Eligah Columbus & Vina Jane Keith Coffey

Updated Nov. 28, 2010

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Eligah Columbus Coffey was a son of Lewis and Elizabeth "Betty" Watters Coffey.  These are Kentuckians who came out of North Carolina sometime in the early-to-mid 1800s.  Lewis was born in NC c1813 and was married in KY to Betty c1831.  Elijah was born in Wayne Co. (probably Eadsville) on Dec. 12, 1843.  My records show that he was the seventh of ten children; the first born in 1832, the last in 1850.  Photo, L-R Front: Roxie Amanda, Eligah Henry, Eligah Columbus & Sally Kate; L-R Rear: Nannie Sophie and Mary Lucy.


The first wife of Elijah was Mirah Emarine Freeman, born in KY on Jan. 9, 1852, died Oct. 15, 1877 in Wayne Co.  She gave him at least three children: 

Elizabeth Jane, born Jun. 8, 1870 in Pulaski Co., died Jan. 8, 1941 in Wayne Co.  She married Rolly Stewart Lair c1895.  Elizabeth was the mother of at least three children.


John Lewis, born Dec. 12, 1872 in Wayne Co.  He died there on Apr. 10, 1948.  His wife was Geneva E. Lair - probably some relation to Rolly - on Apr. 23, 1898.  She gave him at least nine children.


The last child that I have for Elijah and Mirah is Hiram Tolbert Coffey, born Jul. 27, 1876, died 1941.  He married Cordie Thomas, born Apr. 27, 1878, died Sep. 2, 1919.  She was the mother of at least six children.

Elijah took a second wife on Apr. 29, 1881 in Wayne Co.  She was Vina Jane Keith, a daughter of Joshua, and was born Dec. 8, 1863 in that county.  Before she died Vina had produced at least eight more children for Elijah.  She gave birth to her last child in Nov., 1897 and died at age 33 on Dec. 6, of that year.


These are the children of Elijah and Vina:

Edward Cullem, born 1881, died 1966; married Gertie Evana Taylor in 1903.  She was born in 1884 and died in 1955.  They were the parents of at least eight children.


James Hardin, born 1882, died 1942.  He married Lillie Abbie Mounce, born in 1889.  They were parents of at least nine children.


Joseph Joel "Joe", born 1885, died 1953.  He married Rutha Mae Lair in 1907.  She was the daughter of George and Jemima Dodson Lair.  Before she died in 1976, she had given Joseph at least eight children.


Nannie Sophie, born 1887, married William Zackary Lair, born 1908, died 1970.  The age difference is suspect.  I have no children for them.


Mary Lucy, born 1889, died 1972.  She married George Roberts in 1920 and was the mother of at least two children.


Roxie Amanda, born 1893, died 1920.  She married Joseph McClain in 1914.  I have no children for them.


Sally Kate, born 1895, died 1966.  I don't believe she ever married.


Elijah Henry "Lige", born 1897, married Mary J., maiden name unknown.  I have no children for them.

I haven't connected all of the Lairs and do not know if they were all from the same family.  I do have some additional information on the children and grandchildren of Elijah and Vina Jane that I will share. 


Contact me at the above e-mail address for more info or, to correct or add to this information.

Thomas Coffey

The success attained by Thomas Coffey furnishes one instance in thousands testifying to the marvelous oppor- tunities, in this country, for the accumulation of wealth by one who is willing and anxious to work.
Mr. Coffey was born in Ireland, in 1846, to Peter and Mary (Parley) Coffey. In 1859, at the age of thirteen, he ran away from home and engaged as seaman on board a British vessel bound for America. He reached New York after a voyage of over three months, the munificent sum of two cents constituting his entire wealth. He first obtained employment in bridge-building in the City of New York, for which he received seventy-five cents per day. He worked at this employment until he had accumulated enough to take him to Cincinnati, Ohio, where, for a time, he followed the business of a painter. After working in Cincinnati for a year, he went to St. Louis, and engaged in a gas-fitting and plumbing establishment, where he partially learned the trade. At the end of two years he found employment with the St. Louis Gas Light and Coke Company, where he learned the business that he has followed ever since, and in which he has been quite successful.



So begins the short biography on Thomas Coffey, Irish emigrant. Click on the title link to read the remainder. Thomas' bio is well down the page so use your browser's "find" function to locate him.

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