James, Jr. was one of the sons of James, Sr. and his wife Sarah Emaline “Sally” Sumpter Coffey. Junior was the sixth of 10, born c1823 in Wayne Co., KY and died Nov. 16, 1872 in Perry Co., MO. He and Sophie are thought to be buried at the Mount Hope cemetery in Perryville.
Sophie was of French descent; both of her parents were born in France. She was born in Missouri c1834. Her date of death and their marriage date is unknown. I’ve seen her surname spelled several ways, including Gabber, Giebear, Gebbar, etc. In the 1850 census of Cape Cinque Hommes, Perry Co., MO, the family surname is spelled Giebear.
James may have been married prior to his departure from Kentucky. Up until c1851 he was in in Pulaski Co., KY. In 1860 he was in Perryville, MO with Sophie. However, in the census that year there was a female child named Permelia E., age 14, born in IL. She may or may not have been James’ child. James was in the household with his parents in 1850 and there was not a child named Permelia with him She could also have been Sophia’s child from a previous marriage, but she carried the Coffey family name in the 1860 census.
I have four children for James and Sophia, all born and died in Perry Co. and buried at Mount Hope:
James Henry, born Feb. 14, 1853, died Jun. 11, 1940. His wife was Mary Emma Dickerson, born c1866 in MO. She may also be at Mount Hope. They had at least one child, James Edward, born Aug. 25, 1895, died Aug. 14, 1961. His wife was Mary Zelpha Layton, born Oct. 18, 1894 in MO, died Nov. 10, 1979. They are also at Mount Hope.
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| Photo credit: Marita Easterday |
Mary Jane was born next, on Feb. 12, 1857, died Jun. 24, 1954. She married c1885 John D. [Douglas?] Red, a native of IL, born Sep. 17, 1842. He died Jan 30, 1908. Both are buried at Mount Hope. Their children were Mary S., born c1886 in IL; Julia, born Apr., 1888 in CA [sic], and Charles, born Mar. 1894 in MO.
Lucinda Elizabeth was last, born Sep. 10, 1859 in Adair Co., MO, died Aug. 7, 1937 in Perryville. Her husband was John Calvin Welker, born Jul. 9, 1858, died Nov. 6, 1931 in Perryville. They too are at Mount Hope.
Their children were: Ola Elma, born Mar 11, 1884; Jesse Clarenton, born Jun. 7, 1886; Clinton Oliver, born Jun. 14, 1888; Mary Ethel, born Jan. 5, 1891 and twin daughters, born Sep. 1, 1892 that apparently died at birth and unnamed. The Missouri birth records report that Ola was the 3d child born to Lucinda and the twins were No. 6 and No. 7. They also report that Mary Ethel was child No. 6. If the records are correct, John and Lucinda were parents of at least eight, perhaps nine children.
I have not yet begun to research all of the children belonging to each of James and Sophia’s children.
Readers are invited to add to or correct any of this information.
The first two children of John Calvin and Lucinda Elizabeth Coffey Welker were William E., and Victoria Edith.
William was born Aug., 1878, died Jun. 8, 1950, Perry Co. William's wife was Josephine Maria Lappe, born Dec. 15, 1880 in MO, died there on Jun. 10, 1968. Children were Rudolph and Elmo. Wm. and Josephine are buried at St. Maurus Catholic Cemetery in Biehle, Perry Co., MO.
Victoria was born Oct., 1881 at Cinque Homme and married Joseph Baudendistel. Joseph was born c1885 in MO and died Aug. 28, 1937 in Rulo, Richardson Co., NE. Victoria died Jun. 26, 1988 in NE and is also buried at Rulo. This family moved around a lot! They were in married in MO, c1908. By 1910 they were in North Dakota where they remained at least through 1912. From 1914 thru at least 1917 they were back in MO but by 1921 they were in KS and remained there at least until 1930. That year they appeared in the Irving, Brown Co., KS census on the Iowa Indian Reservation.
Their children were: John E., born c1910 in ND; Raymond S., born c1912 in ND; Victor, born 1914 in MO, died 1916 in St. Louis, MO; Lillian, born c1917 in MO; Paul, born c1921 in KS; Mildred, born c1923 in KS; Juanita B. born c1925 in KS and Wesley E., born c1927 in KS.
