James F. Ayers (1847-1895)

James F. Ayers is said to have been born in Collinstown, VA.¹ That place has not been found. However, there is a Collinstown in Stokes Co., NC near the present day VA line. He was married to Matilda R. Schiller on Apr. 28, 1883 in Junction City, Geary Co., KS² and while living in OK, they became the parents of Maude B. Ayers, born Jan. 25, 1885.

Maude married Jonathon Horton Coffey, a son of Jasper Pink Coffey and Mary Jane Minton, on May 14 1903 at Junction City, Geary Co., KS.  Jonathon was born Mar. 30, 1876 in Lenoir, Caldwell Co., NC and died in Norton, Norton Co., KS on Oct. 31, 1961. Maude died on Oct. 10, 1969 in Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS and both she and Jonathan are buried at the Penwell-Gabel Cemetery in Topeka.

James had enlisted in the US Army at Richmond, VA on Oct. 13, 1868.  He was 21 years old and described as having been born at Collinstown, VA. He was 5' 8.5" tall, had grey eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion.  He was a "hatter" by trade. His enlistment record* shows that he was discharged at Louisville, KY on Nov. 13, 1871 with the rank of Corporal. His last enlistment papers, dated Jan. 16, 1892 show he was then on his sixth reenlistment.

In April 1875, Maude's father James was a member of Co. H, 6th US Cavalry serving in Kansas under the command of  Lt. Austin Henely, an Irish emigrant and West Point graduate.  His company, along with soldiers from Co. K of the 19th US Infantry, engaged a band of Cheyenne on Sappa Creek. 

According to John H. Monnett, author of the book Massacre at Cheyenne Hole: Lieutenant Austin Heneley and the Sappa Creek Controversy:

"On the morning of April 23, 1875, H Company, 6th U.S. Cavalry attacked and destroyed a Cheyenne camp located on the middle fork of Sappa Creek, a tributary of the Republican River in what is today Rawlins County, Kansas. The ensuing engagement was the last important military action of the Red River War and the last fought on the central plains between the U.S. Army and an independent band of Indians composed principally of Southern Cheyennes."³

Monnett continued with "...between 19 and 27 Cheyenne were killed while only two soldiers were killed. Eight Medals of Honor were awarded to soldiers for their actions on that date."

Citing the Museum of the Kansas National Guard, the citation for Ayers Medal of Honor reads:

"PVT JAMES F. AYERS
Organization: Company H, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Sappa Creek, Kans., 23 April 1875. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Collinstown, Va. Date of issue: 16 November 1876. Citation: Rapid pursuit, gallantry, energy, and enterprise in an engagement with Indians."

Sgt. James F. Ayers was discharged on Aug. 6, 1894 "by Act of Congress" at Chicago, IL. He died on Jan. 18, 1895 and is buried at the post cemetery at Fort Riley in Geary Co., KS. 

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Sources
¹Wikipedia at http://tinyurl.com/hgkbp8c - Collinstown, NC is near the VA line.
*"United States Registers of Enlistment in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914", http://tinyurl.com/jb5w7md
²Kansas Marriages, 1840-1935", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FW2B-VBW : accessed 19 May 2014)
³According to Wikipedia at http://tinyurl.com/z7sae8o, the Red River War was designed to forcibly remove all of the free roaming Southern Plains Indian tribes to reservations in then designated "Indian Territory," present day Oklahoma. 

Willard Duane Coffey

Jasper Pink Coffey*

George Alexander Coffey was a son of Jasper Pink¹ and Mary Jane Minton Coffey.  George left Caldwell Co., NC sometime in early 1900 and relocated to Kenesaw, Adams Co. in Nebraska.  He was 26 years old, having been born on May. 27, 1874.  For a while, he resided with the Alvin B. Mechan family but, by August he was married to Grace Percy Armitage.

Census records of 1910 and 1920 (George died in Dec., 1928) show that they had but one child, a son named Willard Duane Coffey, born in 1903.  On Christmas Day, 1906, Willard Duane was alleged to have been kidnapped by his Uncle Enoch Coffey.

Apparently Uncle Enoch, thought then to be a resident of Kansas², wanted to take the child for a Christmas ride on the train.  Or, at least that was the excuse for taking the child.  Apparently, Duane's parents knew nothing of that plan.

At almost the same time Uncle Enoch was absconding with the child, Grace began to search for help in preventing the kidnap. 

The Evening Statesman of Walla Walla, WA³ carried a short piece on the attempted kidnap with dateline of Jan., 6, 1906 at Hastings, NE in which Dr. J. S. Latta of Kenesaw was credited with rescuing the child.

I'm certain many readers have seen movies in which an automobile is racing to cut off a train.  This was one of those scenes.  Dr. Latta began chasing the train as it left the Kenesaw Depot on Christmas afternoon of 1905.  The touring car that Dr. Latta was driving kept up pretty much with the train but fell behind a little and the rescue was not successful at the first train stop.  But they each arrived at the Hastings depot at the same time and the child was removed from the train.

Uncle Enoch insisted that he "merely meant to take the child down the road a short distance and return with him on a later train."  Lending some credence to Uncle Enoch's story is the distance covered by the chase was about 15 miles.

Enoch is not known to have married and died at age 35 on Apr. 15,1921 at Geary Co., KS.  He is buried near his parents at Highland Cemetery in Junction City.

Willard, in his early 20's, relocated to Los Angeles Co., CA where he met and married Rosalie F. Markovetz, a Minnesota girl born to parents from Bohemia.  They apparently divorced sometime after 1930 and he married Winifred M. Bussler, born in IA, in Los Angeles.  Rosalie later married a Mr. Norgard and died in 1987 at San Mateo, CA.  Willard, who was a long time US Postal employee died in Orange Co., CA in 1988.

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¹Jasper, born Sep. 16, 1851 in Mortimer Twp., Caldwell Co., NC, died Apr. 3, 1928 in Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS, was a son of Lucinda and a previously supposed spouse, Joseph Coffey.  That Joseph Coffey has not been found has made Jasper's ancestry somewhat suspicious.

Jasper married Mary Jane Minton on Apr. 21, 1873 in Boone Twp., Watauga Co., NC and by 1900 was in Geary Co., KS with his family.  They did not leave for Kansas until after Jul., 1888 (and probably not before 1900) when their seventh child of nine, Ellis La Fayette Coffey was born in Caldwell Co.  This birth is confirmed by record found in Caldwell Co. birth index, Vol. 12, Page 62.  The 1900 census for Geary Co. lists the whole family, except for eldest son George who was already married.  All of the children are shown with birth place in North Carolina.

Just recently, through DNA testing of a descendant of Jasper, it has been determined that Jasper's father was an Estes.

Anyone familiar with North Carolina Coffey families knows that there has been a long relationship between these two families.  It is sort of like some have told me: "scratch a Gragg, find a Coffey."  That could also be said for the Estes families in that state.

If the researcher looks at the 1850 census for the Johns River district in Caldwell county, the Enoch Coffey family (Lucinda was his daughter) will be found on Page 8, dwelling/family 111.  Langston Estes, age 64 is found at family 113.  Family 114 is Joseph Estes, married to Dicey with one child, Loretta age 1.

Could this Joseph Estes be the "Joseph Coffey" who fathered Jasper?  Very likely!

²Except for a short period when Jasper and Mary Jane lived in Macon Co., MO, Jasper and Mary Minton Coffey resided from at least 1900 through about 1928, in Geary and Shawnee Counties, KS.  Sometime just prior to Mary Jane's death, she and Jasper relocated to Macon Co., MO where she died.  Her Missouri death certificate names her as her own mother and Jasper as her father.

³http://1.usa.gov/1GHdJn4, Page 4, Col. 4

*Are you the owner of this photo?

Thomas Henry "Tom" & Ethel Marie Nichols Coffey

Tom & Ethel w/grandchild
who donated the photograph

Thomas Henry "Tom" Coffey was the first son and fourth of nine children born to Robert Finley and Crettie May Ritch* Coffey.  Robert was a son of Thomas Hall and Cora Ellen Tolbert Coffey and, Crettie was the daughter of James Henry and Candace Genelie [sic] Chester Ritch.

Tom was born Sep. 2, 1925 in Yadkin Valley and died in Lenoir, Caldwell Co., on Aug. 28, 1999.

Ethel was born May 4, 1927 in North Carolina to Lennie Lee and Henrietta "Ettie" Curtis Nichols.  Ethel died May 26, 2004 at Granite Falls.  Both she and Tom are buried at the Robert Coffey Cemetery** [35.95201,-81.60796] near Lenoir.

Tom and Ethel were married Oct. 27, 1945 in Caldwell Co.***


Ethel's obituary:

Ethel Marie Nicholas [sic] Coffey, 77, of Melrose Street, Lenoir, died Wednesday, May 26, 2004 at Camelot Manor Nursing Home.

She was born May 4, 1927 in Bath Co., Va. to the late Rev. Lenny Lee Nichols and Henrietta Curtis Nichols. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Henry Coffey; a brother, Richard Nichols and a sister, Lucy Summerow.

Mrs. Coffey retired from Bernhardt #7 and was a member of Mt. View Baptist Church.

Survivors include a son, Tommy Carroll Coffey of Hudson; a daughter-in-law, Deana Coffey of Hudson; daughter and son-in-law, Brenda Marie Fox and husband Tommy of Maiden; three brothers, Eddie Nichols and George Nichols both of Lenoir and Clarence Nichols of Granite Falls; a sister, Joncie Swearingin of Lenoir and three grandchildren, Marty and Amy Coffey and Robbie Fox.

Funeral services will be Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 11 a.m. at Pendry's Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. J.B. Crouse and Rev. Jeff Hoyle officiating. Burial will be at Coffey Family Cemetery.

The family will receive friends today, May 28, 2004 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Pendry's Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Caldwell County Hospice, 902 Kirkwood St. NW, Lenoir, NC 28645 or online condolences may be made at www.pendrysfuneralhome.com.

Pendry's Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Thomas' siblings and their spouses were:

Mary Belle, 1920-2012, married Lennie Edward Nichols c1943
Unnamed infant female, born/died Feb. 19, 1922
Beulah Evelyn, 1923-2009, married George Wesley Nichols, May 9, 1942
Jay Finley, 1927-2012, married Gertrude Clark, Dec. 24, 1948
Lillie May, 1930-?, married James Monroe Greene, 1930-1994
Lena Faye, 1932-?, married Homer Colfax Clark, 1927-2001.  Homer's first wife was Frances Louise Minton (1931-1991).  Faye's first husband was Joseph Cicero Greene (1928-1999).  They were married in 1948.
Beadie Oden, 1934-?, married Ralph Clark
Robert Claude, 1936-?, married Annie Ruth Watson, 1937-?

Corrections and/or additions welcomed.

Jack

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*Surname sometimes spelled Rich
**Directions to this cemetery were described in June of 2012 by Bradley Ingells:  From Hwy 90 (Collettsville Road), take Mulberry Creek Road at Mount Olivet Methodist Church. Go to top of the hill (just after 2032 Mulberry Creek Road) and turn right on Robert's Place (dirt road). Go all the way to the end of the road (you will go past a small cemetery in the woods on the left [Philyaw Cemetery]). Keep going to the end, cemetery is on the left in an open area. Well maintained.  To locate, cut and paste coordinates into google maps.
***"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VXTH-4FL : accessed 05 Nov 2012), Thomas Coffey and Ethel Nichols, 1945.

Jasper Pink and Mary Jane Minton Coffey

Jasper Pink and Mary Jane Minton Coffey



Ben Coffey is looking for his ancestors. He descends from Jasper Pink and Mary Jane Minton Coffey. Jasper's death certificate reveals that he was a son of Joseph and Lucinda Coffey Coffey. The only problem seems to be that there was not a Joseph Coffey around at the time of Jasper's conception.

The problem is compounded by the fact that Ben's DNA markers match those of an Estes. There was a Joseph Estes residing in the area not far from the Johns River area where Lucinda and her family resided in Caldwell Co.

Lucinda was born c1832 to Enoch and Prudence Gragg Coffey. Enoch was a son of Joseph and Isabella Lindsay Coffey. Joseph was a grandson of John Coffey and Jane Graves through their son Reuben Coffey and his wife,Sarah Scott. Enoch and Prudence likely had more than one child, but so far only Lucinda has been found.

Joseph Coffey, father of Enoch, is thought to have died in 1835, but he could have died much later. It is possible that the Joseph Coffey who died in 1849, and whose estate was handled by Enoch, was Enoch's father.

Jasper and Mary Jane left North Carolina sometime after their marriage on Aug. 21, 1873 in Boone Twp., Watauga Co.* I have not found them in the 1880 census record. All nine of their children were born in Caldwell Co., the last on Mar. 8, 1893. So, sometime between that date and Jun. 7, 1900 they left North Carolina and moved to Geary Co., KS where they appeared in the Jun. 7 census of that year. Ben writes that soon after Jasper and Mary Jane moved to Kansas, Joseph Estes also relocated there.

In 1910 the family was still living in Geary Co. I have not found them in 1920, but on Apr. 3, 1928 they were residing at 1221 Monroe St. in Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS. It was on that date that Jasper Pink died due to "mitral insufficiency." His death certificates reveals that he was buried at Junction City in Geary Co.

Mary Jane lived until Oct. 6, 1925 and died on that date in Macon Co., MO. She is also buried at Junction City.

Jasper and Mary's children were:

George Alexander, born May 27, 1874, died Dec. 28, 1928. George married Grace Percy Armitage on Aug. 21, 1900. George and Grace both died in San Bernardino Co., CA.

Jonathon Horton, born Mar. 30, 1876 in Lenoir, died Oct. 21, 1961 in Norton Co., KS. He married Maude B. Ayers on May 14, 1903 in Junction City, Geary Co., KS. Maude was born Jan. 25, 1885 in Oklahoma and died Oct. 10, 1969.

Malinda Lucinda, born Jul. 26, 1878 in Lenoir, died Nov. 1, 1925 in Chapman, Dickinson Co., KS. She married James Joseph Cullen on Aug. 16, 1905 in Junction City.

James Washington, born Feb. 26, 1881 in Lenoir, married Mae Switzer.

William Finley, born Apr. 17, 1883 in Lenoir, died Sep. 13, 1946 in Rossville, Shawnee Co., KS.

Enoch Thomas, born May 31, 1885 in Lenoir, died Apr. 15, 1921 in Junction City.

Ellis LaFayette, born Jul. 3, 1888 in Lenoir.

Jennie Etta, born Dec. 27, 1890 in Caldwell Co., and died Sep. 8, 1987 in Rossville, Shawnee Co. She married Harry Gutshall on Oct. 11, 1936.

Joseph Richard, born Mar. 8, 1893 in Lenoir, died in Jun., 1963 at Rossville, Shawnee Co. He married Mary Bell Bledso on Nov. 23, 1932.

Drop me e-mail at the above address if you would like to contact Ben, or to add to or correct any of this information.

















*Marriage Register of Watauga County, North Carolina 1873-1954 (Boone, Watauga Co., NC: Dept. of Hist., Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC, 1995)

Photos are courtesy of Ben Coffey

Looking for help!

I have the following Coffey families from Caldwell Co., NC that I am unable to place with their parents.

• Finley C. Coffey, m. Verdie Corpening - a child was Francis Nadine, born 5.18.1840


• Finley C. Coffey, m. Sarah Pearson - a child was Magalener, born 3.1.1910


• Henry C. Coffey, m. Ruth Ann Carter - a child was Frances Irene, born 7.27.1937


• Jasper P. Coffey, m. Mary Jane Minton - a child was Ellis Lafayette, born 7.3.1888


• Clarence M. Coffey, m. Bessie Simmons - a child was Peggy Jean, born 10.24.1930


• Wm. H. Coffey, m. Mattie Maltba - a child was Albert Lee, born 6.9.1906 [Mattie could be d/o Wm. Zacharia and Mary Ann Maltba Coffey!?]


• James C. Coffey, m. Etta Ann Barnette - a child was John Parlier, born 3.13.1896


• Wm. Monroe Coffey, m. Polly Ann S. Coffey - a child was John Lee, born 9.23.1898 [Wm. Monroe Coffey and Mary Chandler Coffey also had a son named John Lee]


• Margaret A. Coffey, no husband given - a child was Collis Ray, born 4.4.1911


• Robert Lee Coffey, m. Jennie Celia Carlton - a child was Fanry [?] Isabell, born 12.18.1911


• Amanda Coffey, no husband given - a child was Mattie Mae, born 1.9.1900


• James William Coffey, m. Myra Sudderth - a child was Pearl Lucille, born 6.10.1912 [A Myra Sudderth also married Henry Coffey]


• Geo. Wash. Coffey, m. Emma Rice - two children: Sidney Thomas, born 6.30.1914 and Auburn Zale, born 9.4.1927


• Harrison Coffey, m. Wincie R. Teague - two children: Earl H., born 10.28.1907 and Grace Bell, born 11.1.1906


• George G. Coffey, m. Ella Barnette - a child was Vernon Smith, born 11.17.1912


• Thos. W. Coffey, m. Mary Lou E. Robbins - a child was Charlie Lee, born 6.14.1907


• Robert Finley Coffey, m. Crettie Ritch - three children: Beulah Evelyn, born 8.22.1923; Lena Faye, born 5.26.1932, and Beadie Owen, born 2.27.1934*

Please contact me at the e-mail address below if you can help identify any of these people.

*Identified: Robert Finley was a son of Thomas Hall and Cora Ellen Tolbert Coffey. I have five children for them: Beulah Evelyn, born 8.22.1923; Thomas Henry, born 1925, died 1999; Lena Faye, born 5.26.1932; Beadie Oden, born 2.27.1934, and Robert Claude, born 1936. I have not found them in the 1930 census schedule.