James Madison & Lydia Ann Wolfe Coffey

James was a son of Ausburn (var.) and Matilda "Tildy" Dalton Coffey.  Lydia "Liddy" was the daughter of Adam and Jemima McCoy Wolfe.  James, born in 1834, Tennessee, married Liddy in Grainger Co., TN in 1857.[1]  She was born in Grainger Co. in 1836.[2]

By 1860 the couple was residing in Rockcastle Co., KY where they remained for the rest of their lives.[3]

Between 1858 and 1882 James and Liddy had at least 12 children; three sons, the remainder were daughters.  There was one unnamed child that was born and died in Feb., 1882, sex also unknown.

First child born was Thomas Jefferson in 1858, Grainger Co., died 1934 in Jessamine Co., KY.  Thomas married Mary Alice McGuire in 1883, Rockcastle Co.   She was born in KY in 1865 and died in Madison Co., KY in 1940.  Their children were: Beulah, Martha, Lydia, Minnie and Willie, all daughters.  Thomas' burial place is not known to me.  Mary Alice is buried at the Richmond Cemetery in Richmond, Madison Co.

John Henry, born in May, 1861 at Rockcastle Co., married Eliza Margaret Langford in 1891, Rockcastle Co.  She was born in that county i 1856 and died in Mercer Co., KY in 1931.  John Henry died at Mt. Vernon, KY in 1951.  Their children were Minnie L., James Madison and Jessie.  Both John and Eliza are buried at the Maret Cemetery in Wildie, Rockcastle Co., KY.

The first daughter born to James and Liddy was Margaret Angeline on Aug. 16, 1863 in Rockcastle Co.  She died there in Oct., 1863 and was buried at Maret.

Glathia Jane, born Oct., 1865, married Joseph Love Ramsey in 1898, Rockcastle Co.  Joseph was born in KY in 1842 and died in Rockcastle Co. in 1901.  Glathia Jane died in Madison Co. in 1939.  Joseph's first wife was Martha Jane Bryant, born 1843, died 1895.  They had at least two children; Ella, c1866 and Gatie, 1881 in Renfro Valley, Rockcastle Co.  Gatie married Arthur A. Coffey in 1897, Rockcastle Co.  He was the son of Lee and Isabelle "Belle" Hiatt Coffey.  Lee and Glathia Jane were first cousins.  Glathia is buried at the Berea Cemetery while Joseph was buried at the Hiatt Cemetery in Renfro Valley.

Gemima "Mimmia" follower Glathia in Dec., 1866 at Rockcastle Co.  She never married and died at Rockcastle Co. in 1967.  She is also buried at Maret.

Matilda was next, born in 1868 at Wildie.  She married John R. Dotson on Oct. 5, 1893 at Rockcastle Co.  He was born in TN in Jun., 1872 and died in Dayton, Montgomery Co., OH in 1965.  Matilda, whose middle name was either Addison or Aderson - nicknamed Addie - died in Preble Co., OH in 1953.  They had Orla, Ila, Dewey, Margaret, Earnest, Honest John [sic] and Argie.  Orla married Walker Blanton, born c1884, died 1962.  Orla died in 1981.  Both are buried at Berea.  Honest John was born in 1903 and died in 1914 at Wildie.  He was buried at Rockcastle Co., but cenetery is not given on his death certificate.

Hulda was one of two daughters of James and Liddy that married a Ketron.  Her husband was George Nelson, born 1867 in KY to Allen and Bettie Hatfield Ketron.  He and Hulda married in 1897, Rockcastle Co and had children William Allen; James B.; John C.; Freeman D.; Lydia Loretta; and George Conley.  George was their only child not born in KY.  He was born in Indiana, and probably in Randolph Co.  Hulda died in Eaton, OH in 1951; George in Winchester, Randolph Co., IN in 1945.  Hulda is buried at Fountain Park Cemetery in Winchester.  George's resting place in unknown to me but likely also at Fountain Park.

William Ausbon was the last known son born to James and Liddy.  He was born in Rockcastle Co. in 1873 and died there in 1964.  He married Cordelia T. Reynolds in 1895.  She was born to Tandy and Sarah Parsons Reynolds in KY in 1871 and died in Rockcastle Co. in 1913.  The name given on her death certificate as well as her headstone is Cordelia Tea Coffey.  Both she and William are buried at Maret.  Their children were Casper; Della J.; Grace; Vesta; John Clay; Unnamed male; William R.; and James Jefferson "Jepp."

Eliza Brannaman, born 1875 in Rockcastle Co., died in 1971 and was buried at Maret.  She never married.

MarionVictoria Ketron Reese

Cordelia "Delia" was the other daughter of James and Liddy to marry a Ketron.  He husband was Freeman, brother to Hulda's husband, George Ketron.  They were married in Rockcastle Co. in 1897.  Freeman was born in KY in 1875; Delia in 1878, Rockcastle Co.  He died there in 1928; she in Berea in 1952.  Both are buried at Scaffold Cane Cemetery in Round Stone, Rockcastle Co.  Their children were:  Johnny Love; Benton, Allen A; Daisy B.; Hagie  (?) M.; Thurman H.; Floy T.; and Marion Victoria.  Floy married Brandley Powell in 1937.  Marion Victoria married Leonard Reese.

The last named child of James and Liddy was Sallie, born c1879.  No other information.  An unnamed child was born Feb. 1, 1882,  It died that same month in Wildie and was buried at Maret.

More details are available in the Edward Coffey Project.  Corrections and additions are welcomed.

 Jack

---

[1]David B. Trimble, Wolfe and Hickman of East Tennessee (Microfilmed by Brigham Young University: David B. Trimble, 2506 Hartford Rd., Austin, TX 78703, 2006), Page 189.
[2] 1900 Rockcastle Co., KY census, Round Stone Pct., ED 65, Sheet 13A
[3] 1860 thru 1930 census records for Rockcastle Co.

Coffey Sisters & Ketron Brothers

James Madison and Lydia Ann Wolfe Coffey of Tennessee, and later of Rockcastle Co., KY, were parents of at least 12 children.

One of their daughters, Hulda Elizabeth Coffey, was born Oct. 10, 1870 in Rockcastle Co., and died on Nov. 3, 1951 in Eaton, OH. She married George Nelson Ketron, a son of Jacob Nelson and Lydia Royston Ketron.

George was born Aug. 22, 1867 in Wayne Co., KY and died Jun. 8, 1945 in Winchester, Randolph Co., IN. He and Hulda were married Apr. 21, 1897 in Rockcastle Co. There were at least six children born to this union:

• William Allen, born Mar. 30, 1898, died Dec. 23, 1942.
• James B., born Jul. 24, 1899, died Jan., 1981
• John C., born Oct. 23, 1901, died Oct., 1985
• Freeman D., born Mar. 28, 1905, died Dec., 1982
• Lydia Loretta, born Mar. 25, 1909, died Nov. 8, 1989
• George Conley, born Jul. 21, 1913, died May, 1982

William Allen and James B. were old enough to register for the WW1 draft. They reported to the registrar on Sep. 12, 1918 in Winchester, Randolph Co., IN.

William registered as Willie A. and was described as being of medium height and build with gray eyes and dark brown hair. He was 20 yrs. old, born Mar. 30, 1898. He named his mother as his nearest relative.

James gave his birthdate as Jul. 24, 1899 and age as 19 yrs. He was also described as having a medium build and height with light blue eyes and dark brown hair.

Both men were laborers with the Woodbury Glass Co. in Winchester.

Their father was also employed as a laborer in a glass factory, but I do not know if it was the same factory.

This family remained in Kentucky at least through April, 1910. By Feb., 1920 they were in Randolph Co., IN where most of them lived out their remaining lives.

George Ketron's brother, Freeman, was born Feb. 21, 1875 and died Nov. 6, 1928. He married Hulda's sister Cordelia on Nov. 3, 1897 in Rockcastle Co. "Delia" was born Sep. 14, 1878 in Rockcastle Co., and died Jul. 6, 1952 in Berea, Madison Co., KY.

Children born to Delia and Freeman were:

• Johnny Love, born Nov. 4, 1898, died before 1900
• Benton, born May 22, 1900, died Dec., 1976
• Allen A., born c1903
• Daisy B., Jan. 7, 1905
• Hagie [?], a daughter, born c1910
• Thurman, born Mar. 10, 1912
• Miriane [?] Victoria, born Dec. 30, 1916

At age 18, Benton was the only child old enough to register for the WW! draft. He registered in Rockcastle Co., and was described as being of medium build and height with brown hair and eyes. He confirmed his birthdate as May 22, 1900. He was still living with his parents in 1920.

In 1930, all of the children with the exception of Floy, age 15 and Victoria, age 13 were out of their widowed mother's household.

According to her death certificate, Cordelia died of a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried at the Scaffold Cane Cemetery in Rockcastle Co.

It appears that most of this family remained in and around Rockcastle and Madison counties. Benton did move to Indiana sometime after 1920 and died there in 1976.

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

Sources: Social Security Death Index, US Census Records, Kentucky Marriage Records, and David B. Trimble, Wolfe and Hickman of East Tennessee (Microfilmed by Brigham Young University: David B. Trimble, 2506 Hartford Rd., Austin, TX 78703, 2006)and WW1 Draft Registration cards