Crabtree to Coffey Tree

Seth Hopkins Crabtree was the son of the physician, John Crabtree of Penobscot Co., ME and the older brother of Addison Crabtree, also a physician.  The census record shows that Seth was a "laborer."

He was born in 1830 and did not marry until he was nearly 50 years old and then only after moving across country to Humboldt Co., CA.  I do not know how he got to the west coast; maybe hitched a ride in a wagon train heading across the plains.  From birth until at least Aug. 18, 1870, the date his family was enumerated, he lived at home, first in Hancock Co., ME then in 1860 and 1870 he lived at home in Penobscot Co., ME.

It took about 7 months for a wagon train to reach the west coast from Missouri. On Mar. 20, 1871 he was a registered voter in Eureka, Humboldt Co., CA meaning it took Seth only seven months to travel from Maine to California, a distance of about 3500 miles.

That, I believe would have been his great adventure!  He would probably have seen New York, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada, albeit site-seeing from a train window.

Seth remained a bachelor for about seven more years before he married Emeline Helena Felt, born in Wisconsin in Sep., 1853.  The marriage took place in Rohnerville Twp., Humboldt Co. on Dec. 25, 1878.  The 1880 Census tells us that he was a merchant, probably dry goods.

Emeline is probably the daughter of Lysander and Martha Felt, found in the 1870 census for Cannon Falls, Lillian Twp., Goodhue Co., MN.  In later census records, Emeline reported her father was born in MA and her mother in England.  That matches information given to the enumerator in 1870.

Over the next eight to nine years, three children were born to them:  Martha Leona on Jul. 13, 1880; Mark Jestin [sic] on Sep. 26, 1884 and Seth Haskel on Apr. 23, 1887.  Seth the father died before 1900 because Emeline was enumerated in the census that year as a widow in Rohnerville Twp.  She lived there as well in 1910, and in 1920 she lived with her son Haskal in Eureka, Humboldt Co.  A death date for Seth and Emeline has not been found.  Their burial sites are also unknown.

Martha was married on Dec. 16, 1901 in Mountain View, Santa Clara Co., CA to Willis Howe Faxon, a son of Samuel and Rebecca Elizabeth Scranton Faxon.  Willis was born in Hillsdale Co., MI in 1872 and died in Albany, Linn Co., OR in 1953.  Martha died in 1966 in Lebanon, Linn Co.  Both are buried at Waverly Memorial Cemetery in Albany.

Their son, Glen Shirley Faxon was born in Vallejo, Solano Co., CA in 1903 and married Lida "Dearie" Anne Coffey on Jun. 11, 1927 in Solano Co.  Dearie was a daughter of Ernest Garfield and Ester Martina Nelson Coffey, born in Clatsop Co., OR in 1909.  Ernest was a son of James Norman and Laura Ellen Hayes; Ester a daughter of Martin and Lydia Taylor Nelson.

Both Lida and Glen died in Edinburg, Shenandoah Co., VA.  The disposition of their remains is not known to me.

Obituary, The Shenandoah Valley Herald, Mar. 29, 2007, Woodstock, Shenandoah Co., VA

Lida Anne Faxon

EDINBURG- Lida Anne Faxon, 97, died Saturday, March 24, 2007, at her home.
Mrs. Faxon was born in Hammond, Ore., daughter of the late Ernest G. and Ester Nelson Coffey. She was the wife of the late Glen S. Faxon.

Surviving are a son, Glen S. Faxon Jr. of Sacramento, Calif.; daughter, Barbara F. Stout of Edinburg; sister, Norma Johnston of Vallejo, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Services will be private.

The family will received friends from 1 to 4 pm. Saturday, March 31, at the Faxon home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork St., Suite 405, Winchester, VA 22601.

The Faxon children, Glen, Jr. and Barbara, were great-grandchildren of Seth and Emeline.

More information for both Crabtree and Coffey families is available.

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Sources:  CA County Marriage Records, 1850-1952, US Census and CA voter rolls

[Dearie was the second of eight children born to Ernest and Ester Coffey.  Others, in birth order, were Pearl Matina; Norma B., Laura H., Erma Louise; Nellie E., Eleanora Lorene, and Milton E.]

[Note:  Ironically, in 1940 the Faxon family live just blocks from my maternal grandparents in Baton Rouge, LA.]

Hugh Burrell Coffey

Hugh Burrell Coffey was born in Omaha, Morris Co., TX to John M and Mary Ellen Ragland Coffey.  He was born on Jul. 4, 1879 and lived there until at least 1918 when he relocated to Fort Worth.  There he was in the loan brokerage business and, apparently, at one time a bookkeeper for an electric exchange co., and owner of Worth Radio and Applicance Company on Main St. in Fort Worth.

Hugh was residing in Dallas when he registered for the draft on Sep. 10, 1918.  He named his daughter Vanita as his nearest relative and a resident of Omaha.  He was described as being short and slim with blue eyes and brown hair and confirmed his birth date as July 4, 1879.

He was married at least three times.  His first was to Vassie Alberta Lewis, born Sep, 1881 in Morris Co., TX and who died there on Sep. 13, 1904, apparently from lingering difficulties after the birth of their second child on Sep. 14, 1903.  That child, Tom H. Coffey died on Oct. 4, 1904, some days after the death of Vassie.

Their first child was Vanita Ann, born May 19, 1902 in Morris Co.  She married twice, first to Sebia Ambrose Bell on Aug. 31, 1919 in Dallas.  There was one child, Frederick Hugh Bell, born Jun. 7, 1924 in Dallas.  He died in Arlington, Tarrant Co., TX on Jul. 4, 1982.

This marriage apparently ended in divorce because Vanita married Walter Cox Johnston on Apr. 16, 1935 in Dallas.  Sebia died on Apr. 7, 1962 in San Francisco, CA.  This union to Mr. Johnston produced at least one child, Donald Ray, born Mr. 16, 1939 in Fort Worth and died there on Nov. 12, 2000.

Vanita died Feb. 24, 1997 in Fort Worth.

Her obituary:

FORT WORTH --  Vanita Ann Johnston, 92, a homemaker, died Monday,Feb. 24, 1997, at a Fort Worth nursing home.  Funeral:  2 P.M. Wednesday at Greenwood Funeral Home.  Entombment: Greenwood Mausoleum.  Visitation: 6 to 8 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Vanita Ann Johnston was born May 19, 1904, in Omaha, Tx. Mrs. Walter Cox Johnston was a member of the Optimist Club, Park Hill Neighborhood Association and University Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Cox Johnston; a son,Frederick Hugh Bell; and a grandson, Walter Ray Johnston.

Survivors:  Son, Don R. Johnston of Fort Worth; grandchildren, Teri Stanek of Oklahoma, Okla., Cindy Winegardner of Arlington, Mark Bell of Irving and Lesa Bankhead of Azle; and great-grandchildren, Tyson Stanek, Neil Stanek, Brady Sharp, Tammi Sharp, Troy Sharp and Chelsea Post.  Greenwood Funeral Home 3100 White settlement Road  336-0584

Hugh's second wife was Ella Hood to whom he was married on Apr. 16, 1905 in Omaha.  No further information is known about this wife.  His third wife was Josephine Angela Blackmon c1910.  Jo - as she was named on Hugh's death certificate - was born Dec. 19, 1898 in Dallas and died there on Jan. 18, 1952.  Jo's parents were natives of Germany.  There are no known children from this union.

Hugh died on Apr. 19, 1944 of a cerebral hemorrhage; Jo died on Jan. 18, 1952 of colon cancer.  Both are buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Dallas.

Jacob Morris Coffey 1880-1922 [Updated]

Jacob Morris Coffey was a son of Alfred and Martha Ann Bradley Coffey in the Edmond Coffey line. Jacob was born Mar. 15, 1880 in Nelson Co., VA and died May 23, 1922 in Rockbridge Co., VA. He married Mary Jane Lotts Mar. 26, 1902 in Virginia. She was born Aug. 26, 1882.

Their children were Samuel David, born c1903; Ella Cornelia, born c1905; Florence Dell, born c1906; James Alfred, born May 8, 1908; Saylor Marshall, born Mar. 3, 1910; Lottie Mae, born c1912; Roy Martin, born Jul. 19, 1914, died Nov. 25, 1972; Salathial Coolie, born Sep. 15, 1916, died Aug. 23, 1924; John Henry, born Feb. 2, 1920, died May 26, 1990; and Mary Stuart, born c1922.

The photo is of descendants of Jacob and Mary who attended the Coffey Cousins' Reunion in Raphine. Left to right in the back is: Berman "Cotton" Coffey, Judy Ferguson, Clara May Coffey Johnston (d/o Bonnie Burjois, seated right front). Left front is Betty Coffey Funkhouser.



This is an interior shot of the Macedonia Church ceiling in Coffeytown, and was taken by Bonnie Burjois. The Church was established in 1896, and is now under the protection of the Macedonia Community Association in Coffeytown. All of the interior wood is from Chestnut trees.