Edward Coffey (c1700-c1776)

Very little factual information is known of Edward Jr., a son of Edward and Ann Powell.  He is "said" to have been born c1701 in Essex Co., VA and, died in Albemarle Co., VA after 1774.  He married Grace Cleveland, a daughter of Alexander and Mildred Presley¹ Cleveland sometime between 1737 and 1740.

Marvin Coffey wrote in his ancestral work on James Blueford Coffey, a descendant of Edward and Ann, that he had found no proof of the children of Edward and Grace.  He speculated that Cleveland, Coffey, who married Elizabeth² is one of their sons.  Or, he might be the Cleveland Coffey who entered land in Burke Co., now Caldwell Co., on Zack's Fork, in the year 1778.

Marvin thought that Edward Jr. might be a twin of the better know John who married Jane Graves. John is thought to have been born between 1699 and 1700 followed soon thereafter by Edward Jr., with perhaps less than a year between the births.

No proof of the names of Edward and Grace's children has ever been found.³  Marvin, again speculating and, based on time and location, thought that Benjamin, born in VA in 1763 and on the Burke Co., NC census from 1790 to 1850 (Caldwell Co. in 1850) was the son.  He married Leah, born c1760 in VA.  A Leah Coffey who married Francis Hickman in Jefferson Co., TN in 1798 might be their daughter.

Other possible children were James, on the 1785 census in Botetourt Co, VA and William in Montgomery Co., VA from 1781 to 1785.  They could also have been the children of Peter and Susannah Coffey of Prince Edward Co., VA. The William found on tax lists in Buckingham Co., VA from 1783 to 1797 is likely to have been a son of Peter.

Jesse Cleveland Coffey found in Wilkes Co. up to about 1786 could be the same found later in Pendleton Co., SC in 1790 and 1800.  He was the father of Cleveland, Edward, Joel, Elijah, Elisha and John.4  

Jesse is found in the Pendleton District, South Carolina census of 1800.5 6  He married Nancy Alexander, probably before 1766.

I have been in recent contact with descendants of Jesse and Nancy.  Their ancestor was Jesse's son Joel who married Martha "Patsy" Cobb.  For the most part, descendants of Joel remained in Rabun Co., GA all of their lives.

Joel and Martha had at least four children, the first being John Coffee, who is often referred to by the title of Reverend.  He is buried as "Elder John Coffee." He married Lavinia Carter in that county on Dec. 31, 1833 and died c1835, likely in childbirth. and later married Martha Singleton on Feb. 4, 1837.  With Martha, they raised 11 children.  John died in 1886 and Martha in 1887.  Both are buried

at the Clayton Baptist Church Cemetery in Clayton, Rabun Co.

The second child of Joel and Martha was Mary Frances, born c1818 in SC, died 1873 in GA.  She married Silas B. Price on Mar. 19, 1835 in Rabun Co. and were parents of at least five: Nancy Elizabeth, Martha, William J., and John R.

William Rowland was third and his wife was Ruth M. West, born 1851.  They married on Aug. 25, 1879 in Habersham Co., GA.  William was born on Nov. 4, 1834 in Rabun Co., died in GA in 1909. Ruth died in 120.  Both are buried at Head of Tennessee Baptist Church Cemetery at Dillard in Rabun Co.  Their children were Mable, Georgia, John Benjamin; Franklin, James Clinton and William H.

Jesse Leonard was the last known child.  He was born on Oct. 10, 1828 in Rabun Co. and married first to Nancy O. Singleton on Sep. 2, 1845.  She was born c1828 in GA.  Their children were Terrel, Mary M., Jemima, John E., James Jefferson, Lucinda and Martha, all born between 1847 and 1860. These children remain a work in progress.  More is known of the children by his second wife, Arzelia P. Thomas, born 1839 in Rabun Co.

Those children were Sarah B. "Sally," born c1863, married James A. Canup on May 4, 1886 in Rabun Co.  Robert Douglas, born Dec, 1866, married Martha Hazeltine Bowen on Dec. 10, 1888 in Towns Co., GA.  Joseph T., born c1869, no other information.  Rachel L., born c1872, married W. Virgil Bowen, no other information.  Franklin Alexander, no further information; Naoma Callie, born c1875, married Anderson Eller on Apr. 8, 1900 in Rabun Co. and lastly, Genela F., born Jun., 1877, married Martin Baker on Aug. 25, 1895.

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Footnotes

¹ Some Cleveland researchers reject Mildred Presley as the wife of Alexander and name an anonymous "Mary" as the mother of his children.  My source for her name is the work of  Marvin Coffey whose source appears to be by tradition. I consulted The Genealogy of the Cleveland Families, Edmund James Cleveland, 1899 and Virginia Cleveland Ancestor Discovered, George A. Martin, National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 46, Sep., 1958. Cleveland's work appears to me to mix two different Cleveland families and, is the source of the Presly surname.  I have not made a study of the Cleveland line and have only those two references to go by.

² Elizabeth is suspected to be the daughter of a man named Benjamin Franklin of Albemarle Co.  He had a daughter named Elizabeth who is known to have married a Clifton or Cliff Coffey and to have lived in Albemarle Co.  Marvin believed that Cliff or Clifton was a nickname for Cleveland because Joel and Martha Stapp Coffey had a son named Cleveland and nicknamed Cliff.  According to Tim Peterman, Elizabeth Franklin Coffey was the mother of Grace Coffey who married Rutherford Coffey in Green Co., KY in 1801.

³ At least by any Edward Sr. researcher that I know.

4 According to Marvin Coffey.  Others name his wife as Nancy Alexander and children as Cleveland, Bathsheba, Edward, John, Joel, Nancy and Elisha. Some descendants continue to spell their name Coffey while others, up through about the middle of the 20th century began spelling their name Coffee.  It appears now that practice ended and descendants have once again accepted Coffey as the correct spelling.

5 Attenpt to reconcile family members: 3 under 10 males: Edward, Joel and Elisha; Male 16-25, Cleveland; Male 45, Jesse; Female under 10: Nancy; Female, 10-15, Unknown; Female, 45, Nancy.  John should be here, born between 1786 and 1822.

6 Some family researchers claim that Jesse was born c1855 in VA and died c1807 in the Pendleton Dist., SC.  Some write that his parents were Joel Coffee [sic], and Martha Seely, and that he married Nancy [lnu] and was the father of Joel, born c1799 in the Pendleton Dist., and married Martha "Patsy" Cobb.  Joel is said to have died Sep. 15, 1849 and is buried in the Old Kingwood Cemetery.  The only reference I have found thus far to any Kingwood cemetery, places it in Preston Co., WVa.

^{Sources used were Rabun County Marriage Records; Census records, and family histories of Karen Coffey Galanski and Victoria Isham.  Heavily relied on for early Edward and Ann Powell research is credited to Marvin Dale Coffey and his work, James Bluford Coffey, His Ancestors and Descendants in America, and Vol. II, privately printed in 1984, second printing in 1994.  See http://bit.ly/1zUm0Sn for more information about this book.}

Larkin & Sibby Wyatt Coffey

Larkin Coffey was a son of Thomas and Nancy Barlow Coffey, born c1832 in Wilkes Co., NC.  He married Sibby Wyatt on Nov. 28, 1853 in Wilkes Co. and died in TN in 1863. Some sources report that he died from complications of measles while others report he died of diptheria, while serving with the CSA in La Follette, Campbell Co., TN.  I have not found any proof to substantiate this, however.

What is known is that he and Sibby Wyatt, a daughter of Solomon and Polly Wyatt, were parents of at least four children:  Gilliam Wyatt, Sarah Lou Ellen, John Nelson and Mary Ann.

Gilliam, born in North Carolina - probably Caldwell Co. - in Mar., 1854, married Sarah Jane Isenhower (var.) on Jan. 10, 1875 in Caldwell Co.  Sarah, the daughter of Joseph who later became Gilliam's step-father, was born in NC in Jan., 1854 and died in Okanogan Co., WA in 1928.  Gilliam died there in 1913.

Their children, all born in NC, were:

Candes L., born May 1877, married Lee L. Cook c1897.  Lee was born in Apr., 1871 in NC.

Sidney G. S., born c1878

Etta Cordelia "Cordie," born Feb., 1880

Martha J., born Mar., 1882

William Larkin, born Jun., 1884, died Jun. 11, 1968 in Omak, Okanogan Co., WA.  William married Emma J. Lingle c1907 in NC.  She was a daughter of J. Monroe and Frances J. Sullivan Lingle.  She and William were parents of Ethel M, born NC; Edna Y., born c1912 in WA; John Albert, born Jun. 29, 1915 in WA, died in Okanogan Co. on Oct. 14, 2003; and James Edward, born Dec. 17, 1919 in WA, died Jul. 3, 1998 in Okanogan Co.  James Edward married Ellen J. Dinger in Spokane, WA in 1947.  They had at least one child, John Allen Coffey, born Dec. 8, 1951 in Okanogan and died there on Aug. 7, 1980.

Joseph Monroe, born Feb. 23, 1887 at Shulls Mill in Watauga Co., NC, died in Okanogan on Jun. 5, 1958.

Minnie Lee, born Jul. 31, 1890 at Blowing Rock in Watauga Co., NC, died Dec. 2, 1972 at Peteros, Okanogan Co.  She married first to Charles Martin Harrell on Jun 30, 1911 in Okanogan Co.  Two children are known: Leda Ruby and Doris Jane.  Charles died in 1917 and Minnie married George Walter Brownlee on Feb. 16, 1919 in Okanogan Co.  He was a son of Andrew Brownlee and was born Jan. 17, 1875 in IL, died in Okanogan Co. in 1962.  Their children were at least two:  John Charles, born Jul. 16, 1924, died Sep. 11, 2003 at Wenatchee, Chelan Co., WA and, Grace, born c1928 in Okanogan Co.

The last child born to Gilliam and Sarah was Ethel, born Oct., 1894 in NC.

The second child born to Larkin and Sibby was Sarah Lou Ellen on Nov. 8, 1856 in Caldwell Co.  She married John M. Stamey, a son of Daniel and Catherine Stamey, on Jan. 4, 1874 in Caldwell Co.  John was born in Cherokee Co., NC on Jan. 9, 1846 and died in Catawba Co. on Sep. 4, 1934.  Sarah died in Catawba Co. on Jun. 24, 1947.

Third born was John Nelson "Nels" on Aug. 7, 1858 in Caldwell Co.  John Married Laura Ann Henley, a daughter of Henry and Loanna "Loany" Greene, on Sep. 23, 1881 in Watauga Co.  John died on Dec. 10, 1932 in Blowing Rock, NC; Laura died there on Jun. 2, 1936.  This couple had at least nine children, all of which married and have descendants.  The family is too large to write about here but I will in a future blog.  In the meantime, any reader wanting information about "Nels" and Laura Ann, can drop an e-mail with the request.

The last child of Larkin and Sibby was Mary Ann, born Mar. 27, 1859 in Caldwell Co., died there on Nov. 24, 1944.  She married William Alexander West, a son of Hiram and Juliatha [sic] Haas West, born Jan. 18, 1856 in Caldwell Co.  William died Jan. 26, 1919 at the State Hospital in Morganton, Burke Co., NC after breaking a hip.  He and Mary Ann had at least three children:  Dora A., born Jun., 1885, married Adolphus Price on Apr. 21, 1907 in Lenoir; Willard Newton, born Apr. 18, 1888, died Jan. 9, 1969 at Black Mountain in Buncombe Co., NC.  Willard married Emma Andrews on Dec. 26, 1915 in Lenoir.  Third and last child was Georgia, born Aug., 1890.

Following Larkin's death, Sibby Wyatt Coffey married Joseph Isenhour on Nov. 14, 1875 in NC.  They had at least one child, Solomon Tilden Isenhour, born Nov. 30, 1876, died Dec. 26, 1950 in Blowing Rock.  Solomon married Ruth Callie Moody c1895 and they had at least one child, a son Franklin Albert Isenhour, born in Watauga Co. on Dec. 11, 1898.  As mentioned above, it was Sibby's son Gilliam Coffey who married Sarah Jane Isenhour, Joseph's daughter by his first wife, Lettie.

Ebin Cleveland Coffee

Nathan and Louisa Eliza Durham Coffey were married c1823 in Wayne Co., KY.  Their eldest child was Andrew Jackson Coffey, born c1825 in Wayne Co., died Oct. 25, 1899 in Montague Co., TX.  Ebin was their second and last child, born Mar., 1826 in Wayne Co. The couple divorced in 1830.

According to Wayne Co. marriage records (1801-1860) and the research of Ken Coffee of Del Rio, TX, Ebin married Elizabeth Farmer on Aug. 7, 1845.  Elizabeth was born either in TN or KY in 1825 and died on Dec. 10, 1885 in Eastland Co., TX.  She gave Ebin at least seven children:

William Madison Coffee

Frances Elvira Bennett

1) William Madison, born Feb. 6, 1847 in KY, died Apr. 7, 1913 in Brownwood, Brown Co., TX.  He married Frances Elvira Bennett on Apr. 21, 1870 in TX.  Frances was born c1845 in IL.  Prior to her marriage to William, Frances had been married to Francis M. Citty with whom she had at least one child Mary Frances.  With William they had at least six, all born in TX:  John Henry, born Feb. 25, 1871, died in Brown Co. in Apr., 1873; George Ebin, born Dec. 28, 1873 died Aug. 15, 1875; Adeline Florence, born Feb. 12, 1874; Williann, born Feb. 12, 1876, died Jan. 5, 1892; James Madison, born Jan. 6, 1884, died Jul. 8, 1892 in Brown Co.; and Elizabeth, born Aug., 1885.  At sometime or another this family began to spell their surname** ending with double-E.

James Madison Coffee

Mattie Mae Gilley Coffee

I only have some descendant info on James Madison.  He married Mattie Mae Gilley, date not found.  She was born Jun. 27, 1887 in Floresville, Wilson Co., TX and died in Brownwood on Feb. 27, 1964.  Their children were Ellen or Aileen, born c1905; Russell Francis., born Jul. 14, 1908, died Oct. 8, 1987 in Brown Co.; an unnamed infant daughter born in 1910 and lived only five days; Wilbur E., born Sep. 3, 1911, died Mar. 11, 1971 in Fort Worth; Wilmot, born Sep. 3, 1911; Maud, born c1915; James Paul, born Jul. 16, 1917, died May 22, 1972 in Fort Worth; Eugene (?), born c1921 and Leonard L., born c1925.

Russell Francis married Reba S. Price on Mar. 3, 1934 in TX.  She was born Aug. 11, 1913 in Brown Co. and died in Bangs, Brown Co. on Jan. 26, 2002.  Both are buried at the Bangs Cemetery.

Wilbur married Velta Rosevelt "Veltie" Holland.  She was born on Jan. 2, 1908 in Village Mills, Hardin Co., TX, and died on Jul. 21, 1982.  Wilbur is buried at Emerald Hills Memorial Park in Fort Worth.  Veltie died on Jul. 21, 1982 and was buried at Richard Cemetery in Warren, Tyler Co., TX

Wilmot was born Sep. 3, 1911 (twin to Wilbur) and died May 20, 1974.  He is buried at Danville Cemetery in Kilgore, Gregg Co., TX

James Paul is also buried at Emerald Hills.

2) Louisa Elizabeth, born Apr. 4, 1849, died Sep. 16, 1913.  She is said to have married Benjamin Lee Boen, born Feb. 28, 1888, died Sep. 10, 1954.  I have been unable to independently confirm any of this information.

3), 4), 5) Mary A., born c1851; James H., born c1854; and George Washington, born c1856

6) Victoria P., born May 28, 1860 in Rusk Co., TX, died Oct. 9, 1938 in Fisher Co., TX.  She married John Marion Jones on Oct. 15, 1879 in Hopkins Co., TX.  John was born in TX in Feb., 1860. Victoria is buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Merkel, Taylor Co., TX.  Children were Ebb, Walter Marion, Jesse, Cody, Trudy and Mattie.

7) Texana, born Oct., 1865.  She married a Mr. Fry and had at least one child, Mary P., born Jun., 1894.  In 1900 Texana, a widow, and her child were living in Comanche Co., TX with her parents.

Elizabeth Farmer Coffee died on Dec. 10 1885 in Eastland Co., TX and was buried in Desdemona cemetery in that county.  On Oct. 11, 1886, Ebin took his second wife, Frances Virginia Jones, the widow of Timothy Rasberry Haddox, as his bride.  Frances was born Sep., 1845 in AL to Littleton and Dorcas Natts Jones.  She and Timothy were married on Oct. 26, 1868 in McLennan Co., TX* and had three children before his death in 1881(Chapman).  Children were: Ella Eugenia; Rufus Forrest and Eula Benton.  More info is available on these children and their spouses on request.  Frances and Ebin are not known to have had any children.  She died on Mar. 13, 1933 at Beattie in Comanche Co., TX and was buried there at Taylors Chapel Cemetery.  Ebin died in Comanche Co. on Jul. 14, 1905 and removed to Brownwood for burial at the Greenleaf cemetery.

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*Texas Marriages, 1837-1973, digital images, FamilySearch internet (www.familysearch.org). groom's name: T. R. Haddox groom's birth date: groom's birthplace: groom's age: bride's name: Francis V. Jones bride's birth date: bride's birthplace: bride's age: marriage date: 26 Oct 1868 marriage place: Mclennan, Texas groom's father's name: groom's mother's name: bride's father's name: bride's mother's name: groom's race: groom's marital status: groom's previous wife's name: bride's race: bride's marital status: bride's previous husband's name: indexing project (batch) number: M59007-4 system origin: Texas-EASy source film number: 987554 reference number
** Or, had it spelled that way for them
Other sources: US Federal Census and James W. Chapman, Compiler/Researcher, Soda Springs Community, Comanche County, Texas Cemeteries, Donna L. Chapman, Compiler/Researcher (Comanche, TX: H. V. Chapman & Sons, 2007).  This publication does not provide a fact source.

Photographs are courtesy of Ken Coffee, Del Rio, TX and remain his property.

Keltner and Coffey in Adair Co., KY

The Keltner and Coffey families have a history in Adair County. , KY.  I have not attempted to assemble all of the Keltner Clan but have tried to connect them to the appropriate Coffey families.  Corrections to this blog will likely be required as I did a bit deeper.  Reader comments are welcomed.

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I believe it was Michael and Sarah Rogers Keltner, originally of Virginia, who are primarily responsible for the Adair Co. Keltners.  They had at least three children, two of which married into the Coffey Clan of Adair Co. and a granddaughter of the third who also married a Coffey.

Their first was Sarah who married Robert W. Price on Nov. 9., 1824 in Adair Co.  Their daughter, Lucy W., born Jan., 1841 in that county, and there married Thomas G. Coffey on Mar. 24, 1864.  Thomas was a son of Zidner and Margana [sic] Keltner Coffey.  Morgana was a daughter of Michael and Sarah and was born c1809 in VA.  Zidner and Morgana were married on Jan. 20, 1831 in Adair Co.

John Richard Keltner is the second child I found who married a Coffey.  He married Mary "Polly" Coffey, a daughter of Ananias and Jane Hindman Coffey on Dec. 2, 1829.  Mary died on Feb. 15, 1901 in Adair Co.  I have not yet found a death date for John, who was born c1804 in VA.  They had at least one son, Curtis Luther Keltner, born Dec. 6, 1851, died Mar. 26,1943 in Adair Co.  Zidner was a son of Ananias and Jane.

Obituary, Adair County News, Feb. 27, 1901

Mrs. Mary Keltner (nee Coffey) was born in Green county, Ky., on Dec. 14, 1815. At the age of 14 she was married to John Keltner and removed to Adair county where she lived until her death, which occurred on 15th day of Feb., 1901. Her husband was born in With [sic] [Wythe] county, Va., and at the time of his death lacked only a few days of being 96 years of age.

Mrs. Keltner was the mother of eleven children, five of whom died when they were quite small.  At the time of her death she had 48 grandchildren, 147 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren, making a total of 218, including her own children. "Aunt Polly," as she was familiarly called, was a member of the M. E. Church South, and during her long and eventful life lived a consistent Christian. Her last years were spent at the home of her son, C. L. Keltner, who cared for her as a loving son should. She was near 86 years old, and will be greatly missed.

Morgana is mentioned above.  She and Zidner had a number of children;12 in alI I believel.  One of their daughters, Sarah Ann, born c1835, married Joseph Price on May 13, 1853 in Columbia, Adair Co.  Joseph was born c1828 and is likely some relation to Robert W., also mentioned above.

Keltner Chart No. 1

A daughter of Robert W. and Sarah Nancy Keltner Price was Lucy who married Thomas G. Coffey, another son of Zidner.  Thomas G. was born Jan., 1841 in Adair Co., and died there on Mar. 10, 1924.  Lucy was born in Jan., 1841 and died in Adair Co. on Feb. 16, 1916.  The town listed on their death certificates was Keltner.

Lucy and Thomas G. Coffey are buried at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Columbia, Arair Co.

Keltner Chart No. 2

Curtis Luther Keltner is buried at Morris Chapel UMC Cemetery in Weed, Adair Co.  His death certificate reports burial at Morris    Chapel in Columbia.

Keltner Chart 3

Wesley W. & Laura Josephine Howe Coffey

I have previously written about one of the sons of this couple.  Readers can view that blog here.

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Wesley W. Coffey was born on Dec. 13, 1837 in Clay Twp., Owen Co., IN and died there before 1910.  He enlisted in Co. H, 14th Indiana Volunteers in Clay Co. in 1861 and was on the county tax rolls in 1866.

The following was found in a Clay county source:*

"Wesley Coffey, attorney at law, was born December 13, 1843 [sic] in Clay Township, Owen County.  His parents, Albert (Gooderight) [sic] [Goodnight] Coffey - the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Kentucky - emigrated to Indiana from North Carolina about 1828.  Four years later they came to Owen County, and located in Clay Township, on a farm where the mother now resides.  The father died in October of 1838.

Wesley is the elder [sic] of two children, and lived at home until 1861, when he enlisted in Company H, Fourteenth Indiana Volunteers, under Capt. J. H. Martin, and was in active service for two years.  Then, on account of ill-health, he was put on detached service, sent to Frederick, Md., and remained there until the close of the war.  He participated in the following battles:  Rich Mountain, Cheat Mountain and battle of Winchester.

At the close of the war, he returned home to Owen County, remained one year, after which he purchased a farm in Clay Township, where he remained two years.  He then sold and went into the grocery business at Spencer with W. R. Stogsdil.  About 1875, he sold his interest and went into the insurance business, and the study of the bar in Spencer.

He was married in April, 1865, to Laura J. Howe, daughter of Amon P. and Harriet Howe, old settlers in Owen County.  Mr. Coffey is a member of the A. F. & A. M., of the K. of P., of the Royal Arcanum, and the Grand Army of the Republic, and was for four years Justice of the Peace of Owen County.  He is a public spirited citizen, and highly estemed [sic] by those [who] know him."

He married Laura Josephine Howe in Owen Co. on Apr. 13, 1865 and appeared there in the 1880 and 1900 census of Spencer in Washington Twp.  Laura was a daughter of Amon Price and Harriet C. Thatcher Howe and was born in July, 1842.  She lived with her parents in Washington Twp. until her marriage to Wesley.  She can be found in the 1910 Owen Co. and, the 1920 census of Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN.  By 1930 she was living with two of her children in San Gabriel, Los Angeles Co., CA.  The city 1939 and 1941 city directories of Los Angeles list Laura, Hallie and Albert at 709 E. Hellman Ave. in Wilmar City.

There were three children born to Wesley and Laura.  The first was Byron Howe, born Jan. 29, 1866 in Owen Co., died July 4, 1945 in Los Angeles.  Click on the above link to read more about him.

The second child was a daughter, Hallie H., born Jan. 14, 1874 in Owen Co.  Hallie died unmarried on Dec. 13, 1969 in Los Angeles.

Their last child was Albert Price, born May 29, 1876 in Owen Co. and was a musician.  He died in Los Angeles on May 30, 1946 at the age of 70.  I have found no record of him ever having taken a wife.  He lived most of his life with his mother or with Hallie, with whom he shared the house on E. Hellman Ave., at least until 1941.

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*Charles Blanchard, Editor, Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana: Historical and Biographical. Illustrated. (Chicago, IL: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers, 1884), Page 832.  The birth year given in the bio is incorrect.  He was also about a year younger than his sister Julia Ann.

Aldridge & Coffey

In his 1915 A History of Watauga County, North Carolina, John Preston Arthur wrote about James Aldridge who appeared in Shulls Mill, Watauga Co. c1819 and shortly married [or took up with] Betsy Calloway, an attractive daughter of one Benjamin Calloway.  The chapter in which this story appears is entitled "Some Thrice-Told Tales," so use your best judgment in deciding the accuracy of the facts cited.

Arthur wrote that James was already married and had left a wife and five children in Virginia while he hunted in North Carolina.  James persuaded Betsy to marry him and a son, Harrison Aldridge was born Dec. 15, 1821.  Six more children followed:  Jane c1824; Tempe c1825; Ellen c1828; Emeline c1835; Benjamin c1837; and Waightstill c1842.

Sometime - and probably after the birth of Waightstill - the "real wife" of James appeared in the area of Foscoe at the home of Edward Moody seeking directions to the Aldridge home.  Before day break the next morning, James was at the Moody place to buy a bushel of wheat.  He is said to have told Moody that "the cat was out of the bag at last."

Sometime between 1834 and 1836 A "fur peddler of the name of Price" had spotted Aldridge in Watauga Co.  On his return to "Big Sandy" [Kentucky, where the "real wife" had apparently relocated from Virginia] he told what he had discovered, precipitating her travel "on a fine horse" to Watauga in search of James Aldridge.

To me, this story seems a "stretch."  Given the perils of the time, a wife abandoned for some 15 years would probably have remarried within a few years, believing that her first husband had been killed.

The tale of the "real wife" is attributed by Arthur to Levi Coffey who was probably Levi Lafayette Coffey, a son of Elisha and Anna Harmon Moody Coffey.  Levi was born in Burke Co., NC c1833 and in Watauga by 1859 when he married Temperance "Tempie" Calloway, born c1844 to James and Nicey Gragg Calloway.

Anna Harmon Moody was the daughter of Edward and Frances Carter Moody. Both Edward and Frances were natives of Virginia and may have known James Aldridge prior to coming to Watauga Co.

In a footnote to this chapter, Arthur wrote:  "In his genealogical tour through Ashe in 1828, Dr. Elisha Mitchell speaks of a hunter living on the head of the Watauga River with the children of his real wife, who was then residing on the Big Sandy in Kentucky, and his own children by another woman with whom he was then living as his wife.  If this refers to James Aldridge, then Betsy Calloway had two children by him after his first wife appeared in the scene, for both Ben and Waightstill were born after 1828."*

I have not found an Aldridge in the 1840 or 1860 Watauga county census.  The 1850 census for that county enumerates Elizabeth Caloway [sic] with five children in her household:  Ellen, Emeline, Benjamin and Waightstill and William.  Within three doors of her residence was that of Harrison Aldridge.  William was not listed by Arthur as one of James' and Betsy's children.

Harrison married Jincy Clark c1845,  She was born c1827 in NC.  Harrison died on Jan. 11, 1905** in Watauga Co.  Together they raised at least nine children, one being Harrison, Jr., born Jul., 1864.  He married Mary Etta Buchanan c1886 and their son, Samuel Anthony Aldridge (1893-1966) married Lora Destomonia Coffey (1888-1967), a daughter of Joseph Reubin and Martha Elizabeth Gragg Coffey.

James Aldridge (1853-1939), another son of Harrison and Jincy, married Sarah Gragg, daughter of Johnson and Nancy Cuthbertson Gragg.  Their son, Arthur Blaine Aldridge (1884-1947) married Rosa Lee Coffey (1886-1946), a daughter of Jesse Filmore and Martha Storie Coffey.

Samuel Columbus Aldridge (1862-1941), a third son of Harrison and Jincy, married Margaret Buchanan c1884.  Their son, Horatio Acuff Aldridge (1891-1971) married Byrd Elizabeth "Birdie" Coffey on Feb. 19, 1913 in Watauga Co.

So, how does Levi Coffey relate to the Coffey women who married into the Aldridge clan?

To all three he was a double second cousin, twice removed; a fourth cousin once removed and a fifth cousin once removed.  They all descend from Edward and Ann Powell Coffey through their son John and his son Reuben who married Sarah Scott.


*According to ages given in 1850, Benjamin was born c1837 and Waightstill in c1842.  Mitchell wrote:
"In the neighborhood is a hunter who has two women living with him; to one of them he owes and to the other he graciously discharged the duties of a husband; one has 3 children, and the other one and another at hand. 'Tis a region for these irregularities. The Leather Stocking of these regions, and whom we would have had as a pilot, but that he is in the woods, has a wife living on Sandy River in Kentucky, and the children of that wife, and another woman living with him here on the Watauga."  Earlier in his writings on this topic, he wrote that he was heading for the cabin of "Leather Stocking Aldridge."  Leather Stocking seems to be a common term used in the day to describe hunters and woodsmen.


**Arthur wrote that "Harrison, in memory of a faithful dog which saved his life from wild hogs, had that dear friend buried on a ridge above the home of his son, James A. Aldridge, and requested that the be buried there also.  His tombstone, surrounded by a substantial stone wall, records the fact that he joined the Baptist Church October 22, 1870, and died January 11, 1905."

Zidner Coffey

Miscellaneous information for Zidner Coffey.

Son of Ananias "Nias" and Jane Hindman Coffey.  Married Marganna (Ann?) Keltner Jan. 20, 1831 in KY.  Died Jul. 23, 1869.  He is probably buried in Adair Co. where he lived most of his adult life.

Children, all born in Adair Co.:  Martha Jane, born c1831; William A., born 1832; Sarah Ann, born c1835; John Davis, born c1836; Ardena, born c1838; Thomas G., born c1841, died Jan. 7, 1878 in Adair Co.; Elizabeth, born c1842; Robert W., born c1843, married Sally C. Compt[i]on, had child William Zidner, born 1892 died 1961 in OH; Ellen, born c1845; Sophia, born c1846; Andrew Jackson "Jack", born Jan., 1848, died 1928, married Dorinda Frances "Drindy" Rogers.  Children were James Wesley, Dorather (?); Minnie, Bennie, Cassius Curl; George R., Lorzy (?), Gideon and Lula; Mary, born c1849.

Jun. 15, 1810, Zidner born in Wayne Co., KY; no other details.

1840 Adair Co., KY census, page 32.  Age and Sex:  21001/110001

1850 Adair Co., KY census, page 23, dwelling/family 323, 5 Aug 1850, 1st Dist. Coffey, Zinder 40 M KY Farmer; 500; Ann 41 F VA XY; William 17 M KY Farmer A; S.A. 15 F?KY A; John B. 14 M; KY A; Ardena 12 F KY A; Thomas 9 M KY A; Sophia 8 F KY A; Ellen 6 F KY;
Robert 7 M KY; A. J. 4 M KY; M. 1 F KY.
 
14 May 1853 in Adair Co., KY, bond Sarah Ann Coffey and Joseph Price.  Zidner was surety.

27 Apr. 1865, Adair Co., KY, Sophia Coffey married William R. Willis at the home of Zidner Coffey.

Who did Adolphus Penley Marry?

Adolphus Penley was born Feb., 1864 in Watauga Co., NC, the son of Adolphus W. and Elizabeth Triplett Penley. Adolphus W. was born c1821 in NC and Elizabeth was born there c1835.

Adolphus the younger was found unmarried and living with his parents in the 1870, 1880,1900, and 1910 census record for Blue Ridge Twp., Watauga Co. His mother, Elizabeth Triplett Penley was still living and in the household with Adolphus in 1910. He obviously married sometime between 1910 and 1920 because the 1920 census records him as a widower with two children in the household: Velma Triplett, a daughter, age 18, and Jowe [?] Triplett, a son, age 15.

I presume - always dangerous, of course - that the Triplett name was an error, or he actually gave both children the Triplett name to honor his mother's family. In any event, I have not found a marriage for Adolphus.

His daughter Velma married Milton Leroy Coffey, born Jul. 10, 1900 in Watauga Co. He was the 12th of 13 children born to James C. and Mary Louise Coffey Coffey. James was a son of Jesse Calton and Nancy Raines Coffey while Mary Louise was the daughter of James Asbury and Chainey Gragg Coffey.

Milton and Velma - referred to as Velma Penley in some birth records, and Velma Triplett in others, had at least 13 children:

Ronard Leroy, born Jul. 4, 1921, died Oct. 10, 1999. He married Nina C. Turnmire and produced at least two children: Richard Michael, born 1955 and Marie Marherine, born 1957.

Toss Lee, born Nov. 30, 1922. He did not appear with the family in the 1930 census.

Flocy [sic] Mae, born Nov. 30,1922, died Jul. 22, 1923.

Winnie Lee, born Jun. 12, 1924, married Carol Rhymer Hartley Oct. 16, 1943.

Romy Triplett, born Sep. 11, 1927, died Nov. 18, 1927.

James Adolphus, born Sep. 24, 1928, died May 22, 1961, married Gertrude Green Jun. 30,1951.

Ward Stanley, born Nov. 13, 1930. died Jul. 10,2003.  Married Dorothy Elizabeth Griffith.

Junie Juanita, born Oct. 21, 1933, died Jul. 4, 1974.  Married Tom Howard Walker Sep. 30, 1952.

Reba Julia, born Apr. 9, 1936, died Nov. 4, 2007.  Married Raymond Sylvester Price Mar. 29, 1954.

Sanuel Odous, born Aug. 21, 1938

Mozelle Etta, born Aug. 11, 1940

Mary Wylmouth [sic] [Wilma], born Feb. 16, 1943, died Mar. 17, 2011.  Married 1) Albert Price in 1970; m2 Richard T. Horn

Jeanette Emma, born Sep. 9. 1946

Please contact me if you know who Adolphus married, or wish to add to or correct any of this information.