William M. Coffey was a son of Nathan and Elizabeth Gilbreath Coffey, in the mysterious Chesley Coffey line. He was born Aug. 23, 1823 in Maury Co., TN and probably died in Ballard Co., KY.
He has been difficult or impossible to find in some census records because enumerators often misspelled his surname; sometimes omitting the Y in Coffey, etc. He was found in the 1860, 1880 and 1900 census records, all in Ballard Co. William married Elizabeth "Betty" Oakley c1849. She was born c1829 in Missouri.
Together they had at least 9 children: Eugene S., born c1850 in TN; Isaac N., born c1852, KY; Luella, born c1854 KY; Sally L., born c1856 KY; Willie O., born c1859 KY; Sidney, born c1864 TN; Jeff (?), born c1866 TN; Fannie, born c1868 KY and Caroline S. "Carrie", born Dec., 1870 KY.
The only child that I have been able to locate is Caroline. She married Albert Sidney Gardner c1899 in KY and were the parents of one adopted son, William H., born c1905 in KY.
William M. apparently died before 1910 because Elizabeth was found that year as a widow in the Gardner household along with a "cousin-in-law," Joe Coffey, born c1864 in KY. I haven't yet determined who Joe was and how he was cousin to Caroline.
Albert Sidney and Carrie aren't found in the 1920 census; at least I haven't been able to locate them yet.
Members of this family are probably buried in the Blandville Twp. area of Ballard Co.
Census:
1860 Ballard Co., McCustians Dist., Woodville PO, Page 16, dwelling 1224, family 1193, William M. Coffee [sic], age 36, male, farmer, $16,550/$20,500, born TN; Elizabeth A., age 30, female, born MO; Eugene S., age 10, male, born KY; Isaac N., age 8, male, born KY; Luella, age 6, female, born KY; Sally L., age 4, female, born KY; Willie O., age 1, male, born KY
1880 Ballard Co., Dist 4, ED64, Page 36-37, Coffe [sic], Wm. M., white male, age 56, married, farmer, born TN, parents born KY; E. A., white female, age 50, wife, married, keeping house, born MO, parents born KY; Sidney, white male, age 16, son, single, farmer, born Texas (?), father born KY, mother born MO; Jeff (?), white male, age 14, son, single, farmer, born Texas (?), father born TN, mother born MO; Carrie, white female, age 12, dau., single, at school, born KY, father born TN, mother born MO; Coffe, [sic] Mollie, white female, age 19, niece, single, born KY, father born TN, mother born KY; Coffe, ?, black male, age 33, married, works on farm, born KY, father born TN, mother born NC; Georgia, black female, age 28, wife, married, keeping house, born KY, parents born VA; Mamie, black female, age 6, dau., single, born KY, father born TN, mother born KY; Lizzie, black female, age 4, dau., single, born KY, father born TN, mother born KY; Edward, black male, age 2, son, single, born KY, father born TN, mother born KY
1900 Ballard Co., Blandville Dist., ED3, Sheet 9A, dwelling 156, family 157, Coffee [sic], Wm M., head, white male, born Aug., 1824, age 75, married 51 yrs., born TN, parents born NC, farmer; Elizabeth Ann, wife, white female, born Mar., 1829, age 71, married 51 yrs., mother of 8, 6 living, born MO, parents born KY; Gardner, Carrie, dau., white female, born Dec., 1870, age 29, married 1 yr., mother of 0; born KY, father born TN, mother born MO; Gardner, A. Sidney, s-in-law, white male, born Mar., 1872, age 28, married 1 yr., born KY, parents born KY, farmer; Hackney, John, boarder, white male, born Nov., 1877, age 22, born KY, parents born KY, farmer; Hackney, Charles, boarder, white male, born Dec., 1879, age 20, single, born KY, parents born KY, farmer
1910 Ballard Co., ED9, Sheet 8A, dwelling 114, family 116, Gardner, Albert S., head, male, white, age 36, married once for 10 yrs., born KY, parents born KY, farm operator; Caroline S., wife, female, white, age 40, married once for 10 yrs., mother of none, born KY, father born TN, mother born MO; William H., adopted son, male, white, age 5, born KY, parents born Unknown; Coffee, Elizabeth A., m-in-law, female, white, age 81, widow, mother of 8, 5 living, born MO, parents born KY, own income; Coffee, Joe, cousin-in-law, female, white, age 46, single, born KY, father born TN, mother born KY, no occupation; Neil, Laura (?), servant, female, white, age 18, single, born KY, parents born KY, cook for private family.
Please drop me a note if you can help expand this family and/or correct any of the information.
