John William Payton & Sarah Elizabeth Coffey

John William Payton, born Jun. 13, 1864 in Kentucky was a son of Charles Payton and his wife, Margaret Brummett.  He was married c1885¹ to Sarah Elizabeth "Lizzie" Coffey, a daughter of Gabriel Russell and Margaret Caroline Rodgers Coffey.

Gabriel Russell was born c1845 descended from Edward and Ann Powell Coffey.  His father was Perry, son of Thomas, Jr., son of Thomas, who married Nancy Pendley; son of Thomas who married Elizabeth Smith; son of John, first son of Edward, who married Jane Graves.  Gabriel was in KY by around 1868 when he and Margaret are said to have been married.

Sarah's report to the census taker in 1910, when the family lived in Goodnight, Anderson Co.,  KY indicated she had been previously married.²  However, she was only age 17 when she married John Payton.  By 1920 the couple had moved to Louisville, where they remained until death.

Sarah was born in TN on May 18, 1868 and died on Sep. 24, 1948 in Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY. John died in Louisville on Feb. 8, 1952, They are buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Louisville.

Children born to John and Sarah, numbered at least seven.  However, because they married c1885 and their first known child was not born until some six years later, it is likely they had two or three other who did not survive those early years.

Charles H., born Jan. 27, 1891, died Jan. 31, 1926 in Louisville and was buried at Evergreen.  His wife was Beulah Mae Howard, born Oct. 12, 1893 in Jeffersonville, Clark Co., IN, died Apr. 15, 1933 in Louisville.  They were married in Clark Co. on Sep. 17, 1913.  Beulah was the daughter of Joseph and Frances McCallister [sic] Howard.

Myrtle Lee, born Feb. 19, 1898 in Kentucky, died Oct. 22, 1983 in Louisville.  She married twice, first to Jesse Charles Miller, a son of Harry and Mary Goeben Miller, born Mar. 22, 1883 in Lucas Co., IA, died Jun. 18, 1983 in Louisville.  They were married on May 20, 1918 in Clark Co., IN.  Her second husband was William E. Smith, born Nov. 7, 1910, died Jun. 6, 1985 in Louisville.  Each are buried at Evergreen.

Mary Margaret, born May 21, 1899 in Anderson Co., KY, first married William W. Walters, a son of Aaron and Sarena Negals [sic] Walters, on May 1, 1920 in Clark Co., IN.  They were divorced in 1922 and on July 28, 1923 she married Arnold Palmer, the son of Bill and Eliza Bright Palmer, in Clark Co.  I do not have death dates or burial places for either.

The next child was Vannie Blanche, born July 7, 1901 in Anderson Co.  She was married at least four times before she was 40 years old.  Her first husband was a Mr. Reno.  A marriage record for them has not been found but, in the 1920 census, she was found living with her parents as the divorced Blanche Reno, age 18.  On Oct. 24, 1920 she married William E. Patton in Clark Co.  They also apparently divorced for on Jul. 13, 1924, at age 23, she married for the third time, this time to Marlin Stewart in Jeffersonville, Clark Co.  On that record, she noted a previous marriage had been "dissolved."  No other details were given.  On Jan. 8, 1938, at age 36, she married Cecil Altemeyer in Clark Co.  On that marriage record, she reported that she had been previously married and, that union had ended in divorce in 1934. I do not have Cecil or Blanche's death date or place of burial.

Lester, born Jan. 5, 1902, in Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY, died Jul. 15, 1996 in Louisville.  Lester married Mary Frances Smith, the daughter of Sam W. and Frances Lester Smith, on Dec. 25, 1923 in Clark Co., IN.  She was born in Louisville on Apr. 19,1905.

John Thomas, born 1905 in KY, died Sep. 4, 1930 at age 25 at Louisville City Hospital.  His death certificate reports death as a result of being "struck by auto while crossing street at Preston & Broadway" on Sep. 3, 1930.  He never married.

The last child that I am aware of was Walter Edward Payton, born c1908.  I have no other information on Walter.

Jeffersonville, and Clark Co., IN are just across the Ohio River from Louisville.  It seems to have been "the" place to go to get married; at least for this family!

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¹1900 KY, Mercer Co., Dugansville Pct., ED 48, Sheet 9A, dwelling/family 163

²1910 Anderson Co., Goodnight, ED11, Sheet 3A, dwelling 57, family 58

Another of America's "Greatest Generation" is gone!

Mr. Bill was the father of my oldest friend, Bill K., Jr.  Junior and I met when we served in the same Army unit in Germany in 1966-67.  We've been friends since that time.  I never had an opportunity to meet Jr.'s mother Lella, who died in 2001.

Bill Jr. and his wife visited with us in Louisiana a few years ago and brought Mr. Bill with them.  We enjoyed the best two weeks with Mr. Bill and his beloved Henry!  A couple of years ago we visited with Mr. Bill for a few days at his home near Keizer, OR.  My wife and I reveled in his sense of humor and graciousness.

As example of his humor, Jr. told me that his father had slipped off of a dining room chair, and lay on the floor for sometime before a neighbor discovered him there.  The neighbor asked if he was ok, and when he responded that he was "fine," the neighbor asked why he had not gotten back into the chair.  Mr. Bill exclaimed that it was "more comfortable on the floor!"

I knew that Mr. Bill was not well several months ago, and through Bill, Jr. kept up with his declining health.  Still, it was with sadness and a feeling of personal loss when Jr. told me that Mr. Bill had died peacefully in his sleep.

The following is his obituary from Oregon's Wilamette Valley newspaper, The Statesman Journal, on-line edition of Nov. 16, 2008:


Col. Bill K. Chapman, U.S. Army, Ret. January 8, 1916 - November 12, 2008 SALEM - Bill K. Chapman, 92, died peacefully at home on November 12. Bill dedicated his life to his family and his country. He proudly served his country in WWII in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he continued to serve his country in the Army and the Army National Guard, retiring with the rank of Colonel. Bill held many prominent positions during his military career, including Base Superintendent in Portland and ranking positions in the State Military Department. After retirement, Bill enjoyed traveling, fishing, golf, and gardening with Lella, until her death in 2001, and spending time with family and friends, and their beloved dog, Henry. He is survived by his sons, Bill Jr. (Teresa) of Keizer and Stephen of Salem; daughter, Judy Chapman of Orange, Calif.; sister, Marylou Palmer of Salem; grandsons, Brian Chapman (Sarah) of Hillsboro and Mark Chapman (Dawn Boras) of Beaverton; serveral nieces and nephews; a special friend, Eva McIntire; and many dear friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lella; four brothers; and his parents. Private interment will be at City View Cemetery. Contributions in his name may be made to Union Gospel Mission or the Salvation Army. Arrangements are by City View Funeral Home.

William Webster Davis and his two Coffey wives

William Webster Davis was born Jan. 26, 1837 in Amherst Co., VA and died there on Apr. 10, 1909. He first married Sarah Jane Coffey c1860 in Amherst Co. This union produced two sons, John, born c1861 and Henry c1863. Sarah likely died in childbirth because she disappeared immediately after Henry's birth.

Sarah Jane was the daughter of John Jack and Elizabeth Susan Duff Coffey. John Jack and Henry, father of William Davis' second wife, Avarila Coffey, were brothers. John Jack and Henry were sons of Jordan Coffey.

William married Avarila Coffey on Sep. 14, 1865 in Pedlar Dist., Amherst Co. She was born Mar. 2, 1846 to Henry F. and Elizabeth (Betsy) McDaniel Coffey. Henry is often thought of as a son of Jordan and Elizabeth Rippetoe Coffey, but may have been the son of one of Jordan's daughters out of wedlock.

John Taylor, a Coffeytown researcher, had this to say about Henry:

"...although Henry Coffey shows for the first time in the 1850 Census as the head of a household, he may have been one of 2 boys his age living with Jordan and Elizabeth in 1840. According to Census reports, Henry was born around 1817. He married, at the age of 31, Elizabeth (McDaniel) (Ogden) Coffey, who was slightly older than Henry, and she had several children of her own from a previous marriage to Zachariah Ogden. Henry seems to have acted as guardian to her older children and they took his surname, at least for the census reports, but, except for Paulin, they are believed to have used their own surnames later. Henry F. Coffey died 10 June 1871 of Colic, in Amherst County, according to the Amherst County death records. The information on the death record, including naming his parents as Charles and Jane Coffey of Nelson County, was given by Henry's son, Henry L. Coffey. His place of burial is unknown, but is probably up on the hill behind Embree Crawford's house [Coffeytown], in an unmarked grave, perhaps with Elizabeth."

William and Sarah's children were John Davis, born c1861, and Henry, born c1863.

Children by Avarila were:

Virginia Anne (Jenny) Davis, born 1866, died 1941. She married Arthur Coffey, a once removed first cousin and son of William (Billy) and Sarah G. (Sally) Crawford Coffey. Billy was a son of Jordan and Elizabeth.

Arthur Coffey

Arthur and Jenny's children were: Hallie Pearl, born c1881, married John Houston Crawford; Hiram Randolph, born Feb. 26, 1886, died Sep. 17, 1924, married Susie A. Catlett; Mabel Irene, born Jan. 3, 1885, married Emmett Boyd Humphries; Ernest Webster, born Feb. 5, 1888, died 1982, married Ethel McClung Stratton, daughter of George Baxter and Elianna [Eleanor?] Coffey. Elianna was the daughter of Charles Edward and Sarah Jane Ogden Coffey.

The next child born to Arthur and Jenny was Alma Gertrude, born c1891, married Thomas Powell Crawford; Fletcher Beadles, born Oct. 3, 1893, died Aug. 11, 1975, married Maggie Lee Harris; Mina Lee, born Jan. 10, 1895, died Feb. 1, 1979, married first to Thompson Massie Davis; second to James William Gibson.

Sally, born c1897, followed Mina. She married first Wallace Earl Palmer and second, Glenn Wyatt; Leonard Carlyle, born May 13, 1903, died Aug. 23, 1959, married Mary Elsie Coffey, a daughter of Hiter Webster and Mary Higginbotham Coffey. Hiter was also a son of Charles Edward and Sarah Jane Ogden Coffey.



Leonard Carlyle and Mary Elsie Coffey Coffey

The last child of Arthur and Virginia was Essie Rose, born Apr. 4, 1907, died Jun. 19, 1999. She married Emmett Lewis Sale.

The remaining children of William Webster and Avarila Coffey Davis were:

Ida Penn, born c1867; Cornelia Catherine, born c1869, married Thomas H. McDaniel; Elizabeth Pendleton, born about Apr. 1870; Amanda Ellen, born c1873; Houston Carlyle, born c1874; Mary Lee, born c1877; Callie Tucker, born Sep. 1881; Tully Ashby, born Mar. 8, 1883; Chester Cleveland, born Jan. 11, 1885; Royal Wilbur, born Oct. 10, 1886; and Edna Belle, born Apr., 1891.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address with additions and/or corrections.