Willie Newton Coffey

There is no doubt that Willie Newton Coffey was a son of Mathew and Emily Troxell Coffey.

Willie was born in Kentucky in 1903, probably in Wayne Co.  He was in that county in 1910.  In 1920 he and his family lived in McCreary Co.  

Mathew, the father, was born to Henry Baker Coffey and Sarah Elizabeth Dobbs in June of 1875, married Emily, a daughter of Jacob and Salena Steel Troxell in about 1896.

Between Oct., 1896 and Jan., 1917 Emily and Mathew had at least six children. They were: Sarah Jane; William "Willie"; Salena, who is said to have married Lark Bell in about 1924; Sallie; Ed Lincoln, born 1911, married Edna Hatfield; and Goldman, born in 1917.

Willie is something of an enigma.  I write that with some misgivings because he may have been no puzzle at all over his lifetime* and did not try to hide from the law.

A newspaper article appeared in the Lexington  (KY) Herald in July, 1946 announcing the arrest of Willie Newton Coffey in Birmingham, AL for killing his father, Mathew Coffey, in Wayne County in 1928.  It was reported that "shortly before the elder Coffey was slain, his son had escaped from a Wayne county jail where he had been held on a "drunkenness charge."  

That was the first and last article that I have been able to find in any KY newspaper so it is not possible for me to tell you if he was tried, convicted and jailed, or if found innocent or not guilty of his father's death.

News Item, The Lexington Herald, Lexington, KY, Thu., Jul. 11, 1946, Page 9, Col. 4

Arrest Suspect in 1928 Patricide

Monticello, Ky., July 10 (AP) - County Judge S. E. Anderson announced today the arrest of Willie Newton Coffey, 44, wanted in Wayne county for the past 17 1/2 years in connection with the slaying of his father.

Judge Anderson said Coffey was picked up on a disorderly conduct charge at Tarrant, Ala., a Birmingham suburb.  He said Birmingham police notified Wayne county officials that Coffey admitted he fatally shot his father, Matthew Coffey, in 1928.

"Coffey hadn't been seen in Wayne county since then," declared the judge, adding that a murder indictment had been returned in March, 1929, against Coffey.

The judge said Sheriff J. J. Gibson would go to Frankfort, probably Thursday, to get a requisition for the extradition of Coffey from Alabama to Wayne county.

Judge Anderson said that shortly before the elder Coffey was slain, his son had escaped from jail where he had been held on a drunkenness charge.  The judge said Coffey had been quoted as saying he fired as his father was about to attack his mother.

What I do know is in 1930 a William Coffee [sic] appeared in the McDowell Co., WV census with Minnie Jane Carter Coffee.  He was 26 years-old; Minnie was also 26.  With them was Helen Blaylock, a five year-old step-daughter to Willie.  Willie was employed as a coal digger.

There is a 1938 marriage license in  McDowell Co. that tells us he and Minnie were married on Oct. 14 of that year.  The application tells us that he was born in Crossville, TN, and named his parents as George and Mary Coffey**.  Minnie named her parents as Ernest and India Carter.

The 1940 census for Birmingham, Jefferson Co., AL includes William [sic] and Minnie as well as Gladus [sic], a daughter, age 8, born WV; Hershel, a son, age 7, born WV; and William J., a son aged eight months, born in AL.  The step-daughter Helen was no longer with the family.  

Gladys, born in Matewan, Mingo Co., WV, had at least three children:  Lynda Sue Coffey, born KY in 1950; Glynda Gaye, born 1955 in Birmingham and Viola Coffey, born 1965 in McCreary Co.  Glynda Faye died by drowning in 1970 at Birmingham where she had been taken by her grandfather, Willie Coffey to visit relatives.  The obituary reports she was survived by sisters Viola and Lynda as well as a half-brother, Robert Lee Pearson, all of Stearns, KY.

Willie died in Jan., 1973 in McCreary Co. and was buried at Sherd Dobbs Cemetery in Whitley City.

Minnie died Feb. 7, 1986 at Somerset in Pulaski Co., KY.  She was 84 years-old.  Her obituary reports that she was the daughter of Lee and India Carter.  Her husband, William "Willie" Coffey preceded her in death in 1972.  A daughter, Helen Thompson, granddaughter Glynda Coffey, two brothers, Robert and Walter Carter and one sister, Gertrude Sloan also preceded her in death.  She was survived by children Herschel Coffey and Elsie Reynolds of Birmingham, AL; William, Jr. of Wayne Co., KY; Gladys Coffey and Lynda Dobbs of Sterns and a brother, Ray of WV.

Minnie is also buried at Sherd Dobbs.

Comments, corrections and additions welcomed.

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*Apparently, the law was not actively searching for Willie from 1928 until 1946 for killing his father.  It was only after he was arrested near Birmingham for "disorderly conduct" in 1946 and perhaps volunteering information about killing his father that he was returned to Wayne County to face the law.  Certainly, with all of the people who went back and forth between KY and WV to work in the coal mines, someone would have known and reported the whereabouts of Willie to the KY authorities.

**Well, he may have tried somewhat to misdirect any leads to his birthplace and involvement in the death of his father.

Jackson Lafayette Coffey

Jackson Lafayette Coffey

Jackson was a son of Alfred Alphonso and Julia Ann Dawkins Coffey and was born on Jan. 28, 1865 in TN and died Nov. 24, 1946 in Corsicana, Navarro Co., TX.  Apparently, sometime in his life he was a policeman as seen in this photograph, credited to Madlyn Dill Simkulet.  Madlyn is very likely a descendant of Jackson's daughter, Clara who married Orand Edwil Dill.  It appears - if colors are accurate - that Jackson was a red-headed Coffey.

Ellie Horton Coffey

Jackson married Ella Mahle "Ellie" Horton c1886.  Ellie was the daughter of W. A. and Annie Gibson Horton, and was born Jan. 30, 1868 in GA and died on Dec. 22, 1956 in Corsicana.  Both are buried at the Hamilton-Beeman Cemetery in Retreat, Navarro Co.  This photo of Ellie was also credit to Simkulet.

The 1900 census found the couple in Marion Co., TN.  By 1904 they were in Texas.  The following census they were in Navarro Co. and in 1920 in Henderson Co., TX.  In 1930 they were back in Navarro where they continued to live until death claimed them both.

I recently received the following e-mail from John Thompson, a great-grandson of Jackson and Ellie:

Good morning Jack. My name is John Thompson. I am Lillie Coffee Covington"s grandson. 'Ella' Coffee was my great grandmother. She was my mother's grandmother. We knew her as Ellie. That's what my mother and grandmother called her.

I read, with interest, your information and I have to say I am impressed by the work that you have put into the site. I was looking for information about Lillie's parents when I ran across your site.  Very good job!

Thank you for the excellent information.

I knew Ellie. She lived with my grandmother for the last several years of her life. In fact my grandfather James, 'Jim', Covington built a room on their little house in Corsicana for her. Since we lived in Corsicana and were at my grandmother's house every day, I remember Ellie very well. She was a sweet and kind woman. I can remember playing in her room and under her bed as a little boy. I was born in 1950 so I was around her until I was six.

Ellie was a strong Christian woman with a rock solid faith in her Lord and God. She passed this down to us. My whole family is now saved and serving God in various capacities because of this woman. I want you to know that she changed the course of my brother's and my life by her prayers for us as babies and little children. She was a great woman. I thought you would enjoy knowing some firsthand information about Ellie's later years. She was full of life and was healthy until the very end of her days. She passed her longevity on to her daughter. My grandmother Lillie lived to be 98 and was also healthy until the very end.

Well, I trust that this is a blessing to you. Keep up the good work.  And again, thank you so much for this excellent site. I will be passing the site information to my family.

Sincerely, John Thompson

There were at least 10 children born to Jackson and Ellie:

Clara, born Dec. 17, 1884 in TN, died Sep. 6, 1956 in Houston, Harris Co., TX.  Clara was the wife of Orand Edwin Dill to whom she was married c1902.  Orand was born Jun. 22, 1875 in TX and died May 11, 1951 in Terrell, Kaufman Co., TX.  He is buried at Dresden in Navarro Co. while Clara is at Forest Park in Houston.  They were parents of at least five:  Duna Winnifred, James Shannon, Lee Roy, Norma Geline and Orand, Jr.

The second child was Charles Clifton, born Dec., 1887.  No further information.

George Clinton "Clint" was next, born Dec 1, 1889 in Chattanooga, Hamilton Co., TN, died May 12, 1965 in Corsicana.  Clint married Ella Mae Covington on Dec. 28, 1913 in Jester, Navarro Co.  She was born Mar. 6, 1889 in GA to Elias Haskell and Mary M. Martin Covington and was a sister to James Alexander "Jim" Covington that married George's sister, Lillie Mae and to John Elias Covington who married Tennie Pearl Hunt.  Ella Mae died Jun. 22, 1983 in Corsicana.  She and Clint are buried at Hamilton-Beeman.

Their children were at least six in number:

Beauford Clinton Coffey

Beauford Clinton, born 1917 in Navarro Co., died 1982 in Montgomery Co., PA.  Beauford married a lady by the name of Miriam and were parents of at least two children, Wayne and Bryan.  He was a veteran of WW2, having enlisted in the US Army on Mar. 12, 1942 at Camp Walters, Palo Pinto Co., TX.

Margaret Ellen, born 1919 in Jester, married Charles Willie Cooper, born 1918, died 2002 at Corsicana.

Gracie Fay, born 1922 at Purdon in Navarro Co., married Joe Pierce Woodard.  He was born in 1918 and died in Fort Worth on Feb. 26, 1979.  He is buried at Hamilton-Beeman.

Alfred G. Coffey

Alfred G., born 1925 in Purdon, died Nov. 3, 1967 at San Angelo in Tom Green Co., TX.  He married Helen Emily Hinrich and was the father of at least three:  Beverly Kay, Emily Lisa and Alfred, Jr.  He was also married a second time to a lady named Reba but I have no information about her or possible children.  Alfred is buried at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens in San Angelo.  He was also a veteran of WW2.  He enlisted into the US Army in Dallas on Jun. 23, 1943.

The next child born to Clint and Ellie was Oneida Mae "Johnnie," born Nov. 10, 1926 in Wood Co., TX, died Nov. 3, 1999 in Garland, Dallas Co., TX.  Johnnie married Charlie Lee Bascam Caskey on Feb. 9, 1946 in Corsicana.  Charlie was born in 1917 in Dawson, Navarro Co., and died Dec. 5, 1998 in Garland.  Both are buried at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas.  They had at least one son, John Carl, born 1955, died 1997.

The last child of Clint and Ellie was Betty Jo, born Feb. 10, 1931 in Corbet, Navarro Co., died Nov. 13, 1985 in Dallas.  She married Willie Pete Thompson, born Jan. 31, 1930, died Dec. 25, 1983 in Dallas.  Both are buried at Hamilton-Beeman.

Corrections and additions are welcomed.

More on this family to follow.

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My appreciation to Madlyn Dill Simkulet for making the photographs available and, to John Thompson for his kind remarks.  Clicking on The Farm to Mkt Road link below will show the location of the Beeman-Hamilton cemetery.

Ernest Irven Coffey Ahnentafel

Generation 1

1. Ernest Irven COFFEY: born Mar. 13, 1888 in Missouri; died Sep. 23, 1955 in Clayton, St. Louis Co., MO.

Generation 2

2. Squire Jackson COFFEY: born Nov. 1851 in Missouri; married Oct. 2, 1876 in Maries Co., MO; died May 20, 1926 in Lawton, Comanche Co., OK.

3. Sarah F. GIBSON: born Jul. 3, 1858 in Missouri; died Feb. 16, 1944.

Generation 3

4. Irvin S. COFFEY: born ca 1822 in Kentucky; married Nov. 3, 1842 in Jackson, Osage Co., MO.

5. Nancy HUGHES: born Feb. 7, 1826 in Osage Co., MO; died abt 1860 in Maries Co., MO.

Generation 4

8. Marvel COFFEY: born ca 1790; married Feb. 2, 1813 in Burke Co., NC; died before Aug. 17, 1840 in Gasconade Co., MO.

9. Rachel BOONE: born 1793 in Burke Co., NC.

10. John HUGHES: born Oct. 6, 1780 in Virginia; married c1803 in Burke Co., NC; died c1856 in Sacramento Co., CA.

11. Jane BILYEU: born May 22, 1785 in North Carolina; died Oct. 8, 1845 in Osage Co., MO.

Generation 5

16. Thomas COFFEY: born Mar. 7, 1742 in Essex Co., VA; married 1778/9; died Apr. 1825 in Wilkes Co., NC.

17. Sarah "Sally" FIELDS: born c1750 in Virginia; died Nov. 21, 1828 in Wilkes Co., NC.

18. Jesse BOONE: born c1748 in York Co., PA; married 1772; died Dec. 11, 1829 in McMinn Co., TN.

19. Sarah MCMAHAN: born c1750 in Rowan Co., NC; died 1830 in McMinn Co., TN.

Generation 6

32. John COFFEY: born bet 1699 and 1700 in Essex Co., VA; married c1728 in Virginia; died bet Jan. 1775 and Feb. 1775 in Albemarle Co., VA.

33. Jane GRAVES: born c1708 in Essex Co., VA; died 1792 in Wilkes Co., NC.

34. Richard FIELDS: born c1727 in Virginia; married; died c1764 in Virginia.

35. Elizabeth MURREL: born c1723 in Virginia; died Sep. 14, 1830 in Virginia.

Generation 7

64. Edward COFFEY: born c1670 in Ireland; married 1700 in Essex Co., VA; died cNov. 20, 1716 in Essex Co., VA.

65. Anne POWELL: born bet 1683 and 1685 in Essex Co., VA; died bet Oct. 1744 and Dec. 1744 in Essex Co., VA.

66. John GRAVES: married.

67. Hannah  .

Generation 8

130. Thomas POWELL: married c1665.

131. Mary PLACE: born bet 1648 and 1649 in Virginia; died Dec. 1710 in Richmond Co., VA.





No. 984

Squire Coffey in Missouri

The reader question on the previous blog prompted me to do a bit of digging into the Squire Coffey men of Missouri.

I have found three with that name in Maries Co. and they are all related to Squire Coffey, born 1803 in Burke Co., NC, died after 1840 in Cherokee Co., NC.  I'll call him Squire 1.  He was a son of Smith Coffey and Hannah Boone.

Squire 2, the first in Maries Co. was a son of Marvel Coffey and Rachel Boone.  He was born in TN in 1828 and died 1912 in Hickory Co., MO.  He married Drucilla Parker and had children: Matilda, William D. B.; John R., Mary E., Martha E.; and Malinda J. 

Smith Coffey and Marvel Coffey were half-brothers, sons of Thomas Coffey; Smith by first wife, Elizabeth Smith and Marvel by second wife, Sarah Fields. Rachel and Hannah Boone were sisters, daughters of Jesse Boone who was a son of Israel, a brother to Daniel.

Squire 3 was Squire Jackson and, a son of Irvin S. and Nancy Hughes Coffey.  Irvin was a son of Marvel and Rachel.  Squire Jackson was born c1853 and married Sarah F. Gibson in 1876, Maries Co.  Their children known to me were Carnie Ellis and, Earnest J.

Squire 4 was also Squire Jackson and a son of John M. and Susan A. Vanderpool Coffey.  John M. was a son of Irvin and Nancy Hughes Coffey.  This Squire Jackson married Clara Della Eads on Sep. 29, 1901 in Maries Co.  Two of their children were Leslie H. and James C.

Squire 2 through 4 were double-first cousins to Squire 1, with 50 years separating the youngest from the oldest.







No. 983

William Webster Davis and his two Coffey wives

William Webster Davis was born Jan. 26, 1837 in Amherst Co., VA and died there on Apr. 10, 1909. He first married Sarah Jane Coffey c1860 in Amherst Co. This union produced two sons, John, born c1861 and Henry c1863. Sarah likely died in childbirth because she disappeared immediately after Henry's birth.

Sarah Jane was the daughter of John Jack and Elizabeth Susan Duff Coffey. John Jack and Henry, father of William Davis' second wife, Avarila Coffey, were brothers. John Jack and Henry were sons of Jordan Coffey.

William married Avarila Coffey on Sep. 14, 1865 in Pedlar Dist., Amherst Co. She was born Mar. 2, 1846 to Henry F. and Elizabeth (Betsy) McDaniel Coffey. Henry is often thought of as a son of Jordan and Elizabeth Rippetoe Coffey, but may have been the son of one of Jordan's daughters out of wedlock.

John Taylor, a Coffeytown researcher, had this to say about Henry:

"...although Henry Coffey shows for the first time in the 1850 Census as the head of a household, he may have been one of 2 boys his age living with Jordan and Elizabeth in 1840. According to Census reports, Henry was born around 1817. He married, at the age of 31, Elizabeth (McDaniel) (Ogden) Coffey, who was slightly older than Henry, and she had several children of her own from a previous marriage to Zachariah Ogden. Henry seems to have acted as guardian to her older children and they took his surname, at least for the census reports, but, except for Paulin, they are believed to have used their own surnames later. Henry F. Coffey died 10 June 1871 of Colic, in Amherst County, according to the Amherst County death records. The information on the death record, including naming his parents as Charles and Jane Coffey of Nelson County, was given by Henry's son, Henry L. Coffey. His place of burial is unknown, but is probably up on the hill behind Embree Crawford's house [Coffeytown], in an unmarked grave, perhaps with Elizabeth."

William and Sarah's children were John Davis, born c1861, and Henry, born c1863.

Children by Avarila were:

Virginia Anne (Jenny) Davis, born 1866, died 1941. She married Arthur Coffey, a once removed first cousin and son of William (Billy) and Sarah G. (Sally) Crawford Coffey. Billy was a son of Jordan and Elizabeth.

Arthur Coffey

Arthur and Jenny's children were: Hallie Pearl, born c1881, married John Houston Crawford; Hiram Randolph, born Feb. 26, 1886, died Sep. 17, 1924, married Susie A. Catlett; Mabel Irene, born Jan. 3, 1885, married Emmett Boyd Humphries; Ernest Webster, born Feb. 5, 1888, died 1982, married Ethel McClung Stratton, daughter of George Baxter and Elianna [Eleanor?] Coffey. Elianna was the daughter of Charles Edward and Sarah Jane Ogden Coffey.

The next child born to Arthur and Jenny was Alma Gertrude, born c1891, married Thomas Powell Crawford; Fletcher Beadles, born Oct. 3, 1893, died Aug. 11, 1975, married Maggie Lee Harris; Mina Lee, born Jan. 10, 1895, died Feb. 1, 1979, married first to Thompson Massie Davis; second to James William Gibson.

Sally, born c1897, followed Mina. She married first Wallace Earl Palmer and second, Glenn Wyatt; Leonard Carlyle, born May 13, 1903, died Aug. 23, 1959, married Mary Elsie Coffey, a daughter of Hiter Webster and Mary Higginbotham Coffey. Hiter was also a son of Charles Edward and Sarah Jane Ogden Coffey.



Leonard Carlyle and Mary Elsie Coffey Coffey

The last child of Arthur and Virginia was Essie Rose, born Apr. 4, 1907, died Jun. 19, 1999. She married Emmett Lewis Sale.

The remaining children of William Webster and Avarila Coffey Davis were:

Ida Penn, born c1867; Cornelia Catherine, born c1869, married Thomas H. McDaniel; Elizabeth Pendleton, born about Apr. 1870; Amanda Ellen, born c1873; Houston Carlyle, born c1874; Mary Lee, born c1877; Callie Tucker, born Sep. 1881; Tully Ashby, born Mar. 8, 1883; Chester Cleveland, born Jan. 11, 1885; Royal Wilbur, born Oct. 10, 1886; and Edna Belle, born Apr., 1891.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address with additions and/or corrections.