William and Annie Boone Coffey at Rufus Cemetery in Caldwell Co., NC

William was a son of Thomas and Sarah Fields Coffey, born Nov. 29, 1782 in Wilkes Co., NC and died there on May 15, 1839.  That part of Wilkes Co. later became part of Caldwell Co.  Anna "Annie" Boone was a daughter of Jese and Sarah McMahan Boone, born Jul. 26, 1785 in Burke Co., died Jan. 16, 1876 in Caldwell Co.  Both are buried at the Rufus Baptist Church cemetery in Lenoir, Mulberry Twp., Caldwell Co

In fact, a number of William and Anna's descendants are buried at Rufus.  At first examination of this cemetery, most appear to be from son Wilborn, born May 14, 1807 in Burke Co., died in Caldwell Nov. 27, 1897; and from son Calvin, born Sep. 30, 1819, died Apr. 2, 1847, also in Caldwell Co..

---

Harriet Minerva Moore, wife of James Altimon Bradshaw, and daughter of Jesse Richmond Moore and Charlotte Caroline Coffey, born Oct. 7, 1878, died Jan. 22, 1970.  Charlotte Caroline was a daughter of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey and a granddaughter of William and Annie, marking Harriet a great-granddaughter.

Thelma Erin Bradshaw, daughter of James Altimon and Harriet Minerva Moore Bradshaw, born Mar. 31, 1911 in Caldwell Co., died Apr. 4, 1969.  Thelma was a great great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Beulah Evelyn, daughter of Robert Finley Coffey and Crettie May Rich and, wife of George Wesley Nichols.  She was born Aug. 22, 1923, Caldwell Co., died Sep. 8, 2009 at Lenoir.  Beulah was a first cousin to William, 5x removed.

Bruce Glen, son of Julius Pinkney and Louise Ann Edwards Coffey and, husband of Amy Moore.  He was born Dec. 24, 1908 in Caldwell Co., died Sep. 2, 1971 at Lenoir.  Julius was a great grandson of William and Annie, making Bruce a great great grandson.  Amy was the daughter of Wiley Hill and Ellen Hodges Moore.  She was born Apr. 12, 1910 in Caldwell Co., died Jan. 25, 1987.

Mabel Marie, wife of Forrest Moore Green and daughter of Bruce Glen and Amy Moore Coffey.  She was born Nov. 21, 1937 in Caldwell Co. and died there on Jul. 10, 2002.  She was a great great great grand daughter of William and Annie.  Forrest Moore Greene, a son of W. Buster and Wilma Victoria. Moore Greene. Forest was a third great grandson of William and Annie.  He was born Feb. 14, 1937 in Caldwell Co. and died there on Aug. 23, 1999.

Calvin, son of William and Annie, husband of Mary Greene.  He was born Sep. 30, 1819 in NC and died Apr. 2, 1847 in Caldwell Co.  Mary, parents unknown, was born Feb. 2, 1820 in NC and died Jun. 23, 1871 in Caldwell Co.

Wilborn, son of William and Annie, husband of Sarah "Sallie" Cottrell, born May 14, 1807 in Burke Co., died Nov. 27, 1897 in Caldwell Co.  Sallie was the daughter of William and Lucy Day Cottrell, born May 1, 1812 in Wilkes Co., died Mar. 25, 1894 in Caldwell Co.

William Rufus, son of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey and, husband of Harriet E. Moore.  He was born Nov. 17, 1832 in Caldwell Co., died Dec. 7, 1902.  He was a grandson of William and Anna.  Harriet was born May 3, 1835 in Caldwell Co., died Feb. 2, 1918.  Harriet was a daughter of David and Sarah Caroline Moore Moore, born May 3, 1835 in Caldwell Co., died Feb. 2, 1918.

Charlotte Caroline, wife of Jesse Richmond Moore, daughter of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey, born Dec. 2, 1851 in Caldwell Co., died Mar. 18, 1944 in Caldwell.  She was a grand daughter of William and Annie.  Jesse was a son of David and Sarah Caroline Moore Moore.  He was born Mar. 16, 1849 in Caldwell Co., died there on Sep. 13, 1921.

Stella Victoria Gragg, wife of Lawrence Hill Moore, was a daughter of John Boone Gragg and Cordelia Adaline Coffey.  Cordelia was a grand daughter of William and Annie, making Stella a great grand daughter.  Stella was born Jul. 10, 1882 in Caldwell Co., died Aug. 30, 1943.  Lawrence Hill was a great grandson of William and Annie.  He was the son of Jesse Richmond and Charlotte Caroline Coffey Moore.

Wilma Victoria Moore, daughter of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore and wife of W. (Willie or William) Buster Greene, was born Apr. 15, 1909 and died Feb. 14, 2004.  She was a double great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Sarah Ellen was a daughter of Jesse Richmond and Charlotte Caroline Coffey Moore and a great grand daughter of William and Annie. She was the wife of Adolphus Monroe Mast, son of John Allen Mast and Martha Elizabeth Moore.  He was born Jul. 22, 1865 in Watauga Co., and died in Caldwell Co. on Dec. 20, 1923.

Ruth Mast, daughter of Adolphus and Sarah, was born Dec. 24, 1898 in Caldwell Co. and died on Oct. 28, 1973.  Ruth was a second great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Addie Caroline Moore, daughter of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore, and the wife of Waitsel Coy Greene.  Addie was second great granddaughter of William and Annie.  I have not yet found info on Waitsel except that he was born Feb. 8, 1909.

Lex Wilburn Mast, Jr., son of Lex, Sr. and Annie Lenoir Greene Mast, was born Apr. 14, 1944 in Caldwell Co. and died Sep. 6, 1974.  He was a third great grandson of William and Annie.

Dermont Richmond Moore, a son of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore, was born Apr. 12, 1917 in Caldwell Co., and died there on Jun. 2, 2003.  He was a second great grandson of William and Annie.

---

The Rufus Cemetery is located off the Mulberry Creek Road but, it appears from Google Maps that the entrance to it is located on the Boone Fork Park Road.  Geo Coordinates for that entrance are: Latitude: 36° 0' 0.74" N, Longitude: 81° 38' 26.51" W.  Click on the "Show on Google Maps" below and the link will take you to a very good satellite view of the area.

Show on Google Maps

Hopefully, I've made the correct kinship calculations. Please let me know of any errors.

William Rufus & Harriet E. Moore Coffey

William Rufus, a son of Wilborn and Sallie Cottrell Coffey, was born Nov. 17, 1832 in Caldwell Co., NC and died there on Dec. 7, 1902.  He married Harriet E. Moore, born May 3, 1835 to David and Sarah Caroline Moore Moore, on Dec. 4, 1856.  Both are buried at the Rufus Baptist Church Cemetery in the Mulberry community of Caldwell Co.

There were at least three children born to this couple.  The first I know of was Julius Pinkney, born Aug. 24, 1858, died Feb. 11, 1933 in Mulberry Twp., Caldwell Co.  Julius married Louise Ann Edwards on Mar. 30, 1913 in Rowan Co., NC.  She was a daughter of William Dudley and Eunity [sic] Emeline Whitley Edwards. Julius and Louise are buried at the Pleasant Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Marshville, Union Co., NC.

In the on-line death records index in Caldwell Co., Julius is recorded as Julius Penley Coffey.  His death certificate also provides Penley as his middle name.  His marriage to Louise is recorded as Julius Pinkney and, his headstone is also engraved with that name.  Julius' death certificate reports him buried at "Philadelphia," which I presume to be the Philadelphia Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Lenoir.  He may indeed be there, but his headstones, shared with Louise, is at Pleasant Grove.

Other genealogical difficulties with this couple include the birth of their children.  The first was Bruce Glen, which according to his death certificate was born Dec. 24, 1908 in Caldwell Co., some five plus years before his parents marriage.  The certificate also names his parents as Julius and Louise.  Bruce married Amy Moore, a daughter of Wiley Hill and Ellen Hodges Moore in 1928, Caldwell Co.  Bruce died in Lenoir on Sep. 2, 1971 and Amy on Jan. 25, 1987.  Both are buried at Rufus Baptist Church cemetery.

Hazel Eugenia is the only other child known to me.  According to her death certificate, she was born on Feb. 28, 1913, just about a month before her parents marriage.  She married Thomas Carl Jones, date and place not known.  She died Nov. 14, 1964 at home in Lenoir and was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Park in that city.

Read my earlier blog for my views on using death certificates and headstones as source data.

Second child born to William Rufus and Harriet was Sarah Ellen, born Apr. 14, 1861 in Caldwell Co., died Jul. 2, 1942 in Butler, Johnson Co., TN.  Her spouse is said to have been Davis S. Vaught.*  No further information.

Their third child was David Milton, born June, 1865 in Caldwell Co.  He married Ida Susan Vaught,** likely a sister to David, on May 15, 1893 in Johnson Co., TN.  I know of two children:  David Duke Coffey, born May 22, 1897 and Broady Bailey, born Feb. 22, 1898.  Both were born in Watauga Co., NC.

---

*Tennessee Deaths and Burials, 1874-1955, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: various dates).
**Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.

Odell Cletus & Thelma Edna Coffey Deal

Sylvannas Deal, born Nov. 1, 1832, died Jul. 30, 1899 in Burke Co., NC and his wife, Mary J., maiden name unknown, were the parents of Nathaniel T. "Nathan" Deal, born in Aug., 1862.

Nathan married Mary Elvira Shell on Mar. 27, 1884 in Lovelady Twp., Caldwell Co..  Mary was the daughter of John Tipton and Martha Bisanar [sic] Shell and, was born Aug. 22, 1867 in Caldwell Co., died May 14, 1953 in Hickory, Catawba Co., NC.

Odell Cletus Deal

Among their six known children was Odell Cletus, born Jun. 2, 1904 in Catawba Co., and who died there on Jan. 6, 1989.  Odell married first to Constance Eliza Chester in NC, c1929.  I know of one child, Robert Bernett, born Feb. 16, 1929 in Catawba Co.  Constance died on Aug. 19, 1957 in Hickory, Catawba Co. and was buried at Catawba Memorial Park on Aug. 21.

Odell then married Thelma Edna Coffey in 1959.  There were no known [to me] children.

Thelma was the daughter of William Leon and Marion Edna Norris Coffey.  She was born on Feb. 28, 1915 in Watauga Co to Millard Harrison and Ida Delrea Davis Norris.  She died on May 26, 1995 in Hickory and was also buried at Catawba Memorial Park.  Odell died on Jan. 6, 1989 in Catawba and is believed to also be buried at Catawba Memorial Park.

Dale Cloyd Norris

Anna Bell Coffey Norris

Two of Millard and Ida's children also married Coffey women. Lyman Paul Norris, born Jan., 1900, married Addie Lee Coffey, a daughter of Daniel Carlton "Dell" and Mary Jane Bodenhamer Coffey.   Dale Cloyd Norris, born Jan., 1910, married Anna Belle Coffey, sister to Addie Lee. Ida Delrea Davis was the daughter of Harvey Alexander and Mary Hodges Davis.  Millard was a son of Isaac and Amanda Spencer Norris.

Thelma was the second to oldest of the at least nine children born to William and Marion.  William was a son of William Luther and Mary Salome Moretz Coffey.  William Luther was a son of Jesse Calton and Nancy A. Raines Coffey.  Jesse Calton was a son of Reuben and Rachel Hayes Coffey.  Reuben was a son of Jesse and Margaret Edmisten Coffey.  Jesse was a son of Reuben and Sarah Scott Coffey.  Reuben's parents were John and Jane Graves Coffey.  John was a son of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey.*

Sylvannas Deal is buried at Abees Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery in Valdese, NC

Mary Elvira Shell Deal is buried at St. Lukes Lutheran Church Cemetery in Hickory, NC

William Leon and Marion Edna Norris Coffey; Millard Harrison and Ida Delrea Davis Norris; Daniel and Mary Jane Bodenhamer Coffey; andHarvey and Mary Hodges Davis are all buried at the Old Mount Pleasant-Bethany Lutheran Cemetery in Boone, NC.

---

More on these families is available on "The Edward Coffey Project" DVD or, through limited request.
Photos of Dale and Anna Bell Norris appeared with their obituaries

Dr. Edmond Aurelius Coffey

Edmond Aurelius Coffey was a son of Lewis and Elizabeth Cleveland Coffey, born Mar. 3, 1810 in North Carolina, died Aug. 28, 1895 in Aubrey, Denton Co., TX.  He is buried at Belew Cemetery in Aubrey.*

He married Dianah Bagby c1830, probably in NC where she was born on Jan. 27, 1811 to Edmond and Nancy Ann Martin Bagby.  Dianah died in 1889 in Etowah Co., AL and was buried at Union No. 3 Baptist Church Cemetery at Ballplay, Etowah Co.

Many researchers believe the family first settled in Gwinnett Co., GA where their 12 children were born.  The 1840 census for that county does show an Edmon Coffee with 2 males under 5; 1 male, age 5 to 9; 1 male, 30-39; 1 female under 5; 2 females, age 5-9; and 1 female, age 20-29.  The census also counted 8 slaves at the residence.

Census records for 1850 and 1860 show the family residing in Cherokee Co., GA.  In 1870 they were in Etowah Co and, 1880 in Blount Co.  Sometime shortly after Dianah's death, Dr. Coffey relocated to Denton Co., TX, perhaps to join number seven son, Aurelius (1842-1918) who was in the Denton Co. census of 1880 and 1900 and who died there in 1918.

There were twelve children born to Edmond and Dianah:

Their first was Edmund Bagby, born Jan. 1, 1831, died before 1870 in AL.  He married Melissa Jane Sewell, born c1831 in GA.  Their marriage was between 1850 when Melissa was living with her widowed mother in Cherokee Co., AL, and 1854 when their first child Frances was born.  Their other children were:  Sarah Malinda, born 1856 in Cherokee Co., died Sep. 4, 1918 in Blount Co., AL; Lydia Jane, born 1858 in St. Claire Co., AL, died Jan. 8, 1926 in Etowah; and Rachel B., born c1859.  There may have been others; these are all I know of.

Second born was Elizabeth Ann on Aug. 27, 1832, died Aug. 8, 1877 in AL.  She married Elisha Trimble Walker c1854 and had at least seven children:  Nancy; Josephine, Benjamin; Webster; Aurelius; Martha and Elizabeth.

Next was Loany who married William Woodard. She was born 1835, died Jan. 12, 1894 in Chepultepec, Blount Co.   Her children were Dianah, born 1854; Jesse T., born c1857; Edmund, born c1859; and William M., Jr., born 1862, died 1930.

Benjamin L., born May 3, 1836, death date unknown. He married Lucy Shields, born c1852 in GA.  Their children were Elizabeth, Edmond John; Nancy Walker; and Asberry Aurelius.  Probably others that I have not yet located.  Asberry Aurelius died in Denton Co., TX in 1951.

Sarah Caroline followed c1838.  She married John W. Tidmore, born in AL c1846.

Webster Gilbert was born Jun. 20, 1840 and died in Etowah Co. in 1911.  He married Louise Evaline Tidmore, possibly brother to John, c1865.  She was born Jan. 22, 1845 in AL and died in Etowah Co. in 1935.  They were the parents of 12:  James Henry; John Adams; William Thomas; Anna Elizabeth; Webster Gernagin; Edmond Columbus; Buddy J. [who probably died an infant]; Minnie Luella; Martha Jane; Nancy Victoria; Jesse L.; Mary Evergreen; Grover Cleveland; and General.

Aurelius, born Mar. 9, 1842, died Jan. 7, 1918 in Denton Co., TX.  His wife was Grace Penelope Hodges, born Oct. 4, 1844 in AL, died shortly after her husband, on Jun. 1, 1918 in Aubrey.  Their children were:  Wm Riley; Edmund Harrison; James Madison; Francis; Kathryn; Bertha Maurine; Cora and Tommy.  The first four were born in AL, perhaps Etowah Co.; the last four in Denton Co., TX.

Child number 8 was Thomas Arvil, born Jun. 30, 1843, died Mar. 9, 1917 in Pontotoc Co., OK.  His wife was Hannah Henson, born in AL c1845, died Aug., 1914 in Pontotoc Co.  Their children were:  Nathan; Mary D., Thomas; Henry Gilbert; Mettie Ellen; James Martin; John Thomas; Aurelius; and Walter Curtis.

James Madison was next.  He was born Jun. 4, 1845, died in 1922, perhaps in TX.  His wife was Elizabeth Susan Caddell, born 1847 in AL.  They married in Etowah Co. in 1867.  Chidren:  Lewis Edmond; Lemuel A; Basil C; Amanda Evergreen; Aurelius; one unnamed son (1878-1879); Mallie Jane; Laura Valera; James R.; Barbara Elizabeth; and Dessie Victoria.

Eliza Jane, born 1847, died 1915.  She married John Boone McKinney on Sep. 19, 1868 in Etowah Co.  He was born c1847 and died c1884.  Children were:  John Thomas; Edmond James; William Webster; Benjamin Aurelius; Dinah Elizabeth; Samuel Washington; and Lorena Martha Creacy Evergreen [sic].

No. 11 was Martha, born 1850, died c1920.  Her husband was Perry E. Daily, born 1853 in AL.  They were married Aug. 4, 1872 in Blount Co., AL.  Children:  Edmond; Mary; Ellen, and William.

The last child born to Edmond and Dianah was Chaney Evergreen on Dec. 28, 1852.  No other info has been found and, she likely died in infancy.

---

*Gloria B. Mayfield Project Mgr, "Cemeteries of Denton County Texas", database, Cemeteries of Texas, Cemeteries of Denton County Texas (http://www.cemeteries-of-tx.com/etx/denton/listdenton.html).

More information about this family and their descendants is available on the Edward Coffey Project DVD.

A Downside to using Headstone Info

Monroe Cleveland or Jesse Cleveland Coffey?

Within a couple of days of writing the previous blog about headstones, I received this from Lloyd Coffey, a grandson of Jesse Cleveland Coffey.  Jesse was a son of  Jesse "Red Eye" and Lucinda Louise Coffey Coffey:

"My grandfather, Jesse Cleveland Coffey, son of Jesse C. 'Red Eye' Coffey, is buried in Glencoe Cemetery in Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Virginia.  It is in southwestern Virginia and is the location of the 'Richmond District' about which I wrote you earlier.  For some reason, his grave marker has his name as Monroe Cleveland Coffey.  I know that the name Monroe is in our family several times, but I do not know how it got attached to my grandfather.  I have attached a picture of his gravestone.  I do not know the source of any of the information on the stone."

Unless this information is passed on through the family, future researchers looking for Jesse Cleveland's grave site will be disappointed when it cannot be found.

Jesse Cleveland, who I'm sure I've written about in earlier blogs, married Eliza Loudermilk, a daughter of Finley T. & Mary Clark Loudermilk in Caldwell Co., NC in 1910. Eliza was born on Dec. 3, 1892 and died Mar. 18, 1987 in Hiddenite, Alexander Co., NC.

Her obituary:

The Watauga Democrat, Boone, NC Mar. 20, 1987

Mrs. Eliza Coffey

Hiddenite Resident

Mrs. Eliza Coffey, 94, of Route 1, Hiddenite, died Wednesday, March 18, at the residence following an illness of one week.

She was born in Caldwell County, Dec. 23, 1892. She was a daughter of the late Finley Loudermilk and Mary Clark Loudermilk. She was a homemaker. He husband, Cleveland Coffey, preceded her in death.

Survivors include three sons, Lester Coffey and Rayford Coffey, both of Lenoir, and Eugene Coffey of Statesville, two daughters Mrs. Zelma Campbell of Hiddenite and Mrs. Nettie Hodge of Lenoir; one brother, Daniel Loudermilk of Taylorsville, and 36 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Services were held today at 2 p.m. at the Adams Funeral Home Chapel in Taylorsville. Officiating were the Revs. Homer Baity and Bobby Eads. Burial was in the Rocky Face Baptist Church Cemetery in Alexander County.

Adams Funeral Home in Taylorsville was in charge of arrangements.

She and Jesse were parents of six children:

1 - Annie Rivers "Nannie", born Jan. 1, 1910 in Avery Co., NC, died Apr 15, 1952 in Boone.  Annie married her second cousin, William Glenn Coffey and had at least one son, Jerry Guy, born Sep., 12, 1933, died Jan. 25, 1998 in NC.

2 - Lester Deverlin, born Apr. 12, 1913 in NC, died Jul 20, 1988 in Lenoir, Caldwell Co.  His wife was Grace Thelma Bennett, born Jul. 27, 1924 in Avery Co., died Feb. 22, 2005 in Lenoir.

Her obituary:

The Hickory Daily Record, Catawba Co., NC, Feb. 25, 2005

GRACE B. COFFEY

LENOIR - Grace Bennett Coffey, 80, of Rosedale Drive, died Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005, at Gateway Nursing Center.

She was born July 27, 1924, in Avery County to the late Jesse Cleveland and Etta Naomi Hardin Bennett.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Deverlin Coffey; four brothers; and two sisters.

Mrs. Coffey was a homemaker and a member of Zacks Fork Baptist Church.
Survivors include three sons, Donald Odell Coffey Sr. of South Sioux City, Neb., Lloyd Everette Coffey of Taylorsville and Benson Howard Coffey and wife, Teena, of Lenoir; a daughter and son-in-law, Estie Loretta Coffey Smith and Tallie Smith of Lenoir; a stepbrother, Jimmy Kirksey of Hickory; three sisters, Mrs. Virginia Whittington of Lenoir, Mrs. Ollie Coffey of Boone and Mrs. Jean Holdridge of Gainesville, Fla.; seven grandchildren, Jerry Smith, Sharon Smith Clonch, Wayne Smith, Jeannie Smith Childress and Stella Coffey, all of Lenoir, Donald Coffey Jr. of Granite Falls and Gail Coffey Farmer of Arizona; 16 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 25, 2005, at 2 p.m. at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Jerry Smith, Ken Osier and Eliza Bishop.  Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens.

Serving as pallbearers will be Cregg Clonch, Ryan Smith, Dustin Smith, Josh Coffey, Scott Coffey, Victor Whittington and Shane Whittington.

The family will receive friends tonight, Thursday, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

For additional information, the family contact person will be Sharon Clonch, granddaughter, at 1216 Cottrell Hill Road, Lenoir.

Memorial contributions may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 9140 Arrowpoint Blvd., Suite 380, Charlotte, N.C. 28273, or the Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders Association, Western N.C. Chapter, 31 College Place, Suite D320, Asheville, N.C. 28801-2644.

Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

3 - Zelma Izora, born Sep. 1, 1915 in NC, died Aug. 6, 1993 in Alexander Co.  She married Lex Garland Campbell, born 1910, died Mar. 8, 1992, also in Alexander Co.  They had at least two children, Betty Lou, born 1935 in Alexander Co., died in Harmony, Irdell Co. on Jan. 24, 2005 and, Gary Lee, born Nov. 25, 1947 in Alexander Co., died Jul. 30, 2005 in Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., NC

I have obituaries for both of these and will forward on request.

4 - Charley, born 1918 in Avery Co., died Apr. 14, 1919 in Wilson Creek Twp., Avery Co.  His death record gives his name as Chasley, but Lloyd tells me that is an error.

5 - Nettie J., born Feb. 27, 1920 in Watauga Co.  No further info.

6 - Jerry Baxter, born Mar. 21, 1923 in NC, died at Blowing Rock, Watauga Co. on Jan. 14, 1973.

Roby Monroe Coffey Family

Roby Monroe Coffey was a son of George Washington "Wash" and Matilda "Tilda" Coffey Coffey.  Wash and Tilda were distant cousins.  Roby was the ninth of the 11 children born to Tilda, and first saw light on Mar. 20, 1881 in Ashe Co., NC.  He died on Oct. 1, 1955 of a coronary occlusion and was buried in the Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery in Watauga Co., NC.

On Sep., 12, 1918, Roby registered for the draft in WW1 in Lenoir, Caldwell Co.  He was described as being 37 years old, tall with blue eyes and dark colored hair.  He was a farmer and resided at Shulls Mill in Watauga Co. with his wife.  He did not mention the number of children in his household, but by that date, should have been the father of at least six children:

Roby Monroe Coffey Family

Lena, born Dec. 13, 1903, died 1979, married George Norvell Fox Aug. 10, 1927 in Carter Co., TN.  George was born May 7, 1902 in Watauga Co., the son of John Lee and Jodie Ella Shook Fox.

Lelia Nancy, born May 20, 1906 in Caldwell Co., died May 7, 1969 in Lenoir.  She married Ralph Washington Jones on Jul. 31, 1926 in Watauga Co.  He was born Jun. 1, 1906 in Caldwell Co., and died there on Jul. 14, 1987.  Both she and Ralph are buried at Harris Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery in Hudson, Caldwell Co.  They had at least three children, all now deceased:  George Sylvester, born Jun 3, 1927, died Jun. 9, 1946; Thelma, born Jan. 29, 1930, died Dec. 14, 2006 as Mrs. Claude D. Payne, and Peggy Ann, born Dec. 4, 1948, died Apr. 5, 1960.

Bina Lee, born Jun. 29, 1909 in Caldwell Co., died Jul. 10, 1999 in High Point, Guilford Co., NC.  She married her distant cousin, Troy Talmadge Coffey, on Nov. 3, 1928 in Carter Co., TN.  Troy was the son of George Calvin and Louisa Elizabeth Curtis Coffey.  Troy and Bina had at least one child, a son Wayne Lewis, born Oct. 9, 1929, died Sep. 24, 1999.  Troy was born Mar. 4, 1906 in Watauga Co., and died Apr. 18, 1995 in Thomasville, Davidson Co., NC.

Lottie Merle, born Feb. 12, 1912 in Caldwell Co., died May 3, 1998 in Culpeper, Culpeper Co., VA.  She married Ralph James Moore on Jan. 21, 1928 in Watauga Co.  Ralph was born Apr. 4, 1908, a son of Wiley Hill and Ellen Hodges Moore.  After Ralph died, Lottie married Herbert Hensley who also preceded her in death.

Cora Lee, born Oct. 18, 1914 in Caldwell Co., and died there on Dec. 31, 1990.  She married Earl Boyd Miller, a son of Daniel Lafayette and Emma Coleman Miller, in 1932, Caldwell Co.  Earl was born Dec. 24, 1911 in Caldwell Co., and died in Hudson, NC on Oct. 15, 2006.  Earl was buried at Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Hudson.  Cora is also presumed to be buried there.

Ruth, the sixth child, was born Dec. 31, 1916 in Caldwell Co.  she married Edward R. Cook on Aug. 29, 1936 in Watauga Co.  No further information is known.

It is not clear to me where the other children in the family were when this family-style photo was taken.  Because the first six children were only girls, the children in the photo have to be:

Frank E., on the right, born c1919

Boyd Ray, on the left, born Mar. 26, 1923.  Boyd married Mary Elizabeth Hayes.

Margaret Allena, the "babe in arms," born Apr. 7, 1926, died Feb. 10, 1990.  Margaret married John Wellington Ford on Jul. 12, 1941 in Watauga Co.  John was born in North Carolina on Jan. 8, 1925 and died in Lenoir on Sep. 7, 1980.  According to his obituary, John was buried in the Ford Cemetery in Caldwell Co., white Margaret was buried in the Bolick Family cemetery in the Globe, Caldwell Co.  There were at least two children born to them:  John, Jr., born Sep. 20, 1945, died Dec. 9, 1996; and Della Mae, born Dec. 23, 1947, died Mar. 12, 1995.

Please contact me to add to or to correct any of this information.

The headstone and church photos are courtesy of Connie Coffey Dorsey.  The Roby Coffey family photo is courtesy of Margaret Coffey Farley.

Roy Lee Coffey

The Jul 15, 2008 on-line edition of the Watauga Democrat, Watauga Co., NC, included the obituary for Roy Lee Coffey who died Jul. 13, 2008.

Roy was the son of Frederick Abner and Mary Octavia Loudermelt Coffey, and was born Feb. 16, 1926 in Caldwell Co., NC.

Frederick was the son of George Washington, Jr. and Tempy S. Calloway Coffey, and was born Jan. 18, 1902 in Caldwell Co. He died Apr. 6, 1930 in Banner Elk, Avery Co., NC. Frederick and Mary Octavia were married May 15, 1922 in Carter Co., TN. She was born Oct. 9, 1903 in Avery Co. to Finley T. and Mary Clark Loudermelt, and died Mar. 31, 1977 in Boone, Watauga Co.

Roy's siblings, as I know them:

George, born 1922

Everette, born Oct. 12, 1927, married Elizabeth Antonio Lentz, a daughter of William Council and Martha Elizabeth Suddreth Lentz. Elizabeth was born Apr. 28, 1932 in Caldwell Co., and died Apr. 27, 2003 in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co.

Viola, born May 14, 1929, married Arnold (Red) Church. He was born Dec. 20, 1916 in Watauga Co., and died Feb. 15, 1968 in Raleigh, Wake Co., NC. Arnold was the son of Manuel and Elizabeth Hodges Church.

Another son of George and Tempy was Paris Coffey, born c1906. He married Anna Dellinger on May 24, 1930 in Watauga Co. Anna was the daughter of Reuben and Maude Rebecca Coffey Dellinger. Maude was born Feb. 6, 1891 in Caldwell Co. to William Pinkney and Nancy Caroline Gragg Coffey.

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

Norma Pauline Coffey

I have previously written about Pauline and her parents, Olin J. and Estie Coffey Coffey.

Norma was born Jun. 3, 1924 in Watauga Co., NC and died Nov. 9, 2003 in Denton, Davidson Co., NC. She married Rev. Howard Thomas Hodges on Oct. 22, 1924.

When her mother died Norma's father placed her for adoption and she was taken into the William Washington Collins family. Lee Ella Coffey Collins was first cousin to Olin.

This photo is of Norma in her golden years:

Her obituary:

Norma C. Hodges

DENTON | Norma Coffey Hodges, 79, of Denton, died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003, at her home. A memorial service will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Zion Baptist Church in Morganton, where she was a member.

Mrs. Hodges was born June 3, 1924, in Watauga County to Olin J. and Estie Coffey Coffey. She was a homemaker. She was married to the Rev. Howard Thomas Hodges, her husband of 56 years, who died April 20, 2001. She was also preceded in death by her foster family, Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Collins, Sally Collins and Spencer and Staple Collins.

Surviving are two daughters, Rebecca Parsons and her husband, Lloyd, of Denton and Susan Bullard of Fort Mill, S.C., and six grandchildren, Jessica, Caitlin and Rob Bullard of Fort Mill, S.C., Matthew and Jen Parsons of Richlands and Amanda Perez of High Point.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cedar Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 1048, Linwood, N.C. 27299.

Briggs Funeral Home in Denton is assisting the Hodges family.

Comments and/or corrections can be sent to me at the above e-mail address.

Jesse Filmore Coffey

Jesse Filmore Coffey was born Oct. 22, 1858 in North Carolina to Austin and Mary A. Blalock Coffey. He married at least three times.

His first wife was Mattie Storie, born Mar. 26, 1852, died Apr. 25, 1892. I have not found their marriage date, but it should have been sometime prior to Aug. 4, 1882 for that is the date of birth of their first child, Edna.

Edna married J. E. Hodges on Oct. 2, 1903 in Watauga Co., NC. She died Mar. 3, 1942 in Boone, Watauga Co., and is buried there at Boone Fork Baptist Church Cemetery. I have no additional information.

Edna's obituary:

Mrs. Edna Hodges Dies on Tuesday

Brief Illness is Fatal to Well-known School Teacher; Rites at Boone Fork Church

Mrs. Edna Coffey Hodges, aged 67, died at Watauga Hospital Tuesday after a brief illness. Cancer was given as the cause of her death.

Funeral services are to be conducted from the Boone's Fork Baptist church and burial will be in that section when the weather permits.

Mrs. Hodges was a daughter of the late Filmore and Mrs. Coffey and was raised in the vicinity of Foscoe. She had taught in the public schools of Watauga and adjacent counties for a number of years, and was well known and held in the highest regard by her many acquaintances.

Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Louise Aldridge, and the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. Eva Coffey, Jessee Coffey, Mrs. H. H. Berry, Sanford Coffey, Shulls Mills; Mrs. George Williams, Johnson City, Tenn, Mrs. Blaine Aldridge, Tacoma, Wash.

Other children were:

Rose Lee, born Feb. 9, 1886, died Jan. 16, 1946. She married Arthur Blaine Aldridge on May 19, 1906 in Watauga Co. He was the son of James A. and Sarah Gragg Aldridge. Arthur is thought to have died in Wisconsin in 1947. Their children were Jerome Marvin, born Nov. 11, 1909 and Beulah J., born Sep. 3, 1912.

Jesse Lawrence, born in Watauga Co. on Feb. 29, 1888, died there on Nov. 16, 1956. He is buried in the Calloway Cemetery in Watauga Co.

Jesse's obituary:

Jesse L. Coffey, 68, passed away Friday evening at 8:30 o'clock at the home of a sister, Mrs. H. H. Berry, 112 Ervin avenue.

A native of Watauga County, he was born on February 29, 1888, a son of the late J. Philmore Coffey and Mrs. Mattie Story Coffey. His wife is the former Miss Florence Clark. He was a member of the Boone Fork Advent Christian Church in Watauga County.

Surviving are a son, Warren Coffey of Manerva, O.; four grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Berry, Mrs. George Williams of Johnson City, Tenn., and Miss Eva Mac Coffey of Shulls Mills; and a brother, Stanford Coffey of Shulls Mills.

Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the Christian Church at Shulls Mills, with the Rev. Horace Harris officiating. Interment will be in the Callaway cemetery.

Mr. Coffey served in the United States Army from 1911 through 1921, being stationed in China, the Philippine Islands and Siberia. He was a retired employee of the Timpken Roller Bearing Company of Canton, Ohio.

The body was removed to the home of a sister, Miss Eva Mac Coffey, at Shulls Mills this afternoon from Lenoir Funeral Home.

Clarence Olen, born Aug. 28, 1889. He married Beulah Berry on Jul. 3, 1922 in Watauga Co. No other information.

Sarah Ethel, born Mar. 1, 1892. Married Harden Berry. No other information.

Jesse' second wife was Jane Harrell. They were married Nov. 26, 1892 in Watauga Co. No other information.

His third wife was Harriett Melissa Calloway, born May 9, 1862 in NC, died in that state on Oct. 22, 1949. They were married Dec. 5, 1893 in Watauga Co.

Harriet Melissa Calloway

At least four children were born to this marriage:

Mollie Bell, born Nov. 24, 1895, died Mar. 9, 1974. Mollie married George Quincy Williams on Sep. 12, 1917 in Watauga Co. He was born c1894 and died Feb. 3, 1967 in Washington Co., TN. Their children were: Frank Tipton, born Jul. 27, 1918, died Jan. 31, 1987; Jack Quincy, born Mar. 8, 1921, died Mar. 3, 2001.

Some sources list Harriet Marie, born Jul. 21, 1945 and Melissa Jane, born Mar. 20, 1956 as children of George and Mollie. That is problematic however, as there were 24 years between birth of Jack and Harriet and, 11 years between Harriet and Melissa.

[I have learned today (12-31-07) that Harriet and Melissa are grandchildren of George and Millie; children of their son Frank. I do not yet know who their mother was and, am working on that. ]

Eva Mae, born May 11, 1899, died Jan. 9, 1975. No other information.

Stanford Councill, born Oct. 24, 1901, died Dec. 29, 1988. Stanford married his second cousin, Minnie Lee Ella Coffey, a daughter of William Pinkney and Nancy Caroline Gragg Coffey. Minnie has been previously married to Herbert Spencer "Hub" Wagner. Hub had been sentenced to prison for the murder of Earl Moody and Letcher Byrd in Christmas Day, 1926. Hub had also been previously married to Ruie Ellen Coffey, a daughter of Charles Frederick* and Saphronia Phipps Coffey. It is believed that Hub relocated to West Virginia after serving his prison term. I do not know of any children born to Stanford and Minnie.

The last child born to Jesse and Harriet is thought to be Minnie Lee, born Jun. 9, 1904, died Jun. 9, 1992. No other information.

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



*Update Nov. 8, 2007: I have been rather rudely informed that Charles' middle name was not Frederick.