Tom Dula

Remember the 60's hit Tom Dooley by The Kingston Trio?  It was a ballad about the young Thomas C. Dula who was tried (twice), found guilty both times and finally hung on May 1, 1868 for the death of Laura Foster.

Tom was born to Thomas P. and Mary Keaton Dula on Jun. 20, 1844 in Wilkes Co.  According to tales, he was as promiscuous as most young men when they reach puberty and had been known to have been intimate with Laura as well as other young women, married or single, in his neighborhood in Wilkes Co.

He enlisted in Co. K, 42d NC Infantry Regiment on Apr. 24, 1862.  Following enlistment, Tom spent Nov. 1 through Nov. 24 in the hospital at Petersburg, VA.  On Dec. 3, 1862 he was in the Episcopal Church Hospital at Williamsburg, VA and on Dec. 25, 1862 rejoined his regiment.  In Jan. and Feb., 1863 he was present with his unit but reported sick.  His rank was Musician.

He and his unit were in defense of Petersburg, VA for four months beginning Jul. 17, 1864.  He was again reported in the hospital at Richmond in Oct. 1864.  He had been admitted to the hospital on Aug. 10, 1864.

In March of 1865 he and his unit were in battle at Kinston, NC where he was captured and sent to Point Lookout in MD.  It was from there that he was paroled after signing the oath of allegiance on Jun. 11, 1865.

 Ann Foster was the illegitimate daughter of Carlotta "Lotty" Foster.  She was sometimes known as Angeline Pauline Foster and sometimes as Angeline Pauline Triplett.  Her father has never been determined.  Ann eventually married James Melton on Jun. 22, 1859 and had a daughter, Martha Jane, born c1861.  Some people contend, unto today, that Tom was the father but that has never been proven.

Laura Foster was some distant cousin to Ann.  She was the daughter of Wilson and Martha Bowman Foster, born c1843 in Caldwell Co.

Pauline Foster was a second cousin to Ann Foster Melton and had come to Caldwell Co. from Watauga to work for Ann and her husband.  She was eventually a "key witness" against Tom but described by a reporter for the New York Herald as "remarkable for nothing but debasement...".  Someone had overheard an argument between Pauline and Ann Foster Melton, apparently related to the death of Laura.  Authorities were notified and Pauline agreed to testify.

What's this to do with Coffey?  Well, Thomas P. Dula, father of Thomas C. was brother to John Dula; both sons of Bennet and Anna Stowe Dula.  John Dula married Mary Trivette and had a number of children, including Thomas Wesley, born Jan., 1837, died Feb. 16, 1924.

Thomas Wesley married Laura E. Laxton on May 19, 1856 in Caldwell Co. and, among others, had Arthur Hill Dula who married Mary Jane Coffey, the daughter of Thomas Avery and Louisa Gragg Coffey.  Arthur's sister, Mary Laura, married John Wesley Coffey, brother to Mary Jane.

To read more about Tom Dula and his trial, check out Death in North Carolina Piedmont by Francis H. Gasstevens, The History Press, Charleston, SC, 2006.  See also the Blue Ridge Country article by Sharyn McCrumb.

John Calvin Coffey (1848-1930)

John Calvin Coffey was the sixth child and fourth son born to Welborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey. He was born Apr. 30, 1848. 1 He married Nancy Caroline Tuttle, born Jan. 10, 1854 in Caldwell Co., but I have been unable to find a marriage date. Their first son, Horace Grayson Coffey was born in Dec., 1886, so they probably married in late 1885 or early 1886. John died in Caldwell Co. on Feb. 27, 1930, and Nancy died there on Mar. 10, 1939.

The children born after Horace were:

- Nora E., born c1874 Caldwell Co., married James Laxton
- W. Lemuel, born c1879 Caldwell Co., married 1) Fauna Lamberth; 2) Mamie Neff
- Ida V., born Oct. 1881 Caldwell Co., married David Glass
- Davis Finley, born Oct. 3, 1883 2 Caldwell Co., married Rose Amanda Grant
- Bessie M., no info
- Rufus Anson, born Jul 21, 1888 3 Caldwell Co., married Beatrice Chloe Moore
- John Ross, born May 1890 Caldwell Co., married Mary Woods
- Wellborn Cary, born Oct. 5, 1892 4 Caldwell Co., married Jennie Woods
- Clarence T., born Dec., 1895, Caldwell Co., married Nancy Caroline Tuttle

Horace left Caldwell Co. before 1900, and headed west. He was found in Whitman Co., WA in the 1900 census. By 1902 he was married to Brintie Wilkie. In 1910 they were still in Whitman Co., and the parents of two children: Albert, born c1907, and La Verne, born c1908. Horace registered for the WW1 draft in Colfax, Whitman Co. on Sep. 12, 1918. He was a farmer living at Colfax and was 41-yrs old. He listed his two sons as his nearest relatives. Horace was described as being tall with slender build, blue eyes and sandy colored hair. I have not found Horace in any later census records, but he is said to have married a second time to Pearl Jaynes. Their children are unknown to me.

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[Aug. 17, 2009]  Brintie is buried in the Hay Cemetery in Whitman Co., WA.  Horace's gravesite has not been discovered yet.

Thanks to John Coffey for photo of Brintie's headstone and location of her gravesite.

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Davis followed Horace westward. The first record that I find for him is the Mar., 1912 5 marriage to Rose Amanda Grant in Ritzville, Adams Co., WA. They remained in Adams Co. through the 1920 census, but in 1920 were in Yakima Co. Davis died on Dec. 17, 1970 in Klickitat Co. 6 Rose died Apr. 24, 1972 7 in Spokane Co., WA. Together they had at least eight children: Helen, born c1913; Vera Pearl, born Jan., 1915; Byron W., born c1917; Ralph Calvin, born Nov., 1918; Gladys, born c1921; Edith, born c1923; Robert, born c1925, and Barbara, born c1929.

I have limited information on the remainder of the children. Please contact me if anyone needs more information, or can add to or correct any of the above.


1 Book 17, Page 174, Caldwell Co., NC Register of Deeds at
http://rod.co.caldwell.nc.us/Resolution/search_menu.asp [book 17, p174]
2 ibid [book 10, p161]
3 ibid [book 15, p41]
4 Civilian Draft Registration WW1
5 IGI
6 SSDI and Washington Death Index, 1940-1996