George Holland & Samantha Ann Ridgeway Coffey

George was born in July, 1841 to Cleveland and Malinda Coffey Coffey.  Malinda and Cleveland were second cousins, he a son of Jesse and Margaret Edmisten Coffey; Malinda a daughter of George and Margaret Rucker Coffey.

It appears that George was married at least twice, perhaps three times.  He was found in Washington Co., VA in 1870 with wife Rebecca A. V., born c1844 in that state.  There were two children in the home:  John F. M., born c1868 and Charles S., born c1874.  Both were born in TN.

Samantha Ridgeway Coffey

The 1880 census for Richwoods, Sharp Co., AR finds him with wife Samantha Ann Ridgeway.  Samantha was born in Aug., 1851, Henry Co., TN and died in 1943, Lawrence Co., AR.  She is buried at Walnut Ridge in Campbell Twp., Lawrence Co.  Her headstone provides us with only birth and death year.

In addition to George H. and Samantha A. Coffee [sic], in the household at the time of the census was: John F. Coffee, age 11, born TN; Charles F. Coffee, age 6, born TN; Cora D., age 3, born MO, and Millie L. A., age 1, also born in MO.  Thomas Hardy, a third child born to George and Samantha was born Feb. 25, 1881 in MO.

I have seen some genealogies that give Thomas the middle name of Harry. However, his WW1 draft registration, which he completed on Sep. 12, 1918 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., MO, was signed by him as Thomas Hardy Coffey.

There are a few genealogies available that list the child Flora R., born in 1876 to George and a wife named Rebecca Bowman.  If she was the child of George Holland Coffey she must have been born from circumstances we are not familiar with, because George was still living with Samantha in 1880, Sharp Co., AR and there is not a child named Flora in the household.

Another - or perhaps the same - George H. Coffey in Lawrence Co., AR married Sarah E. Barnett.  They were in the 1900 Portia, Lawrence Co. census; George born Jul., 1840 and Sarah born Aug., 1860 in MO.  Their children were Myrtle, born c1897 and Jesse Dewey, born c1898.  Also in the household was Eula Barnett, enumerated as a step-daughter.

I have no idea when George Holland died.  Samantha lived until 1943 when she died and was buried at Walnut Ridge.  In 1920 and 1930 she resided with her daughter Willie, who married Lewis E. Watkins in 1903.

Did George and Samantha divorce?

Lane-Coffey Headstone

Samantha's oldest child by George Holland Coffey was Cora Duffle Coffey, born Jan. 14, 1878 in MO, died Nov. 2, 1946 in Walnut Ridge.   Cora married William R. Lane on Dec. 31, 1895 in Lawrence Co., AR.  He was born Aug. 18, 1863 in Lawrence Co. and died there on Aug. 12, 1925.  Both he and Cora are buried at Walnut Ridge in the Lawrence Memorial Park Cemetery.  Her headstone reads Duffle C. Lane.

Willie Lea Ann was her second child, born c1879 in MO.  She married Watkins on Dec. 29, 1903 and their children were:  Alma Pauline, born c1906 in MO; William P., born c1912 in AR; Jessie R., a daughter, born c1914 in AR and Bonnie Kathlene, born c1919 in AR.

Samantha's last know child was Thomas - mentioned above.  His first wife was Carrie Belle Lafferty who he probably married c1900 in MO.  He has been difficult to find in census records.

With Carrie, Thomas fathered at least four children:  Mabel, born Oct. 15, 1902 in MO, died Sep. 23, 1979 in Lake City, Columbia Co., FL; Manuella, born Jul. 5, 1904 in TX, died Jan.11, 1970 in Kansas City, MO; Glenn, born c1906 in TX; and Marguerite, born Mar 6, 1908 in MO.

Thomas was married second to Mary Anita Singleton, or Templeton.  They were married on July 30, 1915 in Jackson Co., MO.  He died on Jan. 23, 1952 in Santa Clara Co., CA.

The marriage license application for Thomas and Mary reads in part, "desiring to procure a license to marry Mrs. Maria Templeton of Walnut Ridge, County of Lawrence, and State of Arkansas...," and the license was signed by "Marrie Templeton."  However, typewritten in the top left margin of the license is "Cor. Name by Aff. B 50964 Book B 4530-Page 605-Apr 7-52."  She was a "Mrs." as given in the application, so perhaps her maiden name was Singleton.

The only census record that I have thus far found for Thomas was the 1910 Fishing River Twp, Clay Co., MO record of his family with Carrie.

Please contact me if you have info to share on this family.

Thomas Jefferson Coffey

Thomas Jefferson Coffey was born on Feb. 16, 1805 in Burke Co., NC to Ambrose and Mildred (Millie) Moore Coffey.  He died Nov. 1, 1858 in Brazoria Co., TX and was buried in the Sandy Point Cemetery in that county.

He was married to Malinda Graves Haley on Jul. 17, 1827* in Hinds Co., MS.  Malinda was born Nov. 17, 1808 in TN and died in Brazoria Co. on Dec. 24, 1857.  She is also buried at Sandy Point.  I have wondered if perhaps Malinda had been previously married to a Mr. Haley and, if Graves was her maiden name!?

According to several genealogies that I have seen, Thomas and Malinda were parents to at least eight children.  I have been unable to confirm the first two; America and Eugenia.

Their third child was Minerva who married Thomas Lobdell.  They had at least one child, Henry Lee, born Sep. 5, 1850 and died Aug. 23, 1852 in Brazoria Co.  Henry is buried at Sandy Point.

Their next child ws Aaron, born 1832, died 1912.  Aaron is said to have married Mary Summerville Smith on Mar. 28, 1860 in Galveston Co., TX.  I know of two children:  Julia Summerville Coffey, born Dec. 8, 1864.  She is said to have married a Mr. Ridgeway.  The second child was a daughter, Cassie Kyle.  Aaron died in 1912 and was buried at Pecan Grove Cemetery in McKinney, Collin Co., TX.**

Ellen came after Aaron.  She was born Jun. 17, 1835 in MS and died Apr. 1, 1866*** in Brazoria Co.  She is also buried at Sandy Point.  Ellen married a Mr. Tankersley, and may have been married more than once.

Ambrose, born c1838 and Henry, born Nov. 24, 1840 followed Ellen.  I have no information on Ambrose.  Henry died Nov. 9, 1857 in Brazoria Co. and is buried at Sandy Point.

The last child was Roxanna, born Oct. 28, 1842 in MS and died aug. 22, 1860 in Brazoria Co.  Given her age at time of death, she likely died in child birth.  Her husband was William Ward, born c1838 in AL.  Roxanna is buried at Sandy Point.

I would like to know more about these children and their descendants.  Please contact me at the above e-mail address to add to or correct any of this information.




*Dodd, Jordan, Mississippi Marriages 1826-1900
** Burial & Memorial Locator, Dept. of Vet. Affairs:  COFFEY, AARON      US ARMY  CONFEDERATE STATES DATE OF BIRTH:  1832 DATE OF DEATH: 1912 BURIED AT: PECAN GROVE CEMETERY MCKINNEY, TX 75069 (972) 542-2601
***An inventory of the Sandy Point cemetery can be found at http://files.usgwarchives.org/tx/brazoria/cemetery/sandypt.txt