Vester Lee & Bessie Moses Coffey

Vester Lee Coffey was a son of a John Coffey and Lezie or Letha, maiden name unknown.  In 1900 this family lived in Lower Creek Twp., Burke Co., NC and consisted of:

John Coffey, born Jul., 1845 in NC and had been married for 31 years.
Lezie (Letha?), wife, born Apr., 1853 in NC; mother of 14, 9 living
Son, Monroe, born Dec., 1879 in NC
Dau, Danna, born Jun., 1882 in NC
Son, Frank, born Jun., 1884 in NC
Son, Robey, born Jun., 1888 in NC
Son, Vester, born Jun., 1890 in NC
Dau, Nettie, born May, 1894 in NC

Vester married Bessie Moses in Burke Co. on Jan. 3, 1912 in Upper Creek Twp.  In the 1920 census the family appeared in Burke Co., Lower Creek Twp., with children: Claude, Roy and Bertha.  In 1930 they were living in Morganton, Burke Co. and had an additional child, a son named Aruel [sic].

Their son Claude Lee Coffey died in 2008 and his obituary appeared in the Burke Co. News Herald, of Feb. 24, 2008:

Claude Lee Coffey

Claude Lee Coffey, 95, of Morganton, died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008, at his residence following a period of declining health. Born in Burke County, on Sept. 27, 1912, he was the son of the late Vester Lee Coffey and Bessie Moses Coffey. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Roy Coffey, and a sister, Lillie Mae Hollifield. Claude was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Pacific Theatre in World War II. He retired from Broughton Hospital and was a member of Oak Forest United Methodist Church. Mr. Coffey was an avid gardener and fisherman.

Claude is survived by his wife, Katie Williams Coffey of the home; daughters, Carol Lee Walters and husband, Ronald, of Gastonia, Betty Jo McMahan and husband, the Rev. Stanley, of Burnsville, and Wanda Scott and husband, David, of Morganton; a brother, Arnold Coffey and wife, Mary, of Morganton; a sister, Bertha Wilson of Danville, Va.; grandchildren, Jeffrey Walters and wife, Angie, Jennifer Stamey and husband, Donnie, Shelly Thompson and husband, Keith, Joel McMahan, Dana Dale and husband, Jason, and D.J. Scott; and great-grandchildren, Tabitha and Will Thompson and Tanner and Jacey Dale.

The funeral will be held at 6 p.m. today in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home with the Revs. Roderick Randolph and Stanley McMahan officiating. Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday afternoon from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. before the service. At other times the family will be at the residence on Berry Street, Morganton. Memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690. Condolences may be made online at www.sossomanfuneralservice.com.

My problem is not knowing who John Coffey was?  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Armstead Armstrong Coffee

Armstrong sometimes appears in the census record with his first name only and sometimes with only his middle name.  He was born to Nathaniel and Nancy Clarke Coffee in July, 1836, and married Catherine Cannon, born in Jan., 1841 in North Carolina in 1866.  I do not have a death date or burial place for Armstrong or Catherine.

Their children were:

Newton Asbury, born c1867 in Lower Creek Twp., Burke Co..  He married Ella D. Baker c1892 and died of pneumonia on 3 Feb., 1941 at Morganton in Burke Co.  Ella also died of pneumonia on 21 Jan 1943 at Grace Hospital in Morganton and both are buried there at Forest Hill Cemetery.

Their children, all born in Morganton, were Essie M., born c1900; Grace M., born c1902, Rosa E., born c1906 and Homer D., born c1910.

Emma C., born c1869 in Lower Creek, married George Matlock c1898.  Emma and George are known to have had at least one child, Walter, born Oct., 1898.

Louisa, born c1874.  No further information.

Samuel Wesley, born Oct., 1878 in NC, married the widow Mable Moses.  He died of uremia at Grace Hospital in Morganton on 20 Sep., 1945 and was buried at Forest Hill.  I have not found a death record for Mable.  She was young enough to have remarried and had other children after Sam died.

Lula Jane, born c1880 in Caldwell Co., married first to George Wortman and second to Waid Preston Raby.  She died of third degree burns on 28 Aug 1930 in Hickory, Catawba Co., NC.  She was burned while attempting to start a fire using kerosene.  Her grave site is also at Forest Hill.  She is thought to have had at least one child by each of her husbands.

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Update Mar. 17, 2012 - Armstead served with the 26 Regt., NC Infantry, CSA, during the Civil War. Catherine died before the 1910 census because Armstead appeared then as a widower in Morganton, Burke Co., NC. His son Samuel still lived with him and Sarah Carpenter was a cook for the pair. Homer D., son of Newton Asbury and Ella D. Baker, married Willie Eloise Hines c1930 and they had a son named Homer H. Coffey, born Apr. 19,1931.