Reuben Dalton (1752-1801)

According to a 2006 Dalton genealogy report submitted by Jean England, Reuben Dalton was the first of his line to settle in Grainger Co., TN.¹ He settled in Thorn Hill in 1801 after having served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.² Reuben had been an Ensign in Captain Isham’s company in the Virginia State Militia.  He died prior to the passing of the law that gave veterans of that war the right to apply for a pension.

He was born in Bedford Co., VA c1752.  He arrived in “Montgomery Co., VA from Pittsylvania Co. in 1772” and bought “170 acres in the area known as Little Reed Island Creek.”  In her report, Jean tells us that Reuben was listed on Tennessee tax rolls of 1797 as owner of 200 acres but was probably still in Virginia at the time.  He sold some of the Virginia property in 1797 and the rest of it in 1801 when he relocated to Tennessee.

Reuben died in 1801 and was buried “on the Fred Davidson farm on Copper Ridge Rd. near Cedar Springs Baptist Church” in Thorn Hill.  Archie Dalton, a long time Dalton researcher, wrote to me in 2005 and reported that Reuben "is buried in the woods close to the Bluff Davidson graveyard..." near Thorn Hill.  I have been unable to locate the farm or the cemetery and, it is not clear to me how either burial site is known.

On Jan. 4, 1808 he applied for a marriage license in Grainger Co. to marry Nancy Shockley.³ Nancy was born c1757 at Pittsylvania.  Her family likely migrated along with others into Grainger Co. about the same time as Reuben.

The union between the couple produced at least nine children:  Enos; Elizabeth; Agnes Anne; William Meredith; Reuben, Jr.; Mary; Carter; Hannah Ann and Timothy.  In this paper we will try to follow Timothy, thought to have been born in 1810.⁴

Timothy is the first known Dalton known to me to marry into the Coffey family.  His wife was Delphia Coffey, a daughter of George Coffey and Margaret L. Rucker.  We can follow George back to Edward and Ann Powell Coffey through his father, Benjamin Coffey who married Mary “Polly” Hayes.  I will only touch on the descendants of Timothy who also married Coffeys.

Delphia and Timothy were married in Grainger Co. on Dec. 29, 1828.⁵ Over the next 26 years, she became the mother of at least 11 of Timothy’s children. Timothy died c1863 in Grainger Co.; neither a death record nor place of burial has been located.  In any event, Delphia, yet with young children at home, married the widower Jacob Hipshire on Mar. 23, 1863.  Jacob was age 66 years and Delphia was age 48 when they married.  There were no known children.

Jacob was a North Carolina native and son of Henry and Delphia Delamar (sic).  His first wife was Matilda Hayes, born c1810 in NC, died 1855 in Grainger Co.  Her parents were Thomas and Sarah “Sally” Rucker Hayes.  Margaret Rucker, wife of George Coffey and Sarah “Sally” were sisters, daughters of Colby and Sarah Roberts Rucker.

The 11 children of Timothy and Delphia were:  David, born c1831; George Washington, born Feb. 3, 1832, died Dec. 24, 1904;⁶ Manerva, born c1834; Thomas, born c1834; Ally (Ollie?), born c1837; William Nelson, born Dec 6, 1839;⁶ Green C., born c1840; Colby Timothy, born c1842; Hiram, born c1843; Emeline, born c1844 and Harriet, born c1854.

Son George first married Charlotte Hedrick, a daughter of John and Lucinda Hipshire Hedrick. His second wife was Sarah Ann, Charlotte’s sister. George and Charlotte’s son Lafayette, known as “Lee Fate” married Cornelia Dalton, a child of Tandy Witcher and Matilda Coffey Dalton. Lee Fate’s son James Franklin, (1880-1947), married twice, the second to Louvernie “Vernie” Coffey (1887-1978), a daughter of Lacy and Margaret Ogan Coffey. James’ first wife was Mattie Collins to whom he was married in 1903.  I know of only one child, a son Creed, born 1913.  Mattie died in 1917 at the same time as Creed; she of “pulmonary consumption,” he of “lobar pneumonia.”⁷ I know of no children born to James and Vernie.

Daughter Ally (Ollie?) married William Hedrick and their daughter married Eva (1895-1963) married Guy Willis Hedrick, her multiple second and third cousin.  Guy was the son of William Henry and Margaret Jane Coffey Hedrick.  Jane was the daughter of Thomas and Martha Jane Shockley Coffey.

Son Colby Timothy (1842-1908) married Letitia Wolfe (1842-1904), a daughter of Moses and Catherine Wolfe Wolfe.  Their son Greenberry (1868-1942) married Lula May Coffey (1869-1948).  Lula was a daughter of Austin and Elizabeth Dalton Coffey.  Austin descends from Edward through his father Elijah Coffey who married Rebecca Shockley.  Elizabeth Dalton was a daughter of Colby John and Elizabeth McGinnis Dalton.  Colby goes back to Reuben through his father William Meredith Dalton who married Delphia Rucker, the daughter of Colby and Sarah Roberts Rucker.

The death date and place of burial for Timothy and Delphia is unknown. The death dates for many of the children are known and some of their burial sites are also known.  However, more research is required to confirm and verify.

Corrections and additions welcomed.

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¹ Jean England, Thorn Hill, TN, compiler, Dalton Ancestors, an attachment to e-mail from the author  to Jack Coffee:, Sep. 25, 2006. Most of the early information about Reuben is credited to Jean.

² A monument to his memory has been placed at the Mount Pleasant Methodist Church in Thorn Hill.

³ "Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X8YZ-WJ2 : accessed 24 January 2015), Reubin Daulton and Nancy Shockley, 04 Jan 1808; citing Grainger, Grainger, Tennessee, reference ; FHL microfilm 968,583.

⁴ Birth dates and locations for all of the children are inconsistent.  Some dates are prior to Reuben and Nancy’s marriage; some in Virginia and some in Grainger Co. He may have been previously married.

⁵ "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VNDC-3SC : accessed 05 ⁶Mar 2013), Timothy Dalton and Delpha Coffer, 1828.

⁶ Betty White Martin, "Descendants of Timothy Dalton". Grainger Co., TN, Jul. 18, 2005

⁷ "Tennessee Death Records, 1914-1955", index and images, FamilySearch.org

Booker and Hannah Ann Dalton Shockley

Booker was born c1795 in Pittsylvania Co., VA. He married Hannah Ann Dalton, a daughter of Reuben and Elizabeth Shockley Dalton, on Dec. 22, 1819 in Grainger Co., TN. There is likely a relationship between Booker and Elizabeth but I have not yet found it.

Hannah was born c1802 in Grainger Co. and died there in 1880. Booker died prior to the 1870 census, and probably in Grainger Co.

I have found six children for them, most of which married Coffeys.

First born was Rebecca, born Oct., 1820 and died Aug. 11, 1890. She married Elijah Coffey, a son of George and Margaret L. Rucker Coffey, on Jan. 11, 1840 in Grainger Co. Elijah was born Feb. 23, 1819, probably in Grainger Co., and died there on Jul. 13, 1890. Rebecca and Elijah were parents of at least 10 children:

Austin, born c1840, died before 1880; married Elvira Wolfe Jan. 8, 1856 in Grainger Co. Elvira was the daughter of William and Maleta (Lette) Hipsher. I have one child for them: Martha Emeline, born c1856.

Millie, born c1841

Mira, born c1843

George, born Feb. 24, 1847 in TN, died in Grainger Co., c1946. George married Martha M. Johnson, born Apr. 27, 1846, died Jun. 4, 1922 in Grainger Co. Their children were James H., born Dec. 22, 1871, died Nov. 7, 1907; Samuel B., born Feb. 25, 1873, died Jun. 28, 1961; John Henry, born Aug. 2, 1874, died Oct. 10, 1920; Hattie M., born c1878, died Aug. 31, 1945; Pleasant (Ples), born Aug. 2, 1879; Elijah, born abt Dec. 1884; and Cordelia (Cordie), born Feb. 1887.

Ambrose, born c1851 in TN, married Louisa Blake, born c1854 in TN. The children that I have for them are: Mary, born c1870; Martha Matilda, born c1873; and Simeon, born Dec., 1879.

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Update: Mar 1, 2013:  Ambrose was born in Nov., 1846 in Grainger Co., TN and died in Morristown, Hamblen Co., TN on Dec. 18, 1915.  He and Louisa Blake, born Oct., 1850 in TN, were married on Sep. 12, 1869 in Grainger Co.[1].  I haven't found a death date/place for Louisa.  Ambrose is buried at Liberty Hill Methodist Church Cemetery at Morristown, Hamblen Co.

Their children numbered at least eight:  Mary, born c1870; Matilda, born 1872, died 1930, married William Henry Coffey, son of Collins and Nancy "Hulda" Wolfe on Sep. 14, 1895 in Hamblen Co.  Their closest blood relationship was 3rd cousin.  Third child was Henry, 1878; Simeon, 1879; Arthur, 1884; Columbus, 1886; John Littleton, 1896, died 1964 in Buncombe Co., NC.  He married Dora Meadows on Feb. 23, 1919 in Hamblen Co.  I have no birth/death info for Dora.  The last child was Frank, born 1896.

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Samuel (Sam), born Jun., 1855 in TN, died Aug. 20, 1910 in Hamblen Co., TN. Married Martha Wolfe, a daughter of Henry and Elvira Coffey Wolfe, on Dec. 25, 1876 in Grainger Co. I have found only two children: Henry (Pat), born Oct. 18, 1878, died Dec. 3, 1964; and Elijah, born Apr. 1881. Sam later married Mary Hipshire, born Mar. 2, 1869 in TN, died Dec. 29, 1921 in Hamblen Co. I have found nine children for them: Evey, born Aug., 1890; James Archie, born Oct. 22, 1892; Ralph, born Aug. 28, 1895; Daniel (Dan), born c1898; Angie, born c1899; Arkie, born c1901; Lucy, born c1904; Rosie, born c1906; and Myrtle, born c1908.

Martha E., born c1857

Lacy, born Mar. 30, 1861, married first to Elizabeth LNU; married second to Margaret Ogan who died in 1942.

Elijah Jr., born Jan. 4, 1864 in Grainger Co. and, died there on May 14, 1923. He married Rosa Shockley, a daughter of Enos (or, Enoch) Shockley and Mahalia Coffey. Rosa was born Nov. 29, 1864 in Grainger Co. and, died in Thorn Hill, Grainger Co., on jan. 26, 1952. Their children were Lillie M., born Dec. 25, 1885, died Oct. 23, 1923; Etta, born c1890, died Jul. 31, 1969; Lula, born Feb. 4, 1892, died May 4, 1951; James Oscar, born Mar. 20, 1894, died May 31, 1949; and Walter Preston, born Feb. 17, 1908, died Sep. 14, 1984.

Martin, born c1866

Second born was Enos (Enoch?), born Jan. 1, 1822 in Grainger Co. and, died there on Jul. 4, 1901. He married Mahalia Coffey on Jan. 21, 1846 in Grainger Co. She was born Oct. 20, 1827 in Grainger Co., and died there on Jul. 10, 1900. She was the daughter of George and Margaret L. Rucker Coffey.

I have 11 children for them:

Perry Wilson, born Jan. 13, 1847, died Nov. 5, 1923, married Harriet A. LNU.

Alice (Ally), born Oct. 24, 1848 in Grainger Co. and, died there on Aug. 12, 1909. She married Perry Harville. I have one child for them: Lemuel Harville.

Martha Louise, born c1851

William Gilbert, born Dec. 2, 1852 in Grainger Co., and died Mar. 13, 1901. He married Sarah P. Dalton on Jul. 24, 1872 in Grainger Co. I have found three children: Minnie, born c1875; Loretta, born Nov. 11, 1877, died Aug. 13, 1906; and Hattie, born Apr. 1880.

John, born May 22, 1855, died Jul. 28, 1875

Malinda (Matilda?), born Apr. 6, 1856, died Mar. 12, 1922

Harriet, born Sep, 13, 1859, died Jul. 9, 1940

Cornelia, born May 15, 1863, died Oct. 8, 1887

Rosa, born Nov. 29, 1864, died Jan. 26, 1952, married Elijah Coffey, Jr.

Hannah Elizabeth, born c1868

Lucinda, born Dec. 13, 1869, died Dec. 18, 1887

Third born was Ephraim who married Lucretia Hipsher

Fourth born was Thomas who married Perlina Wolfe

Fifth born was Winright who married Martha Emaline (Emily) Coffey on Feb. 20, 1851 in Grainger Co. Winright was born c1827 in TN; Martha c1831.

Their children were:

Martha Jane, born Dec. 2, 1852, died Aug. 30, 1930. She married Thomas Coffey, born Dec. 7, 1852 in Grainger Co. and, died there on Jan. 3, 1925. He was a son of William Ira Coffey and Sarah Jane Hipshire.

George Winright, born Dec. 2, 1852 (apparently a twin to Martha), died Mar. 13, 1901. He married Harriet Harville, a daughter of R. W. and Mary Harville.

Wyatt, born c1855

Mahala, born c1858

William Berry, born Aug. 2, 1862, died Jan. 15, 1910. He married Eliza Jane Coffey on Jun. 5, 1885 in Grainger Co. Eliza was the daughter of Thomas Nelson and Cornelia Coffey Coffey. Eliza was born Sep. 8, 1868 and died Dec. 6, 1927 in Mooresburg, Hawkins Co., TN.

Rutha, born c1865

Jincey, born May, 1864. She married Rev. Berry Wisdom Lafette (Lafayette?) Coffey, a son of William Wesley and Gelina E. Shouse Coffey. Berry Wisdom was born Oct. 15, 1857 in Grainger Co., and died in TN on Jan. 1, 1936.

Elizabeth (Betsy), born c1869 in TN, died May 11, 1911 in Grainger Co. She married Pleasant Dalton c1888 in TN. He was the son of Hiram and Catherine Howerton Dalton. Pleasant later married Viola Coffey, a daughter of Thomas and Martha Jane Shockley Coffey.

The last child that I have for Booker and Hannah is William, born Mar. 12, 1833 in TN and, died in Grainger Co. on Oct. 22, 1871. He married Louisa Jane Coffey on Mar. 21, 1851 in Grainger Co. She was born Jul. 27, 1833 and died Jun. 1, 1910 in Grainger Co. Louisa Jane was also married to Berry Dalton.

These families tended to marry back and forth into each of the same families. Care must be taken when compiling them. This is especially true since many were given the same names. I believe the above to be mostly accurate and, would appreciate comments adding to or correcting any of it. I also have additional descendant as well as ancestral information for most of these families.

I can be reached at the e-mail address on the right.


[1] index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XD92-K5M : accessed 01 Mar 2013), Ambrose Coffee and Louis Blake, 12 Sep 1869.