Brothers, Paul Arch & Frank Linney Coffey

Paul Arch Coffey was born to Archie E. and Virginia Frances "Jennie" Brown on Aug. 30, 1902 in Watauga Co., NC. His father died less than a year later, on Apr. 11, 1903. Two years later on October 5, 1905, his widow married Henry Boone Coffey, a son of Smith W. and Elizabeth Redmond Coffey and a very distant cousin to Archie.

See the Levi Lafayette Coffey blog for more family background information.

Paul grew up to marry Margaret Allen Linney on Dec. 6, 1926 in Watauga Co.  Together they had two sons, Paul Armfield Coffey in 1934 who married Rachel Ann Rivers in 1965.  Rachel's family was involved in the publication of the newspaper Watauga Democrat and Paul began his working career there, eventually rising to the position of Publisher.  Paul died in 2007 and Rachel in 1999.

The second son was Frank Linney Coffey, born 24 Jun 1936 and died this year on Nov. 4.

According to Frank's obituary*, he was a graduate of Watauga High School and the Oberlin Conservatory in Oberlin, OH where he was described in a college's alumni paper as a baritone who sang primarily comprimario roles. He later attended the Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria.  after which he sang with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City for 26 years.

Frank married Joyce A. Zaorski in Manhattan, NY in 1971. They were the parents of Paul L. Coffey who currently resides in NYC with his wife, Liz.

*Sent to me courtesy of Bradley Ingels

Margaret Elizabeth Bessie Coffey

There seems to have been two with the same name, both born around the same time in the same place and, both called Bessie!

If you have an Edward Coffey Project CD or DVD, please note the following addition and correction:

The first Margaret Elizabeth Coffey

She was born to Thomas Clingman Coffey and his wife Margaret Coffey.  Thomas was a son of Smith W. & Charity Elizabeth Redmond Coffey; Margaret, a daughter of William Coffey, Jr. and his wife Margaret Robbins.  Smith and William were first cousins, once removed as well as second cousins, once removed (common ancestors were John Coffey and Jane Graves).

This Margaret was born Aug. 14, 1897 in Caldwell Co., and died Feb. 1, 1956 in Lenoir.  She married James Franklin Coffey on Aug. 30, 1916 in Yadkin Valley.  James was a son of Elijah M. and Caroline Amanda "Carrie" Dobbins Coffey.  Thomas Clingman and Elijah were third cousins, once removed.

I know of two children:  Wallace E., born Aug. 11, 1917, died Sep 1, 1992; and Millard Lafayette, born Apr. 2, 1922, died Oct. 25, 1976.

The second Margaret Elizabeth Coffey

She was a sister to James Franklin Coffey.  There is some confusion about her given name:  Some say Margaretta while others say Margaret.  I have it as Margaretta because that's the way it appears in the Caldwell Co. birth register, Vol. 6, Page 266.

She was born Aug. 29, 1894 in Buffalo Cove, Caldwell Co. and married Millard Porter Campbell on Sep. 24, 1916* in Yadkin Valley.  Millard was born Jul. 14, 1894 in Caldwell Co., died of influenza and pneumonia on Jan. 12, 1919 in Lenoir and was buried at Buffalo Cove.  His parents were George W. and Dorcas Elizabeth Beach Campbell.

Margaretta very likely remarried sometime later but so far, I have not found a second marriage record.

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Please contact me if you know where the Buffalo Cove and/or the Lewis Cemeteries are located.

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*Groom's Name: Millard Campbell Groom's Birth Date: 1893 Groom's Birthplace: Groom's Age: 23 Bride's Name: Bessie Coffey Bride's Birth Date: 1894 Bride's Birthplace: Bride's Age: 22 Marriage Date: 24 Sep 1916 Marriage Place: Yadkin Valley Groom's Father's Name: George Campbell Groom's Mother's Name: Elizabeth Campbell Bride's Father's Name: Elijah Coffey Bride's Mother's Name: Carrie Coffey Groom's Race: White Groom's Marital Status: Groom's Previous Wife's Name: Bride's Race: White Bride's Marital Status: Bride's Previous Husband's Name: Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M74476-1 System Origin: North Carolina-EASy Source Film Number: 590350 Reference Number: Cn 175. North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979 , digital images, FamilySearch.Org (www.familysearch.org).

Elisha "Lish" and Anna Harmon Moody Coffey

I touched a bit on Elisha and Anna Coffey in the Aldridge & Coffey blog of May 1.  Elisha was a son of Joseph and Isabella Lindsay Coffey and was born c1814 and almost certainly in North Carolina.

Anna was a daughter of Edward and Frances Carter Moody and was born c1814 in NC.  She died before 1880 and probably in Watauga Co.  Elisha appeared in that county's 1880 census as a widower.

There are at least two other sons of Lish and Anna for whom I have very little information.  They were all born early enough to have been strong candidates for service during the Civil War and, may have been killed.  Those sons were Jacob, born c1838 and, DeKalb, born c1839.  Some genealogies that I have seen also names another Levi, born c1844 as their son.

I think the Elisha Coffee [sic] and wife Hannah in the 1850 Watauga Co. census is this couple.  In addition to the parents, there was Levi, age 16; De Calb [sic], age 11 and Mary Cannon, age 7.  I am not certain who Mary Cannon was, but there is at least one Cannon female (not Mary) who married into a Coffey family in Burke Co., NC.

In 1860 Watauga co., Jacob, age 21 appeared with the family.  Another child, May A. Harmon [sic] age 2, was enumerated with the family. Although named as a child of Elisha, it isn't clear to me yet that he was.

The 1870 Watauga co. census shows that May Harmon was then Mary Harmon, age 13.  Except for a black male, age 14, named John Adges [?], the only others in the household were Elisha and Ann.

As mentioned earlier, Elisha appeared as a widower in the 1880 census for Watauga Co.

Levi Lafayette, who appears to be the eldest child of Elisha's, was born May 30, 1833 in Burke Co., and died Feb. 11, 1925 in Watauga Co.  He married "Tempie" Calloway, a daughter of James and Nicey Gragg Calloway, c1859 in Watauga Co.

To them were born at least seven children:

1 - Caroline Lavinia Coffey, born Mar. 6, 1860, died Feb. 13, 1923.  Caroline married her cousin David Nathaniel Coffey c1886.  David and Caroline are mentioned in several blogs.  If you are interested in more about them, search the blog archives [use search window in upper left corner and surround search term with quotes; e.g., "David Nathaniel Coffey."]  You can view a photo of David and read a bit of info about him in this blog.

2 - Joseph DeCalb Coffey, born Jan. 24, 1863 at Shulls Mill in Watauga Co., and died there on Dec. 30, 1930.  He married Lutittia [sic] F. Walters, a daughter of Johnathan and Emeline Long Walters, on Apr. 9, 1899 in Watauga Co.  Both are buried at the Byrd Cemetery in Foscoe, Watauga Co.

3 - Judith Coffey, born c1866 - no further information.

4 - Emma Coffey, born Oct. 19, 1869 in Watauga, died Jan. 3, 1938 in Hickory, Catawba Co., NC.  Emma also married a cousin, William M. Coffey c1896.  William was a son of Smith W. and his wife Charity Elizabeth Redmond.

Laurence Coffey gives this name as Elizabeth Baker Redmond, indicating to me that she was probably married previous to her marriage to Smith.  However, in an e-mail to me dated Aug. 23, 2007, Carolyn Curtis wrote this:

"Elizabeth was born 6/25/1836 and died 5/20/1912. She was not married prior to her marriage to Smith Coffey on June 25, 1854 (that was her 18th Birthday). According to the Caldwell County Court of Pleas and Quarter Session, Volume II – January Term 1848, Elizabeth, an orphan child of 11 years of age, was bound to Lucinda Baker (that is where the Baker name originated) until age 18, at which time she was give her freedom, $6.00, a new suit of clothes, a bible and she was to be taught to read and write."


I seem to recall some speculation that Elizabeth was full or part Indian and the Redmond might have something to do with that part of her heritage.  But, that is something that I have not pursued.

Both Charity and Smith are said to be buried in a Coffey Cemetery at Shulls Mill.

5 - James Wesley Coffey, born May 2, 1873 in Watauga Co., died in Boone on Dec. 6, 1960.  He married Donnie Brewer c1906.  A subsequent spouse was Callie Ward, born Mar. 30, 1898, daughter of James Ward and Mary Hicks.  Callie died Aug. 25, 1975 in Boone.  They are also said to be buried in the Coffey Cemetery at Shulls Mill.

6 - Archie E. Coffey, born Mar 23, 1876, died Apr. 11, 1903.  He married Virginia Frances Brown on Sep. 30, 1900.  "Jennie" was a daughter of Samuel Walker and Nancy Jane Joyce Brown.  See the other Levi Lafayette Coffey blog for more.

7 - Oscar Lee Coffey, born Sep. 7, 1878, died Jul. 1, 1977 in Davidson Co., NC.  Oscar married Ollie Belle Calloway, born Mar. 10, 1886 in Watauga Co., died Apr. 23, 1943 in Boone.  She was the daughter of William Henderson Calloway and his wife Almirah M. "Myra" Johnson.  Ollie is buried at Foscoe in the Community Cemetery.  I have not located Oscar's burial site.

I would really love to know if the Coffey Cemetery at Shulls Mill is actually known locally by that name and where it is located.

Levi Lafayette Coffey

Levi Lafayette Coffey was a son of Elisha and Anna Harmon Moody Coffey. He was born May 30, 1833 in Burke Co., NC and died Feb. 11, 1925 in Watauga Co., NC. At the time of death he was a retired farmer.

Temperance (Tempie) Calloway was the daughter of James and Nicey Gragg Calloway, and was born c1844 in North Carolina, and died there in c1890. She and Levi were married c1859.

In 1860 they were in the Valle Crucis district of Watauga Co. With them was their first child, Lavina, age 5 months. They remained in Watauga county through the 1880 census. Tempie apparently died sometime between June 7, 1880 and Jan. 1, 1882 when Levi married his distant cousin, Mary Ella Coffey.

Children of Levi and Tempie were:

Caroline Lavinia, born Mar. 6, 1860 in Watauga Co., died Feb. 13, 1923. She married David Nathaniel Coffey, a son of Austin Coffey and Mary A. Blalock.

Joseph DeKalb, born 1863 in Watauga Co., and died there on Jan. 24, 1939. He married Letitia Walters on Apr. 9, 1899 in Watauga Co. She was born Sep., 1879 in North Carolina and died in Watauga Co. in 1960. Joseph apparently had a wife before Letitia, but she is yet unidentified.

Judith, born c1866 - no further information.

Emma, born Oct. 19, 1869 in Watauga Co., and died in Hickory, Catawba Co. on Jan. 3, 1938. She married William M. Coffey, a son of Smith W. and Charity Elizabeth Redmond.

James Wesley, born May 2, 1873 in Watauga Co., and died Dec. 6, 1960 in Boone, Watauga Co. He married Callie Ward, a daughter of James Ward and Mary Hicks. Callie was born Mar. 30, 1898 in Watauga Co., and died there on Aug. 25, 1975. James had also been previously married to Donnie Brewer. She was the daughter of Marvel Brower, and was born Dec. 15, 1883 in Watauga Co., and died there on Jun. 22, 1924.

Archie E., born c1875 in North Carolina and died there on Apr. 11, 1903. He married Virginia Frances (Jennie) Brown on Sep. 30, 1900 in Watauga Co. She was the daughter of Samuel Walker and Nancy Jane Joyce Brown. Jennie died Jul. 1, 1962 in Taylorsville in Alexander Co., NC. Virginia had been previously married to Leroy Starnes, and after the death of Archie, she married Henry Boone Coffey, a son of Smith and Charity.

[Note: A reader has reported that Leroy Starnes was Jennie's third husband]





A child of Jennie and Archie was Paul Arch Coffey, born Aug. 30, 1902, and died Mar. 25, 1957. He married Margaret Allen Linney on Dec. 6, 1926 in Watauga Co. She was born Apr. 27, 1906 in Boone and died there on un. 10, 1994. Their son, Paul Armfield Coffey married Rachel Ann Rivers, a daughter
of Robert Campbell and Bonnie Jean Lewis Rivers. Rachel's grandfather acquired the Watauga Democrat in 1889, a year after it was founded. Rachel took over the paper in 1975 after the death of her father and sold it in 1999.



Oscar Lee, born Sep. 7, 1878 in North Carolina and died Jul 1, 1977 in Davidson Co., NC. He married Ollie Belle Calloway, a daughter of William Henderson and Almirah M. Johnson Calloway. Ollie was born Mar. 10, 1886 in Watauga Co., and died on Apr. 23, 1943 in North Carolina.

More information is available on the children and their descendants.

According to her death certificate, Mary Ella Coffey was born in 1865 in North Carolina and died on Mar. 27, 1949 at Shulls Mill, Watauga Co. She was the daughter of Smith W. and Charity Elizabeth Baker* Redmond Coffey. She is buried in the Coffey Cemetery at Shulls Mill.

The only child that I have for them is Henry Oliver Coffey, born Jul. 25, 1889. Henry married Zettie Chloe Honeycutt on Mar. 23, 1913 in Watauga Co. She was the daughter of Luke Jackson Honeycutt and Lithia Rotenberry. Luke was born in Alexander Co. in 1860 and died at Shulls Mill, Watauga Co. on Jul 4, 1939. Lithia was born in Mt. Airy, Surry Co., NC in 1860 and died at Shulls Mill on Oct. 7, 1930. Zettie was sister to Ada who married Lee Nelson Coffey, a son of Smith and Charity.

Children of Henry and Zettie were:

Unnamed female, born and died on Dec. 28, 1913

Henry Clay, born Mar. 31, 1916

Mary Helen, born Jan. 30, 1918

Litha Louise, born Jan. 24, 1920

Ruth Odena, born Nov. 25, 1921, died Aug. 27, 1931

Betty Lee, born Jul 26, 1927

Drop me a note at the above e-mail address to add to or correct any of this information. I will also be happy to provide more information on this famiy to anyone who needs it.




*Laurence Coffey gives this name as Elizabeth Baker Redmond, indicating that she was probably married previous to her marriage to Smith. However, in an e-mail dated Aug. 23, 2007, a family researcher wrote this to me:

"Elizabeth was born 6/25/1836 and died 5/20/1912. She was not married prior to her marriage to Smith Coffey on June 25, 1854 (that was her 18th Birthday). According to the Caldwell County Court of Pleas and Quarter Session, Volume II – January Term 1848, Elizabeth, an orphan child of 11 years of age, was bound to Lucinda Baker (that is where the Baker name originated) until age 18, at which time she was give[n] her freedom, $6.00, a new suit of clothes, a bible and she was to be taught to read and write."

Another reader has recently informed me that "She was also a Cherokee. We never learned her Native-American name. "Chariety" which is from her headstone) is the only nickname we know of. (Sounds a lot like Cherokee) Redmond or Redman could refer to "a red Man" (Indian) this , of course, is family speculation. She needed a Surname for marriage."

Collis Hill Coffey

Collis was born c1904 in North Carolina to Lula V. Coffey. His father is not known.

Lula was born Jul., 1883, a daughter of Thomas Clingman and Margaret Coffey Coffey. Thomas' parents were Smith and Charity Redmond Coffey; Margaret's were William, Jr. and Margaret Robbins Coffey.

Collis married Nellie Estelle Sumpter, daughter of William Pendleton and Margaret Ella Robbins Sumpter in 1933, Caldwell Co. [marriage book 41, page 140] Nellie was born in that county on Jan. 14, 1913 and died there on Jul. 20, 1995. Collis died Oct. 3, 1975 in Mecklenburg Co., NC.*

Nellie's obituary:

Nellie Sumpter Coffey, 82, died Thursday, July 20, 1995, at Caldwell Memorial Hospital.

She was born Jan. 14, 1913, in Caldwell County to the late William Pendleton and Margaret Ella Robins Sumpter. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Collis H. Coffey; four brothers, Joe Sumpter, Dewey Sumpter, Leonard Sumpter, and Grady Sumpter; two sisters, Effie Joplin and Pearl Tuttle.

Mrs. Coffey was a homemaker and a member of Crestview Baptist Church. Survivors include one son, Collis H. Coffey, Jr. of Lenoir; one daughter, Mrs. Dale (Maxine) Matheson of Lenoir; two grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at Blue Ridge Memorial Park, with the Rev. Dean Harrold conducting. The family will receive friends this evening from 7 to 8:30 at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home.

Serving as pallbearers will be Rich Matheson, Doug McGailliard, Jr., Gary Sumpter, Grady Sumpter, Jr., Robert Roland and Carroll Cloer.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Caldwell County Hospice, 902 Kirkwood St., Lenoir, N.C. 28645

In addition to Collis, Lula had at least one other child, a daughter Jessie, born c1912.

Please contact me if you can know who the father was of Collis and Jessie.




*Name: Collis Coffey Death Date: 3 Oct 1975 Death City: Charlotte Death County: Mecklenburg Death State: North Carolina Date Death Recorded: 8 Oct 1975 Death Age: 71 Burial Location: Burial in state Birth Date: 1904 Residence City: Charlotte Residence County: Mecklenburg Gender: Male Race: White Autopsy: No Institution: General Hospital Attendant: Physician Source: NC Department of Health. North Carolina Deaths, 1975