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.

James Marion & Jessie Richards Coffey

James and Jessie were married in Gentry Co., MO on Feb. 20, 1884.  James was born in that county to Milton Hiatt and Cynthia Jane Nichols in Mar., 1861.  Jessie was born in Richland Co., IL in Feb., 1866.  I do not have her parents.  James died in Gentry Co. on Dec. 9, 1941 and Jessie died there on Dec. 13, 1959.  Both are buried at the Jennings Cemetery in Alanthus Grove, Gentry Co.

The couple were parents to at least eight children, one of which was Fanny Armilda Coffey born Ar. 19, 1892 in Gentry Co.  Fanny first married Ira Sylvester Kuhn on Aug. 22, 1910 in Maryville, Nodaway Co., MO.  They had two children, Nola in 1912 and Merlin in 1915.  Ira died on Dec. 19, 1918 and Fanny moved back with her parents where she and her children were enumerated on Jan. 17, 1920.

Shortly thereafter Fanny is said to have married Weaver Getz, born c1881.  I have not pinned down when they were married but, I know this about Mr. Getz:  He was with his parents in Nodaway Co. in 1900.  He was 19 and unmarried.  In 1910 he was married and residing with his wife Elsie Owens Getz in Bogle, Gentry Co.  There was one child in the household, a son named Eldan.

Elsie died on Sep. 19, 1920 in St. Joseph, Buchanan Co., MO and was buried at Worth Co., MO.  If Weaver and Fanny married, they did not make it to the 1930 census together.  That year, Fanny can be found in Center Twp., Greene Co., MO with her two Kuhn children - enumerated as Getz - and a daughter named Pauline Getz, born c1925.  Fanny also reported that she was a widow.

Weaver did not appear in the 1930 census and, I have not been able to find a death record for him until Jun., 1968 when he died in Buchanan Co.

Readers with information about the Getz union are invited to contact me.  I would like to know when and where he and Fanny were married, what happened to his son Eldan and the daughter Pauline.  Information about the Kuhn children would also be welcomed.

William and Annie Boone Coffey at Rufus Cemetery in Caldwell Co., NC

William was a son of Thomas and Sarah Fields Coffey, born Nov. 29, 1782 in Wilkes Co., NC and died there on May 15, 1839.  That part of Wilkes Co. later became part of Caldwell Co.  Anna "Annie" Boone was a daughter of Jese and Sarah McMahan Boone, born Jul. 26, 1785 in Burke Co., died Jan. 16, 1876 in Caldwell Co.  Both are buried at the Rufus Baptist Church cemetery in Lenoir, Mulberry Twp., Caldwell Co

In fact, a number of William and Anna's descendants are buried at Rufus.  At first examination of this cemetery, most appear to be from son Wilborn, born May 14, 1807 in Burke Co., died in Caldwell Nov. 27, 1897; and from son Calvin, born Sep. 30, 1819, died Apr. 2, 1847, also in Caldwell Co..

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Harriet Minerva Moore, wife of James Altimon Bradshaw, and daughter of Jesse Richmond Moore and Charlotte Caroline Coffey, born Oct. 7, 1878, died Jan. 22, 1970.  Charlotte Caroline was a daughter of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey and a granddaughter of William and Annie, marking Harriet a great-granddaughter.

Thelma Erin Bradshaw, daughter of James Altimon and Harriet Minerva Moore Bradshaw, born Mar. 31, 1911 in Caldwell Co., died Apr. 4, 1969.  Thelma was a great great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Beulah Evelyn, daughter of Robert Finley Coffey and Crettie May Rich and, wife of George Wesley Nichols.  She was born Aug. 22, 1923, Caldwell Co., died Sep. 8, 2009 at Lenoir.  Beulah was a first cousin to William, 5x removed.

Bruce Glen, son of Julius Pinkney and Louise Ann Edwards Coffey and, husband of Amy Moore.  He was born Dec. 24, 1908 in Caldwell Co., died Sep. 2, 1971 at Lenoir.  Julius was a great grandson of William and Annie, making Bruce a great great grandson.  Amy was the daughter of Wiley Hill and Ellen Hodges Moore.  She was born Apr. 12, 1910 in Caldwell Co., died Jan. 25, 1987.

Mabel Marie, wife of Forrest Moore Green and daughter of Bruce Glen and Amy Moore Coffey.  She was born Nov. 21, 1937 in Caldwell Co. and died there on Jul. 10, 2002.  She was a great great great grand daughter of William and Annie.  Forrest Moore Greene, a son of W. Buster and Wilma Victoria. Moore Greene. Forest was a third great grandson of William and Annie.  He was born Feb. 14, 1937 in Caldwell Co. and died there on Aug. 23, 1999.

Calvin, son of William and Annie, husband of Mary Greene.  He was born Sep. 30, 1819 in NC and died Apr. 2, 1847 in Caldwell Co.  Mary, parents unknown, was born Feb. 2, 1820 in NC and died Jun. 23, 1871 in Caldwell Co.

Wilborn, son of William and Annie, husband of Sarah "Sallie" Cottrell, born May 14, 1807 in Burke Co., died Nov. 27, 1897 in Caldwell Co.  Sallie was the daughter of William and Lucy Day Cottrell, born May 1, 1812 in Wilkes Co., died Mar. 25, 1894 in Caldwell Co.

William Rufus, son of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey and, husband of Harriet E. Moore.  He was born Nov. 17, 1832 in Caldwell Co., died Dec. 7, 1902.  He was a grandson of William and Anna.  Harriet was born May 3, 1835 in Caldwell Co., died Feb. 2, 1918.  Harriet was a daughter of David and Sarah Caroline Moore Moore, born May 3, 1835 in Caldwell Co., died Feb. 2, 1918.

Charlotte Caroline, wife of Jesse Richmond Moore, daughter of Wilborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey, born Dec. 2, 1851 in Caldwell Co., died Mar. 18, 1944 in Caldwell.  She was a grand daughter of William and Annie.  Jesse was a son of David and Sarah Caroline Moore Moore.  He was born Mar. 16, 1849 in Caldwell Co., died there on Sep. 13, 1921.

Stella Victoria Gragg, wife of Lawrence Hill Moore, was a daughter of John Boone Gragg and Cordelia Adaline Coffey.  Cordelia was a grand daughter of William and Annie, making Stella a great grand daughter.  Stella was born Jul. 10, 1882 in Caldwell Co., died Aug. 30, 1943.  Lawrence Hill was a great grandson of William and Annie.  He was the son of Jesse Richmond and Charlotte Caroline Coffey Moore.

Wilma Victoria Moore, daughter of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore and wife of W. (Willie or William) Buster Greene, was born Apr. 15, 1909 and died Feb. 14, 2004.  She was a double great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Sarah Ellen was a daughter of Jesse Richmond and Charlotte Caroline Coffey Moore and a great grand daughter of William and Annie. She was the wife of Adolphus Monroe Mast, son of John Allen Mast and Martha Elizabeth Moore.  He was born Jul. 22, 1865 in Watauga Co., and died in Caldwell Co. on Dec. 20, 1923.

Ruth Mast, daughter of Adolphus and Sarah, was born Dec. 24, 1898 in Caldwell Co. and died on Oct. 28, 1973.  Ruth was a second great granddaughter of William and Annie.

Addie Caroline Moore, daughter of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore, and the wife of Waitsel Coy Greene.  Addie was second great granddaughter of William and Annie.  I have not yet found info on Waitsel except that he was born Feb. 8, 1909.

Lex Wilburn Mast, Jr., son of Lex, Sr. and Annie Lenoir Greene Mast, was born Apr. 14, 1944 in Caldwell Co. and died Sep. 6, 1974.  He was a third great grandson of William and Annie.

Dermont Richmond Moore, a son of Lawrence Hill and Stella Victoria Gragg Moore, was born Apr. 12, 1917 in Caldwell Co., and died there on Jun. 2, 2003.  He was a second great grandson of William and Annie.

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The Rufus Cemetery is located off the Mulberry Creek Road but, it appears from Google Maps that the entrance to it is located on the Boone Fork Park Road.  Geo Coordinates for that entrance are: Latitude: 36° 0' 0.74" N, Longitude: 81° 38' 26.51" W.  Click on the "Show on Google Maps" below and the link will take you to a very good satellite view of the area.

Show on Google Maps

Hopefully, I've made the correct kinship calculations. Please let me know of any errors.

Everette M. (Jack) Coffee

Who was Everette M. (Jack) Coffee?

I know who his parents were and, I know who his wife was.  But, who was he really?

He was born on Jan. 15, 1918 in Texas to Louis Edwin and Lula Belle Nichols Coffee.  What few records are available show that in 1920 he lived in Eastland Co., TX and from 1946 until his death on Jan. 19, 2004 he was a resident of California.

He married Shirley I. Snell in California in 1948 and after 31 years, they were divorced in 1979.

"Jack" apparently remarried sometime after he and Shirley divorced.  His very terse obituary names a survivor as Virginia, his wife.

His obituary:

"Everette "Jack" Coffee, 86, of Anaheim, an appliance salesman, died Jan. 19, 2004, of natural causes. Services have been held. Arrangements by Pierce Brothers Anaheim Mortuary Daly-Spencer-Baggott-Schacht.


Wife, Virginia; daughters, Deborah Kerns, Marsha Bugg; son, Kyle Follars; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren."
 
Surely this man accomplished something during his lifetime to warrant more than these few lines in a newspaper announcing his death!
 
 
 

Louis Edwin Coffee (1875-1947)

Louis Edwin Coffee was born Aug. 17, 1875 in Hempstead Co., AR. He was the first child of John Fielding and Fannie Thompson Coffee. Louis died July 14, 1947 at the Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino Co., CA, and was buried on July 18, 1947 at the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles Co., CA.

Following other relatives who moved there, Louis relocated from Arkansas to Erath Co., TX in 1900. He resided in that county near his sister, Lucia Edna (Mrs Wm. Lafayette Stewart) and her family for awhile before moving on to Harris Co., TX in 1910 where he worked on the railroad.

He did not marry until he was nearly 40 years old. Although a marriage record has not been found, he and Lula Belle Nichols were likely married in Thurber, Erath Co. about 1914. Their first child, Orval Preston Coffee was born there on Aug. 7, 1915.

In 1920 they were in Eastland Co., TX where Louis worked for an oil company. It is not yet clear if they moved to Eastland before or after their second child, Everette M. (Jack) Coffee was born in 1918.

The family has been difficult to keep up with. They apparently moved from Texas to California before 1930. The census for that year found them in Los Angeles Co., but not married to each other. Louis was employed by the county engineering department in the street maintenance division. He reported in the census that he was a "construction laborer in concrete."

In the census that year, Louis also reported himself as a "widower." He and Lula had divorced by then, and probably before 1924 when she is thought to have given birth to a daughter by her second husband, Floyd Henry Cook.

Lula may have given birth to a daughter, Betty Floydada (Toots) Cook. The 1930 LA Co. census shows her with Mr. Cook, age 38,a 6-yr old daughter, and the two Coffee children. In the census, Mr. Cook indicated that he married first at age 23, so it is likely that Betty was his child by a previous wife. It may also be a good bet that he did not marry at age 15. Lula later divorced Mr. Cook and subsequently married a Mr. Pennington. However, I have not found any substantive information.

Orval died in Crescent City, Del Norte Co., CA on Jan. 24, 1989. His obituary, which appeared in The Curry Coastal Pilot, published in Brookings Co., OR, a town about 25 miles north of Crescent City, reported that his body was cremated. He was survived by his brother, Everett of Anaheim, CA, and two nieces, Donna Yarkovsky of Ocala, FL, and Christine Tyler of Olathe, CO.

Everette died Jan. 19, 2004 at age 86 in Anaheim. His small obituary indicated that he left a wife, Virginia, daughters Deborah Kerns, and Marsha Bugg, and a son Kyle Follars.

Louis is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery, Pleasant View section, lot 136. Other names in the plot with him are Cook and Pennington.

Louis was my first cousin, twice removed. Anyone related to, or knowing more about him is invited to contact me.