James & Elizabeth "Betsy" Coffey Bridge

Descendants of Jordan Coffey know that Jane Coffey, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Osborne Coffey, is considered by many to be the mother of Jordan*.  His father is known through DNA testing of descendants to have been a Taliaferro.

Some, interested only in Jane do not realize that she had a younger sister, Elizabeth, born c1775 in either Amherst or Nelson Co., VA who married James Bridge.  James' birth date is not known but speculatively it was c1775.  He and Elizabeth were married on Sep. 15, 1795 in Amherst Co.

My research shows their first child, William, wasn't born until 1801 in Nelson Co.  There were probably some born earlier but I have found no record.  William died on Mar. 22, 1879 in Back Creek, Augusta Co.  Nothing is known by me of his life between birth and death.

Edmond C., born c1802 was next.  He married Martha W. Tyler of Apr. 29, 1824 in Amherst Co.  Like William, I know nothing of his life with Martha.

Elizabeth was third born c1805.  She married Spotswood Padgett on Nov. 24, 1824 in Amherst Co. and together they were parents to at least seven children:  Frances Jane, c1826; Elizabeth, c1828; Reuben Beverly, b1829; James, c1833; Catharine, c1837; Mary A., c1839 and, Martha W., c1844.

Elizabeth married Leonard S. S. Farnsworth, a son of Nathaniel and Pamela Simonder [sic] Farnsworth, on Jul. 3, 1856.

Reuben Beverly married Minerva J. Rankin, a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth Sheets Rankin, on Aug. 30, 1854 in Augusta Co.

James S. followed Elizabeth in 1808.  He married Nancy Lee on Jun. 27, 1832 in Nelson Co.  Nancy was born in VA in 1803 and died at Back Creek Augusta Co. on Aug. 6, 1855.  James died Nov. 28, 1870 in Augusta C.  Their children were Violetta, born c1833; Alexander, c1834; Mary Jane, c1837; Jefferson, born c1839 and Jesse Richardson, born May 30, 1844.

Violetta married Joseph Cabell Campbell, a son of Francis Jefferson Campbell II and his wife, Nancy Coffey.  Nancy was a daughter of Edmond S. and Nancy Barnett Coffey.  Joseph and Violetta were parents of at least two children:  Lawson J., born Nov. 1851, died Jan. 23, 1928.  Lawson married Susan Mildred Truslow on Dec. 15, 1873 in Nelson Co.  

She and Lawson had a number of children, one of which married Grace M. Coffey, daughter of Andrew Jackson and Rebecca Campbell Coffey.  His name was Grover Cleveland Campbell, born Aug. 18, 1886, died Apr. 16, 1955 in Lynchburg, VA.  He and Grace were married on Dec. 25, 1904 in Nelson Co.

Jesse Odom followed James S.  He was born in 1810 and died on Sep. 2, 1859 at Back Creek.  I know nothing of his life between those dates.

Mary Ann was the last of James and Elizabeth's children.  She was born c1815 and married Nicholas Demastus, a son of John and Martha "Patsy" Moran Demastus.  Nicholas was born of Feb. 18, 1788 and married Mary Ann on Jan. 23, 1837 in Lyndhurst, Augusta Co.

There are a lot of unknowns for James and Elizabeth; e.g., when and where were they born, who were his parents and, when/where did they die?

*James Bridge provided the surety bond when Jordan married Elizabeth Rippetoe in 1803.

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Sources:  Amherst Co. Marriage Records, 1763-1821; Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940; Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1902; US Federal Census, 1850-1880; Dodd, Jordan R., et al.. Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850

Samuel and Mildred "Milley" Coffey Coleman

Samuel Coleman was born c1752 in Albemarle Co., VA to James and Elizabeth Leake Coleman.  According to one Todd County Kentucky history1, Samuel was a Rev. War veteran, a Todd Co. pioneer and a grandson of Samuel Coleman and his wife Ann Mourning Christian.

James and Elizabeth had at least two other children; Maskey2, born c1750 who was married c1780 to Bartlett Fitzgerald, a native of Orange Co., Virginia.  Bartlett was the son of John Joseph and Mary Hawkins Bartlett Fitzgerald and a brother to Benjamin Hawkins Fitzgerald who married Jane Coffey, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Osborne Coffey of Nelson Co., VA.  Readers may recall that Jane is considered to be the mother of Jordan Coffey, founder of "Coffeytown."

Maskey's sister was Lucy who married Evan Thomas Watson (1759 VA-1834 Bowie Co., TX) on Jan. 4, 1772 in Albemarle Co., VA.  They named a son Coleman Watson, born Jan. 23, 1800 in Logan Co., KY, died Jul. 6, 1876 in Grayson Co., TX.  There is a problem with either Evan's birth date or their marriage date.  The dates given here mean that Evan married at age 12!

In any event, Coleman Watson married his first cousin Lucy Mildred Coleman, the daughter of Samuel and Mildred Coffey Coleman, in Kentucky on Sep. 23, 1821.  They were parents to at least nine children:  Morton Price; Emily E.; Mary Susan; Samuel, Jr.; Evan Thomas; Lucy Ann; Louisa Jane; Nancy Margaret and Edward A.

Another daughter of Samuel and Mildred Coffey Coleman was Elizabeth Leake Coleman - obviously named for her paternal grandmother.  Elizabeth was born on May 6, 1786, probably in Virginia, and died Aug. 2, 1862, probably in Texas.  She married Collin McKinney, a man who was destined to become a Texas legend.  An article in a Daughters of the Republic of Texas source on Collin3, submitted by member Maryln Jones Cherry, reads:

Collin McKinney (1766-1861) was born in New Jersey, the second of 10 children born to Daniel McKinney (1735-1809) and Mercy Blatchley (1745-1825).  He married twice and had 10 children.  Proor to 1824, his adult life was spent in Tennessee and Kentucky, where he owned a trading post and managed the vast Nashville estates of George W. Campbell, who had been appointed by President Madison as Minister to Russia.

In 1824, Collin, with his brother, Daniel and their families, began the long trek down the Southwest Trail, first settling in Arkansas, believing themselves to be in Texas, later moving to present Bowie and Red River counties.  On Aug. 4, 1830, Collin McKinney took the oath and signed the Register of the Wavell Red River Colony, Aug. 4, 1830 [sic].

He became the close confidant of Benjamin Rush Milam, a fellow Kentuckian, and the first survey Milam ran from his new land office was for Collin McKinney in present Bowie County.  Collin's youngest daughter, Elizabeth, married Milam's nephew, Jefferson Milam, a surveyor for Wavell County.  In 1835, when Ben Milam journeyed to Moncolva, Mexico with the colonists' land petitions, he left his business and personal papers in care of his friend, Collin McKinney.  (The original document signed by the Red River colonists each pledging $5 toward Milam's expenses is the McKinney-Milam Papers at the University of Texas at Arlington.)  By December of that year, Santa Anna's invasion of Texas was well underway; the Red River Colony was asked to raise $200 to equip a company of riflemen to join Sam Houston's army.

In January 1836, a mass meeting was held at Collin McKinney's plantation to elect five delegates to attend the general convention 300 miles away at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 1, 1836.  Collin, age 70, was the oldest elected delegate and was destined to outlive most of his colleagues.  He traveled with Richard Ellis, who was elected president of the convention.

Collin McKinney was one of five men to draft the Texas Declaration of Independence, and as the oldest of the 59 signers, was presented the signing pen.  He represented Red River settlements in four congresses of the Republic of Texas.  During his 95 years, he was a planter, land surveyor, developer, merchant, deacon, lay preacher, politician and a citizen of eight different governments - born a subject of King George III of England; a citizen of the Thirteen colonies; a citizen of the United States; a citizen of Mexico; a citizen of the Provisional Government established by Texans in 1835; a citizen of the Texas Republic; after annexation, again a citizen of the U.S.; and when death came in 1861, it found him (against his will) a citizen of the Southern Confederacy.

Along with his nephew, H. C. McKinney, he was active in establishment of the Disciples of Christ Church in his last home community.  The Rev. G. Gates, a visiting minister from Indiana, in a letter to his church journal, wrote:  "Brother McKinney, an old disciple from Kentucky...noted for his integrity, hospitality and good works as a Christian, is the natural elder to preside over his flock...The old gentleman had a number of slaves who are, I believe, members of the church and love their master as they would a father."  Archibald Burton, a cousin back in Lincoln County, KY, wrote to Collin, "Collin McKinney, I want to see you more than any man alive."  The town of McKinney and Collin County are name for this remarkable Texas Pioneer.

Collin and Elizabeth Leake Coleman McKinney had a number of children, including:  William C., Annie, Amy, Peggy, Elisa and Younger Scott.

I believe some of the Colemans, McKinneys, Coffeys and Watsons must have known some of my own Coffee family members.  Some of them must have moved together into Arkansas down the Southwest Trail into Hempstead Co., AR, as well as into Bowie and Red River Counties in TX.  My paternal great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Bowman Coffee married a Watson in Bowie Co. following the loss of her first husband, James M. Coffee.  Her father and grand-father (Joseph and Jesse Bowman, respectively) are known to have been in those counties in the same period, and were active in the battle for Texas independence.

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1Todd County Kentucky Family History, Vol. 1, Turner Publishing Co., Paducah, KY 1995, p161
2Apparently named for her maternal grandmother, Judith Mask or, perhaps her uncle, Mask Coleman
3Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Compilers, Daughters of the Republic of Texas: Texas History, Vol. 1 of many (New York & Nashville: Turner Publishing Co., n.d.), Page 192.

Peter Hilman & Mary Susan Tyree Coffey

Peter was born in Virginia, probably in Nelson Co., in 1865 to George Washington and Mary Catherine Demastus Coffey. Mary Catherine was a daughter of John and Mary Ann Coffey Demastus. herself a daughter of Edmund F. & Elizabeth Burger Coffey. Edmund was a son of William and Elizabeth Osborne Coffey who were also parents of Jane Coffey, the mother of Jordan (Taliaferro) Coffey.

Peter Hilman Coffey Headstone

Peter married Mary Susan Tyree, born Aug., 1873, probably in Virginia, and believed to have died in 1949. Peter died in Nelson Co. in 1942 and was buried at Demastus Family Cemetery near Tyro in Nelson Co.

Peter and Mary had at least six children:

Alvin Reynolds, born May 24, 1894 in Nelson Co., died Sep. 2, 1956 in VA.  Alvin married Fannie Demastus, a daughter of Luke and Anna Bell Coffey Demastus c1920.  Fannie was born Aug. 19, 1900 in Nelson Co., and died May 19, 1952.  Both are buried at the Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery, Stuarts Draft, Augusta Co., VA.  Their children were Oakley, Betty Celene and DeWitt Malcolm.  DeWitt married Helen Marie Maupin, born Aug. 9, 1930 in Waynesboro, Augusta Co., VA, died Aug. 9, 2006 in Charlotesville Co., VA.  Helen is buried at Augusta Memorial Park in Waynesboro.  DeWitt's burial site is unknown, but probably also at Augusta Memorial.  Alvin and Fannie in addition to being man and wife were related nine different ways, from first cousin once removed to fourth cousin, one removed.

Annie Coffey, born Sep. 16, 1901 at Massies Mill in Nelson Co., died Jan. 13, 1986 at Sanford in Seminole Co., FL.  She married Jacob Coffey, a son of John James and Lucy Ann Demastus Coffey.  Both are buried at Calvary United Methodist.  I do not have a list of their children.  Annie and Jacob were related eight different ways beginning with third cousin and ending at fifth cousin.

Elwood C. Coffey

Ethel Coffey, born Jun. 29, 1903 in Nelson Co., died Nov. 25, 1971 at Waynesboro.  She married Andrew Coffey, born Jan. 2, 1899, died Aug. 24, 1972 at Waynesboro.  Andrew was a brother to Jacob who married Annie.  Both are buried at Augusta Memorial.  Their children were Andrew, Jr., born Jul 5, 1927, died July 16, 1927 and Elwood C. "Jimmy", born Apr. 23, 1937, died Sep. 28, 2008 at Charlottesville.  Andrew is buried at the Demastus Cemetery near Tyro; Elwood is buried at Augusta Memorial.  Andrew and Annie had the same kinship as Jacob and Annie.

Headstone for Harold, Sr.

Harold Bernard Coffey, Sr. was born Nov. 9, 1909 at Massies Mill and died Aug. 14, 1974 at Waynesboro.  He married Rosey Arline Claytor, born Jun. 13, 1913, died Sep. 13, 1966.  Both are buried at Augusta Memorial  Harold was a veteran of WW2, having enlisted on Nov. 13, 1942 at Fort Belvoir, VA.  I know of one child, Harold, Jr., born Aug. 7, 1942, died May 26, 1996 at Waynesboro.  Jr. is also buried at Augusta Memorial.  Harold, Jr. died of a heart attack at home.  He was a City of Waynesboro policeman.

Dewey Love Coffey,born May 1, 1912, died May 9, 1988.  He married Jessie Jane Ray on Jan. 31, 1931.  Both are buried at Augusta Memorial.  I know of one child, Janet Grey, born Dec. 19, 1933 at Augusta Co., died Aug. 8, 1999 at Fishersville in Augusta Co.  She too is buried at Augusta Memorial in Waynesborn.

Woodrow Wilson Coffey, born May 9, 1916 in Love, Augusta Co., died Oct. 30, 2006 at Fishersville.  He married Eva Virginia Chittum, born Apr. 4, 1917 in Rockbridge Co., VA, died Feb. 21, 1965 in Augusta Co.  Both are buried at Augusta Memorial.  Their children were Paul Allen, Clarene Arthur, born May 12, 1936, died Aug. 24, 2009 in Concord, Cabarrus Co., NC; Mary and Kathleen.

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There is another Peter Hilman Coffey (1939-1999) buried at Augusta Memorial and is likely a descendant of this Peter Hilman and Mary Tyree Coffey. If you can connect his for me, please drop an e-mail.

Contact me to add to or correct any of this information.

Click on the Chicken Hollow link below to find general area of Demastus Cemetery.

Dr. Erval Richard Coffey

Dr. Erval R. Coffey*

Erval Richard Coffey, second son of Dr. Richard Nightingale and Mae A. Gano Coffey, was born Dec. 31, 1896 in Jackson Co., MO.

Dr. Richard Coffey was a son of Dr. William A. and Elizabeth Hill Coffey of Madison Co., KY.  Dr. William Coffey was a son of Dr. Rev. Richard Nightingale and Margaret Catherine McCormick Coffey, originally of Amherst Co., VA then of Lincoln and Madison Counties in KY and finally of Platte Co., MO.

This family descends from Edward and Ann Powell Coffey through John and Jane Graves Coffey, Willian and Elizabeth Osborne Coffey and Osborn and Mary "Polly" Nightingale Coffey who settled in Casey Co., KY.

Erval was a graduate of the University of Kansas where he was active in sports.  After graduation he began a career in the US Public Health Service, eventually becoming Assistant Surgeon General.  He served overseas and was once appointed to Thailand under the Foreign Economic Assistance Act.  He had been Regional Director of the PHS in Washington DC prior to his appointment.

According to an article rife with typographical errors, and which appeared in the Memphis World on Dec. 26, 1950, Erval married Catherine Ann Borchdt [sic] of Chicago and were the parents of three daughters and a son.  In a later undated article found here, [clicking this link will download a PDF] Dr. Coffey eventually accepted an appointment at the regional office of the PHS in New York City.  Upon retirement he accepted an appointment as Health Officer for the city of Greenwich, CT.  He died in April, 1968 in Pinellas Co., FL.

Very little information has been found for Dr. and Mrs. Coffey, probably due to their travel and overseas work.  After he registered for the draft in 1917 he entered the US Army.  I found one source1 that reports him serving at Camp Funston in one of the Divisional Cantonment Training Camps at Fort Riley, Riley Co., KS.  Prior to that he resided at #7 Jackson Bldg in Lawrence, KS, which I presume was a dorm on the University of Kansas campus.  The Cantonment camps were among the first places in the US where the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic began.

The last time I found him in a census record was 1910 while he was still living with his parents in Barber Co., MO.

His draft registration card described him as being tall with medium build, brown eyes and light brown hair.

He and his wife were found on a List of first class In-Bound Passengers at San Francisco, arriving on the SS President Cleveland from Yokohama, Japan on Mar. 6, 1953.  Dr. Coffey was then 56 years old and Catherine was age 52.  Catherine listed her place of birth as Illinois.

I have not yet found Catherine's birth date, which from the passenger list I estimated to be 1901.  I am still searching for a record of their marriage, Catharine's death date and where they are buried.  Her maiden name as printed in the Memphis paper is also suspect.

Erval's older brother, Dr. George McDowell Coffey continued his family's medical service tradition as a dentist.  He married Helen Marjorie Miller and died in Grant Co., KS in 1969.

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Update:  July 5, 2011
Jack Coffee,

Good morning. I am the first grandson of Dr. & Mrs. Erval Richard Coffee as described in your blog. 

Just wanted you to know that I am hosting a small family reunion of their direct descendants at a gathering in Old Town Alexandria, VA in late October. We are expecting: the two surviving daughters (Germaine Sava and Beverly Burns); most of their children/grandchildren; and, the children/grandchildren of their deceased children (Richard Coffee, Bargara Vogt). We're expecting about 30+ folks from the DC/Maryland/VA area, New Jersey, California, North Carolina, Norway and Thailand.

Just wanted to pass the news to you. 

RICHARD A HESS
1338 UNION ST, #6, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109
CELL: +1 808 292 9086

GOOGLE VOICE: +1 202 596 6314
SKYPE: +1 415 644 5233; ID: hessrick
hessrick@gmail.com
http://www.google.com/profiles/hessrick

I received the following e-mail today:






1The Graduate Magazine [Univ of KS], Oct., 1917, Vol. XVI, Page 217
*Photo credit National Library of Medicine