1979.  His daughter, Priscilla Coffey McKenna wrote to the alumni newsletter that "he was retired and had been living in Claremont, California....He lived a long and exceedingly useful life and we will miss him very much."[4]



Malcolm Carnegie McKenna
While searching for Jule's daughter Priscilla, I found that she married Malcolm Carnegie McKenna, son of Donald Carnegie and Bernice Caroline Waller McKenna.  The McKennas were a family of philanthropists; Donald being a Pennsylvania industrialist and the namesake of Clarement McKenna College in CA.  Malcolm and Priscilla were married in Claremont on Jun. 17, 1952.  He died on Mar. 3, 2008 in Boulder, CO.  Before his retirement, Malcolm was Frick curator of vertebrate paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History and professor emeritus of geological sciences at Columbia University.






[1]Indiana State Library Genealogy Database: Marriages through 1850, Indiana State Library online [http://199.8.200.229/db/marriages_search.asp], accessed Sep.,2005.
[2]Indiana Marriage Records Index, 1845-1920;.Index to Marriage Records Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940.
[3]1900 Owen Co., IN census record
[4]Caltech News, June 1979, California Institute of Technology (http://caltechcampuspubs.library.caltech.edu/2366/1/1979_06_13_04.pdf : viewed 21 December 2012), Vol 13, No. 4, Page 8, Obituaries.

May 29, 2009

Eligah Columbus & Vina Jane Keith Coffey

Updated Nov. 28, 2010


 

Eligah Columbus Coffey was a son of Lewis and Elizabeth "Betty" Watters Coffey.  These are Kentuckians who came out of North Carolina sometime in the early-to-mid 1800s.  Lewis was born in NC c1813 and was married in KY to Betty c1831.  Elijah was born in Wayne Co. (probably Eadsville) on Dec. 12, 1843.  My records show that he was the seventh of ten children; the first born in 1832, the last in 1850.  Photo, L-R Front: Roxie Amanda, Eligah Henry, Eligah Columbus & Sally Kate; L-R Rear: Nannie Sophie and Mary Lucy.


The first wife of Elijah was Mirah Emarine Freeman, born in KY on Jan. 9, 1852, died Oct. 15, 1877 in Wayne Co.  She gave him at least three children: 


Elizabeth Jane, born Jun. 8, 1870 in Pulaski Co., died Jan. 8, 1941 in Wayne Co.  She married Rolly Stewart Lair c1895.  Elizabeth was the mother of at least three children.


John Lewis, born Dec. 12, 1872 in Wayne Co.  He died there on Apr. 10, 1948.  His wife was Geneva E. Lair - probably some relation to Rolly - on Apr. 23, 1898.  She gave him at least nine children.


The last child that I have for Elijah and Mirah is Hiram Tolbert Coffey, born Jul. 27, 1876, died 1941.  He married Cordie Thomas, born Apr. 27, 1878, died Sep. 2, 1919.  She was the mother of at least six children.

Elijah took a second wife on Apr. 29, 1881 in Wayne Co.  She was Vina Jane Keith, a daughter of Joshua, and was born Dec. 8, 1863 in that county.  Before she died Vina had produced at least eight more children for Elijah.  She gave birth to her last child in Nov., 1897 and died at age 33 on Dec. 6, of that year.


These are the children of Elijah and Vina:
Edward Cullem, born 1881, died 1966; married Gertie Evana Taylor in 1903.  She was born in 1884 and died in 1955.  They were the parents of at least eight children.


James Hardin, born 1882, died 1942.  He married Lillie Abbie Mounce, born in 1889.  They were parents of at least nine children.


Joseph Joel "Joe", born 1885, died 1953.  He married Rutha Mae Lair in 1907.  She was the daughter of George and Jemima Dodson Lair.  Before she died in 1976, she had given Joseph at least eight children.


Nannie Sophie, born 1887, married William Zackary Lair, born 1908, died 1970.  The age difference is suspect.  I have no children for them.


Mary Lucy, born 1889, died 1972.  She married George Roberts in 1920 and was the mother of at least two children.


Roxie Amanda, born 1893, died 1920.  She married Joseph McClain in 1914.  I have no children for them.


Sally Kate, born 1895, died 1966.  I don't believe she ever married.


Elijah Henry "Lige", born 1897, married Mary J., maiden name unknown.  I have no children for them.
I haven't connected all of the Lairs and do not know if they were all from the same family.  I do have some additional information on the children and grandchildren of Elijah and Vina Jane that I will share. 


Contact me at the above e-mail address for more info or, to correct or add to this information.

April 29, 2009

Byron Howe & Nellie Branham Coffey - Updated Apr. 29, 2009

Byron Howe Coffey was born in Owen Co. IN on Jan. 29, 1866 to Wesley W. and Laura Josephine Howe Coffey. Wesley was descended from the Rev. Reuben A. Coffey and his wife Martha "Polly" Dowell, through their son Albert who married Sarah Goodnight.

Nellie Branham was born in Sep., 1873 in Indiana to Larose and Susan A. Halbert Branham. She and Byron were married on Jan. 9, 1894 in Owen Co.

Byron and Nellie moved from Indiana to California between 1910 and 1920, apparently looking for work and a better life. They took four children with them:

Thatcher Howe, born Feb. 7, 1895 in Spencer, Owen Co., died Jul 16, 1956 in Los Angeles, CA. Thatcher joined the Army in WW1, and served with the 40th Div. He was discharged at Camp Kearny in San Diego, CA on Feb. 8, 1919. In Nov. of that year he married Lessa Leona Freeman in Riverside Co., CA. I know of one child for them, a daughter, Mary Jane, born Oct. 5, 1920 in CA., and died as Mary Jane Gratny in West Covina, CA on Jan. 30, 2007. Lessa was the daughter of Fletcher and Margaret McClellan Freeman, born Oct. 5, 1899 in IA died Jan. 24, 1979 in Los Angeles.

Naomi Josephine, born Mar. 22, 1896 in Spencer, died Dec. 4, 1970 in Los Angeles. Naomi married Karl Keeler on Mar. 16, 1916 in Marion Co., IN. They later moved to CA but by 1930 were living in Seattle, King Co., WA. I have two children, Lois, born c1919, and Karl, Jr., born c1921. Lois was born "back home in Indiana," while Karl waited until the family arrived in CA before making his appearance. Karl, Sr. waas born c1896 in Indiana, but I have not yet found a death place or date for him.

Cecile Louise, born Nov. 25, 1897 in Spencer, died Feb. 11, 1946 in Los Angeles. She married Joseph Adolph Iverson c1927, probably in CA. Joseph was the son of Charles John and Agusta Marilda Wagman Iverson. Charles was born in Norway while Agusta was born in Sweden. Joseph died in Nov., 1986 in CA. Cecile preceded him when she died on Feb. 11, 1946 in Los Angeles. I have no children for them.

Jule Hubert, born Dec. 25, 1899 in Spencer, died Mar. 3, 1979 in Los Angeles. He married Harriet Ellen Johnson c1925, a daughter of Gustav and Mary Johnson, both natives of Sweden. I have one child for Jule and Harriet, a son, Harry, born c1927.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address to add to or submit corrections.

--------------

I have received the following corrections for this family:

Dear Mr. Coffee,

I offer these corrections to the "Genealogy e-Newsletter for the Coffee/Coffey Surname and related families" that describes the genealogy of Byron Howe Coffey and "Nellie" Branham Coffey. Byron and Nelle were my paternal grandparents.

1. Nellie's actual name was Nelle Branham.

2. My father, Jule Hubert Coffey, in 1926 married Harriet Ellen Johnson, who was born October 30, 1899 in Tracy, MN. She was the daughter of Harry Gleason Johnson and Ellen Armanda Hicks. There never was any connection with Sweden.

Thank you in advance for your attention to these corrections.

Priscilla Coffey McKenna