William Montebello was born Apr. 15, 1834 in Nelson Co., VA to William W. & Sarah Jane Coffey Coffey. William and Sarah were double first cousins, descendants of Edmond S. and Nancy Barnett and William Giles and his wife, Margaret. Cynthia Wood Coffey was the daughter of George W. & Martha Ann Coffey Wood. Martha Ann was the daughter of William Benjamin and Mary F. "Molly" Demasters Coffey.
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Another daughter of George and Martha Ann Coffey Wood was Elvira, born 1840 in Nelson Co. She married Peter Jordan Coffey in 1859, Rockbridge Co., a younger brother to William Montebello.~~~~~
William and Cynthia had at least seven children, four of which married directly into the James Ramsey, Sr. & Mary Sneed family. Another son waited a generation.The following are not all of the children of William and Cynthia; only those that married into the Ramsey clan:
- Sarah Jane, born c1860, married James M. Ramsey, Jr. Aug. 16, 1883 in Amherst Co.
Children:
Leonard, born Mar., 1884 m. Ella Blanche Nicely, a daughter of William Edward and Indiana Leighton Nicely.- Matthew D., born c1867, married Jun. 2, 1898 to Willie Jane Ramsey. Willie's first husband was Henry B. Steele. Her and Matthew's children were:
Lemuel C., born Mar. 17, 1889 in Amherst Co., died Dec. 14, 1943 in Rockbridge Co. Lemuel was married on Mar. 5, 1913 in Buena Vista, VA to Lora Cornelia Steele, a daughter of Henry B. Steele and Willie Jane Ramsey. Willie Jane was a daughter of James M., Sr. and Mary Sneed Ramsey.
The remaining children of James, Jr. and Sarah Jane Coffey Ramsey were: Annie, born Jul., 1891; Clarence, born Mar., 1893; Learns (?), born Mar., 1894; Grace M., born Mar., 1896 and Samuel E., born Apr., 1900
Walter Lee, born Mar. 7, 1891 in Buena Vista; died unknown.
O'Coner Jackson, born Jun. 18, 1893, died May 9, 1950 in Buena Vista.
Lessie M., born c1896.
Finley Houston, born Oct. 17, 1897 in Rockbridge Co., died Sep. 24, 1946.
Edward F. "Buck," born Feb. 16, 1900 in Rockbridge Co., died Mar. 19, 1967.
Ferman H., born c1900.
Hattie B., born c1906.
[Spouses and descendants for most of these children are available if needed.]- Delilah, born c1867, married Mathew Henry Ramsey on Aug. 21, 1887 in Amherst Co. I have no further information on this family.
- Annie Lee, born c1878, married Stuart Lee Ramsey on Sep. 9, 1895 in Rockbridge Co. I have no further information on this family.
- Reubin Wood Coffey was the youngest son of William and Cynthia Wood Coffey, not born until mid-1882. His nephew, son of sister Sarah and husband James, Jr. Ramsey (see above), married Ella Blanche Nicely, a daughter of William and Indiana. Blache's sister, Nettie Belle became the wife of Reubin on Dec. 18, 1901 in Rockbridge Co.
Reubin and Nettie Belle are buried at Neriah Baptist Church Cemetery in Buena Vista. Also buried there are: Lemuel and his wife Lora; O'Coner Jackson Coffey, a son of Matthew and Willie Jane Ramsey Coffey, and his wife Lucy Frances Tomin.
