Theodore F. Coffey

Hiram Coffey was born c1916 in Indiana to John Waid and Mary "Polly" Harbert or Harbord Coffey.  He married Elvira Coe on Oct. 15, 1843 in Jeffersonville, Clark Co., IN.*  By 1860 they were residing in McLean Co., IL but apparently spent a number of years in Indiana before relocating; four of their nine children were born in that state.  By 1870 he and Elvira were back in IN and residing in Bloomington Twp., Monroe Co.

The couple had at least nine children:  Theodore, Henrietta, Mary, Loretta, Frances Josephine, Arabine (Allie); Amadin (Amy), Abraham Lincoln, and Clara.

Concentrating on Theodore for this blog, I found that he was born Aug. 10, 1844 in Salem Twp., Washington Co., IN and died on June 9, 1926 in Bloomington, McLean Co., IL.  He married Laura B. Freshwaters c1879, who was born on Oct. 10, 1860 in Apollo, Armstrong Co., PA and died April 21, 1928 in Bloomington.**

There were three children born to this union.  First was Euliss Elvira, born in Apr., 1880.  Mark A. was next, born in Dec., 1881 followed by Hallie L., a son, in Aug., 1889.  I have not yet followed these children to discover their marriages, death, etc.

In 1880 Theodore was clerking in a store in Bloomington but by 1900 he was employed as a traveling salesman.  His break came in 1903 when he received a patent for his "new and useful Needle-Threader."  US Patent No. 735,211 was issued to Theodore on Aug. 4, 1903.  The device was designed to thread either a hand or a sewing machine needle.  From that period until his death in 1926 Theodore continued to make and sell his invention.



Theodore died on Jun. 9, 1926 at home at 706 E. Mill St. in Bloomington and was buried at Hopewell Cemetery in Downs, McLean Co., IL.  Laura followed on Apr. 21, 1928 and is also buried at Hopewell.

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*Indiana State Library Genealogy Database: Marriages through 1850, Indiana State Library online [http://199.8.200.229/db/marriages_search.asp], accessed Sep.,2005.
**"Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," database, FamilySearch Historical Records from Illinois Department of Health. "Certificates of Death." Illinois Department of Health, Springfield, Illinois. FHL microfilm. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jesse and Eleanor Coffey Compton

According to some sources, Eleanor Coffey was born Jan. 9, 1793 in Wilkes Co., NC to John Coffey and Mary Hall.  Mary's maiden name has also not been agreed upon,  Some research shows it as Hull or Harbord.  I do not know which is correct.

John, born c1753, probably in Albemarle Co., VA, was a son of James and Elizabeth Cleveland Coffey.  He died Dec. 27, 1825 in Wilkes Co.  Mary was born Dec. 18, 1755, location unknown.

James Coffey, born Jul 4, 1729 in Essex Co., VA, was a son of John and Jane Graves Coffey.  Elizabeth Cleveland is said by some to be the illegitimate daughter of Grace Cleveland who may have been a daughter of Alexander Cleveland.  Some researchers believe that Elizabeth was the daughter of Edward Coffey, a son of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey, because he eventually married Grace.

By tradition, Alexander's wife has been named Mildred (Milly) Presly.  Her name is also the subject of some controversy.

In my opinion, and to my knowledge, this family arrangement has not been satisfactorily researched.

Eleanor is believed to be the ninth of 11 children born to John and Mary.  Jesse was the son of Hezekiah and Jane Fields Compton.  Jane Fields was the daughter of Thomas Fields and Elizabeth Coffey.  Eleanor is in the fourth generation of descendants of John and Jane Graves Coffey.  Jane Fields is in the third genereation of descendants.

Jesse Compton and Eleanor Coffey are said to have married in Feb., 1819.  They were in Forsyth Co., GA in 1840 and remained there at least through the 1850 census.  Eleanor seems to have died before 1860.  That year found Jesse in the household with his son Marshal in Polk Co., TN.

In addition to Marshall, born c1835, Jesse and Eleanor had at least three other children:  Jane Elvira, born c1821; Mary, born c1825; and Sarah, born c1832.  There were likely others.

Marshal is the only child for whom I have found descendants.  He married Jane, born c1829 in Kentucky, c1856.  Their first two children were Henry, born c1858 and Georgia, born c1859 and were born in TN.  The next child was Lovedy [sic], born c1862 in GA.  In 1870 Jane appeared as a widow in the 1870 Whitfield Co., GA census with those three children as well as a son Caswell [?], born c1867 in GA. 

Marshal enlisted in Co. H., 36th Inf. Regt., GA on Apr. 24, 1862.  He died on May 16, 1863 at Bakers Creek in MS from wounds received there.

Bakers Creek was a battle fought between Union and Confederates as part of the battle at Champion Hill in Hinds Co., MS.  The Raymond Road forded Bakers Creek, and was a Confederate escape route to the Vicksburg road and, of course, into Vicksburg.  The Confederates lost some 4,300 men in the campaign.

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