Ebin Cleveland Coffee

Nathan and Louisa Eliza Durham Coffey were married c1823 in Wayne Co., KY.  Their eldest child was Andrew Jackson Coffey, born c1825 in Wayne Co., died Oct. 25, 1899 in Montague Co., TX.  Ebin was their second and last child, born Mar., 1826 in Wayne Co. The couple divorced in 1830.

According to Wayne Co. marriage records (1801-1860) and the research of Ken Coffee of Del Rio, TX, Ebin married Elizabeth Farmer on Aug. 7, 1845.  Elizabeth was born either in TN or KY in 1825 and died on Dec. 10, 1885 in Eastland Co., TX.  She gave Ebin at least seven children:

William Madison Coffee

Frances Elvira Bennett

1) William Madison, born Feb. 6, 1847 in KY, died Apr. 7, 1913 in Brownwood, Brown Co., TX.  He married Frances Elvira Bennett on Apr. 21, 1870 in TX.  Frances was born c1845 in IL.  Prior to her marriage to William, Frances had been married to Francis M. Citty with whom she had at least one child Mary Frances.  With William they had at least six, all born in TX:  John Henry, born Feb. 25, 1871, died in Brown Co. in Apr., 1873; George Ebin, born Dec. 28, 1873 died Aug. 15, 1875; Adeline Florence, born Feb. 12, 1874; Williann, born Feb. 12, 1876, died Jan. 5, 1892; James Madison, born Jan. 6, 1884, died Jul. 8, 1892 in Brown Co.; and Elizabeth, born Aug., 1885.  At sometime or another this family began to spell their surname** ending with double-E.

James Madison Coffee

Mattie Mae Gilley Coffee

I only have some descendant info on James Madison.  He married Mattie Mae Gilley, date not found.  She was born Jun. 27, 1887 in Floresville, Wilson Co., TX and died in Brownwood on Feb. 27, 1964.  Their children were Ellen or Aileen, born c1905; Russell Francis., born Jul. 14, 1908, died Oct. 8, 1987 in Brown Co.; an unnamed infant daughter born in 1910 and lived only five days; Wilbur E., born Sep. 3, 1911, died Mar. 11, 1971 in Fort Worth; Wilmot, born Sep. 3, 1911; Maud, born c1915; James Paul, born Jul. 16, 1917, died May 22, 1972 in Fort Worth; Eugene (?), born c1921 and Leonard L., born c1925.

Russell Francis married Reba S. Price on Mar. 3, 1934 in TX.  She was born Aug. 11, 1913 in Brown Co. and died in Bangs, Brown Co. on Jan. 26, 2002.  Both are buried at the Bangs Cemetery.

Wilbur married Velta Rosevelt "Veltie" Holland.  She was born on Jan. 2, 1908 in Village Mills, Hardin Co., TX, and died on Jul. 21, 1982.  Wilbur is buried at Emerald Hills Memorial Park in Fort Worth.  Veltie died on Jul. 21, 1982 and was buried at Richard Cemetery in Warren, Tyler Co., TX

Wilmot was born Sep. 3, 1911 (twin to Wilbur) and died May 20, 1974.  He is buried at Danville Cemetery in Kilgore, Gregg Co., TX

James Paul is also buried at Emerald Hills.

2) Louisa Elizabeth, born Apr. 4, 1849, died Sep. 16, 1913.  She is said to have married Benjamin Lee Boen, born Feb. 28, 1888, died Sep. 10, 1954.  I have been unable to independently confirm any of this information.

3), 4), 5) Mary A., born c1851; James H., born c1854; and George Washington, born c1856

6) Victoria P., born May 28, 1860 in Rusk Co., TX, died Oct. 9, 1938 in Fisher Co., TX.  She married John Marion Jones on Oct. 15, 1879 in Hopkins Co., TX.  John was born in TX in Feb., 1860. Victoria is buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Merkel, Taylor Co., TX.  Children were Ebb, Walter Marion, Jesse, Cody, Trudy and Mattie.

7) Texana, born Oct., 1865.  She married a Mr. Fry and had at least one child, Mary P., born Jun., 1894.  In 1900 Texana, a widow, and her child were living in Comanche Co., TX with her parents.

Elizabeth Farmer Coffee died on Dec. 10 1885 in Eastland Co., TX and was buried in Desdemona cemetery in that county.  On Oct. 11, 1886, Ebin took his second wife, Frances Virginia Jones, the widow of Timothy Rasberry Haddox, as his bride.  Frances was born Sep., 1845 in AL to Littleton and Dorcas Natts Jones.  She and Timothy were married on Oct. 26, 1868 in McLennan Co., TX* and had three children before his death in 1881(Chapman).  Children were: Ella Eugenia; Rufus Forrest and Eula Benton.  More info is available on these children and their spouses on request.  Frances and Ebin are not known to have had any children.  She died on Mar. 13, 1933 at Beattie in Comanche Co., TX and was buried there at Taylors Chapel Cemetery.  Ebin died in Comanche Co. on Jul. 14, 1905 and removed to Brownwood for burial at the Greenleaf cemetery.

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*Texas Marriages, 1837-1973, digital images, FamilySearch internet (www.familysearch.org). groom's name: T. R. Haddox groom's birth date: groom's birthplace: groom's age: bride's name: Francis V. Jones bride's birth date: bride's birthplace: bride's age: marriage date: 26 Oct 1868 marriage place: Mclennan, Texas groom's father's name: groom's mother's name: bride's father's name: bride's mother's name: groom's race: groom's marital status: groom's previous wife's name: bride's race: bride's marital status: bride's previous husband's name: indexing project (batch) number: M59007-4 system origin: Texas-EASy source film number: 987554 reference number
** Or, had it spelled that way for them
Other sources: US Federal Census and James W. Chapman, Compiler/Researcher, Soda Springs Community, Comanche County, Texas Cemeteries, Donna L. Chapman, Compiler/Researcher (Comanche, TX: H. V. Chapman & Sons, 2007).  This publication does not provide a fact source.

Photographs are courtesy of Ken Coffee, Del Rio, TX and remain his property.

Ernest Webster and Ethel McClung Stratton Coffey

Ernest Webster Coffey was a son of Arthur and Virginia Anne (Jenny) Davis Coffey and, was born Feb. 5, 1888 in Amherst Co.   He was married on Feb. 16, 1910* to Ethel McClung Stratton, a distant cousin, in Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD.  Ethel was the daughter of George Baxter and Elianna Coffey Stratton.  Ethel was born 1892 in VA, and died there in 1965.  Ernest died in VA in 1982.

In Feb. 1910 the couple resided with Ernest's cousin, Robert L. Seay in Amherst Co.   Robert was the husband of Vernie Coffey, a daughter of Pitt and Lucy Parks White Coffey.

When Ernest called to register for the draft in WWI on Jun. 4, 1917, he was a farmer in Alto, VA and claimed exemption based having a wife and two children, as well as on an unnamed physical disability.  

Their child Ernest Webster, Jr. was born Nov. 7, 1912 and died Jan. 13, 1913.  The two children living at the  time were Doris, born Dec. 9, 1913 and Audrey, born c1917, and before Jun. 4.

On Jan. 21, 1920 the family was in the Pedlar Dist. of Amherst Co. where Ernest was farming.  In addition to Doris and Audrey, a third child, Juanita, had been born on Aug., 6, 1918.  A fourth child, Ray, was born later in 1920.

By 1930 the family was in Lexington, Rockbridge Co.  The children Doris, Audrey, Juanita, and Ray were still living with them, and two more had been born  after Ray:  Clayton Webster in 1923 and Norman Elwood in 1929.

Ernest was once again called upon to make himself available to the military draft.  He registered in Rockbridge Co. on Apr. 27, 1942 at the age of 54.  The record indicates that he was 5' 11" tall, had brown hair and eyes.

Upon their deaths, both Ernest and Ethel were buried in the Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista, VA.

Children:

Doris, born Dec. 9, 1913, died Jul. 31, 2005 in Frederick Co., MD.  She married Donald Hafle, born Jun. 1, 1914, died Jan., 1985 in Frederick Co.

Audrey, born c1917, married a Mr. Holtzbach.

Juanita, born Aug. 6, 1918 in Amherst Co., died Oct. 5, 2006 in Lexington.  She married Henry V. Blosser.

Her obituary:

BLOSSER, Juanita Coffey

Juanita Coffey Blosser, 88, of Lexington, died Thursday, October 5, 2006, at The Mayflower of Lexington.

Born August 6, 1918 in Amherst, she was the daughter of Ernest W. and Ethel Stratton Coffey.

She was a member of St. John's United Methodist Church.

Her husband, Henry V. Blosser preceded her in death.  Also preceding her in death were her daughter, Sherry Blosser Fry; two sisters, Audrey Holzbach and Doris Hafle, and two brothers, Clayton Coffey and Norman Coffey.

Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Edmund Cox of Blacksburg; grandchildren, Torrie Ruther, Leslie Knutson, Vaughn Cox, and Jill Burnett; five great-grandchildren; a brother and sister-in-law, Stratton and Evelyn Coffey of Lexington; two sisters-in-law, Rita Coffey of Lexington and Dorothy Blosser of Lynchburg; and ten nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be 11 a.m. Monday, October 9, 2006, at Green Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Deborah A. Koontz officiating.  There will be no visitation at the funeral home.  The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at The Mayflower, Lexington and the Rockbridge Area Hospice.

Memorial donations may be made to the Rockbridge Area Hospice.  Lomax Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Ray Stratton, born c1920.  No other information.

Clayton Webster, born Jul. 13, 1923 in Amherst Co., died Jan. 30, 2001 in Lexington.  He married Gladys H., last name unknown.

His obituary:

The Roanoke Times, Feb. 1, 2001

Coffey, Clayton Webster, 77, of Lexington, died Tuesday, January 30, 2001.

Mr. Coffey was born July 13, 1923 in Amherst County, son of the late Ernest W. Coffey and Ethel Stratton Coffey.  He was a member of New Monmouth Presbyterian Church.  He was a retired construction worker.  He was a veteran of WW II and served in the Pacific and European Theaters.

Mr. Coffey was preceded in death by a brother, Norman E. Coffey and a sister, Audrey Holtzbach.  He is survived  by his wife, Gladys H. Coffey; one son, Arthur David Coffey and wife, Mary Ann of Owingsville, Ky.; two stepsons, Edgar Hamilton of Peters Burg and Ralph Hamilton of Buena Vista; two sisters, Juanita Blosser of Lexington and Doris Hafle of Frederick, Md.; one brother, Ray Stratton Coffey, Sr. and wife, Evelyn of Lexington; sister-in-law, Rita Coffey of Lexington; five grandchildren, Shannon Ann Maria Coffey, Alphonzo Coffey, Bartholomew Coffey, Rosita May Sutton, Arthur Clayton Coffey; ten great-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, February 2, 2001 at Bolling, Grose & Lotts Funeral Chapel, Buena Vista with the Reverend Martin Stokes officiating.  Interment will be at Green Hill Mausoleum.

The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Norman Elwood, born Dec. 31, 1929 in Rockbridge Co., died Dec. 11, 1999 in Lexington.  He married Rita Garrett.

His obituary:

The News-Gazette, Lexington, VA, Dec. 15, 1999

Norman Coffey, Longtime Store Owner, Dies

Norman Elwood Coffey, 69, of Lexington, owner of a Lexington furniture store for almost 25 years, died Saturday, Dec. 11.

Mr. Coffey bought the furniture business he was to become known for, Norman Coffey Furniture, from Blosser Furniture Co. in the '70s and ran the store in two locations until 1981 when he consolidated the store into its location on South Jefferson Street.  He operated the store, with the familiar oak rockers out front, until he closed the business and retired in late 1996.

Before entering the furniture business, he was a farmer, running one farm outside of Lexington and a cattle farm on Plank Road.  He grew up working at his family's business, Coffey's Amoco Station on U.S. 60, later buying the business and running it until the 60s.  He also worked for a time as a carpet inspector at Lees Carpets.

He was born Dec. 31, 1929, in Rockbridge County, son of the late Ernest Webster Coffey and Ethel Stratton Coffey.  He was married to Rita Garrett Coffey and was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.  In the past few years he has been a door greeter at Wal-Mart.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by four children, Pam A. Coffey and Tracy L. Coffey, both of Roanoke, Victor A. Coffey of Bedford and Melodie Hoy of Wake Forest, N.C.; two brother, Stratton Coffey and Clayton Coffey, both of Lexington; two sisters, Juanita Blosser of Buena Vista and Doric C. Haffle of Fredrick, Md.; and four grandchildren. 

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. today, Wednesday, at Trinity United Methodist Church by the Rev. Mark Reuter and the Rev. Fred Arndt.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Goshen Rescue Squad, the Rockbridge County Sheriff's Department D.A.R.E. program or Trinity United Methodist Church.  Arrangements are by Harrison;s Funeral Home.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address to add to or to correct any of this information.




*Handwritten note by Doris Coffey Hafle on the newspaper clipping announcing the elopement reports 1901 as marriage year.  It appears that she transposed the 0 and 1.  Otherwise, Ernest would have been 13 yrs old at the time and Ethel only 9 yrs old.