Descendants of Jordan Coffey know that Jane Coffey, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Osborne Coffey, is considered by many to be the mother of Jordan*. His father is known through DNA testing of descendants to have been a Taliaferro.
Some, interested only in Jane do not realize that she had a younger sister, Elizabeth, born c1775 in either Amherst or Nelson Co., VA who married James Bridge. James' birth date is not known but speculatively it was c1775. He and Elizabeth were married on Sep. 15, 1795 in Amherst Co.
My research shows their first child, William, wasn't born until 1801 in Nelson Co. There were probably some born earlier but I have found no record. William died on Mar. 22, 1879 in Back Creek, Augusta Co. Nothing is known by me of his life between birth and death.
Edmond C., born c1802 was next. He married Martha W. Tyler of Apr. 29, 1824 in Amherst Co. Like William, I know nothing of his life with Martha.
Elizabeth was third born c1805. She married Spotswood Padgett on Nov. 24, 1824 in Amherst Co. and together they were parents to at least seven children: Frances Jane, c1826; Elizabeth, c1828; Reuben Beverly, b1829; James, c1833; Catharine, c1837; Mary A., c1839 and, Martha W., c1844.
Elizabeth married Leonard S. S. Farnsworth, a son of Nathaniel and Pamela Simonder [sic] Farnsworth, on Jul. 3, 1856.
Reuben Beverly married Minerva J. Rankin, a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth Sheets Rankin, on Aug. 30, 1854 in Augusta Co.James S. followed Elizabeth in 1808. He married Nancy Lee on Jun. 27, 1832 in Nelson Co. Nancy was born in VA in 1803 and died at Back Creek Augusta Co. on Aug. 6, 1855. James died Nov. 28, 1870 in Augusta C. Their children were Violetta, born c1833; Alexander, c1834; Mary Jane, c1837; Jefferson, born c1839 and Jesse Richardson, born May 30, 1844.
Violetta married Joseph Cabell Campbell, a son of Francis Jefferson Campbell II and his wife, Nancy Coffey. Nancy was a daughter of Edmond S. and Nancy Barnett Coffey. Joseph and Violetta were parents of at least two children: Lawson J., born Nov. 1851, died Jan. 23, 1928. Lawson married Susan Mildred Truslow on Dec. 15, 1873 in Nelson Co.
She and Lawson had a number of children, one of which married Grace M. Coffey, daughter of Andrew Jackson and Rebecca Campbell Coffey. His name was Grover Cleveland Campbell, born Aug. 18, 1886, died Apr. 16, 1955 in Lynchburg, VA. He and Grace were married on Dec. 25, 1904 in Nelson Co.Jesse Odom followed James S. He was born in 1810 and died on Sep. 2, 1859 at Back Creek. I know nothing of his life between those dates.
Mary Ann was the last of James and Elizabeth's children. She was born c1815 and married Nicholas Demastus, a son of John and Martha "Patsy" Moran Demastus. Nicholas was born of Feb. 18, 1788 and married Mary Ann on Jan. 23, 1837 in Lyndhurst, Augusta Co.
There are a lot of unknowns for James and Elizabeth; e.g., when and where were they born, who were his parents and, when/where did they die?
*James Bridge provided the surety bond when Jordan married Elizabeth Rippetoe in 1803.
Sources: Amherst Co. Marriage Records, 1763-1821; Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940; Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1902; US Federal Census, 1850-1880; Dodd, Jordan R., et al.. Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850
