Eli Charles Coffey

Eli was born on Jan. 8, 1832 in Georgia, probably Pickens Co., to Jesse S. and Winifred Crumpton Coffey. Jesse was a product of Wilkes Co., NC where he was born on Jul. 19, 1799 and where he married Winifred on Dec. 22, 1821.

By trade, Eli was a stone cutter and worked in the quarries in Pickens Co. most of his adult life.  He was the fifth of at least seven children born to Jesse and Winifred.  His older siblings were Thomas Walton, Larkin D., Lewis Elbert and William R.  Those younger than him were Martin Van Buren and John Gordon.

Aaron Bonville Coffey (L)

Eli married Susan Tribble c1859.  In 1860 and in 1870 Eli was enumerated in Pickens Co., GA without Susan and child Aaron, who had been born on Jan. 12, 1860.  Susan and Aaron have not been found elsewhere in Georgia for 1860 or 1870.  Eli married for a second time in 1872 to Frances Bradford and then died before the 1880 census.   His son Aaron first appeared in a census record in 1880 when he was found living with a Crockett family in DeKalb Co., GA.

This seems to indicate that Susan died about the time of Aaron's birth and that he was perhaps farmed out to other family members while Eli pursued work as a stone cutter.  Just months after Eli died in Aug., 1874, Frances Bradford Coffey gave birth to his son, Eli, Jr.  Frances remarried c1877 and in 1880 Eli, Jr. lived with her and his step-father John Howell in Pickens Co.

Eli and Frances were buried at Long Swamp Baptist Church Cemetery at Marble Hill in Pickens Co.  Susan's burial place is unknown.*

George Aaron Coffey (l) & Ava George

Aaron Bonville Coffey was married c1890 in GA to Florence C. Johnson, a daughter of George W. and Vashti P. George Johnson.  A daughter Marie was born to them in Mar., 1891 and a son, George Aaron. in Dec., 1895.  Both births occurred in Lithonia, DeKalb Co.  Marie died in 1911 at age 20 and was buried in the Lithonia City Cemetery.  George married Bessie "Bess" Chupp and died in Lithonia in 1963; Bess died in 1975.  Both are also buried in the Lithonia City Cemetery.

Eli Charles Coffey, Jr. married Margaret Gertrude Shumate on Feb. 20, 1902 in Whitfield Co., GA.  She was born on Nov. 24, 1877 in Dalton, Whitfield Co. to Ignatius and Elizabeth Gertrude Bitting Shumate.  Junior died Oct. 9, 1948 in Whitfield Co.; Margaret died there on Nov. 13, 1940.  Their burial ground is unknown to me.  I know of one child, a daughter, Lou Shumate, born c1907 in Dalton.

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Source for photo of Aaron and George Aaron: "Interior of the Lithonia Banking Co.," (circa 1912) & interior of George's Dry Goods Store.  Photographs from "Vanishing Georgia"; Georgia Archives, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260. 
*There is a grave for a Susan T. Coffey at Lithonia. The stone simply reads "Susan T. Coffey 1840-1891."  Susan Tribble who married Eli was born c1840.  If this is Eli's wife, they apparently divorced extremely early in their marriage, but where did she go?  I found a Sue Coffey in DeKalb Co. residing with her brother, but his surname was Webb.  Do we have an incorrect maiden name for Susan?  Where were her parents?

Joseph Harrison and Carrie Elizabeth Coffey Wellborn

Joseph Harrison Wellborn was born c1873 in North Carolina and died there before 1920. He married Carrie Elizabeth Coffey in Caldwell County, NC in 1896 [Marriage Book 11, Page 245]. Carrie was the daughter of Thomas, a son of William Coffey and Margaret Robbins. Carrie's mother was Rachel M. Coffey, the daughter of McCaleb Coffey and Elizabeth Collett.

Carrie was born Aug. 14, 1877 in Caldwell Co., and died in Patterson Twp., Caldwell Co. on Mar. 22, 1951.  She is buried at Harper's Chapel Cemetery in Patterson.  An accurate birth and death date for Joseph has not been found.

Children of Joseph and Carrie were:

Jennie Beatrice, born May 11, 1900, died Dec. 30, 1978. Jennie married Thomas Hamilton (Hamp) Robbins in Caldwell Co., NC in 1920. Thomas was born Oct. 17, 1888 [death certificate], a son of Thomas Clingman and Sarah Curtis Robbins. He died Mar. 5, 1965 in Lower Creek, Caldwell Co. [Death Certificate]. Their children were Mary Gwendolyn, born Sep. 7, 1920 [NC Birth Index Book 7, Page 621], died Dec. 14, 1977; Thomas Hamilton, born Sep. 11, 1922; George Welborn, born Aug. 17, 1924, died Nov. 21, 2004; and Robert Joseph, born Dec. 5, 1926.

Carl Coffey, born Aug. 6, 1902 in Wilkes Co., died May 15, 1986 in Lenoir, Caldwell Co. He was married in 1921 to Lula Belle Hamby, born Oct. 18, 1898 in NC, died Dec. 8, 1933 in Lenoir. Their children were Clyde Colene, born Oct. 6, 1921; Mildred Marie, born 1923; Joseph Henry, born 1924, died 1997; Earl Russell, born Apr. 3, 1928, died Jun. 22, 1994; and an unnamed child, born and died in 1932.

Alma L., born c1906

Robert Louis, born Dec. 11, 1908, died Dec. 29, 1990

Carrie, born Sep. 13, 1910, died Feb. 28, 1985. She married Hugh Hardin Edmisten, born Aug. 19, 1905 in Watauga Co., NC, died Aug. 16, 1963 in Lenoir. He was a son of Newton Edmiston and Alice Holshouser.

Joseph Dale, born May 14, 1913

Blanche Gertrude, born Nov. 19, 1914, died Mar. 8, 2004. Blanche married first William Lee Martin, born Dec. 23, 1913, died Aug. 4, 1966 in Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., NC. He was a son of Roby Sherrill and Ivalee Crisp Martin. Blanche was married second to H. C. (Bud) Andrews for whom I have no information. Blanche is buried in Wilson Memorial Park in Caldwell Co.

Obituary, The News Topic, Lenoir, Caldwell Co., NC

Blanch Andrews

Blanch Gerturde Wellborn Martin Andrews, 89, of Blowing Rock Blvd., Lenoir, died Monday, March 8, 2004, at Lenoir Healthcare Center.

She was born Nov. 19, 1914 in Caldwell County to the late Joseph and Carrie E. Coffey Wellborn. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, William Lee Martin; her second husband, (Bud) H.C. Andrews; three brothers and three sisters.

Mrs. Andrews was a homemaker was a member of Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church.

Survivors include three sons, Williams S. Martin, Jack O. Martin and Charles A. Martin all of Lenoir; a daughter, Mrs. Ivolee Martin McCall of Valdese; 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home Chapel conducted by the Rev. Joe Parker and the Rev. Lynn Hawkins. Interment will follow in J.H. Wilson Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

Serving as pallbearers will be: Jason Martin, Charles Martin, Jr., Jamie McCall, Travis Coffey, Tom Haus and Joel Coffey. Honorary pallbearers will be: Donovan Moose, Lee Moose and Will Haus.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Caldwell County Hospice, 902 Kirkwood Street, Lenoir, NC 28645; or to Mt. Olivet united Methodist Church, 2032 Mulberry Creek Road, Lenoir NC 28645; or to Wellborn Historical Society, 2400 Mourgea Avenue, High Meadow Apt. 4E, Valdese, NC 28690.

Please send additions or corrections to me at the above e-mail address.

More about George Hamilton Hayes

While updating family files using census records I discovered that George Hamilton Hayes, born Jan. 5, 1868, died Aug. 23, 1953, was a son of Joseph Hayes and Eliza Hodges.

Joseph was born Oct. 23, 1828 in Watauga Co., and died Apr. 28, 1907 in that county. He married Eliza Hodges on Oct. 10, 1848 in Ashe Co., NC. Eliza was born Jan. 6, 1829 in North Carolina, and died in Boone, Watauga Co. on Aug. 3, 1887. Joseph was a son of Ransom Hayes and Sarah Greene.

There were other children born to Ransom and Sarah, but I have only looked at Joseph and Richard. Richard was born in May 1849. He married Delphia L. Hayes. I have not yet found a blook link between Delphia and Richard. They were the parents of Etta May Hayes who married Francis Richmond Coffey on Dec. 25, 1891 in Globe Twp., Caldwell Co., NC.

Ransom was born c1805 in Caldwell Co., NC, a son of George Hayes, Sr., and Mary Judah (Polly) Mills Hayes. Mary was a daughter of William Mills and Sarah Ellis.

Please send additions and/or corrections to me at the e-mail address below.

Joshua Elmo Coffey [Updated 7/19/2008]

Joshua Elmo (Jerry) Coffey was a son of Jesse C. Coffey and Nancy F. Allen. Jesse, born Jan. 12, 1833 in Nelson Co., VA was a son of Garland and Nancy Coffey Coffey, who were the parents of 12 children:

Mary Jane, born Jun. 8, 1855, married John A. Harris Feb. 26, 1874 in Augusta Co., VA

Joshua Elmo

Beatrice Ann, born Apr. 24, 1860, Nelson Co., married Thomas Mays, Sep. 25, 1877

William Garland, born Jun. 3, 1862, Rockbridge Co., VA

Nancy Elizabeth, born May 21, 1864 in Rockbridge Co.

Allen F. Sherman, born May 27, 1866, died Apr. 13, 1913, married Susan V. Hamilton Jun. 4, 1891, Rockbridge Co.

George Robert, born Mar. 16, 1869, Augusts Co., married Sarah Emma Lotts, Feb. 10, 1891, Nelson Co.

Jacob W., born Jun. 4, 1871 Augusta Co., married c1921 to Stella Hite

John Franklin, born Apr. 20, 1874, Augusta Co., died Dec. 21, 1944, married Willie Winsor, Aug.19, 1908, Rockbridge Co.

Emily Susan, born Jul. 9, 1876, died Dec. 9, 1876

Rosa Belle, born Jul. 21, 1878, died Jun. 14, 1920, married Robert O. Nuckols Oct. 14, 1899 in Augusta Co.

James Rucker, born Feb. 22, 1881 in Nelson Co., married Martha Rebecca Anderson Jun. 10, 1900 in Augusta Co.

Joshua Elmo was born May 13, 1857 in Augusta Co, and died Oct. 23, 1934 in Lima, Allen Co., OH. He married Emma Bridenbaugh (or, according to the title link website, Emma Breitenbach) on Mar. 31, 1881 in Pike Co., OH. Together they had at least six children:

Elmer, born Mar. 28, 1883, died Dec., 1929. Elmer married Grace LNU, born c1887 in Michigan. Their children were Vera, Thelma, Elmer, Jr., Vivian, Wenouah (female), Jack and Robert E. According to his death certificate, Elmer Sr. died on accidental Novocaine poisoning. He was buried at Tecumseh, Lenawee Co., MI.

Edythe B., born Jun. 27, 1885, died Dec. 10, 1960, married Jul. 27, 1905 in Wabanusee Co., KS to Benjamin D. H. Hartman, born Jul. 9, 1886 in Pike Co., died May 19, 1948 in Montgomery Co., OH. She is buried at Cairo, Allen Co., OH.

Asa, born May 1, 1889 - nothing found after 1917 when he registered for the WW1 draft in Lima, Allen Co., OH.

Patrick, born Sep. 10, 1890 - ditto

Grover, born Aug. 22, 1892 - nothing found after 1920 when he was living with his brother Elmer in Detroit, MI.

Hazel, born Mar. 29, 1897, died May 19, 1975.  She married Gurney C. Spurlock on Apr. 9, 1917 in Hardin Co., OH.  He was born Aug. 14, 1892 in OH and died Jul. 22, 1971 in Allen Co.  Gurney was the son of Cyrus and Margaret Spurlock.  Cyrus was the son of Levi and Eliza Williams Spurlock.

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