Woodson Coffee (1862-1953)

Update May 24, 2012

After Ollie died in 1930, Woodson married a second time to Velda Marguerite Bangs in 1932.  Velda was then 36 years old and had not been previously married.  She was apparently visiting with Andrew Bangs, her brother, who was a resident of Amarillo in 1930.

There were no children born to Woodson and Velda.  However, in searching for more information about her life I found that she was a daughter of Waltus Justus and Cora Maria Powers Bangs.

The Bangs ancestors seemed to have migrated to the plains of IL sometime in the early to mid-1800's.  I start Velda's ancestry with Andrew Cook Banks, born in VT in 1830 and his wife, Frances Morse, also born in VT in 1931.

The first Bangs in that part of IL now known as Wauconda (a Sioux word meaning "great spirit") was Justus Bangs.  The area was first known as Rice's Prairie and later renamed Bangs Lake for Justus.  By 1850 it had become the township of Wauconda.*

Justus Bangs was the father of Andrew Cook Bangs.  Andrew was the father of Walter Justus Bangs who married Cora Powers and, they were parents of Velda.

*Kathy Catrambone, Author, Images of Ameria: Wauconda, Marianne Folise, Author (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2011), Page 7.

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Woodson, born Mar 1, 1862 in Gonzales Co., TX, died June. 12, 1953 in Amarillo, Potter Co., TX.  Woodson married Ollie Pickens on Aug. 14, 1890 in Throckmorton, the daughter of Judge Cornelius Kinchelo and Ruth B. Greenwood Stribling.  She and Woodson had at least nine children: Ruth, Benjamin, Grace, Woodson, Jr., Oran, Roy Coburn, Frank (died young), Ollie and Jack Kinchelo.  Ollie died of influenza on Jan. 23, 1930 in San Antonio.  She and Woodson are buried at the Llano Cemetery in Amarillo.

The above was published in the June 4, 2010 blog about Mansel Matthews & Georgiana Frances Reynolds Coffee.

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Woodson Coffee, Sr.

Woodson and Ollie were the parents of nine children:

Ruth, born Nov. 17, 1891 in Throckmorton Co., TX, died in Amarillo, Potter Co., TX on Mar. 30, 1987,  Ruth married Edgar Coble on Apr. 7, 1915 in Throckmorton.  He died on Aug. 21, 1954 in Amarillo.  Both are buried there at the Llano cemetery.

Benjamin Stribling, born Dec. 1, 1892 in Throckmorton, died in Amarillo on Oct. 9, 1914.  He was buried in Miami, Roberts Co., TX at the Miami cemetery.

Grace, born Mar 9, 1894 in OK Indian Territory, died there Mar. 28, 1894.  Burial place not given.

Woodson, Jr and Mamie Coffee

Woodson, Jr., born May 29, 1895 in Morton Co., TX, died in Amarillo on Sep. 1, 1984.  He married Ida Mae "Mamie" LNU on Jun. 10, 1916.  She was born Dec. 8, 1893 in MO and died Jun. 2, 1984 in Amarillo.  They too are buried at Llano.

Oran, born Jan. 24, 1897 in Roberts Co., TX, died Nov. 3, 1965.  He married Frances Elizabeth Rock on Aug. 9, 1931 in Pagosa Springs, Archuleta Co., CO.  She was born there on Jul. 10, 1912 and died on Jan. 3, 2004 in Boerne, Kendall Co., TX.  They were the parents of my friend, Kathy Coffee Simmons.  They too are buried at Llano.

Roy Coburn Coffee

Roy Coburn, born Sep. 15, 1898, died Sep. 12, 1964 in Dumas, Moore Co., TX.  He married in Feb. 1941 to Celia Catherine West, born Jan. 7, 1903, died Jan. 11, 1985 in Amarillo.  Also buried at Llano.

Frank, born Nov. 11, 1900, died Apr. 14, 1901.

Claude and Girlie Coffee Arnot

Oliver "Girlie", born Oct. 8, 1901, died Jan. 31, 1984 in Bexar Co., TX.  She married first Waid Scott Willis and had a son, Waid, Jr., born Aug. 16, 1923, died Feb. 16, 1947 in Bexar Co.  Waid, Sr. died in 1951 and sometime after that, Girlie married Claude William Arnot, born 1895, died Jul. 16, 1991 n Bexar Co.  Waid, Sr. and Jr. are buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Wolfe City, Hunt Co., TX.  Girlie and Claude are buried at Locke Hill cemetery in San Antonio.

The last child was Jack Kinchelo Coffee, born Ju. 24, 1903, died Mar. 11, 1969.  He was married on Dec. 19, 1929 to Vida Pearl Davis, born Mar. 11, 1905, died Jan. 18, 1991.





No. 998

James Larkin Coffey

James was born in Nov., 1875 to Thomas and Rachel M. Coffey in North Carolina. He married Rachel Elizabeth Robbins on Apr. 22, 1896, a daughter of John Pickens and Sarah Louise Pipes Robbins. She was born Mar. 19, 1878 in Caldwell Co., NC and died in 1958 in Chicago, Cook Co., IL.

Her obituary:

Lenoir News-Topic, date unknown

Coffey Rites Set Friday

Funeral services for Mrs. Rachel Elizabeth Robbins Coffey, 80, of Chicago, Ill., and Lenoir, who died Tuesday in Chicago following an extended illness, will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at Central Advent Christian Church. Officiating will be the pastor, the Rev. W. F. Preslar, and interment will be in Belleview Cemetery. The body will not lay in state.

Serving as active pallbearers will be Bernard Olson, Robert Olson, Grayson Annas, Hal Sherill, Wallace Clontz and Deitz Rudisill.

Born March 19, 1878 in Caldwell County, Mrs. Coffey was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Pickens Robbins. Her husband, James L. Coffey, died in 1941. She was a charter member of Central Advent Christian Church and a member of the local chapter of the Order of Eastern Star.

Surviving are a daughter, three sons, nine grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, four brothers and two sisters.

James and Rachel spent their first 15 years or so in Caldwell Co. before moving to Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH. James worked for sometime at the Willard Storage Co. as a "battery worker." Most of their children also went to work at an early age to help support the family. In 1920 Collet, age 21, reported that he was unemployed. Fred, age 17, worked as a deliveryman for a retail grocer; Clarence, age 16, worked as a stenographer in an auto factory while Frances, age 23, worked as a general clerk in an advertising office.

I'm not sure that the census taker didn't make a mistake and transpose the occupations of Clarence and Frances.

In 1930 James was still in the watchman business but worked for a hardware company in Chicago, Cook Co., IL. Collett was married by then and was an accountant at Nut and Boles - whatever that might be. Frances Reid Coffey, his wife, was also a member of the family. Also in the family was William P. Frye, the husband of Frances Amelia, and their two children, Helen and Mary. Frances Amelia was not enumerated and perhaps was deceased.

Collett Columbus died in Jan., 1917 in Catawba Co.

His obituary:

Unnamed, undated newspaper

Collet C. Coffey, 80, formerly of Lenoir, died today in a Hickory hospital.

He was born Nov. 30, 1899, in Caldwell County, a son of the late James and Rachel Robbins Coffey.

He was the retired office administrator at Appalachian State University, a deacon and elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Boone, and a member of the Masonic Lodge in Lenoir.

Survivors include his wife, two daughters, 11 grand-children, a great-grandchild, plus two aunts and many cousins in Lenoir.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Boone.

I have not found any further information on Fred and Clarence.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address if you can add to or correct any of this information.