Lafayette Jackson Coffey

This death certificate is a tad bit difficult to read. It is for Lafayette Jackson Coffey who died in Angelina Co., TX on Jun. 10, 1950. According to the document, he was born Sep. 13, 1866 in Hope, [Hempstead Co.] AR to Lilburn Jackson and Lucindi [sic] Sutton Coffey. The informant was George J. Coffey, likely a son.

I have previously written about my GGG-grandfather, Lilburn Coffee. He brought his family from TN to Hempstead Co., AR and settled in the Hope area in about 1850. His first wife, Sarah Hannah Taylor died in March, 1860 and, in 1861 he married Lucinda Sutton. Lilburn died c1877 and I have been unable to find Lucinda in the 1880 census. She was alive however, because in 1883 she asked the county that her father William Sutton be designated a pauper and paid the sum of $10 per month.

I suspect that this Lilburn Jackson, father of Lafayette, is a previously unknown son of my ancestor Lilburn. If he is, he would likely be with his mother in the 1880 census, but neither of them can be found. Neither Lilburn Jackson nor his son Lafayette Jackson has been found in any census through the 1930 enumeration.

A death record has been found for George Jackson Coffey who died in Angelina Co., TX on Jun. 3, 1991. He is likely the George J. Coffey who was the informant on Lafayette's death certificate, and he has also not been found in any census record.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address if you have any information on any of these Coffey families.

Mary E. Coffee Ames

Mary E. Coffee was the sister of my great-grandfather, James M. Coffee and the wife of Finis E. Ames. She was born c1848 in Tennessee and died Apr. 21, 1916 in Hope, Hempstead Co., AR. She and Finis were married on Sep. 5, 1869 in Hempstead Co. in a ceremony officiated by H. D. McKennon, MG.

Finis is believed to be the son of Sylvester C. and Delila Brown Ames. He was born Apr. 27, 1844 in Mississippi and died Jan. 19, 1916 in Hope. His siblings are thought to have been: Brother O., born 1845, Mary E., born c1847; Sylvester, born 1851; George Washington, born 1856, and Jonathan Ashmore, born 1857.

Mary and Finis were found in the 1870 Hempstead Co., Ozan Twp. census. In 1880 they were in Bowie Co., TX, and were neighbors of the William Watson family. The 1900 census found them back in Hempstead Co. Finis reported that his parents were born in Michigan. Finis was also on the Hempstead Co. voter rolls for the years 1892-1893, and 1897-1898. The family apparently moved several times between Texas and Arkansas.

Of the few remaining burial sites that can be identified in the old Hanegan-Robinson cemetery near Old Washington, Hempstead Co., is that of Finis and Mary.

The newspaper, Star of Hope, the forerunner of the present day Hope Star, wrote on Jan. 19, 1916, page 4:

"AMES, F. E., one of the oldest and best known citizens of this section, died this morning at his home about 1 mile north of Hope."

The same newspaper wrote on Apr. 29, 1916, page 4:

"AMES, Mrs. F. E., at an advanced age, died at the home of her son, E. E. Ames, near this city last Friday. Her death was preceded by that of her husband only recently."

Children of Finis and Mary were:

William W. (Willie), born May., 1872. He married Emma, last name unknown, c1894. They had at least three children: Fred C., born Nov., 1896; Clara J., born Dec., 1897; and Hazel, born Jan., 1900.

Albert Alexander, born Jan. 29, 1874 in Hempstead Co., and married Marie, last name unknown, who was born in Louisiana c1887.

Everett Edward, born Jul. 5, 1876 in Hempstead Co., and died there on Sep. 29, 1930. He married Ollie Herrin c1906. She was born in Texas on Feb. 13, 1887 and died Sep. 5, 1980 in Hempstead Co.

Their children were:

- Pauline, born c1907, died Jul., 1912;

- Hernand0 (Uncle Bub), born Dec. 20, 1908, died May, 1982; Jewel Edward, born Nov. 22, 1914, died Nov., 1967; and William, who died c1943. Hernando married Cathleen G., last name unknown, c1929. She was born in Arkansas on Aug. 24, 1907 and died Nov. 20, 1999 in Sour Lake, Hardin Co., TX. There was at least one child, Jimmie D., born Sep., 1929.

- Jewel Edward, born Nov. 22, 1914, died Nov., 1967; and

- William, who died c1943

Everett Edward Ames registered for the draft in Hempstead Co. on Sep. 12, 1918. He was described as having of medium height and build with blue eyes and light colored hair. He was 41 yrs. old; born July 4, 1876. He was a self-employed farmer at RFD #4, in Hope where he resided with his wife Margaret Olive Ames.

Harry, born Nov., 1879

John, born Jun., 1885

I would really like to hear from any descendants of Sylvester and Delila Brown Ames. I can be reached at the above e-mail address.

The Watson & Courtney Families, Part I

William Watson was a son of Jerry John and Susanah Lyles Watson. He was born c1848 in Perryville, Perry Co., AR. He is thought to have first married Martha L. Stevenson but nothing is known of this union.

He became part of my Coffee family when in 1879 he married Mary Elizabeth Bowman Coffee, the widow of James M. Coffee, my GG-Grandfather. Mary was the daughter of Joseph T. and Naphania Hardin Bowman.

Joseph, and his father Jesse are well known in the history of the Texas Revolution. Jesse died at the Alamo on Mar. 6, 1836. Joseph was born in Illinois and came to Texas with his parents in 1835. He married Naphania on Jan. 26, 1843 in Hempstead Co., AR.

Mary was the third of the 10 children known to have been born to Joseph and Naphania. She was born Mar. 5, 1846 in DeKalb, Bowie Co., TX. As the wife of James M. Coffee, Mary gave birth to my grandfather, Albert Lilburn Coffee in 1873. Her first child was Sarah Ellen Coffee, born Sep. 19, 1869.

She and William were married and remained in Texas until 1883 when Mary died. She is believed to have died shortly after the birth of her second child. She and William had two daughters, Lillie Wes, born Feb. 10, 1880, and Mary Elizabeth, born Aug. 28, 1883.

William is said to have served on the Confederate side during the Civil War, and either lost an arm or had one that was severely injured.

The family was in Bowie Co., TX in 1880, and both Sarah Ellen and Albert Lilburn were enumerated as step-children of William. Next door to the Watson family was the Finis Ames family. Finis was the husband of Mary E. Coffee, sister to James M.

At the death of Mary Bowman Coffey Watson, William desired to return to NW Arkansas. The Coffee children were turned over to the Ames family and William departed with his two daughters for Crawford Co., AR. His mother was still living in the Lee Creek area of Crawford Co., and this is where he is believed to have temporarily settled. He later moved into the Sequoyah Co., OK area and died in Adair Co. c1918.

His daughter Lillie married William Joseph Courtney on Dec. 23, 1896 in Crawford Co., AR. William's various records throughout nearly his entire life spelled his name Coatney. He was the son of James George and Mary Jane (Polly) Yancey, and was born Dec. 14, 1872 in Lee Creek. He died in Crawford Co. on Apr. 10, 1946.

Lillie and William had twelve children, several of which are thought to still be living:

- Willie Mae, born Dec. 10, 1898, died 1899

- Mary Lela, born Jun. 8, 1899, died Apr. 20, 1999. Mary married Jackson S. Summerlin, a son of Leander A. and Sarah Jane Lewis Summerlin. They were the parents of nine children.

- William Herbert, born Sep. 13, 1901 in Sallisaw, Sequoyah Co., OK, died May 24, 1993 in Muskogee, Muskogee Co., OK. He married a lady by the name of Ellen, and I have no additional information.

- James Virgil, born Dec. 11, 1903, married Jan. 20, 1924 to Essie (Pete) LaBass on Jan. 20, 1924 in Vian, Sequoyah Co. Essie died on Aug. 27, 2001 in Baton Rouge, LA. They were the parents of five children.

- Frankie Mae, born Feb. 15, 1905, died Jul 20, 1934

- George Lester, born Apr. 24, 1908, died Aug. 19, 1979. George married Wilma Carol and they were parents of 10 children.

- Ethel Evelyn, born Jul. 17, 1910, married Albert Clifton Young on May 13, 1928 in Sallisaw. They were parents of six children.

- Meredith Raymond, born May 27, 1912 in Greenleaf, Seequoyah Co., and died Aug. 14, 1999 in Seminole, Seminole Co., OK. he married a lady name Florence who was born Oct. 10, 1914 and died Jan., 1986 in Seminole.

- Garland Clifford, born Jul. 21, 1914, died Jn. 25, 1917

- Cecil Leonard, born Jun. 10, 1917 in Greenlead and died Mar. 26, 1990 in Box, Sequoyah Co. He married Verna Tynes.

- Samuel Harden, born Mar. 3, 1921 in Box. Married a lady named Katherine (Katy). I have no other information.

- Verlin Lorraine, born Sep. 17, 1923, died Dec. 4, 2000 in Glendora, Los Angeles Co., GA. She married Elmer C. Murray, born Jun. 27, 1897, died May, 1974 in San Diego, San Diego Co., CA.

Check out Angela's Attic* for more photographs of this and collateral families.

*Not found in Aug., 2018

Descendants of John James Coffee

John James Coffee was a son of Joshua and Delilah Conger Coffee in the Peter Coffee line. He was born on Jan. 9, 1833 in Smith Co., TN and died May 27, 1927 in Lubbock, Lubbock Co., TX. John married Nancy Christine Lamberson on Jul 1, 1856 - probably in TN - who was born May 20, 1830 in Smith Co., and died Jan. 12, 1895 in Howard Co., TX.

A number of years ago I made a trip to Big Spring in Howard Co. to search for and photo the graves of the Lilburn Warren Coffee family. If you have read this blog for very long you may recall that Lilburn was the youngest son of Lilburn and Hannah Taylor Coffee, my 3G paternal grandparents. Lilburn Warren moved to west TX from Hempstead Co., AR shortly after the Civil War and eventually settled in Big Spring, Howard Co.

While exploring the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Big Spring I found a number of Coffee graves that I was unable to connect to my Coffee relative. However, I photographed many of their headstones.

John James was likely buried in Lubbock, but Nancy apparently followed a child to Big Spring. She died there on Jan. 12, 1895 and was buried in Mt. Olivet.

He and Nancy were the parents of nine children:

Richard Cornelius (Dick), born Apr. 16, 1857, died Jun. 10, 1934. Richard married Ollie Catherine (Kate) Anderson on Apr. 13, 1882. She was born in Feb. 1858 in Lamar Co., TX to George Reed and Mahala Cumi Long Anderson, and died Nov. 17, 1917 in Big Spring. Both are buried in Mt. Olivet.

Their children were eight:

- Adonis (Don), born Oct. 14, 1883 in Talpa, Coleman Co., TX and died Dec. 20, 1910 in Dallas. He married Mary Elizabeth Green, born in Madison Co., AL to Charles and Mary Elizabeth Pike Green, and died in Wichita Falls, TX in 1958. They had at least one child, Don Ruth Coffee, born May. 15, 1910, died Feb. 27, 1989. Don Ruth married Fred Merritt on Feb. 12, 1933. He was born in Childress Co., TX in 1906 and died in Tucson, Pima Co., AZ on Dec. 19, 1951. Adonis (Don) and Don Ruth are buried in Mt. Olivet. Fred Merrit was buried in the Holy Hope Cemetery in Tucson.

- Christina Mahala, born Feb. 14, 1885 in Talpa, Coleman Co., TX and died Mar. 12, 1964 in Denver Co., CO. She married Robert Edward Chambers on Oct. 24, 1919 in Yokahama, Japan. Robert was born in Bedford Co., VA in 1870 and died Apr. 21, 1932 in Shanghai, China. Their children were Christine, born 1921, Richard, born Sep. 1924, died 1945, and Lois. Christina was Robert's third wife and, they were Baptist Missionaries.

- Zemula Reed (Zema), born Apr. 13, 1886 in Talpa, married Louis W. Demoville on May 14, 1907. Louis died in 1944 and is buried in the Restland Cemetery in Dallas. I have no other information on Zema. Their children were: Louis Coffee, born Oct. 22, 1908, died Dec., 1956. He too is buried in Restland; an unnamed daughter, born 22 Oct. 1908 and died shortly thereafter. She was buried in Mt. Olivet; Kathryn, born Jun. 4, 1910; Irene, born 1912; Margaret, born 1915; Christine, died 1945, and James Edward, born 1918.

- Mary Ellen married Blaine C. Cole. No other information.

- Thomas John, born Dec. 15, 1888, died Apr. 5, 1952 in El Paso. He married Pauline Toitz of London, England on Nov. 15, 1920 in New York City. They had at least one child, a son named Thomas Arthur, born 1922 in Colorado, Mitchell Co., TX. Thomas is buried in Mt. Olivet. I have no other information on Pauline or Thomas Arthur.

- Rebecca Elrissa (Reba), born Feb. 1890, died Sep. 12, 1968 in Big Spring. She married Clyde Edwin Thomas in Jun., 1911. Clyde was born in 1882 and died in 1969. He had been a principal at Big Spring High School. Reba had been one of his students from the class of 1909. They moved to the lower Rio Grande Valley shortly after marriage where he studied law. After passing the bar, the family moved back to Big Spring and he became a widely known attorney, civic and political figure. He was also elected Mayor of Big Spring. I did not find a headstone for either of them in Mt. Olivet. They were parents of nine children: Ollie Adela, born 1912, married Tracy Roberts in 1929; Clyde Edwin, Jr., born 1913, married Eden Lucas in 1940; George Thaddeus, born 1915, married Cleo Lane Higgins. He married second to Mary Madison Sharpnack; Richard Coffee, born 1918, married Mary Oletha Clanton; Ruth, born Jul. 28, 1921, married Howard Salisbury in 1944; Rebecca Mary, born 1919, married Raymond O. Plunkett; Peggy Jean, born Oct. 15, 1923, married John Raymond McDuff; Don Eugene, born Oct. 15, 1923, married Ruby Lee Brown; and Leslie Raymond.

- Ollie May, born Mar. 16, 1892 in Big Spring, married Oliver W. Fannie on Aug. 26, 1917 in Big Spring. They were parents of Oliver, Jr., born 1920; and twins Bill Bradford and Bob Meredith, born Jun. 9, 1922. I believe that Oliver Jr. married Dr. Barbara Acuff and fathered Oliver W. III and Barbara Ann.

- Vera Estelle, died Jan. 13, 1956 in Waco, McLennan Co., TX and was buried in Mt. Olivet.

John James and Nancy's second child was Thomas Joshua Coffey, born Oct. 18, 1858 in Fannin Co., TX. He married Hannah Pauline Dorn on Aug. 18, 1895 at the Dorn home in Mitchell Co., TX. She was born Oct. 13, 1873 in Alabama and died Mar. 20, 1969 in Mitchell Co. Thomas died Jan. 10, 1935. Both are buried at Loraine in Mitchell Co.

Third born was Francis Marion, born Dec. 11, 1859 in Fannin Co., died May 19, 1942. He is buried in Mt. Olivet. He married California Ann (Callie) Donaghe in 1882 in Benton Co., AR. She died Aug. 11, 1929 in Nolan Co., TX and was also buried at Mt. Olivet.

Fourth was John Leonard, born Feb. 26, 1862 in Fannin Co., died Jun. 15, 1935 in LaMesa, Dawson Co., TX. He married Dora George Dourne in 1884. She was born in 1866 and died Jan. 21, 1941 in Dawson Co. Both are buried in LaMesa.

Fifth child was Robert Taylor, born Apr. 9, 1863 in Fannin Co., and died Jun. 7, 1919 in Loraine, Mitchell Co. He married Nancy Emma Smith in Howard Co. in 1896. Robert is buried at Loraine.

Sixth was Samuel Creed, born May 26, 1867 in Fannin Co., died Jul. 11, 1938 in Jones Co., TX. He married Elizabeth Clemetine (Clemmie) Keen in 1893. Samuel is buried in the Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood, Brown Co., TX.

Seventh was Mary Elizabeth, born Oct. 28, 1868 in McDonald Co., MO, and died c1870.

Eighth born was William Riley (Will) in 1870, McDonald Co., MO. He married Mary Addie Cox. William is said to have died in Louisville, KY.

And, last but not least, was Alfonso James, born 1870 in McDonald Co, died 1906 in Scott Co., MO. He married Ida Hall.

Additions and/or corrections appreciated.

Lilburn Warren Coffee

In a previous blog about Lilburn Warren Coffee, son of my 3G-grandfather Lilburn Coffee, I did not have any information about the family of his wife, Margaret Goode.

Repeating a bit of that earlier blog, Lilburn Warren was born Sep. 1, 1850 in Hempstead Co., AR and died in Big Spring, Howard Co., TX on Mar. 30, 1918. He married Margaret Goode on Oct. 26, 1876 in Hays Co., TX

Margaret was born May 7, 1855 in TX, and died Mar. 16, 1946 in Big Spring. She was the daughter of Wadsworth F. "Watt" Goode and Nancy Emeline Moose. "Watt" was born in Jan., 1825 in Alabama; Nancy was born Mar., 1834 in either Mississippi or North Carolina. She listed both places in various census records.

According to his Civil War Pension Application dated Aug. 2, 1899, and approved Dec. 22, 1899, "Watt" served in Capt. Clay Davis' Co. from Apr., 1864 to Apr. 1865 in Rancho Davis, TX.

[According to the Handbook of Texas Online Rancho Davis was a town "on the Rio Grande near the site of the former Carnestolendos Ranch." At the end of the Mexican War in 1848, it because part of Nueces Co. "Camp Ringgold, later Fort Ringgold, was established at Rancho Davis on Oct. 26, 1848, the year the county was organized and named for James Harper Starr, Rancho Davis was renamed Rio Grande City and made county seat."]

"Watt" married Nancy Emeline Moose on Aug. 15, 1851 in Fayette Co., TX. They are found later in the 1860 and 1870 census record in Austin Co.; 1880 in Hays Co., and finally in Yoakum, DeWitt Co. According to the Texas Death Index (1902-2000), "Watt" died in Lavaca Co. on Nov. 20, 1914. He was buried in Yoakum Co. in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

I have not found a death date for Nancy Emeline.

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

Robert Marvin Coffee

Robert Marvin Coffee was a son of John Fielding and Fannie Thompson Coffee. He was born Sep. 30, 1879 in Arkansas, and died Apr. 14, 1944. He is buried in the Jewella Cemetery in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA. He can be found in the Hempstead Co., AR census records from 1880 to 1920, and in Bossier Parish, LA in 1930.

Robert was married four times:

- Martha Della Livingston on Jul. 1, 1900 in Hempstead Co. She was born about 1880. Della apparently died shortly after the marriage. There were no known children.

- Dec. 23, 1903 to Alice M. Jones. Alice, a daughter of Ab. [Abraham?] and Josephine Jones, was born Dec. 1879 in Arkansas and died Aug. 11, 1907 in Hope, Hempstead Co. There were two children born to this marriage: Johnnie [female], born c1905 in Hope, and Robert Donald, born Nov. 6, 1906 in Hope. Robert married Ruby Fuller on Jun. 1, 1945. He died Sep. 20, 1974 in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA.

- Third marriage was to Lucy Bell Conway, a daughter of Ninian S. and Rebecca Frances Jones Conway. He and Lucy married Dec. 24, 1907 in Hempstead Co. and were parents of two children: James Harold, born c1913, and Delores Dale.

- Fourth marriage was to Ruby G. [last name unknown], in about 1924. There are no known children from this marriage.

On Sep. 12, 1918 Robert registered for the draft in Hempstead Co. He listed his age as 38 yrs., born Sep. 30, 1879. He was a farmer who lived with Lucy Coffee at Rt. 5, Hope. His card describes him as being tall with a medium build, gray eyes and light colored hair.

Please contact me if you have any information on the descendants of Robert and any of his wives. His father and my GG-grandfather were brothers.

Sarah Ellen Coffee (1869-1952)

Sarah Ellen Coffee was sister to my grandfather, Albert Lilburn Coffee. They were children of James M. and Mary Elizabeth Bowman Coffee.

Sarah was born Sep. 19, 1869 in Texas (probably Bowie Co.; was there in 1880 census) and died Nov. 15, 1952 in South San Gabriel, Los Angeles Co., CA. She was 83 years old and buried in the Rose HIll Cemetery in San Gabriel, Los Angeles Co.

There were two men in Sarah's life. Her first husband was P. B. Hill who she married on Mar. 21, 1886 in Hempstead Co., AR. My research has found only one child from this marriage. He was James Walter Hill born Jan. 3, 1888 in Arkansas and died in Jan. 1972 in Los Angeles. James married Lillian May Brazzil c1908 in Arkansas and vanished into history until I found his death record. Descendants of Sarah's second marriage have told me that there were three children born to James and Lillian: Hazel who married a Mr. Billmeyer, or a Mr. Bill Meyer; Marydale who married Dave Charrell; and David who married but spouse's name is unknown.

A death record for P. B. Hill has not been found. However, he must have died shortly after James was born, because Sarah married her second husband, the oft married Johnathan K. Polk Sutton on Apr. 13, 1890 in Hempstead Co., AR. Mr. Sutton had been married three times prior to his marriage to Sarah: 1) Mary Elizabeth Sisco in 1868; 2) Susan Bearden in 1874; 3) Duclsey Guillams in 1888. Sarah had just turned 20 while Johnathan was 43 at the time of their marriage.

The Sutton marriage produced three children, all daughters: Mamie, born Dec. 1890; Lillian Ann, born Jun. 6, 1894; and Violet M., born Sep. 21, 1899.

Second marriage sources mentioned above have told me that Mamie married Raymond Stewart and had at least one child, a daughter named Pauline who married a Mr. Moreland.

Lillian married Harry Richard Basher, an English emigrant from Gunwallace, Cornwall, on Nov. 15, 1920. They had only one child, a daughter Dorothy Ellen Basher. Lillian also raised a son, Guy Geoffery Basher, child of Harry by his first wife who had died c1920 in Bakersfield, Kern Co., CA. Guy passed away on Dec. 11, 1988. When Harry registered for the WW1 draft on Jun. 5, 1917, he claimed English citizenship, and was employed by Kern Four Oil Co. as a driller.

Violet married Walter Allen Ballew in 1919. Walter was born on Apr. 26, 1894 in St. Louis Co., MO, and died Sep. 10, 1975 in Ellijay, Gilmer Co., GA. Violet died Jul. 30, 1979 in Ellijay. Both are buried in the Pleasant Gap Seventh-day Adventist Cemetery in Ellijay.

Violet and Walter had only one child, a son named Daniel Alvin Ballew. Unfortunately, I have not found any additional information on Daniel except that he may have lived in Hot Springs, AR.

By 1920 Sarah was a widow and residing in Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR. She continue to live in that city through 1930, but moved to the west coast before 1940, and died there in 1952.

I am very anxious to locate descendants of Sarah. Please contact me if you have any clues.

Robert Wayne (Bobby) Coffee

[Robert Wayne (Bobby) Coffee was the son of Albert (Bub) and Ivy Foshee Coffee of Hope, Hempstead Co., AR. He was born May 15, 1954 in Texarkana, Miller Co., AR. He married Darlene Marie Godwin on May 26, 1979 in Hope, AR. They had three children: Marie Lynn, Robert Wayne, Jr., and Sonya. I have never found a final court action report on this case, and do not know if the senior Coffee was found guilty, or released.]

Hope Star Online, July 17, 2003

Coffee to know fate next week

By FRANK ROTH, Hope Star Writer

Circuit Judge Duncan Culpepper that he will render his final decision in the case of a Fulton man accused of murdering his son next Wednesday.

Robert Coffee, Sr., is accussed of murdering his son, Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr., of Nashville, by causing him to fall out of a moving vehicle on a highway near Saratoga in the early morning hours of Feb. 9, 2002.

Eighth Judicial District-North Circuit Judge Duncan Culpepper presided over a probation revocation hearing yesterday in the Hempstead County Courthouse involving Robert Coffee, Sr.

The elder Coffee pleaded guilty to an arson charge on March 28, 2000, and was sentenced to five years of probation. He was arrested on Feb. 15, 2002, on a charge of first degree murder and made his first appearance before Eighth Judicial District-North Judge Jim Gunter.

The murder charge was formalized on April, 1, 2002, with a felony information filed by Eighth Judicial District-North Prosecuting Attorney Randy Wright.

At the time of the elder Coffee's first appearance, Gunter denied bond, but bond was later set at $25,000, and public defender Danny Rodgers was appointed to represent Coffee.

According to Wright the reason for pursuing a probation revocation proceeding before a judge rather than a jury trial is that the level of proof for a probation revocation is different.

"All we have to show is that he violated the law by a preponderance of the evidence, and we certainly believe that he violated the law," Wright said. "In a jury trial you have to prove that he violated the law beyond a reasonable doubt."

Wright said that the elder Coffee could be sentenced to serve not less than five nor more than 20 years if found guilty of his son's death under the terms of his probation.

Judge Culpepper began yesterday's proceedings by agreeing with the attorneys that the normal rules of evidence did not apply during the probation revocation hearing.

Wright began by calling Edith McBride who was the 911 dispatcher on duty the night Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr., died. McBride testified that she received a call from Matt Cook at 12:30 a.m. Cook said his mother had seen a body on the side on the highway. McBride said she dispatched Sheriff's Deputy John Pettit, EMS and first responders from Saratoga.

McBride received a second call at 12:35 a.m. from Robert Coffee, Sr., saying that his son had jumped out of the truck.

Wright's next witness was Sheriff's Investigator Frank McJunkins. He testified that he received a call at 12:55 a.m. regarding a body on the side of Highway 355, on the right hand side traveling south.

McJunkins identified a series of photos he took at the scene and later at the funeral home. The photos were entered as exhibits by the prosecutor.
McJunkins told the court that he and Sheriff Jerry Crane went to the elder Coffee's home in Fulton about 3:00 a.m. to question him about what he knew about his son.

"Coffee told us his son jumped out of the truck, and he went on home and went to bed without checking on Bobby (his son)," McJunkins said. "I asked him, 'Did you stop?' 'No.' 'Did you look in the mirror?' 'No.' He said he just went home.

Wright asked, "When you told him his son was dead how did he react?"
McJunkins replied, "He didn't show any concern. He asked, 'Did he get hurt?' I said, 'yes sir, as a matter of fact he's dead. It killed him.' He said, 'Oh hell.' Later he looked at the Sheriff and said, ' Is that true?'"

McJunkins testified that he thought Coffee's statements and his actions didn't match up.

Wright asked, "Would you call this one of those hard to believe stories?"
"Extremely hard to believe," McJunkins replied.

Under cross-examination Defense Attorney Danny Rodgers asked McJunkins, "You determined that Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr., had been in a wreck on Feb. 4, 2002."

"Yes sir," McJunkins replied.

"And didn't Robert Coffee, Sr., tell you he and his son had been arguing about this accident, and that his son told him he tried to kill himself in that accident?" Rodgers asked.

"Yes sir," McJunkins replied.

"Did you look at the State Police report of that accident of Feb. 4th?" Rodgers asked.

"No sir," McJunkins replied.

"Were there fingerprints taken from the passenger door during the investigation?" Rodgers asked.

McJunkins replied, "No sir. Both of them had been in and out of the vehicle several times, so both sets of prints would have been there."

Next Wright called Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Paul Kokes of the State Crime Lab. Kokes testified about his external and internal examination of the body of Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr.

Dr. Kokes said that the body showed abrasion on the face, a 3/4 inch laceration on the back of the scalp associated with a skull fracture, and no injuries to the legs and ankles.

Wright asked, "If someone stepped out of a moving vehicle at 50 miles per hour would you expect injuries to the lower legs?"

Kokes replied, "Yes I would. Usually you would expect to see a fractured ankle or leg. There were no injuries to the lower extremities. There were signs of bruising and road rash abrasion on the back."

Wright asked, "Would this be indicative of a person falling out od a vehicle and landing on his back?"

"Yes it is." Kokes replied. "This indicates Mr. Coffee fell out or rolled out striking first his back and then his head on the road."

When Wright asked Dr. Kokes about the cause of death, Kokes replied, "The cause of death was a blunt force injury to the head and brain. The manner of death was homicide."

On cross-examination Rodgers asked, "The reason you classified this as a homicide is that the father didn't stop to render aid, is that right?"
"Yes it is," Kokes replied.

Wright called Sonya Coffee, daughter of Robert Coffee, Sr., and sister of Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr.

She testified that on the night on her brother's death, her father picked her up when she got off work at the Pitt Grill in Hope and took her home to Nashville. When they got to Nashville her father went to her mother's home to pick Wayne up.

Sonya Coffee said, "Wayne whispered to me that he really didn't want to go with my father."

She testified that her father and brother fought all the time.
Wright asked, "Are you scared of your father?"
Sonya replied, "Yes I am."
Wright asked, "Was Wayne scared of your father?"
Sonya replied, "Yes."
After cross-examination by Rodgers, Judge Culpepper asked Sonya, "Did you ever hear your father say he would kill Wayne?"
She replied, "My brother told me he heard my father telling someone that if Wayne didn't straighten up he'd kill him."
Defense Attorney Rodgers put Robert Coffee, Sr., on the stand in his own defense. Coffee gave a rambling story of family problems including he and his son being on medication for mental problems at various times.
On cross-examination Wright asked, "Mr. Coffee, you don't have a violent history, do you?"
"Yes sir, I've had marriage problems," Coffee replied.
Wright, "You got violent with someone you lived with?"
Coffee, "Yes sir."
Wright, Burning a barn when you got mad?"
Coffee, "Yes sir. I wasn't on my medication then."
Judge Duncan Culpepper ruled on one finding yesterday. He found that there was not sufficient evidence for murder in the first degree.

Culpepper told the attorneys, "I will render my final decision on July 23rd at 9:00 a.m. I want to know whether I should consider lesser included offenses, do the facts fit leaving the scene, and whether or not leaving the scene is sufficient for revocation.

Hope Star Online
July 23, 2003

Judge fails to revoke Coffee's probation

By FRANK ROTH, Hope Star Writer

Circuit Judge Duncan Culpepper handed down his final ruling in the Robert Coffee, Sr. probation revocation hearing this morning, saying that the evidence presented did not support revocation of Coffee's probation.

The hearing was held last Wednesday, July 16, in the Hempstead County Courthouse. At that time Judge Culpepper ruled that the evidence presented was not sufficient to support a charge of murder in the first degree.

Judge Culpepper told Prosecutor Randy Wright and Defense Attorney Danny Rodgers last week that he wanted to know three things before he handed down his final decision. First he wanted to know whether he should consider any lesser included offenses. Second, do the facts fit leaving the scene of an accident, and third, is leaving the scene sufficient for revocation of the probation?

Robert Coffee, Sr., of Fulton, had been accused of murdering his son, Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr., of Nashville, by causing him to fall out of a moving vehicle on Highway 355 near Saratoga in the early morning hours of Feb. 9, 2002.

Robert Coffee, Sr. had pleaded guilty to arson on March 28, 2000, and was sentenced to five years probation. He was arrested for first degree murder in connection with the death of his son on Feb. 15, 2002, and Prosecuting Attorney Randy Wright filed the charge of murder in the first degree against Coffee on April, 1, 2002.

Wright chose to pursue a probation revocation hearing in front of a judge before going to a jury trial on the murder charge because the probation revocation carries a different level of proof.

"All we have to show is that he violated the law by a preponderance of the evidence, and we certainly believe he violated the law," Wright said. "In a jury trial you have to prove that he violated the law beyond a reasonable doubt."

This morning Judge Culpepper ruled that murder in the first degree was not proven. He ruled also that no lesser included offenses were proven; and that since leaving the scene of an accident was not alleged by the state, to find Mr. Coffee in violation of leaving the scene would violate his due process.

Coffee was allowed to leave with his probation remaining in effect, and a date was set for his murder trial in Sept.

During last week's hearing, Sheriff's Investigator Frank McJunkins testified about the evidence found at the scene on Highway 355 where the body of Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr. was found, and about his interview of Robert Coffee, Sr. several hours later.

According to McJunkins, the elder Coffee said that he was driving down the highway at 50 miles per hour when his son jumped out of the truck. After his son jumped, Robert Coffee, Sr. drove on home and went to bed without stopping.

Dr. Charles Kokes, the State Medical Examiner who performed the autopsy on Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr., testified that he ruled the cause of death as a blunt force injury to the head and brain, and the manner of death as a homicide.

Defense Attorney Danny Rodgers asked Dr. Kokes, "The reason you classified this as a homicide is that the father didn't stop to render aid, is that right?"
Dr. Kokes replied, "Yes it is."

Sonya Coffee, sister of Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr., testified that her brother didn't want to go with his father that night, that her father and brother fought all the time and that she and her brother were both scared of their father.

Before Sonya Coffee was released as a witness, Judge Culpepper asked her, "Did you ever hear your father say he would kill Wayne?"

Sonya Coffee replied, "My brother told me he heard my father telling someone if Wayne didn't straighten up he'd kill him."

Defense Attorney Rodgers put Robert Coffee, Sr. on the witness stand in his own defense. He gave a rambling account of family problems including both his son and him having mental problems and being place on medication at various times.

On cross-examination Wright asked, "Mr. Coffee, you don't have a violent history, do you?"

Coffee replied, "yes sir. I've had marriage problems."
Wright, "You got violent with someone you lived with?"
Coffee, "Yes sir."
Wright, "Burning a barn when you got mad?"
Coffee, "Yes sir. I wasn't on my medication then."

Judge Culpepper ordered Coffee to appear in court on Sept. 9, 2003, for pre-trial motions and set a trial date of Sept. 22, 2003 for the charge of murder in the first degree.

Robert Wayne (Bobby) COFFEE and Darlene Marie GODWIN were married on May 26, 1979 in Hope, Hempstead Co., AR.2 They were divorced. Darlene Marie GODWIN (daughter of Arlin GODWIN and Marie __________) was born about 1959. Robert Wayne (Bobby) COFFEE and Darlene Marie GODWIN had the following children:

i. Maria Lynn COFFEE was born on April 7, 1980. She died on April 7, 1980. She was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hope, Hempstead Co., AR.
ii. Robert Wayne COFFEE Jr. was born on April 26, 1981 in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA. He died on February 9, 2002 in Saratoga, Howard Co., AR.3

Hope, Arkansas "Star"

February 11, 2002

Body discovered near Saratoga

By SUSAN MARGRAVE, Hope Star Writer

The body of a man found near Saratoga early Saturday morning has been sent to the state Crime Lab to determine the cause of death.

Shortly after midnight on Saturday, Hempstead County Deputy John Pettit responded to a 911 call and discovered a white male lying beside Arkansas Highway 355 South, approximately three miles south of Saratoga.

Emergency medical personnel from Pafford Ambulance Service, Hempstead County Sheriff Jerry Crane and Investigator Frankie McJunkins were dispatched to the scene.

A card on the man's body identified him as Robert Wayne Coffee, 20, of 401 South Jones Street at Nashville. Hempstead County Coroner Gary Aaron pronounced Coffee dead at the scene.

Officials sent the body to the state Crime Lab at Little Rock to determine the cause of death.

"This is all the information we have at this time," Chief Deputy James Ross said. "An investigation into the matter is continuing."


From on-line edition of Hope (Arkansas) "Star"

May 28, 2002

Coffee murder trial date set

By KEN McLEMORE, Hope Star Writer

An October trial date has been set for the first degree murder charge lodged here against the father of a Nashville man who apparently died in connection with a fall from a moving vehicle in February.

Robert Wayne Coffee, Sr., of Nashville, has been charged with first degree murder in connection with the Feb. 15 death of his son, Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr., 20. Eighth Judicial District-North Circuit Judge Jim Gunter set an Oct. 21 trial date for the elder Coffee during court hearings Wednesday.

Gunter set a pre-trial court date for Coffee on Oct. 7. The judge postponed prosecution of a probation revocation petition filed Feb. 20 by Eighth Judicial District-North Prosecutor Randy Wright in connection with a circuit court conviction of Coffee on a charge of arson.

Robert Coffee, Sr., entered a pleading of guilty Aug. 16, 2000, to a single charge of arson from a March 28, 2000, arrest and was assessed five years probated incarceration, a $1,000 fine, $13,523 restitution, court costs and 50 hours of community service, according to Hempstead County Circuit Court records.

Robert Coffee, Sr., waived formal arraignment and entered a pleading of not guilty to the murder charge in the Wednesday hearing, according to court records. He remains under $25,000 bond.

The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory ruled the death of Robert Wayne Coffee, Jr., a homicide after his body was discovered lying alongside Arkansas Highway 355 South about three miles south of Saratoga.


Hope, Arkansas "Star"

Feb. 13, 2002

Robert Coffee

NASHVILLE -- Robert Wayne Coffee, 20, died Saturday, February 9, in Saratoga.

Mr. Coffee was born April 26, 1981, in Shreveport, La. He was a general laborer.

Survivors include his parents, Robert W. "Bobby" Coffee, of Fulton, and Darlene Willis, of Nashville; one sister, Sonya Coffee, of Nashville; and his maternal grandparents, Arlin and Marie Godwin, of Prescott. Graveside services will be Thursday, February 14, at 2 p.m., in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hope, with Mr. Lynn Vanderveer and Mr. Jimmy Joe Aiken officiating. Arrangements are with Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home, Hope.

Visitation will be February 13, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home.
He was buried on February 14, 2002 in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hope, Hempstead Co., AR.

iii. Sonya COFFEE was born on March 18, 1984 in Arkansas.


Sources

1. Velma Foshee, Foshee Research by Mrs. Velma Foshee (dec'd) (Her work has been reproduced on the internet).
2. County/Parish Marriage Book. 21, p207 Robert Wayne Coffee, age 25 of Hempstead Co., to Darlene Marie Godwin, age 20, 26 May 1979.
3. From newspapers and/or on-line sources, Obituary.

Loy Grady Coffee 1917-1944

Loy Grady COFFEE

[Loy Grady Coffee was my father's younger brother, and the last son of Albert Lilburn and Ora Elizabeth Braley Coffee. He married Martha Easely of Harlingen, TX in Mar., 1943, but had no descendants.]


First Generation

1. Loy Grady COFFEE was born on July 27, 1917 in De Ann, Hempstead Co., AR. He enlisted in the military on December 9, 1941 He served in the military between 1941 and 1944 in United States Army Air Corps.1,2 He died on December 30, 1944 in Hays, Ellis Co., KS. He was buried in January 1945 in City Cemetery, Minden, Webster Parish, LA. News clipping from undated source, but probably from the Signal Tribune:

Headline:

Grady Coffee Is Attending Large Bombing School

Minden Boy Is In Second Class of U. S. Army's "Hell From Heaven Men"

Midland Army Flying School, Texas - Among the "Hell from Heaven Men" making up the second class at this world's greatest bombardier training school is Aviation Cadet Loy G. Coffee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert L. Coffee of Minden, Louisiana. At the completion of his course Cadet Coffee will become a commissioned officer in the United States army.

Formerly a student at Louisiana State university, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Cadet Coffee had previously received R. O. T. C. and national guard training, and while in civilian life he was actively interested in golf.

Training

At this huge new training school for America's bombardiers, young men learn the secrets and operation of our country's most devastating weapon of offense, the famed U. S. bombsight. The bombardier cadets divide their time between groundschool classrooms, spacious training hangars, and the swift-flying AT'LL's, specially designed bombadier training planes.

When they have the theory down pat, when they understand the why-and-wherefore of bombs and bombsights, the cadets crawl into the glass-enclosed nose compartments of their planes, spend day and night sending 100-pound practice bombs streaking toward targets that surround this bombardier college in an eighty mile circle.

Their course completed, these "Hell from Heaven Men" are good; are in fact, the best. That's why they've been dubbed "the most dangerous men in the world."

From the Webster Review (The Signal Tribune), Minden, Webster Parish, LA, January 2, 1945, page 1:

Headline:

Captain L. Grady Coffee Killed in Plane Crash

Body Will Be Returned With Military Escort For Funeral Service In Minden

Captain Loy Grady Coffee, 27, army air forces, was one of the ten servicemen killed when a plane exploded in mid-air and crashed at Walker Field, Hays, Kansas, Saturday, December 30. Only three of the crew were reported to have bailed out, and one is not expected to live.

Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Coffee, Captain Coffee was born and reared in Minden. He was a graduate of Minden high school where he was a football star, and attended L. S. U.. He volunteered for service on December 8, 1941, just six months before receiving his law degree. His initial training was received at Maxwell Field, Alabama, and he was commissioned a second lieutenant after completing training at the bombadier school, Midland, Texas. After graduation he remained at the school to serve as an instruction. From there he went to San Angelo and on to Harlingen. He was commissioned a first lieutenant at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, which was his last station before reporting to Walker Field as bombardier instructor. Soon after his arrival there, he was assigned other duties and promoted to the rank of captain.

He married the former Miss Martha Easley of Harlingen, Texas, in March, 1943. She has been with him since their marriage and will arrive in Minden sometime today accompanying the remains, which are being shipped with military escort.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed, but services are expected to be held at the First Baptist church, of which the deceased was a member, sometime following the arrival of Harry D. Coffee.

Besides his wife and parents, he is survived by four brothers, Frank H. Coffee, Minden; Dr. James Coffee, Baton Rouge; Harry D. Coffee, U. S. Coast Guard, now serving overseas; and Carl Coffee, Hope, Arkansas; and three sisters, Mrs. S. B. Samuel and Mrs. Gus Howell, both of Minden; and Miss Ruby Coffee, Shreveport.

The following is a summary of the accident report prepared by an Investigating Committee shortly after the accident:

Capt. Coffee was an Instructor Bombardier on a B-29 Flying Fortress. The B-29 took off at 9:15am and climbed to an altitude of 25,000 ft. At about 10:20am the No. 3 engine backfired and caught fire. An extinguisher was activated and the fire seemed to go out, but shortly flared up again, this time burning fiercely. Another extinguisher was activated but was not effective. The investigation determined that the fire had caused fuel lines to rupture and fuel was flowing uncontrolled into the engine.

The engine exploded causing the plane to lose its left wing and part of the fuselage. Part of the tail section was destroyed as the planed cartwheeled to earth. Crew members lost their oxygen equipment in the spin and were incapacitated to such as extent while bouncing around the inside of the plane that jumping was a "physical impossibility."

The pilot, 1st Lt Rufus C. Anderson, had previously alerted the crew to jump. Capt. Coffee, the navigator and the radio operator proceeded toward the door leading into the forward bombay. Capt. Coffee was being assisted into the leg straps of his parachute by the radio operator. The report of a survivor indicated that Capt. Coffee was later seen lying unconscious on the bombbay doors, and that he had probably been knocked unconscious. He had a deep gash on the top rear of his head. He later fell free of the plane, and his body was found intact and unburned.

Loy Grady COFFEE and Martha EASELY were married in March 1943 in Harlingen, Cameron Co., TX. Martha EASELY was born in Harlingen, Cameron Co., TX.

Sources

1. The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Men and Women in World War II from Webster Parish (After WW2). Capt. Grady L. Coffee, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Coffee, Minden, husband of Martha Easley, graduate of LSU. Entered Army AC, 1941, trained in Midland AAF, Boise, Idaho and Walker Field, Kan. Served in Amer. Theater. Killed in B-29 Crash in Walker Field Kansas.
2. National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Original data: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946 [Archival Database]; World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. Name: Loy G Coffee Birth Year: 1917 Race: White, citizen Enlistment Date: 9 Dec 1941 Branch: Air Corps Branch Code: Air Corps Grade: Aviation Cadet Grade Code: Aviation Cadet Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law Component: Army of the United States - includes the following: Voluntary enlistments effective December 8, 1941 and thereafter; One year enlistments of National Guardsman whose State enlistment expires while in the Federal Service; Officers appointed in the Army of Source: Enlisted Man, Regular Army, within 3 months of Discharge or former WAAC Auxiliary Education: 4 years of college Civil Occupation: Actor (Motion picture actor. ) or Director, Motion Picture (Motion picture director.) or Entertainer Marital Status: Single, without dependents Height: 72 Weight: 151.

US Genweb Archives

The US GenWeb project actually began in 1996 by Jeff Murphy in Kentucky and Bill Couch in Arkansas. I joined with Bill in providing information for Hempstead Co., AR. Almost immediately a controversy developed. Without going into details, Bill and Jeff's ideas were apparently "pirated." To stay out of the controversy and the battles that were raging, I removed myself from their project and began my own.

Whatever the pains felt by those pioneers in the US Genweb project, their efforts have now become premier research sites on the web. I think most, if not all states have a presence under the Genweb flag. Volunteers have "adopted" counties and formed teams of other volunteers who have extracted and prepared for our use wills, deeds, census records, obituaries, cemetery lists, biographies and literally thousands of other documents that now rest in the dust free archives of Genweb. And, they can be freely accessed!

I have been using Rootsweb and Genweb archives for a number of years. Without the work of those volunteers in Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky - as well as other states - I would not have been able to "collect" as much information as I have about the various Coffey families, and those families they are allied with. The extraction work by Wayne Coffey has been of particular help to me.

Volunteers also prepare and send out daily updates via e-mail of files that have been added to the archives.

Most researchers should know about Genweb and Rootsweb. If you don't, click on the title link to begin your search.

Coffey, Mills and related families

On occasion I have mentioned in this space that my ancestry has proven to be Mills related, and not Coffey1. The following is presented both as a way to record and share my thoughts, and to show the close relationship of these families living in one small corner of North Carolina.

While researching the Mills family, I have discovered that my ancestry goes directly to William Mills who married Sarah Ellis2. The best information found so far indicates that William married Sarah c1741 in Virginia. They had at least eight children:

Isham, for which little is knows, was probably born in North Carolina c1761. Other researchers have indicated that he was much married (perhaps as many as 5 or 6 times), and had about 25 children. I currently show him married to a Giddings c1784 in North Carolina, and the father of six.

His Giddings wife is probably a close relative - perhaps sister - of the James Isham Gideon (sic) written about in two very different biographical sketches [this link no longer available in 2010] by Gideon descendants in the last century.

Hardy, born in Halifax Co., NC c1763, married Frances Carpenter, born c1767 in Stafford Co., VA. She was the daughter of Stephen Carpenter and Rebecca Collins. They are thought to have had at least four children, all boys.

Elizabeth, born c1765 in North Carolina, married Jesse Carpenter c1785 in Wilkes Co., NC. Jesse was a brother to Frances, and was born sometime between 1770 and 1780.

Mary Judah, born c1767 in Virginia, married George Hayes, Sr., on May 14, 1785 in Wilkes Co., NC.

Martha (Patty), born c1768, probably in Virginia, married the above mentioned James Isham Giddings on Feb. 1, 1787 in Burke Co., NC. Bondsman for the marriage was Stephen Carpenter.

Twenty-four years between the marriage of Hardy to Frances, and Martha to Stephen seems to me to be a stretch. I have seen no documentation for Hardy's marriage.

Nancy, born c1770. No additional information available.

William II, born c1780 married Sarah (Sally) Strutton on June 30, 1802 in Wilkes Co., NC. Sarah was the daughter of Hezekiah Strutton; her mother is not known to me.

John, born c1788 in Wilkes Co., NC, married Alice (Alley) Coffey, born c1788 in Burke Co., NC. She was the daughter of Ambrose and Mildred (Millie) Moore Coffey.


Research credited to Raymond Porter, Sr. Giddens Family History)3 who has apparently extensively researched the North Carolina counties of Wilkes and Burke, many of the above mentioned families lived and often moved with each other as they migrated from Virginia to North Carolina and eventually into Tennessee.

One of Porter's research pages shows that Nebuzaraden Coffey was in Burke Co. in Dec., 1778. He is mentioned as having property on "Blares fork of Lower Creek" that joins property transferred to Zadicaha (sic) [Hezekiah] Strutton.

This Nebuzaraden was probably the one who married Elizabeth Hayes c1780. Much is known about the descendants of this couple, but little or nothing about their ancestry. Nebuzaraden has been attributed to Chesley and Jane Cleveland Coffey. However, researchers are having difficulty locating any facts about Chesley, and some are beginning to suspect that he may not have existed. Others believe that Chesley may have been his middle name, and left no records using that name.

James Giddings apparently entered Burke Co. c1779. Porter listed his name "from an index of first entries into Burke Co."

I am slightly confused from this point on in the Porter work. That part of the page cited in the above link is titled "Burke County, NC." However, when he writes of the James Giddens marriage to Martha Mills he asks "Where are the rest of the Giddens? The next record is in 1795. Could there be records in Burke County?" Perhaps Porter is writing about Wilkes Co.? In any case, he also lists a Burke Co. court record dated 1787 naming Moses Waters and John Gatewood, Wm. Wright, Kiah Strutton, and Ezekiel Strutton.

The following men are mentioned in a Nov. 3, 1795 Burke Co. court record ordering that they "view" certain roads:4

- John Coffey
- Thomas Coffey, Sr.
- Benjamin Coffey
- Reuben Coffey
- Eli Coffey
- Ambrose Coffey
- Thomas Coffey

John, Thomas, Benjamin, and Reuben are probably the sons of John Coffey and Jane Graves.
Eli and Ambrose are probably the sons of James and Elizabeth Cleveland. James was also a son of John and Jane, and died in Wilkes Co. in Oct. 1786. The last Thomas listed is likely the son of Thomas, Sr., and the Thomas who married Nancy Pendley.

- David Allen
- Hezekiah Strutton
- Michael Israel
- Abraham A. Strange

Michael Israel may be the same Michael Israel, Jr. who married Sarah Coffey on Feb. 26, 1800 in Wilkes Co. She was born 1779 in Wilkes Co., and was a daughter of John and Mary Hall Coffey. This John is the son of James and Elizabeth Cleveland Coffey, mentioned above.

I'm not certain who Abraham Strange is. His middle name is probably Alloway, and descendant of Archelus Alloway Strange who married Elizabeth Coffey (sister of Sarah who married Michael Israel) on Nov. 23, 1802 in Wilkes Co.

---

Update Mar 8, 2012


Abraham Alloway Strange married Mary A. Moore on Apr. 18, 1778 in Fluvanna Co., VA.  They had a number of children, at least three of which married Coffeys:


Archelus Alloway Strange, born Jul. 12, 1780 married Elizabeth Coffey, born Jan. 10, 1782 in Wilkes Co., NC to John and Mary "Polly" Hall (Hull or Harbord?).  He died Oct 23, 1852 in KY.  Elizabeth died in Adair Co., date unknown.  Only the marriage date is confirmed.*  One of their daughters, Sarah, married James Lewis Coffey, a son of Lewis Russell and Bidant "Biddy" Moore Coffey.


Susannah Alloway Strange, born c1788 in NC is said to have married a Coffey but, which one has not been determined.


Hannah Alloway Strange, born Feb. 18, 1790, died Feb. 14, 1871, probably in Indiana, married James D. Coffey.  James was born in Caldwell Co., Globe Twp., NC in 1786 and died in Owen Co., IN on Oct. 27, 1869.  He was a son of Reuben and Sarah "Sally" Scott Coffey.


*Precision Indexing North Carolina Marriages, 1801-1825, Index Book A-F.

---

- William Hulme
- George Hulme

No info on the Hulme family.

- Charles Gordan, Jr.
- Charles Gordan (sic)

No information on the Gordan (Gordon) family.

- Robert Epperson
- James Epperson

No information on the Epperson family, except that Lydia Epperson married John Hayes, a son of George and Mary Judah Mills Hayes.

- James Gittings (sic) [Giddings]

- William Parham

No information on the Parham family.

- Thomas Fields

There was a Thomas Fields, Esq. who married Elizabeth Coffey, a daughter of John and Jane Graves Coffey. He died in 1807 in Wilkes Co., NC.

- Owen Humphrey

I find an Owen Humphrey who married a Mary Lea. Their son, William Humphrey married Mary Fields, son of the above Thomas and Elizabeth Coffey Fields.

- Widow Mills

Not sure who she is, but speculate that she is either Sarah Ellis, the widow of William Mills, or Sarah Strutton, widow of William Mills II. I do not have death dates for William or William II.

- Daniel Yarnell
- James Demoss
- William Demoss
- Lewis Demoss
- Thomas Ellison

No information on the above families.

- Mastin Durham

Mastin Durham married Martha Coffey, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Cleveland Coffey. They were married Feb., 1774 in Albemarle Co., VA. He died in Aug., 1844, probably in KY. Martha died in Wayne Co., KY c1826.

Please contact me if any of the above information is incorrect, or unclear.



1 I believe that my surname was originally spelled Coffey. However, my 3G-grandfather's surname was always "Coffee" in public records. In one probate record hearing for Joel "Coffey" in Hempstead Co., AR he was recorded as Lilburn Coffee. In all other documents (census, marks, brands, and estrays, tax rolls, deeds, etc., it is spelled Coffee while the same name for people in the same county, is spelled Coffey.

2 DNA testing using the 37 marker test provided by FTDNA.com. Details on request.

3 See also http://members.tripod.com/~MrCIO/index-gideon.html

4 See the "pages" link for a location description of these roads

Ocia Bell Coffee (1883-1959)

Ocia Bell was the sixth child and youngest daughter of John Fielding Coffee. John was a brother of my gg-grandfather, James M. Coffee. She was born Sept. 25, 1883 in Hempstead Co., AR and died Dec. 6, 1959 in Nevada Co., AR. She was married to W. Thadus Buchanan on Dec. 20, 1906 in Nevada Co.

It has been somewhat difficult to determine all of the children born to this union. I have identified them thus far as Clyde Curtis; Edmond Louis; Floyd Fields, born c1908; Ota Albert, born Mar. 29, 1910; Curtis, born Nov. 11, 1914, died Jan. 8, 1991; John Preston, born c1915; and Lewis, born c1923. I have no dates for Clyde and Edmond.

Floyd Fields married Florence (LNU) c1929; Ota married Claudie Woodard on Aug. 5, 1933 in Nevada Co, and Curtis married Margaret L. (Peggy) Barnard. Unfortunately, I have no descendant information for these families.

Ocia and Thad are not found in the 1910 census. In 1920 they are in the Nevada Co. census, and in Hempstead Co. in 1930. Ocia died on Dec. 6, 1959, and was buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Prescott, Nevada Co. Thad died on Feb. 8, 1930, and is also buried at Pleasant Hill.

Thad was the son of William Preston (Press) Buchanan, and his wife Helen (LNU). Press died on Oct. 25, 1928 in Prescott, Nevada Co. Helen died Dec. 17, 1915, also in Prescott. Both are buried in the Old Smyrna Cemetery in that town.

Press was the son of Charles Clayton Buchanan and Mary H. Abernathy Tarpley. Charles died in 1866 in Nevada Co., and is buried in the Buchanan Cemetery in that county. A death date is not known for Mary, but she is also thought to have been buried in the Buchanan Cemeter.

Other children of Charles and Mary were: Catherine, born c1839; Tilmon D., born Jan. 11, 1840, died Mar. 19, 1927; John R., born c1846; Charles Clayton, born Jan. 1849, died c1939; Timothy, born c1856; Mary Eldora, born c1859, and Melissa, also born c1859.

Tillmon married Josephine A. (Josie) Billingsley c1860. She waas born Jul. 12, 1843 in Mississippi, and died Oct. 4, 1927 in Nevada Co., AR. It is not known if there were children born to this union.

Please contact me if you have descendant information for any of these families.

Joel Coffey

As previously written, my early personal family research efforts uncovered literally thousands of miscellaneous Coffee/Coffey tidbits. I placed those items into a database that I could search on various keywords. To date, that database contains 11,650 names.

Over the years the database has not only helped me uncover several clues to my own family, but has helped other family historians by providing them with that one little "clue" that lead to a break through in their own research.

There are 102 Joels in the database, but there is only one that has me puzzled. That Joel first appears in Hempstead Co., AR in 1856 when he purchased land in Township 12, Range 23. On Feb. 20, 1858 he and Elizabeth, his wife, sold that land to Moses Jones. Joel died in 1859 as proven by probate of his will on Apr. 11, 1859. The only information provided in that document was the name of his wife. Strangly, there is a land patent dated Jul. 1, 1859 in that county in the name of Joel Coffey, who purchased 160 acres in township 34, section 12 south, range 23 west. This purchase may have been in the works prior to his death, but the fact that he sold land knowing that he was about to die sort of belies this.

Three witnesses attested to Joel's will in 1858. They appear to be of no relation to Joel or Elizabeth. When the will was probated, one of the witnesses had already left the county and was not available to testify as witness to Joel's signature on the will. My ancestor, Lilburn Coffee, who had settled in Hempstead Co. in 1849, was called upon to verify that the signature of the missing witness was in fact accurate. I've often wondered how a man who could neither read nor write could give such testimony.

In any event, Joel must have been known to Lilburn, and may even have been related. But, I have been unsuccessful in determining which of the hundreds of Joel Coffee/ys this could be.

My database contains several entries for a Joel Coffey with a wife named Elizabeth:

+ Joel, born 1806 in TN, married Elizabeth Grubb on Feb. 5, 1829. Bond was Jacob Grubb, James Kennon, MG, officiated. Joel was the son of Meredith Coffey and Esther (Hester?) LNU. Most researchers report that this Joel died before Sep. 10, 1851 in Grainger Co., TN. Children were: Nancy who married John Hinshaw on Oct. 16, 1847 in Grainger Co.; John, born c1833; Susan, born c1838, married Samuel Stalsworth; Jacob, born c1839; William E., born c1842; Sarah E., married Dec. 6, 1860 to Robert Inklebarger; and Elvira.

+ Joel William, born 1824-26 in either AL or TN. He married Elizabeth Ann Moore, born 1832, in Morgan Co., Somerville Co., AL in 1848. Elizabeth is thought to have died between 1894-96 in Province, OK. Joel died in TX in 1880. Their children were John James, Ann E. J. (Jane?), Joel William, Daniel Webster, Sarah Elizabeth, Eleanor (Linnie), Joseph A., Robert Richard, Harrison, and Charles.

+ Joel and wife Elizabeth appear in the 1860 DeKalb Co., AL census. Joel, age 53, grocer, born SC, Elizabeth, age 49, born SC; William H., age 17, born GA; Andrew J., age 14, born GA; Mary E., age 9, born GA, and Franklin, age 6, born GA.

+ Joel Hymer Coffee, born 1839 in SC, married Susan Elizabeth Cobb, born 1866. This Joel was the son of Rev. John D. Coffee, born 1816 and Martha Singleton, born 1818.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who can add to or correct the above list, or who might know which Coffey family Joel of Hempstead Co. belonged to.

Lilburn Warren Coffee - An adventurer

Lilburn Warren Coffee was the youngest son of Lilburn C. and Sarah Hannah Taylor Coffee.

Lib, as he was known to his family, left his father's home in southwest Arkansas sometime before the census in October of 1870. He was born in Sep.1850, and was therefore around 18 or 19 years old when he left Hempstead Co.

He rambled around Texas for several years before landing in Hayes Co. In 1870 he worked for Ezekiel Nance as a farm laborer. In October 1876 he married Margaret Goode, a 21-year old Texas beauty, born May 7, 1855. The couple stayed in Hayes Co. until around 1880 when they moved to Big Spring in Howard Co., Texas. Their first child, a daughter Lula Edna, was born in Hayes County on Nov. 19, 1878. Nine more children, four boys and five girls followed, were all born in Howard Co. between 1880 and 1898. During his lifetime he ranched more than 150,000 acres, and raised cattle, horses and pack mules for the army.

The first child born in Big Spring was a boy, born Jul. 22, 1880, and died Aug. 24, 1880. The others were:

Walter Douglas, born Jul. 25, 1882, died Oct. 29, 1947
Jerry, born Mar. 17, 1884, died Jun. 4, 1959
Rubye, born March 11, 1886, died March 24, 1972
Margaret, born Mar. 20, 1888, died Apr. 25, 1983
Lilburn, Jr., born Oct. 18, 1892, died Nov. 3, 1948
Nellie, born Jun. 12, 1894, died Mar. 20, 1909
Lolis, born Jun. 7, 1896, died Jul. 29, 1985
Lillian Lee, born Jun. 19, 1898, died Dec. 15, 1985

My research has uncovered only one living male descendant of Lilburn Warren Coffee, and he is the grandson of Jerry whose marriage to Martha Elizabeth Olive in 1914 produced Jerry, Jr. Jerry, Jr. married first to Helen Lorayne Donnis which produced a son, Jerry Earl Coffee, born in 1947. Jerry Sr.'s only other son, Leslie James Coffee was killed in 1944 while flying for the US Army Air Force.

Walter Douglas married Sarah Ruth Moore in 1926. That union produced at least two sons, Robert Lee, born 1926, died 1930, and Walter Douglas, Jr., born 1927, died 1985. Although he was married at least once, I have been unable to confirm any children that he might have fathered.

There are no photographs of Lilburn Warren Coffee known to exist.

James M. Coffee - A question mark!

James M. Coffee was my great-grandfather. He was born in TN in 1846 or 1847 and moved to Hempstead Co., AR with his parents by 1849. He grew up in that county, and left very few records; not even a marriage record.

James was the second of six children born to Lilburn C. and Sarah Hannah Taylor Coffee. He was married in about 1867 to Mary Elizabeth Bowman. Mary was the daughter of Joseph T. Bowman, one of the signers of the original Texas Declaration of Independence. Joseph was the son of another famous Texan, Jesse B. Bowman, an Alamo defenders who died there on Mar. 6, 1836 when the fortress fell to Santa Anna's forces. Both father and son were members of the Texas Army of the Republic.

A few surviving letters from Mary to her family revealed little about the marriage. In one she asked her brothers about the cost of goods in their part of the country (Texas?), and complained about the cost of a setting of eggs and gingham in her area. She also complained about the reconstruction forces that occupied the so far unidentified area of the south (Arkansas?) in which she and James lived.

She and James were the parents of two children: Sarah Ellen, born Sep. 19, 1869 - died Nov. 15, 1952, and my grandfather, Albert Lilburn, born Jan. 22, 1873, died Mar. 26, 1960.

I know from census records that the family was in Wood Co., TX in 1870. However, sometime after that James disappeared, and there are no indications of the cause. He may have died, or simply abandoned or divorced his family.

I did find a James M. Coffee in the 1880 Kaufman Co., TX census who was of the correct age, and was born in TN. With him was a new wife and two daughters. Sometime later this James M. signed an agreement with a Mr. Bishop of Kaufmann Co. to share crops in return for a place to live. However, this family soon disappeared from the county, never again to be found.

In about 1879 Mary Elizabeth Bowman Coffee married William Watson, with whom she had two additional children, both daughters: Lillie Wes, born Feb. 10, 1880, died Jul. 11, 1959, and Mary Elizabeth, born Aug. 28, 1883, died Feb. 20, 1942.

The May 1880 census for Bowie Co., TX shows the Watsons residing there with the two Coffee children, and Lillie, age 3 months. Living nearby is the Finis E. Ames family, the wife being Mary E. Coffee, sister to James M. Coffee. Bowie Co. courthouses have been burned a few times, and there are few old surviving records which might tell me more about these families.

The story that I have pieced together from descendants of Lillie, who married a Courtney and left descendants in Sequoyah Co., OK, reveals that Mary Elizabeth Bowman Coffee Watson died at or shortly after the birth of her second child in 1883. It was at this time that Mr. Watson returned the Coffee children to their aunt Mary Coffee Ames, and left TX for northwest AR, taking his two natural children with him.

It is said by some of my older cousins who knew our grandfather that he often told them he and his sister Ellen were raised by "a mean aunt." At some point the Ames family returned to Hempstead Co., AR with the Coffee children in tow. The Ames remained there and are buried in a now abandoned cemetery not far from present day downtown Hope.

Sarah Ellen Coffee married twice. Her first marriage was to P. B. Hill on Mar. 21, 1886 in Hempstead Co. Together they had one son, James Walter Hill, born Jan. 3, 1888, died Jan., 1972. Mr. Hill died shortly thereafter, and Sarah Ellen married Johnathan K. Polk Sutton, born Sep. 1846 in TN, died Dec. 5, 1910 in AR. This union produced three children, all daughters: Mamie, born Dec., 1890; Lillian Ann, born Jun. 6, 1894, died Dec. 18, 1964, and Violet M., born Sep. 21, 1899, died Jul. 30, 1979.

Many of this family ventured west to California and some of their descendants reside there today.

Albert Lilburn Coffee married three times. His first marriage was to Della Lenore King, born 1876 to George T. and Mary Elizabeth Woods King, died 1898 in Hempstead Co., AR. This marriage produced two children: Ora West, born Apr. 30, 1894, died May 25, 1969, and Carl Glenn, born Jan. 11, 1896, died Aug. 28, 1950.

His second wife was on Mar. 6, 1899 to Ida Lee Timberlake, born c1873 to Hugh B. and Alice B. McClumery Timberlake. Ida died in about 1902, but gave birth to two children during her short marriage. Her first child was John Timberlake, born Mar. 5, 1900, died Mar. 7, 1928, and Ruby McElvy, born Aug. 8, 1902, died Jan. 5, 1985.

Ora Elizabeth Braley was the third wife of Albert Lilburn Coffee. She was born Jan. 14, 1884 and died Mar. 7, 1984, at the age of 100 years. She was my grandmother, and the only one of his three wives to be born in LA; the other two were natives of Hempstead Co., AR.

Wm. Lafayette Stewart and Lucia Edna Coffee

William Lafayette Stewart was born Aug. 28, 1876 in San Augustine Co., TX to Isaac Richard and Sarah Payne Nations Stewart. He was married to Lucia Edna Coffee, daughter of John Fielding and Fannie Thompson Coffee, on Oct. 22, 1896 in Hope, Hempstead Co., AR.

William was an ordained Baptist minister, and took his ministry from Hope to Nolan Co., TX in 1920, and Erath Co., in 1930. He died in the Texas state hospital at Wichita Falls in Aug., 1962 of bronchial pneumonia and heart disease. He is buried in the Oak Dale Cemetery at Stephenville in Erath Co.

William's obituary shows that he was "...survived by two children, Mrs. Francis Maddox of Gordon and Willie Stewart of Stephenville. Other survivors include two brothers, George Stewart of Hannibal and Richard Stewart of Floydada; and four sisters, Mrs. John Sikes, Stephenville; Mrs. Ida Fuller and Mrs. Mary E. Rodgers, both of Houston, and Mrs. Vida Knox of Glen Dale, California. All were present for the last rites except Mrs. Knox who was unable to get here."

Lucia was born Oct. 22, 1877 in Hope and died Aug. 4, 1957 in Erath Co., and is also buried in the Oak Dale Cemetery.

Together they had three children:

• Sarah Frances, born Jan. 29, 1898, and died Mar. 28, 1986 in Erath Co. She married Emmett C. Maddox in about 1920, and they were the parents of four children: Allen Carl, born c1922; Clyde, born c1923; George W., born c1927, and Robert Francis, born c1929.
  
• Edna Ellen, born Nov. 23, 1899, died Jul. 26, 1901, buried West End Cemetery, Stephenville.
• William Ellery (Willie), born Jul. 29, 1901, died Nov. 18, 1976. His obituary appeared in The Stephenville Empire Tribune on Nov. 21, 1976, and indicates that he was survived by one sister, Frances Maddox of Gordon, and two aunts, Mrs. Iris Stewart and Mrs. Bonnie Sikes of Stephenville. Willie apparently never married. He was buried in the East Memorial Cemetery at Stephenville.

Family tales indicate that William Lafayette's father, Isaac was a very mean and cruel man. An article which appeared in The Arkansas Gazette on Sunday, Dec. 19, 1920 adds credibility to those tales.

In that article, it was reported that Isaac, age 65, shot and killed his son-in-law, Eli M. Caudle, age 46, on Dec. 18 of that year. Up until a few weeks before the killing, Eli and Isaac were in the grocery business together in Stamps, Lafayette Co., AR. Eli had filed charges against Isaac alleging slander. Isaac was overheard saying that Eli would not live long enough to testify against him.

On the day of the murder, Isaac waited on the sidewalk near his home for Eli to pass by on his way home for dinner. Without warning, Isaac shot Eli with a ".38 caliber Winchester rifle." The first shot sent Eli to his knees, then in "rapid succession, Stewart fired three more times, each shot taking effect. One shot struck Caudle above the heart. Caudle was unarmed."

Following the shooting, and before he could be captured and arrested, Isaac returned to his home where he "drank a quantity of carbolic acid, and died within a few minutes."

Eli's wife was Mary Elizabeth (Lizzie) Stewart, sister to Wm. Lafayette. I have been unable to find her, or her children after 1920 when they appeared in the Lafayette Co., AR census. William's obituary indicates that she remarried and was living in Houston, TX at the time of her brother's death.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone descended from, or researching any of these families.

Louis Edwin Coffee (1875-1947)

Louis Edwin Coffee was born Aug. 17, 1875 in Hempstead Co., AR. He was the first child of John Fielding and Fannie Thompson Coffee. Louis died July 14, 1947 at the Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino Co., CA, and was buried on July 18, 1947 at the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles Co., CA.

Following other relatives who moved there, Louis relocated from Arkansas to Erath Co., TX in 1900. He resided in that county near his sister, Lucia Edna (Mrs Wm. Lafayette Stewart) and her family for awhile before moving on to Harris Co., TX in 1910 where he worked on the railroad.

He did not marry until he was nearly 40 years old. Although a marriage record has not been found, he and Lula Belle Nichols were likely married in Thurber, Erath Co. about 1914. Their first child, Orval Preston Coffee was born there on Aug. 7, 1915.

In 1920 they were in Eastland Co., TX where Louis worked for an oil company. It is not yet clear if they moved to Eastland before or after their second child, Everette M. (Jack) Coffee was born in 1918.

The family has been difficult to keep up with. They apparently moved from Texas to California before 1930. The census for that year found them in Los Angeles Co., but not married to each other. Louis was employed by the county engineering department in the street maintenance division. He reported in the census that he was a "construction laborer in concrete."

In the census that year, Louis also reported himself as a "widower." He and Lula had divorced by then, and probably before 1924 when she is thought to have given birth to a daughter by her second husband, Floyd Henry Cook.

Lula may have given birth to a daughter, Betty Floydada (Toots) Cook. The 1930 LA Co. census shows her with Mr. Cook, age 38,a 6-yr old daughter, and the two Coffee children. In the census, Mr. Cook indicated that he married first at age 23, so it is likely that Betty was his child by a previous wife. It may also be a good bet that he did not marry at age 15. Lula later divorced Mr. Cook and subsequently married a Mr. Pennington. However, I have not found any substantive information.

Orval died in Crescent City, Del Norte Co., CA on Jan. 24, 1989. His obituary, which appeared in The Curry Coastal Pilot, published in Brookings Co., OR, a town about 25 miles north of Crescent City, reported that his body was cremated. He was survived by his brother, Everett of Anaheim, CA, and two nieces, Donna Yarkovsky of Ocala, FL, and Christine Tyler of Olathe, CO.

Everette died Jan. 19, 2004 at age 86 in Anaheim. His small obituary indicated that he left a wife, Virginia, daughters Deborah Kerns, and Marsha Bugg, and a son Kyle Follars.

Louis is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery, Pleasant View section, lot 136. Other names in the plot with him are Cook and Pennington.

Louis was my first cousin, twice removed. Anyone related to, or knowing more about him is invited to contact me.

SARA Announcement

SARA, the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives is housed at Washington, Hempstead Co., AR. The staff released the following announcement today:


Today, October 1, 2005, SARA joined the Arkansas History Commission which is the state archives of Arkansas. It is based in Little Rock and is right next door to the state capitol building. It houses the official state records and history of Arkansas. It also has rare historical documents. It has endless records. Dr. Wendy Richter is director of the History Commission.

The many hundreds of rolls of microfilm which we have here at SARA were gifts from the History Commission.

SARA will remain in Washington, Arkansas in the same building.

On October 29, we will have SARA's 3rd Annual Genealogy Fair in the 1914 Schoolhouse here at Old Washington Historic State Park. You can go to our website www.southwestarchives.com for more details. There will be no charge for the fair this year. The staff of the History Commission will conduct the workshops. We are inviting all genealogical and historical societies to have a vendor's table. Contact us if you want one.

Beginning in 1978, SARA operated as a non-profit organization under the direction of a board of directors. Our support group was Friends of SARA which has been renamed SARA Foundation, Inc. Starting today, the SARA Board of Directors became the SARA Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors.

The SARA Foundation, Inc. invites you to join the foundation with your support. The only entity the Sara Foundation will fund is SARA itself.

One of the fundraisers the SARA Foundation will continue to work on is Christmas and Candlelight in Old Washington. SARA and Old Washington Historic State Park and the Historic Washington Foundation produce this beautiful event the first Saturday in December each year. The SARA Foundation receives the proceeds from all ticket sales up through the Friday before the Saturday of the event. If you are interested in tickets, contact us for more information. The event is from 1pm-7pm. At 5 pm, Boy Scouts light over 5000 luminaries. Local singers and musicians perform in the three historical churches and the 1940 WPA Gym. The historical houses are decorated in period style with the hosts and hostesses in period costumes. Williams Tavern Restaurant is open 11-3 and 4-8. The blacksmith shop is open and carriage rides are available. This year there is a costume ball in the WPA Gym beginning at 8 pm. SARA hosts a refreshment table in the WPA Gym from 1-7.

Come see us if you are ever over this way. Don't forget to send us your family histories and other documents to add to our collections.

Gail will be here to answer your emails. Let us hear from you.

From the SARA staff, Faith Riley and Gail Martin