Showing posts with label Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smith. Show all posts
November 24, 2017
A Coffey Family Tragedy
A family of three, the father and two young sons, tragically died in a house fire in Washburn, Grainger Co., TN on the night of 26 March 1962. The mother escaped the fire but with second and third degree burns did not long survive. She died on 29 March 1962 in a Knoxville hospital.
The fire was first suspected of being caused by an electrical wiring failure but was later determined to have been caused when the stove exploded and set the wife's clothing afire.
The family was that of 21 year old Jerry Conard Coffey, his wife Lucy Mae Smith Coffey, age 18 and their two sons, Jerry Lynn, age 2 and Tommy Douglas, age about 9 months! Jerry and Lucy had been married one month short of three years.
Jerry was the son of Walter Mason and Edna Eva Hipshire Coffey while Lucy was the daughter of Herbert and Bertha Frye Smith.
June 25, 2016
New Headstone for Annie Lewis (Alexander) Coffey
The following was submitted by Kevin D. West [kdwest@sandspringsok.org]. Annie was his GG-grandmother:
Annie Lewis Alexander was born on 24 Jan
1863 in Parker Co., Texas. She was the
daughter of Lewis and Sarah E. (Culwell) Alexander. Around 1878, while still residing in Parker Co.,
Annie married Frank Hudson Coffey. Frank
was born 10 Jan 1861 in Texas, the son of Elijah D. Coffee and Margaret “Peggy”
Armstrong. Frank and Annie Coffey later
moved to the Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in late 1889 or
early 1890. They were still residing
there when the 1900 Census was taken. A
decade later they were living in Oldham and Carson Cos., in the Texas
panhandle, where Frank worked for the railroad.
But, by 1920 Frank and Annie had moved back to Oklahoma, settling in
Tulsa, where they remained into the 1930s.
 |
| Photo by Kevin D. West |
Annie Lewis (Alexander) Coffey passed
away sometime in early January of 1936.
Regrettably, no death certificate is on file for her at the State Health
Dept. I have attempted to determine her
exact date of death, having searched in newspapers, funeral home and other
records, as well as by submitting queries both printed and online, all without
success. Fortunately, Tulsa’s Memorial
Park Cemetery, where Annie Coffey is buried, does have a record of her date of
internment, that being 7 Jan 1936. For
nearly eighty years, my great, great-grandmother’s grave has remained unmarked,
but no longer. Her specific date of
birth and date of burial are inscribed on the headstone.
After his wife’s death, Frank Coffey
moved to Bristow, Creek Co., Oklahoma where he later passed away on 13 Jun
1940. According to his death
certificate, he is buried in the Bristow City Cemetery. Unlike his wife Annie, Frank’s grave is still
unmarked. And, unfortunately, the City
has no record of where in the cemetery he is buried. My paternal grandmother, Annie Jewel (Smith)
West, daughter of Arizona Pearl (Coffey) Smith, often said of her maternal
grandparents, Frank and Annie Coffey, that they were “good, Christian
people.” What better epitaph could
anyone wish?
February 25, 2016
Thomas Jefferson Coffee (1805-1858)
Thomas was born Feb. 16, 1805 in Burke Co., NC. He was the eighth of 11 children born to Ambrose and Mildred "Millie" Moore Coffey.
Ambrose had wandered down from Blue Run in Orange Co., VA to Wayne Co., KY where Millie was born in 1770 to Jesse and Alley Johnson Moore. Ambrose and Millie married there sometime before 1788.¹ He descended from Edward Coffey through Edward's son John and John's son, Rev. James Coffey who married Elizabeth Cleveland.
Thomas spent his early life in North Carolina but eventually made his way to Mississippi where in 1827 he married Malinda Graves Haley in Hinds County. All of their known children were born in that state; the last, Roxana in 1842.
By 1850 Thomas and Malinda were in Brazoria Co., TX with children Aaron, Ellen, Ambrose, Henry and Rosana [sic].
A daughter, Minerva, born in 1830 had married John Venable Lobdell in KY in 1848 which produced Henry Lee, born 1850 in Brazoria. The child died there in 1852 and was buried in the Sandy Point cemetery. She and John soon moved back to MS but not before their daughter Bettie was born in Brazoria in 1854. Two other children, and overall a total of six were born to Minerva in two marriages. John died in Bolivar in 1859. In the 1860 census Minerva, a widow, claimed $130,000 in assets, or over $4 million in 2015 dollars.
The Civil War would soon reduce that considerably!
In 1868, Minerva married the lawyer George Thomas Lightfoot in Bolivar Co. and by 1870 they were residing in Vicksburg, Warren Co., MS. George declared his assets to total $17,000. In the household were two Lobdell children and one Lightfoot child. Two unidentified Coffee children, one male age 2 mos., and one female, age 1, both born born in LA were also in the household. In 1900 she lived with her son, John Venable Lobdell, Jr. and was reported to have been the mother of six but only John survived.
I do not yet know when or where George Thomas Lightfoot died. Minerva died on Jan. 23, 1907 in Rosedale, Bolivar Co. and was buried at the Beulah cemetery in Bolivar Co.
Col. Aaron Coffee was born in MS in Sep., 1832 and died in McKinney, Collin Co., TX on Feb. 28, 1912. He married Mary Summerville Smith, born c1835 in VA, in Galvaston, TX on Mar. 28, 1860. They lived in Brazoria county in 1870 and in 1880 were in Collin Co., TX where he died in 1912 and is buried at the Pecan Grove cemetery in McKinney. He and Mary had at least two children, Julia born in Galveston in 1864 and Cassie, born in 1878 at Collin Co.
Pre-Civil War, Aaron held 25 slaves. He was manager of the Halcyon plantation which held 132 slaves. His total worth in 1860 was $267,000, almost $8 million in today's money.²
He served with Co. B, 13th Texas Infantry, CSA, during the Civil War.
Thomas died in Brazoria Co. in 1858; and Malinda, a year earlier. Both are buried at Sandy Point in Brazoria. They had other children but they are held for later.
¹Dr. Marvin D. Coffey, Author/Researcher, James Bluford Coffey: His ancestors and descendants in America, second printing (Medford, OR: n.p., 1994), Page 60. [That they returned to NC from KY might not be wholly accurate. However, the next three children of Ambrose and Millie, George W., Holland and James Madison are said to have also been born in Burke Co. America, who married Samuel Lusk in 1822 Warren Co., TN is said to have been born in KY in 1801 and Lewis Moses, born 1798 is said to have been born in Stokes Co., NC.]
²Abigail Curlee Holbrook, "A Glimpse of Life on Antebellum Slave Plantations in Texas," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 76 (April 1973). Ralph A. Wooster, "Wealthy Texans, 1860," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 71 (October 1967).
²Abigail Curlee Holbrook, "A Glimpse of Life on Antebellum Slave Plantations in Texas," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 76 (April 1973). Ralph A. Wooster, "Wealthy Texans, 1860," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 71 (October 1967).
September 8, 2015
Denton Darby Coffey (1859-1921)
Denton Darby Coffey couldn't keep a wife and couldn't keep out of court for much of the last 13 years of his life.
He was a son of German J. and Mary Margaret Smith Coffey and was born in the Oregon Territory on Jun. 8, 1859. German's father was Nebuzaradan Coffey and his mother, Elizabeth Easley. German was born in Simpson Co., KY in 1827 and came to Oregon with his parents on the Oregon Trail in 1847.
German married Mary on Jul. 6, 1856 in Lane Co., OR and they had at least seven children: Mary L.; John Crittenden; Denton Darby; Edith L.; Ellen; Tecumseh Sherman; and Frank Nebuzaradon. Denton appears to be the one child in that family that had a lot of problems keeping his nose clean.
Denton married Mary Catherine Drury in Linn Co., OR on Dec. 25, 1878. They appeared childless in the 1880 Fox Valley, Linn Co., OR census. It appears that Mary died, perhaps in child birth and sometime circa 1895 Denton married Carrie W. Woodrum. They appeared as a family in the 1900 Multnomah Co., OR census with daughter, Verne, born in 1896.
Verne married Irving V. Alvord on Feb. 13, 1920 in Weber Co., UT. Irving was born in Utah in 1887 to Irvin Thadius Alvord and Sylvia Stone.
Denton and Carrie, the daughter of Elijah and Martha E. Deupree Woodrum, apparently divorced and Denton took his third wife, Margaret M. South c1907. There appears to have been no children born to this union.
In the meantime, Carrie took as her second husband, Irvin Thadius Alvord on Feb. 14, 1918. With that marriage, she became mother-in-law to her daughter, Verne Coffey Alvord!
Denton and His Problems with the Legal System
When he and Carrie divorced in June, 1907, Denton was ordered by the court to pay $10 per month to Carrie for support of their child, Verne. When he failed to do that, Carrie charged him with fraud and took him to court. The judge was convinced that Denton was attempting to defraud his daughter but, gave him sometime to get the problem solved.
When Denton failed to follow up he was ordered by the Judge to pay Carrie $160 alimony. Earlier, when the divorce had been granted and he failed to pay her the $10 per month support, she brought suit and prevailed in the amount of $160. When Denton failed to pay that, the Sheriff was directed to seize some of Denton's property, but none could be found. It appeared that Denton had placed everything in the name of his next wife, Mary Margaret South. So, Carrie took him and Margaret back to court and charged both with conspiracy to defraud his creditors. Testimony showed that Denton had given Margaret a "$25 diamond as a Christmas present in 1907, he had not paid his first wife's alimony." We don't know if Denton ever paid Carrie the money due her; no further newspaper reports have been found.
News about Denton was missing from 1909 until 1916 when on Sep. 2 of that year he and two pals were indicted for wire tapping. He, Charles B. Dill, a hotel clerk and Edwin G. Hayman, a salesman were charged with tapping the telephone line to the office of Dr. Anna M. Wheeler in the Platt Building in Portland.
Dr. Wheeler had previously sued a Mr. F. D. Stephenson of Wadhams & Co. for libel and had won. She charged that Coffey and the other two miscreants were bought and paid for by Stephenson with the intent of ruining her reputation in revenge for her court triumph over him.
It appears that Dr. Wheeler had obtained a divorce from her husband, Dr. Glenn Wheeler and had charged him with abandonment. She received the divorce on Jul. 17, 1916 but the decree had never been made public. Apparently, Stephenson knew something about that and hired Coffey, et al. to tap her office phone. The plotters learned of the divorce through the wiretap. Dr. Anna Wheeler had apparently had an affair with one Mr. Alex G. Riddell who was being sued by his wife, Mrs. Marie Riddell for divorce. She had named Dr. Anna as "the other woman."
The trial for wire tapping went on for more than a year, most often delayed by continuance. Apparently, the men never went to trial because on Feb. 3, 1917 an item appeared in The Oregonian reporting that charges against the three men "were never pressed."
 | |||
| Denton Darby Coffey Obituary |
Finally, on Sep. 13, 1921, Denton died in Portland and was buried at Rose City Cemetery in that city. His obituary mentions his wife, Mary M. and a child, Mrs. Lulu Cane. I am unsure who the mother of this child was. It is the only place where I have found her mentioned while looking for information about Denton.
There are a few twists and turns in the story and some information missing from the newspapers. Hopefully, I have captured the gist of the problems Denton had, first with ex-wives and then with the wire tapping charge. It is mentioned in some news articles that Mary Margaret South was his fourth wife, but I have not been able to find more than three. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who knows exactly how many wives he did have.
Readers can download a free copy of Vol. 131 of the Coffey Cousins Newsletter in PDF format. Pages 9 and 10 contain more information about the 1909 trial.
Ain't family history fun?
January 3, 2015
Donna Douglas (1933-2015)
Donna Douglas was born Doris Smith in Pride, East Baton Rouge Parish, LA in Sept., 1933, to Emmett Ratcliff and Elma Robinson Smith. If she ever had a middle name I was unaware of it.
Emmett was the son of Tullie Cornelius Smith and Amelia Etta Walker. Tullie was my great-uncle and brother to my maternal grandmother, Lillian Smith Roe.
The last time I saw her was in Sep., 2009 when we attended the wake of another cousin, Abiah Perkins "A.P." Smith, Jr. in Baton Rouge.
As a kid living in Baton Rouge, we often visited with Emmett and Elma, either at their home or ours near downtown Baton Rouge. I remember her as a teenager and someone that "babysat" me on one or two occasions while our folks went out for some reason or another.
The purpose of this blog is to outline her genealogy as I have researched it and, to publish it for my children and other cousins who have a desire to know about this amazingly talented woman.
Doris' father and my mother were first cousins, descendants of Angus McNeil and Mary Amelia McClendon Smith. They were also distantly related through their common ancestry with Joseph Pullam and his wife Elizabeth Tickell.
Adeline, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Tickell Pullam married Andrew Jackson Walker and they were parents of Amelia Etta Walker. Another of Joseph and Elizabeth's daughters, Elizabeth Frances Pullam was my maternal great-great grandmother.
Angus was a son of John William Smith and his wife, Lenora E. Lee.
John William Smith was born in St. Helena Parish, LA on Aug. 2, 1832. He lived for a time with the James L. Belue family until his marriage to Lenora in Liberty, Amite Co., MS on Sep. 2, 1853. According to my grandmother, a grand-daughter of John, he was a life long blacksmith who passed on his talents at that trade to her father, Angus.
John and his family appeared in the 1860 census at Greensburg in St. Helena Parish. There were two children in the household; Marzilla, a female, aged 11 and Angus, age 4. I do not know who Marzilla was. Lenora had been briefly married in 1851 to Thomas Morgan and Marzilla may have been their child.
When the Civil War began, John Smith enlisted in Co. H., 27th La. Reg., Captain John T. Spencer, Commanding. He was slightly wounded in a leg during Siege of Vicksburg. Smith, when applying for his CW pension replied that he was at Liberty, Mississippi on detail at the surrender. In response to another pension application question, he reported that he was at the surrender of Vicksburg, was paroled and released to his regiment. He said that he did not take the oath of allegiance to the US Government. When asked how many children, and what sex they were, Smith replied that he and his wife had one boy and four girls.
Though not found by me in the 1870 census, they are found in 1880, East Feliciana Parish. In addition to John and Lenora, there was William, a son, age 17 and Perkins, another son, age 14. Next door to them was the Angus Smith family with wife Mary and daughters Adda (Addie) and Mary. Angus and Mary married on Nov. 23, 1876 in East Feliciana Parish.
By 1900 John and Lenora were residents of East Baton Rouge. In Nov., 1901 he applied for a Confederate pension in Clinton, East Feliciana Parish. John died on Nov. 5, 1905 in Ponchatoula, Tangipahoa Parish and was buried at the Ponchatoula Cemetery. In Feb., 1906 Lenora applied for his pension and she died in 1908.
By 1900, Angus and Mary Amelia had nine children. My maternal grandmother was their youngest, born on Aug. 6, 1900 in Baton Rouge. She once told me that she had siblings born and died before her but did not give names.
Angus was born in Feb., 1857 in East Baton Rouge and died on May 10, 1935 at Pride. His death certificate reports that he was buried at Bluff Creek Baptist Church cemetery in East Feliciana Parish but, a grave marker is not found. The church has no records of earlier burials but I know that the cemetery is larger than the current fenced boundaries. He may be outside in what is now wooded with no visible markers. Mary died in Aug., 1925 at what was called Stoney Point, LA, near Pride and is said to be buried at a small cemetery at that place. I have visited the cemetery but have not found a marker for her.
I know from growing up in the household with my maternal grandparents that my grandmother had several siblings that did not die until well after I was grown and married. Her brother Tullie and his wife lived in Pride and we visited with them quite often.
Uncle Tullie and Aunt Amelia had three children, one of which was Emmett Ratcliff, born Apr. 27, 1907 and died Oct. 7, 1988 when he accidentally drowned while fishing in the Mississippi River near Port Allen in West Baton Rouge Parish. He and Elma Robinson, a daughter of John R. and Mary A. Manning Robinson, were married c1929 in East Baton Rouge Parish. Elma was born c1910 at Olive Branch in East Feliciana Parish and died on Dec. 31, 2003 at Zachary in East Baton Rouge.
They were the parents of only two children, Emmett, Jr., born c1930 and Doris. She died nearly 11 years to the day following her mother's passing.
A brief description of her life in "show business" can be found at The Baton Rouge Advocate On-line.
Emmett was the son of Tullie Cornelius Smith and Amelia Etta Walker. Tullie was my great-uncle and brother to my maternal grandmother, Lillian Smith Roe.
The last time I saw her was in Sep., 2009 when we attended the wake of another cousin, Abiah Perkins "A.P." Smith, Jr. in Baton Rouge.
As a kid living in Baton Rouge, we often visited with Emmett and Elma, either at their home or ours near downtown Baton Rouge. I remember her as a teenager and someone that "babysat" me on one or two occasions while our folks went out for some reason or another.
 |
| Source: The Baton Rouge Advocate Date Unknown |
Doris' father and my mother were first cousins, descendants of Angus McNeil and Mary Amelia McClendon Smith. They were also distantly related through their common ancestry with Joseph Pullam and his wife Elizabeth Tickell.
Adeline, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Tickell Pullam married Andrew Jackson Walker and they were parents of Amelia Etta Walker. Another of Joseph and Elizabeth's daughters, Elizabeth Frances Pullam was my maternal great-great grandmother.
Angus was a son of John William Smith and his wife, Lenora E. Lee.
John William Smith was born in St. Helena Parish, LA on Aug. 2, 1832. He lived for a time with the James L. Belue family until his marriage to Lenora in Liberty, Amite Co., MS on Sep. 2, 1853. According to my grandmother, a grand-daughter of John, he was a life long blacksmith who passed on his talents at that trade to her father, Angus.
John and his family appeared in the 1860 census at Greensburg in St. Helena Parish. There were two children in the household; Marzilla, a female, aged 11 and Angus, age 4. I do not know who Marzilla was. Lenora had been briefly married in 1851 to Thomas Morgan and Marzilla may have been their child.
When the Civil War began, John Smith enlisted in Co. H., 27th La. Reg., Captain John T. Spencer, Commanding. He was slightly wounded in a leg during Siege of Vicksburg. Smith, when applying for his CW pension replied that he was at Liberty, Mississippi on detail at the surrender. In response to another pension application question, he reported that he was at the surrender of Vicksburg, was paroled and released to his regiment. He said that he did not take the oath of allegiance to the US Government. When asked how many children, and what sex they were, Smith replied that he and his wife had one boy and four girls.
Though not found by me in the 1870 census, they are found in 1880, East Feliciana Parish. In addition to John and Lenora, there was William, a son, age 17 and Perkins, another son, age 14. Next door to them was the Angus Smith family with wife Mary and daughters Adda (Addie) and Mary. Angus and Mary married on Nov. 23, 1876 in East Feliciana Parish.
By 1900 John and Lenora were residents of East Baton Rouge. In Nov., 1901 he applied for a Confederate pension in Clinton, East Feliciana Parish. John died on Nov. 5, 1905 in Ponchatoula, Tangipahoa Parish and was buried at the Ponchatoula Cemetery. In Feb., 1906 Lenora applied for his pension and she died in 1908.
By 1900, Angus and Mary Amelia had nine children. My maternal grandmother was their youngest, born on Aug. 6, 1900 in Baton Rouge. She once told me that she had siblings born and died before her but did not give names.
Angus was born in Feb., 1857 in East Baton Rouge and died on May 10, 1935 at Pride. His death certificate reports that he was buried at Bluff Creek Baptist Church cemetery in East Feliciana Parish but, a grave marker is not found. The church has no records of earlier burials but I know that the cemetery is larger than the current fenced boundaries. He may be outside in what is now wooded with no visible markers. Mary died in Aug., 1925 at what was called Stoney Point, LA, near Pride and is said to be buried at a small cemetery at that place. I have visited the cemetery but have not found a marker for her.
I know from growing up in the household with my maternal grandparents that my grandmother had several siblings that did not die until well after I was grown and married. Her brother Tullie and his wife lived in Pride and we visited with them quite often.
Uncle Tullie and Aunt Amelia had three children, one of which was Emmett Ratcliff, born Apr. 27, 1907 and died Oct. 7, 1988 when he accidentally drowned while fishing in the Mississippi River near Port Allen in West Baton Rouge Parish. He and Elma Robinson, a daughter of John R. and Mary A. Manning Robinson, were married c1929 in East Baton Rouge Parish. Elma was born c1910 at Olive Branch in East Feliciana Parish and died on Dec. 31, 2003 at Zachary in East Baton Rouge.
They were the parents of only two children, Emmett, Jr., born c1930 and Doris. She died nearly 11 years to the day following her mother's passing.
A brief description of her life in "show business" can be found at The Baton Rouge Advocate On-line.
January 2, 2015
Evelyn Chew Wedding - Granddaughter of Titian J. Coffey
Previous blogs about Titian J. Coffey can be found here and here.
Other links to Titian J. Coffey family that will be of interest to his family history:
Mrs. Mary Coffey Will be Buried Monday Morning
Engagement of Miss Evelyn Chew To Thomas Roberts, Jr., Announced
Grandchildren Get $1,000,000 Estate
Will of Titian J. Coffey
Will Probated
Titian J. Coffey Death Notice
"The marriage of Miss Evelyn Chew, granddaughter of Mrs. Titian J. Coffey, to Mr. Thomas Roberts, jr., of Philadelphia, took place yesterday [Dec. 6, 1911] afternoon at 3:30 o'clock in the home of her grandmother, in K Street. Only a small family party was present at the ceremony, which was performed by Rev. Roland Cotton Smith, of St. John's Episcopal Church, assisted by Rev. Dewees Roberts, of Boston, brother of the bridegroom.
"The house was a mass of Bride roses, palms, and ferns, placed so thickly about the house they seemed to be growing out of the walls. A string orchestra played the wedding music. The bride was escorted and given in marriage by her father, Mr. John Chew. She wore a handsome gown of ivory satin, made with a Dutch neck and trimmed with rare old family lace, and a little passementerie of pearls. The skirt had a long square court train. The bridal veil was of tulle edged with lace and held in place with a cap effect and bunches of orange blossoms. A shower bouquet of lillies of the valley completed the costume.
"Mrs. J. Upshur Moorhead, sister of the bride, was matron of honor. She wore a dainty gown of pale pink satin with tunic drapery of pale blue chiffon, the drapery bordered with a wide band of opalescent beadwork. In her hair she wore a bandeau of gold and she carried a cluster of pink roses and lillies of the valley. Mr. George Roberts, of Philadelphia, brother of the bridegroom, was best man.
"A number of intimate friends were asked for the reception which followed the ceremony. Mrs. Coffey, grandmother of the bride, was gowned in a handsome toilette of black lace over black satin, trimmed with the most exquisite old point lace. Mrs. Thomas W. Symons, niece of Mrs. Coffey; Mrs. A. Gordon-Cumming, and Miss Fanny Whelan assisted Mrs. Coffey in the drawing-room and dining-room. Mrs. Coffey received the guests seated in a large armchair.
"Mrs. Marguerite Barbour was hostess at a dinner last evening in honor of her house guests, Miss Samuels, of Philadelphia, and Miss Theresa Kohn, of New Orleans, who arrived in Washington yesterday for the marriage of Miss Evelyn Chew. They will visit Miss Barbour for several days.
"Miss Alive Vandergrift entertained at a luncheon yesterday in compliment to several out-of-town guests who attended the wedding of Miss Chew and Mrs. Roberts yesterday.
"Among the out-of-town guests were Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Roberts, the bridegroom's parents; Mr. and Mrs. George Roberts and their family, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Reath and their family, all of Philadelphia, and the Rev. Dewess Roberts and Mrs. Roberts, of Boston. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts left after the reception for a wedding trip in the South, the bride traveling in a tailored suit of rough blue cloth made with a Russian blouse and collar and cuffs of black corded silk, and a smart black velvet hat trimmed with pink and green French roses. After an extended stay in the South they will make their future home in Philadelphia.
"The bride is identified with the most exclusive resident circles of Washington, known as the 'cave dwellers.' She was presented to society at the home of Mrs. John R. McLean at a large reception several years ago. Mrs. Coffey, with whom her granddaughter has always made her home, has been prevented from taking any active part in society in the Capital on account of ill health. Mrs. Moorhead, the bride's sister, who attended her at the wedding, was a contemporary of Miss Ethel Roosevelt*, the debutante of the last administration, her marriage taking place at the close of her first season.
"The engagement of Miss Chew and Mr. Roberts waas announced early this fall, before the return of Mrs. Coffey and her granddaughter from the Virginia Hot Springs, where they spent the greater part of the summer."
*Ethel Carow Roosevelt Derby, youngest daughter of Theodore.
Source: The Washington Herald, Dec. 7, 1911, p5, cols. 3-6. [http://1.usa.gov/1tHkxf7] The article as presented here is broken in to paragraphs to facilitate ease of reading. See additional societal information continued in the article.
Other links to Titian J. Coffey family that will be of interest to his family history:
Mrs. Mary Coffey Will be Buried Monday Morning
Engagement of Miss Evelyn Chew To Thomas Roberts, Jr., Announced
Grandchildren Get $1,000,000 Estate
Will of Titian J. Coffey
Will Probated
Titian J. Coffey Death Notice
"The marriage of Miss Evelyn Chew, granddaughter of Mrs. Titian J. Coffey, to Mr. Thomas Roberts, jr., of Philadelphia, took place yesterday [Dec. 6, 1911] afternoon at 3:30 o'clock in the home of her grandmother, in K Street. Only a small family party was present at the ceremony, which was performed by Rev. Roland Cotton Smith, of St. John's Episcopal Church, assisted by Rev. Dewees Roberts, of Boston, brother of the bridegroom.
"The house was a mass of Bride roses, palms, and ferns, placed so thickly about the house they seemed to be growing out of the walls. A string orchestra played the wedding music. The bride was escorted and given in marriage by her father, Mr. John Chew. She wore a handsome gown of ivory satin, made with a Dutch neck and trimmed with rare old family lace, and a little passementerie of pearls. The skirt had a long square court train. The bridal veil was of tulle edged with lace and held in place with a cap effect and bunches of orange blossoms. A shower bouquet of lillies of the valley completed the costume.
"Mrs. J. Upshur Moorhead, sister of the bride, was matron of honor. She wore a dainty gown of pale pink satin with tunic drapery of pale blue chiffon, the drapery bordered with a wide band of opalescent beadwork. In her hair she wore a bandeau of gold and she carried a cluster of pink roses and lillies of the valley. Mr. George Roberts, of Philadelphia, brother of the bridegroom, was best man.
"A number of intimate friends were asked for the reception which followed the ceremony. Mrs. Coffey, grandmother of the bride, was gowned in a handsome toilette of black lace over black satin, trimmed with the most exquisite old point lace. Mrs. Thomas W. Symons, niece of Mrs. Coffey; Mrs. A. Gordon-Cumming, and Miss Fanny Whelan assisted Mrs. Coffey in the drawing-room and dining-room. Mrs. Coffey received the guests seated in a large armchair.
"Mrs. Marguerite Barbour was hostess at a dinner last evening in honor of her house guests, Miss Samuels, of Philadelphia, and Miss Theresa Kohn, of New Orleans, who arrived in Washington yesterday for the marriage of Miss Evelyn Chew. They will visit Miss Barbour for several days.
"Miss Alive Vandergrift entertained at a luncheon yesterday in compliment to several out-of-town guests who attended the wedding of Miss Chew and Mrs. Roberts yesterday.
"Among the out-of-town guests were Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Roberts, the bridegroom's parents; Mr. and Mrs. George Roberts and their family, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Reath and their family, all of Philadelphia, and the Rev. Dewess Roberts and Mrs. Roberts, of Boston. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts left after the reception for a wedding trip in the South, the bride traveling in a tailored suit of rough blue cloth made with a Russian blouse and collar and cuffs of black corded silk, and a smart black velvet hat trimmed with pink and green French roses. After an extended stay in the South they will make their future home in Philadelphia.
"The bride is identified with the most exclusive resident circles of Washington, known as the 'cave dwellers.' She was presented to society at the home of Mrs. John R. McLean at a large reception several years ago. Mrs. Coffey, with whom her granddaughter has always made her home, has been prevented from taking any active part in society in the Capital on account of ill health. Mrs. Moorhead, the bride's sister, who attended her at the wedding, was a contemporary of Miss Ethel Roosevelt*, the debutante of the last administration, her marriage taking place at the close of her first season.
"The engagement of Miss Chew and Mr. Roberts waas announced early this fall, before the return of Mrs. Coffey and her granddaughter from the Virginia Hot Springs, where they spent the greater part of the summer."
*Ethel Carow Roosevelt Derby, youngest daughter of Theodore.
Source: The Washington Herald, Dec. 7, 1911, p5, cols. 3-6. [http://1.usa.gov/1tHkxf7] The article as presented here is broken in to paragraphs to facilitate ease of reading. See additional societal information continued in the article.
September 19, 2014
Nancy Caroline Gragg 1837-1919
Watauga Democrat, May 27, 1920, Vol. XXXI, No. 32, Page 1, Col.
Mrs. Nancy Caroline Gragg
Born June 14, 1837; Fell
Asleep December 28, 1919
(E. N. Joyner in Lenoir
News-Topic.)
There passed out, from the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Kelley Coffey, in the Rosborough Settlement, Avery county,
on the Lord’s Day, December 28, 1919, the soul of one of “Our Fathers” most
faithful daughters. This was Mrs. Nancy
Caroline Gragg. She was the mother, and
grandmother and the great-grandmother of the whole settlement. A life like hers deserves more than a passing
notice, by reason of its own quality, and as a guide-post to other way-farers.
Mrs. Gragg was born June 14,
1837, in the neighborhood of what is now Pineola. At sixteen she was married to Madison Gragg
twenty years her senior who died in November 1893. With him she came to his home, within a few
hundred yards of where she fell asleep in her 83rd birthday. She was the mother of thirteen children of
whom four are living: N.
Madison , Mary wife of Mr. T. C. Gragg, Mrs. Norah Philyaw, and L.
Carroll, all except Mrs. Philyaw in the same neighborhood of their birthplace.
Under the burden of her
years she had grown more and more feeble until last summer she had a sudden and
very serious attack. This, to the
surprise of all, she survived, and was able to go around again, even to dig in
her old garden at the house where she lived so many years; and it was according
to the spirit and custom of her life that the day before she found rest she
compelled them to put her on horseback that she might go several miles to
minister to one of her friends in trouble, whom she had promised. She returned on Sunday afternoon from this
“Good Samaritan” visit, and was tired, ate a bit of lunch, laid down to rest,
and went to sleep. Yes, “asleep in
Jesus, blessed sleep,: and the more blessed because it came to her wearied old
body, and on the Sabbath Day, just after she had forces it in spirit to take a
hard journey that she might be “going about doing good.”
She had made her home with
her grandson, Mr. Kelly Coffey, who, with his wife, left nothing undone for his
comfort. Her funeral was conducted by
her good friend, the Rev. Oscar Dellinger, according to the rites of her own
church.
He who writes this
incomplete record of her noble live regards it a sacred privilege to have known
her, to have rejoiced in her cherished friendship, and to have had again and
again the assurance of her prayers. He thinks
it an hour [sic] to thus bear sincere testimony to the beauty of her character,
and to those who stand nearest to her in ties of blood, nor to any, could he
wish a greater fortune that to find and to follow in the path she trod, of
which the Book says: “The path of the
just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more until the perfect day.”
Mrs. Caroline Gragg died
December 28, 1919, and her obituary written by Rev. E. N. Joyner for the Lenoir
News-Topic, is as true, I believe, as could be written. Mrs. Gragg was a daughter of John Gragg, Sr.
he being a son of William Gragg, a soldier of the Revolutionary war. Wm. Gragg, with his family, came to North Carolina soon after the Revolutionary war, and
settled on John’s River, Caldwell Appleton county, Va. Farmington , Wash. , and
Mrs. Margaret D. Qualls, of Overton, Tennessee
by: W. W. Presnell [same source as above]
Who Was Who?
James Madison Gragg was born
Jul. 1824 in Caldwell Co., to David Obediah Gragg and Elizabeth Webb. He died in Nov., 1893. Both he and Granny Gragg are buried at the Gragg Cemetery
N. Madison Gragg was Newton
Madison, born July 1869, died 1936 in Linville ,
NC
Mary Gragg, wife of Thomas
C. Gragg. Mary was born in 1871 and died
in 1938. Her husband Thomas was born in
1867 and died in 1944. He was a son of
Jesse Gragg and wife Matilda Shull.
Thomas and Mary are undoubtedly related but I have not made that
connection.
Nora, born in 1880, married
a Philyaw but I have not yet made that connection.
L. Carroll was Leason
Carroll, born 1882, died 1951. He
married Dora Belle Beane in 1900. She
was a daughter of John Locke Beane and Alice C. Philyaw, born 1882, died 1966
at Crossnore in Avery Co. Rhona Gragg, a
daughter of Leason and Dora, married Aaron Paul Blalock, son of the infamous
William McKesson “Keith” Blalock. A son,
Daniel Windom Gragg married Lavinia Viola “Vinnie” Coffey in 1926. She was a daughter of David Columbus and
Julia N. Baird Coffey. And, another son,
Shelby Delon Gragg married Esslene Coffey, she being the daughter of Grover
Cleveland and Cora E. Gragg Coffey.
A friend of mine, Margaret
Coffey Farley, now deceased, was born in Mercer Co., WV but raised around
Coffey’s Gap in the shadow of Grandfather Mountain once told me “…if you
scratch a Gragg you’ll find a Coffey.”
She didn't stretch the truth.
The Rev. Oscar C. Dellinger was a son of Martha Ann Dellinger, a daughter of Elkanna and Elizabeth Godsey Dellinger. I do not know who his father was. He was born in 1882 and died in 1966 at Collettsville in Caldwell Co. He was married twice, first to Minnie Dellinger, daughter of Thomas R. and Eveline McKinney and his first cousin. She died in 1922 and he married Annie Mae Crisp in 1930.
William Kelly Coffey was a
son of Thomas M. & Martha Cordelia Gragg Coffey Martha was Granny Gragg’s child, born c1867
in her marriage to James Madison Gragg.
The wife of William Kelly was Bessie May Philyaw to whom he was married
on Mar. 17, 1907 in Caldwell Co.
June 19, 2014
John William Payton & Sarah Elizabeth Coffey
John William Payton, born Jun. 13, 1864 in Kentucky was a son of Charles Payton and his wife, Margaret Brummett. He was married c1885¹ to Sarah Elizabeth "Lizzie" Coffey, a daughter of Gabriel Russell and Margaret Caroline Rodgers Coffey.
Gabriel Russell was born c1845 descended from Edward and Ann Powell Coffey. His father was Perry, son of Thomas, Jr., son of Thomas, who married Nancy Pendley; son of Thomas who married Elizabeth Smith; son of John, first son of Edward, who married Jane Graves. Gabriel was in KY by around 1868 when he and Margaret are said to have been married.
Sarah's report to the census taker in 1910, when the family lived in Goodnight, Anderson Co., KY indicated she had been previously married.² However, she was only age 17 when she married John Payton. By 1920 the couple had moved to Louisville, where they remained until death.
Sarah was born in TN on May 18, 1868 and died on Sep. 24, 1948 in Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY. John died in Louisville on Feb. 8, 1952, They are buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Louisville.
Children born to John and Sarah, numbered at least seven. However, because they married c1885 and their first known child was not born until some six years later, it is likely they had two or three other who did not survive those early years.
Charles H., born Jan. 27, 1891, died Jan. 31, 1926 in Louisville and was buried at Evergreen. His wife was Beulah Mae Howard, born Oct. 12, 1893 in Jeffersonville, Clark Co., IN, died Apr. 15, 1933 in Louisville. They were married in Clark Co. on Sep. 17, 1913. Beulah was the daughter of Joseph and Frances McCallister [sic] Howard.
Myrtle Lee, born Feb. 19, 1898 in Kentucky, died Oct. 22, 1983 in Louisville. She married twice, first to Jesse Charles Miller, a son of Harry and Mary Goeben Miller, born Mar. 22, 1883 in Lucas Co., IA, died Jun. 18, 1983 in Louisville. They were married on May 20, 1918 in Clark Co., IN. Her second husband was William E. Smith, born Nov. 7, 1910, died Jun. 6, 1985 in Louisville. Each are buried at Evergreen.
Mary Margaret, born May 21, 1899 in Anderson Co., KY, first married William W. Walters, a son of Aaron and Sarena Negals [sic] Walters, on May 1, 1920 in Clark Co., IN. They were divorced in 1922 and on July 28, 1923 she married Arnold Palmer, the son of Bill and Eliza Bright Palmer, in Clark Co. I do not have death dates or burial places for either.
The next child was Vannie Blanche, born July 7, 1901 in Anderson Co. She was married at least four times before she was 40 years old. Her first husband was a Mr. Reno. A marriage record for them has not been found but, in the 1920 census, she was found living with her parents as the divorced Blanche Reno, age 18. On Oct. 24, 1920 she married William E. Patton in Clark Co. They also apparently divorced for on Jul. 13, 1924, at age 23, she married for the third time, this time to Marlin Stewart in Jeffersonville, Clark Co. On that record, she noted a previous marriage had been "dissolved." No other details were given. On Jan. 8, 1938, at age 36, she married Cecil Altemeyer in Clark Co. On that marriage record, she reported that she had been previously married and, that union had ended in divorce in 1934. I do not have Cecil or Blanche's death date or place of burial.
Lester, born Jan. 5, 1902, in Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY, died Jul. 15, 1996 in Louisville. Lester married Mary Frances Smith, the daughter of Sam W. and Frances Lester Smith, on Dec. 25, 1923 in Clark Co., IN. She was born in Louisville on Apr. 19,1905.
John Thomas, born 1905 in KY, died Sep. 4, 1930 at age 25 at Louisville City Hospital. His death certificate reports death as a result of being "struck by auto while crossing street at Preston & Broadway" on Sep. 3, 1930. He never married.
The last child that I am aware of was Walter Edward Payton, born c1908. I have no other information on Walter.
Jeffersonville, and Clark Co., IN are just across the Ohio River from Louisville. It seems to have been "the" place to go to get married; at least for this family!
¹1900 KY, Mercer Co., Dugansville Pct., ED 48, Sheet 9A, dwelling/family 163
²1910 Anderson Co., Goodnight, ED11, Sheet 3A, dwelling 57, family 58
June 15, 2014
Edmund Paza Gragg
Updated 6.16.2014 - See footnote 1
Updated same date - See footnote 2
I touched on Edmund Paza Gragg and his family in an earlier blog.
According to his death certificate¹, his father was William E. Philyaw, a son of Moses and Lucinda Ann "Lucy" Holden Philyaw. His mother was Nancy "Nicey" Coffey, a daughter of Joseph and Isabella Lindsay Coffey. At Edmund's birth, Nancy was the widow of William Obediah Gragg, often referred to as "Revolutionary Bill" Gragg.
Edmund was born on Mar. 5, 1850 in Caldwell Co., NC and died in Rabun Co., GA on Dec. 21, 1920. He married Mahuldah Vasty, maiden name unknown, c1870. She was born Feb. 9, 1952 in NC and was likely married to Edmund there. She died on Dec. 22, 1925, five years and one day after the death of Edmund. Both are buried at Flat Creek Baptist Church Cemetery at Clayton in Rabun Co.
She and Edmund were parents of seven boys and one girl. Margaret was born in Feb., 1872 and appeared with her parents in Rabun Co. through the 1910 census. In 1910 she appeared as a widow. Two children with surname Jones appeared in the Edmund household as "grandsons." In 1920 both grandsons were still with Edmund but, no mention of their mother.
John Newton Gragg was the eldest son, born Jan. 19, 1873 and died Jun. 22, 1961. John married Della Gosnell on Feb. 11, 1906 in Rabun Co. She was born Jun. 18, 1878 in GA and died there on Mar. 31, 1962. She and John are also buried at Flat Creek. They had at least two sons, Elbert, born c1907 and Gordon H., born Sep. 13, 1909, died May 18, 1999 and buried at Flat Creek.
Daniel L., next eldest, was born in Jul., 1877. He married Texie Shed on Mar. 31, 1901 in Habersham Co., GA. She is likely a sister to Missouri Shed, below.
Elijah L., born Feb., 1879, died Mar. 18, 1958 in GA and buried at Flat Creek. His wife was Missouri Shed, born in Habersham Co., GA in 1881. They were married in that county on Dec. 17, 1902. I haven't yet found a death date or place for Missouri. Their children were: Winona, Harley, Chester, Roy and Ora M.
Albert J., born Apr., 1882, married Sarah Benfield on Dec. 24, 1905 in Rabun Co. One known child, Lee, a son, born c1908 in Rabun Co.
Miles McKinney, born Jun. 15, 1884, died Dec.22, 1949 in Clayton, Rabun Co. He is also buried at Flat Creek**.
Burgess Greenville, born Apr. 16, 1888, died Jun. 24, 1970 in Clayton. He married Alpha Omie Smith, date not yet known, who was born Jul. 10, 1887, probably in GA, died Sep. 21, 1965 in GA. Both are also buried at Flat Creek. They had at least one child, a son, Burgess Ray, born Aug. 21, 1922, died Sep. 13, 1922 in Habersham Co. He was buried at Clarkesville, Habersham Co. at the Macedonia Cemetery.
¹I have not personally seen the death certificate. The info was told to me by another researcher. There is a copy of the certificate and an obituary on Ancestry.au but they are too small to read and access is prohibited without additional subscription fees. I do not believe anyone can read the parents of Edmund on the certificate displayed on Ancestry.au.
²The Gene & Gale McCoy Family Tree at Ancestry.com provided a readable death certificate as well as the surname and parents of Edmund's wife, Mahuldah Vasty Gragg, daughter of Ellis and Margaret Gragg.
*For proper credit, please notify me if you are the owner/contributor of this photograph.
**See Flat Creek Cemetery at Find A Grave
Updated same date - See footnote 2
I touched on Edmund Paza Gragg and his family in an earlier blog.
According to his death certificate¹, his father was William E. Philyaw, a son of Moses and Lucinda Ann "Lucy" Holden Philyaw. His mother was Nancy "Nicey" Coffey, a daughter of Joseph and Isabella Lindsay Coffey. At Edmund's birth, Nancy was the widow of William Obediah Gragg, often referred to as "Revolutionary Bill" Gragg.
 |
| Edmund Paza Gragg Family Photo contributor unknown* |
She and Edmund were parents of seven boys and one girl. Margaret was born in Feb., 1872 and appeared with her parents in Rabun Co. through the 1910 census. In 1910 she appeared as a widow. Two children with surname Jones appeared in the Edmund household as "grandsons." In 1920 both grandsons were still with Edmund but, no mention of their mother.
John Newton Gragg was the eldest son, born Jan. 19, 1873 and died Jun. 22, 1961. John married Della Gosnell on Feb. 11, 1906 in Rabun Co. She was born Jun. 18, 1878 in GA and died there on Mar. 31, 1962. She and John are also buried at Flat Creek. They had at least two sons, Elbert, born c1907 and Gordon H., born Sep. 13, 1909, died May 18, 1999 and buried at Flat Creek.
 |
| Edmund Paza Gragg Family Identified Click on images to enlarge |
Daniel L., next eldest, was born in Jul., 1877. He married Texie Shed on Mar. 31, 1901 in Habersham Co., GA. She is likely a sister to Missouri Shed, below.
Elijah L., born Feb., 1879, died Mar. 18, 1958 in GA and buried at Flat Creek. His wife was Missouri Shed, born in Habersham Co., GA in 1881. They were married in that county on Dec. 17, 1902. I haven't yet found a death date or place for Missouri. Their children were: Winona, Harley, Chester, Roy and Ora M.
Albert J., born Apr., 1882, married Sarah Benfield on Dec. 24, 1905 in Rabun Co. One known child, Lee, a son, born c1908 in Rabun Co.
Miles McKinney, born Jun. 15, 1884, died Dec.22, 1949 in Clayton, Rabun Co. He is also buried at Flat Creek**.
Burgess Greenville, born Apr. 16, 1888, died Jun. 24, 1970 in Clayton. He married Alpha Omie Smith, date not yet known, who was born Jul. 10, 1887, probably in GA, died Sep. 21, 1965 in GA. Both are also buried at Flat Creek. They had at least one child, a son, Burgess Ray, born Aug. 21, 1922, died Sep. 13, 1922 in Habersham Co. He was buried at Clarkesville, Habersham Co. at the Macedonia Cemetery.
¹I have not personally seen the death certificate. The info was told to me by another researcher. There is a copy of the certificate and an obituary on Ancestry.au but they are too small to read and access is prohibited without additional subscription fees. I do not believe anyone can read the parents of Edmund on the certificate displayed on Ancestry.au.
²The Gene & Gale McCoy Family Tree at Ancestry.com provided a readable death certificate as well as the surname and parents of Edmund's wife, Mahuldah Vasty Gragg, daughter of Ellis and Margaret Gragg.
*For proper credit, please notify me if you are the owner/contributor of this photograph.
**See Flat Creek Cemetery at Find A Grave
 |
| Edmund Paza Gragg Death Certificate Thanks to Gene & Gale McCoy Family Tree at Ancestry.com |
May 6, 2014
William Coffey and the Whitecaps!
The St. Louis Republic, November 03,
1901
William Coffey Is Again In
Jail
This Time a Young Woman Prefers a Charge of
Assault, Which He Denies
Before Courts Ten Years
First Gained Notoriety for His Prosecution
of Whitecaps*, Who Beat Himself and Wife Unmercifully
 |
| William Coffey from St. Louis Republic article |
Evansville, Ind., Nov. 2, -- William Coffey of whitecap fame is again in
jail at Jasper, having been arrested a few days ago at a small station on the
Southern road near Huntingburg, on a charge of attempted assault, preferred by
Miss Ella Smith of Ireland.
It is said that to try all the cases in which Coffey has been plaintiff
or defendant would take a continuous session of court for a solid year.
Coffey first came into prominence when he as whipped by whitecaps in
December, 1890. He was living with his
wife, Mary, in a little log hut near Ellsworth, sixteen miles east of here,
near the Crawford County line.
Just what the
whitecaps had against him will never be known, as no one would own up to being
one of the crowd.
About midnight on
December 4, 1890, while he was at home asleep with his wife and 4-years-old
girl, a noise of running men was heard, and his door was broken in by a
cross-tie. A dozen masked men rushed
into the room and, without allowing him to dress, dragged him out into the cold
night. He was taken about 200 feet from
the house and tied to a tree, after being blindfolded. His shirt was stripped off his back, and the
leader, whom Coffey always maintained was John H. Brown, a prominent and
well-to-do farmer of the neighborhood, gave the order for “No. 1” to proceed.
Beaten by Whitecaps.
“No. 1” stepped
forward, picked up a strong hickory with, and gave Coffey five vigorous blows
on the back. Coffey claimed that “No. 1:
was Thomas Higfill. “No. 1,: at the
command of the leader, was followed by “No. 2.” “No. 3,” “No. 4” and “No. 5,”
who each gave him five hard lashes as “No. 1” had done. Not a word was spoken by anyone except the
leader. No names were spoken, each
member being designated by number. About
twenty-five were present, all disguised and masked. Coffey did not pretend to know all the crowd,
but insisted that “No. 2: was Henry Sutton and “No 3” William Highfill. Among others he
claimed to
recognize were James Ellis, Levi Ellis, Levi Jacobs and John and Wesley
Kellams. All these were prominent and
well-respected men.
At the January term
of court Judge Oscar M. Welborn gave pointed instructions to the Grand Jury and
directed them to return bills against all the whitecappers if any evidence
could be secured against them. Both
Coffey and his wife appeared before the Grand Jury and identified each of the
suspected men and several others, but the Grand Jury refused to return any
bills.
Again Beaten.
During the
following spring and summer there were numerous whitecap outrages along the
Dubois and Crawford
County
Coffey and his wife
made their way to his mother’s house, a quarter of a mile distant, where Coffey
fell fainting in her door from loss of blood.
His life was despaired of for more than three weeks. He finally recovered and he and his wife
appeared before the September Grand Jury and testified that the same men
whipped him who had whipped him the year before. Though Judge Welborn gave charge after charge
and time and again sent them back to their rooms, the jurors refused to return
any whitecap indictments. John H. Brown,
whom Coffey identified as leader, was foreman of the Grand Jury. They did, however, return two or three bills
against Coffey for provoke [sic] and assault and battery.
Alleged Whitecaps Tried.
During all this
time the newspapers all over the country were urging the prosecution of the
whitecappers and were wanting to know why it was not done. As soon as court was over Coffey was sent for
by Deputy Prosecutor Richard M. Milburn and affidavits were made against all
the parties whom Coffey claimed to recognize.
All were arrested
and demanded a change from Judge Welborn.
This was granted and Thomas Duncan of Princeton was appointed special
Judge to try the cases. The first case
to be tried was that of John H. Brown.
The trial lasted a week. More
than fifty witnesses testified that Coffey’s reputation for truth was bad.
After being out
twenty-four hours the jury brought in a verdict of guilty, fixing Brown’s
punishment at two years in the penitentiary.
Brown escaped and has never been seen in the county since. He is said to be in Texas.
The next cases to
be tried were those of Thomas Highfil [sic] and his son, William. Each occupied a week. Thomas was found not guilty and William was
given two years in State Prison. He
served his time and is now living in the eastern part of this county. Henry Sutton pleaded illness and his case was
continued.
It is now seen that
the back of the defense was broken and that unless something desperate was done
that all of the defendants would go to the Penitentiary, as there were three
cases against each defendant, two for whipping Coffey and one for whipping his
wife.
Charged with Perjury.
A change of venue
was granted and the cases sent to Pike County.
At this state of the game, it is said one of the accused men offered
Coffey $7,000 is he would make an affidavit that he had nothing to do with the
whipping and was not present. Coffey
agreed to this. The money was to be
placed in a hollow oak tree and as soon as he had signed the affidavits he was
to go and get the money. However, when
he signed the papers and went to look for the money he found nothing bu some
strips of brown paper.
Shortly afterwards,
Sutton’s case was called and these affidavits introduced in evidence. Sutton was acquitted and the prosecution in
disgust quashed the remaining cases.
Coffey was indicted
for perjury, but escaped. He wandered
around and was arrested at Vincennes for stealing a turkey and sent to the
penitentiary for a year. Upon the
expiration of his sentence he was arrested on an old charge of perjury at
Petersburg. The jury, after hearing the
evidence for a week, were out for three days and failed to agree. After this the case was continued a time or
two and, after Coffey had been in jail for nearly a year, he was released by
the Judge on his own bond. The officers
hoped he would leave and never come back for trial, but on the first day of the
next court he was on hand. After an
attempt to get the witnesses, the case was nolled. [sic]
Trouble With His Wife.
Coffee [sic] had
three cases for damages against each of the parties charged with taking part in
whitecapping him, but never recovered anything.
He and his wife separated, and he was arrested on the charge of sending
a letter containing obscene matter through the mails to her. He was taken to Evansville and lodged in jail, and after an
examination by Commissioner Wartmen was bound over to the United States
District Court at Indianapolis and sent to the Marion County
Since then he has
figured in two or three cases of some sort at every term of court. He is about 35 years old, is a hard worker
and can do as much manual labor in a day as any man in the county. A few nights ago Miss Ella Smith of Ireland
claims he broke into her room where she was sleeping with some younger brothers
and sisters and attempted to assault her.
An outcry from the children, however, frightened him and he fled. Her father and mother were both away and this
was about midnight. She swore out a
warrant against him. He is now in jail
awaiting trial on this charge and denies that he is guilty.
*Whitecaps were
also known as Night Riders
Please write if you know who William's parents were!
Jack
March 28, 2014
John Cleveland & Elizabeth Coffey
The Cleveland family is neither short on research nor controversy. Very little of what I will write here has been personally researched. Instead, I have depended on several sources that many readers will very likely recognize.
I'll begin with at controversy I faced when I wrote on 2004 that Alexander Cleveland, born c1670 in Orange Co., VA, married Mildred "Milly" Presly [sic] in that county c1694. According to the source, Alexander may have married twice. A grandson, Henry Wilson Cleveland, Alexander married "Margaret Doolittle, of Irish descent."
Shortly afterward I received email from a reader that Alexander did not marry Mildred. That reader assured me that they "have thoroughly researched that family and come to the conclusion that it is simply impossible. Presley researchers do not include her in their genealogies and there is nothing to tie that family to Gloucester Co." After a couple of exchanges the writer refused to continue with the contact.
So, for what it is worth, this is what I have recorded in the Edward Coffey Project about Alexander and Mildred Presly Cleveland:
The couple married c1694 in Orange Co., VA and very likely had several children. I have recorded only two: John, born Jul. 31, 1714 in Gloucester Co., died Nov., 1778 at Blue Run in Orange Co., VA and, Grace, born Sep. 1, 1716 in Gloucester Co.
John Married Elizabeth Coffey in 1734. She was the daughter of Edward and Anne Powell Coffey, born c1714 in Essex Co., VA, died 1770 in Orange Co.
They were parents of at least nine children:
Mary, born c1736 - no further information
Benjamin, born May 26, 1738 in Prince William Co., VA, died Oct. 15, 1806 in Tugalo Valley, Oconee Co., SC. This is "the" Benjamin Cleveland of King's Mountain fame. Marvin Coffey wrote that Benjamin was "probably the oldest son," and that he "spent some time in Pittsylvania co., VA where he became known as a mighty hunter." in about 1768 the family moved to NC, first to Surry Co. (created from Rowan Co. in 1770) and later settled on the upper Yadkin River in Wilkes Co. Benjamin married Mary Graves c1761 and they were parents of at least two sons, Absalom and John.
New River Notes at http://tinyurl.com/mmpgkns; Cleveland Family Chronicles at http://tinyurl.com/n55brot; Ashe, Samuel, Biographical History of North Carolina, 1906; Crouch, John, Historical Sketches of Wilkes County., Wilkesboro, NC, 1902 and, Kings Mountain Men, White, K.K (Katherine Keogh), Gen. Pub. Co., Baltimore, 1977
Rev. John Cleveland, born c1740 in Orange Co., said to have married Mary McCann. No further information.
Elizabeth "Betty," Cleveland, born 1742, died 1828 in Scott Co., KY, married David Gillaspy between 1760 and 1765. The family moved to Madison Co., KY c1802. No further information.
Robert Cleveland, born 1744 at Blue Run, died 1812 in Lewis Fork Twp., Wilkes Co., NC. Married in KY to Alice "Aley" Mathis, born 1750 died 1791. At least two sons: Jesse, married Mary Blassingame and parents of Dr. Jesse F. Cleveland who married Caro [sic] Zimmerman. Robert and Alice's second child was Capt. Jeremiah Cleveland. Robert may be the same that was in Pittsylvania Co., VA before arriving in Wilkes Co. There is a 1799 land entry in that county for a Robert Cleveland as well. Source cited is Deed Book 5, page 91. Robert was a captain in the Revolutionary War, and was at King's Mountain. He is said to have sired 17 children by two wives.
Jeremiah Cleveland, born 1746 at Blue Rn, died 1806 in VA. No further information.
Larkin Cleveland, born 1748 in Orange Co., died 1814 in Giles Co., TN. Larkin was probably as "famous" as his older brother, Benjamin. He married Frances Wright, born 1756, died 1836 in Dallas Co., AL. Larkin has a DAR monument at Buford Station Cemetery [aka Lane Cemetery] in Lynnville, Giles Co., TN which gives his rank as a Lieutenant. An older headstone, likely placed shortly after his death, records his rank as Colonel. Frances is said to have been buried at the Old Govan Cemetery at Selma in Dallas Co., AL. A message found in a genealogy forum reads: "The 1989 version of the Central Alabama Genealogical Society's book, Vital Data from Cemeteries of Dallas County, Alabama shows the following: Frances Cleveland, wife of Larkin Cleveland, b. 6 Aug 1756, d. 26 Mar 1836, bd. in the abandoned Govan family cemetery, located west of route no. 41 near Sardis, east of the intersection of county Rd 77 and Co. Rd. 30, Township 16, Range 11, Section 31."
Martha "Patsy" Cleveland, born c1759 in Orange Co., VA, married James Smith in that county in 1775. No further information.
The last child of John and Elizabeth Coffey Cleveland is said to be Reuben, born 1752 in Blue Run, Orange Co. Little or nothing is known of Reuben. He was mentioned in his father will and may have died prior to 1792. He is thought to have had a son named John.
Please note that many of the birth dates given for these children are - as far as I am concerned - speculative at best. Most are from the compilation of data by Edmund West and found mostly on Ancestry.com as part of the "Family Data Collection - Births." As I understand those records, they are compiled from information given in what are often termed "controversial" family histories found on Ancestry. Personally, I have little faith in those histories unless more reliable sources are provided to back up given claims.
Sources:
Cleveland, Edmund James, The genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland families , Page 3_2056.
George A. Martin, Virginia Cleveland Ancestor Discovered, National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 46, Sept., 1958)
Men of Mark in South Carolina, Vol. III, a collection of biographies edited by J. C. Hemphill and published in Washington, D.C. in 1908. This collection contains the biography of Dr. Jesse Franklin Cleveland of Spartanburg, SC.
Original Immigrant of Southern Clevelands, Vikki L. Jeanne Cleveland, http://tinyurl.com/ljpwksn
Three Centuries in America: Thomas Machel of Middlesex County, Virginia, L. C. Edwards, 1999
King's Mountain and Its Heroes: History of the Battle of King's Mountain, October 7, 1780 and the Events which led to it, Peter G. Thomson, 1881; Lyman C. Draper LL.D., Editor
The Long Journey: A Family History 1687 to 1991, Thomas Lee Hair, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, 1992
http://tinyurl.com/o3oanrd
James Bluford Coffey: His Ancestors and Descendants in America, Vol I and II, Coffey, Marvin Dale, privately printed, 1984. See also http://tinyurl.com/nfwfkro This book likely available on microfilm from the Family History Library at Salt Lake City.
I'll begin with at controversy I faced when I wrote on 2004 that Alexander Cleveland, born c1670 in Orange Co., VA, married Mildred "Milly" Presly [sic] in that county c1694. According to the source, Alexander may have married twice. A grandson, Henry Wilson Cleveland, Alexander married "Margaret Doolittle, of Irish descent."
Shortly afterward I received email from a reader that Alexander did not marry Mildred. That reader assured me that they "have thoroughly researched that family and come to the conclusion that it is simply impossible. Presley researchers do not include her in their genealogies and there is nothing to tie that family to Gloucester Co." After a couple of exchanges the writer refused to continue with the contact.
So, for what it is worth, this is what I have recorded in the Edward Coffey Project about Alexander and Mildred Presly Cleveland:
The couple married c1694 in Orange Co., VA and very likely had several children. I have recorded only two: John, born Jul. 31, 1714 in Gloucester Co., died Nov., 1778 at Blue Run in Orange Co., VA and, Grace, born Sep. 1, 1716 in Gloucester Co.
John Married Elizabeth Coffey in 1734. She was the daughter of Edward and Anne Powell Coffey, born c1714 in Essex Co., VA, died 1770 in Orange Co.
They were parents of at least nine children:
Mary, born c1736 - no further information
Benjamin, born May 26, 1738 in Prince William Co., VA, died Oct. 15, 1806 in Tugalo Valley, Oconee Co., SC. This is "the" Benjamin Cleveland of King's Mountain fame. Marvin Coffey wrote that Benjamin was "probably the oldest son," and that he "spent some time in Pittsylvania co., VA where he became known as a mighty hunter." in about 1768 the family moved to NC, first to Surry Co. (created from Rowan Co. in 1770) and later settled on the upper Yadkin River in Wilkes Co. Benjamin married Mary Graves c1761 and they were parents of at least two sons, Absalom and John.
Pages upon pages could be written - and have in numerous books - about Cleveland. Check the following sources for further research:
New River Notes at http://tinyurl.com/mmpgkns; Cleveland Family Chronicles at http://tinyurl.com/n55brot; Ashe, Samuel, Biographical History of North Carolina, 1906; Crouch, John, Historical Sketches of Wilkes County., Wilkesboro, NC, 1902 and, Kings Mountain Men, White, K.K (Katherine Keogh), Gen. Pub. Co., Baltimore, 1977
Rev. John Cleveland, born c1740 in Orange Co., said to have married Mary McCann. No further information.
Elizabeth "Betty," Cleveland, born 1742, died 1828 in Scott Co., KY, married David Gillaspy between 1760 and 1765. The family moved to Madison Co., KY c1802. No further information.
Robert Cleveland, born 1744 at Blue Run, died 1812 in Lewis Fork Twp., Wilkes Co., NC. Married in KY to Alice "Aley" Mathis, born 1750 died 1791. At least two sons: Jesse, married Mary Blassingame and parents of Dr. Jesse F. Cleveland who married Caro [sic] Zimmerman. Robert and Alice's second child was Capt. Jeremiah Cleveland. Robert may be the same that was in Pittsylvania Co., VA before arriving in Wilkes Co. There is a 1799 land entry in that county for a Robert Cleveland as well. Source cited is Deed Book 5, page 91. Robert was a captain in the Revolutionary War, and was at King's Mountain. He is said to have sired 17 children by two wives.
Jeremiah Cleveland, born 1746 at Blue Rn, died 1806 in VA. No further information.
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| Photo by Vanessa Neal |
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| Photo by Vanessa Neal |
Martha "Patsy" Cleveland, born c1759 in Orange Co., VA, married James Smith in that county in 1775. No further information.
The last child of John and Elizabeth Coffey Cleveland is said to be Reuben, born 1752 in Blue Run, Orange Co. Little or nothing is known of Reuben. He was mentioned in his father will and may have died prior to 1792. He is thought to have had a son named John.
Please note that many of the birth dates given for these children are - as far as I am concerned - speculative at best. Most are from the compilation of data by Edmund West and found mostly on Ancestry.com as part of the "Family Data Collection - Births." As I understand those records, they are compiled from information given in what are often termed "controversial" family histories found on Ancestry. Personally, I have little faith in those histories unless more reliable sources are provided to back up given claims.
Jack
Sources:
Cleveland, Edmund James, The genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland families , Page 3_2056.
George A. Martin, Virginia Cleveland Ancestor Discovered, National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 46, Sept., 1958)
Men of Mark in South Carolina, Vol. III, a collection of biographies edited by J. C. Hemphill and published in Washington, D.C. in 1908. This collection contains the biography of Dr. Jesse Franklin Cleveland of Spartanburg, SC.
Original Immigrant of Southern Clevelands, Vikki L. Jeanne Cleveland, http://tinyurl.com/ljpwksn
Three Centuries in America: Thomas Machel of Middlesex County, Virginia, L. C. Edwards, 1999
King's Mountain and Its Heroes: History of the Battle of King's Mountain, October 7, 1780 and the Events which led to it, Peter G. Thomson, 1881; Lyman C. Draper LL.D., Editor
The Long Journey: A Family History 1687 to 1991, Thomas Lee Hair, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, 1992
http://tinyurl.com/o3oanrd
James Bluford Coffey: His Ancestors and Descendants in America, Vol I and II, Coffey, Marvin Dale, privately printed, 1984. See also http://tinyurl.com/nfwfkro This book likely available on microfilm from the Family History Library at Salt Lake City.
February 13, 2014
William Benjamin and Mary F. "Molly" Demasters Coffey
I am uncertain that any Demasters family researcher has ever conclusively proven that today's more-or-less accepted spelling is correct. Some with whom I I have exchanged information tell me that the name can be found a Demastus, Damastas, etc. I use the spelling that I have most often found; e.g., Demasters.
Mary "Molly" Demasters was born Dec. 4, 1804 (no source) and died before 1860 (no source). She married William Benjamin Coffey on Nov. 13, 1824¹ in Nelson Co., VA, was living in that county at the 1850 census and was a widow there in 1860. She died Apr. 22, 1867 but, her place of burial is not known to me. She was the daughter of John and Martha "Patsy" Moran Demasters. According to a typewritten letter dated Oct. 10, 1934 to Mrs. Leo W. Kasehagen of Washington, D.C., (sender not identified), this couple was married on Jul. 29, 1779 in Lyndhurst, Augusta Co., VA.²
William Benjamin Coffey was born c1805, probably in Nelson Co., VA, to Edmund F. and Elizabeth Burger Coffey. He died on Apr. 22, 1867³ in that county. His burial site is also unknown to me.
To the union was born at least seven children: Morris W.; Martha Ann; Edmund Franklin; Egbert; Nancy; Elizabeth and William Benjamin, Jr.
1) Morris was born Aug. 12, 1825 in Nelson Co. His wife was a double third cousin, Mildred Annister "Milly" Coffey, a daughter of John W. and Margaret Susanna "Susan" Coffey Coffey. John W. was a son of Edmind Steward Coffey, Jr. and his wife Matilda "Tildy" Fitzgerald. Susan's parents were Reuben G. and Nancy Giles Coffey.
Children born to Morris and Milly were Mary Ann Elizabeth (1860-1946), who married Joseph Clay Hewitt (1847-1920). Second was Nicholas Anderson "Nick" (1861-1956) who married his several times cousin, Viola M. A. Coffey, a daughter of George Washington and Rachel A. Campbell Coffey. Next was John Walton Coffey (1866-1945) who also married his several times cousin, Sarah Henry "Sallie" Coffey, a daughter of the George Washington Coffey who married Mary Catherine "Kitty" Demasters. Kitty was a daughter of John and Mary Ann "Polly" Coffey Demasters. Following John Walton was Alice Sophronia "Allie" Coffey (1870-1955). Her husband was Hugh "Hughey" Coffey (c1861-?), a brother to Sarah Henry Coffey.
2) Martha Ann "Patsy" was born c1827 in Nelson Co. Nothing more is know.
3) Edmond Franklin (1829-1906) married twice. His first wife was Mary Jane Camden (c1829-?). Their children were Lucas T. (c1859-?); William Luther (1861-1890) and B. E., a son, born 1866. This son married I. B Jackson on Fb. 3, 1892 in Wythe Co., VA.# His second wife was Sarah Margaret Smith (c1841-?) to whom he was married on Nov. 18, 1867 in Nelson Co.± Their children were Hugh (1869-1870); Mary Jane (c1871-?); Nora Kate (c1872-1940); Elizabeth Dora "Betty" (1873-1954), married Edell Alexander Brown (1870-1933); Cofa Lee (1875-1875); Florence Pearl (1875-1960) and Julie Ann (c1878-?)
4) Egbert, 1831-?) married Martha Monroe on Fe. 23, 1854 in Nelson Co.* Egbert was a volunteer with Co. E., 51st Inf Regt., CSA, Nelson Co. I know of only one child, as son George W., born 1855.
5) Nancy (c1831-?) married Peter S. Fitzgerald on Jan. 18, 1848 in Nelson Co.** Peter and Nancy had at least three children: James W. (1851-?); Sarah Elizabeth, (1850-?) and Napoleon D., (c1866-?). James married Mary S. Coffey, a daughter of William W. and Sarah Jane Coffey Coffey. William W. was a son of William who married Elizabeth Giles and Sarah was a daughter of his brother, Reuben G. Coffey who married Elizabeth's sister, Nancy Giles. Sarah Elizabeth married Lorenzo D. Fitzgerald, a son of Moses W. and Mary Ann Coffey Fitzgerald. I suspect Lorenzo and Sarah Elizabeth were cousins but I cannot find the parents of his mother, Mary Ann Coffey Fitzgerald. Napoleon married Martha Elizabeth Coffey, a daughter of William David "Billy" Coffey and wife Samantha Elizabeth Campbell.
Nothing more is know of child 6) Elizabeth and child 7) William Benjamin, Jr.
Many of these families have descendants. Information on individuals is available. The entire family, including sources, is included on the Edward Coffey Project DVD.
Sources:
¹Marriage Register, Nelson Co., VA, Part 2, Page 19, Line 20. This marriage register names the groom as William B. Coffey and the bride as Mary F. Masters with E.F. Coffey and John Masters as security.
²Coffey Cousins' Clearinghouse Newsletter (Jefferson City, MO: Bonnie Culley, March 1996. Winifred, dau. of John and Jane (Jean) Graves Coffee. One of their children, Martha "Patsy" Moran m. John DeMasters. John served in Rev. War and Martha drew a pension on his war record. See Issue 62, page 9 at http://tinyurl.com/qbfdt2c
³Nelson Co., VA Death Register, Page 22, line 5
#"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRSH-G13 : accessed 25 Feb 2013), B. E. Coffy and I. B. Jackson, 03 Feb 1892; citing reference Page 8-5, FHL microfilm 34255. This child has not been found in the census record with the Edmund F. Coffey who married Mary Jane Camden.
±"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRZR-CQS : accessed 25 Feb 2013), E. F. Coffey and Sarah M. Smith, 18 Nov 1867; citing reference p 20 ln 54, FHL microfilm 32734.
*Marriage Register, Nelson Co., VA, Part 2, Page 63, Line 11.
**"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRZT-QPX : accessed 09 Mar 2013), Peter Fitzgerald and Nancy Coffey, 18 Jan 1848.
Mary "Molly" Demasters was born Dec. 4, 1804 (no source) and died before 1860 (no source). She married William Benjamin Coffey on Nov. 13, 1824¹ in Nelson Co., VA, was living in that county at the 1850 census and was a widow there in 1860. She died Apr. 22, 1867 but, her place of burial is not known to me. She was the daughter of John and Martha "Patsy" Moran Demasters. According to a typewritten letter dated Oct. 10, 1934 to Mrs. Leo W. Kasehagen of Washington, D.C., (sender not identified), this couple was married on Jul. 29, 1779 in Lyndhurst, Augusta Co., VA.²
William Benjamin Coffey was born c1805, probably in Nelson Co., VA, to Edmund F. and Elizabeth Burger Coffey. He died on Apr. 22, 1867³ in that county. His burial site is also unknown to me.
To the union was born at least seven children: Morris W.; Martha Ann; Edmund Franklin; Egbert; Nancy; Elizabeth and William Benjamin, Jr.
1) Morris was born Aug. 12, 1825 in Nelson Co. His wife was a double third cousin, Mildred Annister "Milly" Coffey, a daughter of John W. and Margaret Susanna "Susan" Coffey Coffey. John W. was a son of Edmind Steward Coffey, Jr. and his wife Matilda "Tildy" Fitzgerald. Susan's parents were Reuben G. and Nancy Giles Coffey.
Children born to Morris and Milly were Mary Ann Elizabeth (1860-1946), who married Joseph Clay Hewitt (1847-1920). Second was Nicholas Anderson "Nick" (1861-1956) who married his several times cousin, Viola M. A. Coffey, a daughter of George Washington and Rachel A. Campbell Coffey. Next was John Walton Coffey (1866-1945) who also married his several times cousin, Sarah Henry "Sallie" Coffey, a daughter of the George Washington Coffey who married Mary Catherine "Kitty" Demasters. Kitty was a daughter of John and Mary Ann "Polly" Coffey Demasters. Following John Walton was Alice Sophronia "Allie" Coffey (1870-1955). Her husband was Hugh "Hughey" Coffey (c1861-?), a brother to Sarah Henry Coffey.
2) Martha Ann "Patsy" was born c1827 in Nelson Co. Nothing more is know.
3) Edmond Franklin (1829-1906) married twice. His first wife was Mary Jane Camden (c1829-?). Their children were Lucas T. (c1859-?); William Luther (1861-1890) and B. E., a son, born 1866. This son married I. B Jackson on Fb. 3, 1892 in Wythe Co., VA.# His second wife was Sarah Margaret Smith (c1841-?) to whom he was married on Nov. 18, 1867 in Nelson Co.± Their children were Hugh (1869-1870); Mary Jane (c1871-?); Nora Kate (c1872-1940); Elizabeth Dora "Betty" (1873-1954), married Edell Alexander Brown (1870-1933); Cofa Lee (1875-1875); Florence Pearl (1875-1960) and Julie Ann (c1878-?)
4) Egbert, 1831-?) married Martha Monroe on Fe. 23, 1854 in Nelson Co.* Egbert was a volunteer with Co. E., 51st Inf Regt., CSA, Nelson Co. I know of only one child, as son George W., born 1855.
5) Nancy (c1831-?) married Peter S. Fitzgerald on Jan. 18, 1848 in Nelson Co.** Peter and Nancy had at least three children: James W. (1851-?); Sarah Elizabeth, (1850-?) and Napoleon D., (c1866-?). James married Mary S. Coffey, a daughter of William W. and Sarah Jane Coffey Coffey. William W. was a son of William who married Elizabeth Giles and Sarah was a daughter of his brother, Reuben G. Coffey who married Elizabeth's sister, Nancy Giles. Sarah Elizabeth married Lorenzo D. Fitzgerald, a son of Moses W. and Mary Ann Coffey Fitzgerald. I suspect Lorenzo and Sarah Elizabeth were cousins but I cannot find the parents of his mother, Mary Ann Coffey Fitzgerald. Napoleon married Martha Elizabeth Coffey, a daughter of William David "Billy" Coffey and wife Samantha Elizabeth Campbell.
Nothing more is know of child 6) Elizabeth and child 7) William Benjamin, Jr.
Many of these families have descendants. Information on individuals is available. The entire family, including sources, is included on the Edward Coffey Project DVD.
Sources:
¹Marriage Register, Nelson Co., VA, Part 2, Page 19, Line 20. This marriage register names the groom as William B. Coffey and the bride as Mary F. Masters with E.F. Coffey and John Masters as security.
²Coffey Cousins' Clearinghouse Newsletter (Jefferson City, MO: Bonnie Culley, March 1996. Winifred, dau. of John and Jane (Jean) Graves Coffee. One of their children, Martha "Patsy" Moran m. John DeMasters. John served in Rev. War and Martha drew a pension on his war record. See Issue 62, page 9 at http://tinyurl.com/qbfdt2c
³Nelson Co., VA Death Register, Page 22, line 5
#"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRSH-G13 : accessed 25 Feb 2013), B. E. Coffy and I. B. Jackson, 03 Feb 1892; citing reference Page 8-5, FHL microfilm 34255. This child has not been found in the census record with the Edmund F. Coffey who married Mary Jane Camden.
±"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRZR-CQS : accessed 25 Feb 2013), E. F. Coffey and Sarah M. Smith, 18 Nov 1867; citing reference p 20 ln 54, FHL microfilm 32734.
*Marriage Register, Nelson Co., VA, Part 2, Page 63, Line 11.
**"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRZT-QPX : accessed 09 Mar 2013), Peter Fitzgerald and Nancy Coffey, 18 Jan 1848.
March 16, 2013
DNA & The Augustus F. & Betty Beard Coffey Family
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| The family of Augustus F. Coffey L:R rear: Archie, Spencer, George, Benson, Robert, Blaine Dillard L:R front: Maude, Cena, Betty Beard Coffey, and Bonnie Photo courtesy of Brent Coffey |
The problem [if there is one] seems to be one particular marker in his DNA that does not match most of those in the Edward group of the DNA project. I won't go into a discussion about DNA because I frankly do not understand enough to hold an intelligent discussion.
However, the mis-matched marker also appears in the the DNA of another tested Coffey who descends from Thomas Coffey and Elizabeth Smith; Thomas being a son of John and Jane Graves Coffey. Brent claims descent from Thomas' brother, Reuben and his wife Sarah Scott Coffey. So, the question raised by Coffey DNA guru Fred Coffey was how positive Brent is that he descends from Reuben and not Thomas?!
Brent tells us that he descends from Reuben and Sarah Scott Coffey through their son Joseph > Jacob Zachariah > Jesse Patterson > Augustus F. > Blaine Dillard > Blaine Dillard, Jr.
[NB: The children of Reuben and Sally are not entirely agreed upon by researchers. The following then may be totally irrelevant in deciding who Brent's ancestor was.]
Joseph and his wife Isabella Lindsay had another son, Elisha born about the same time as Jacob Zachariah. Both are thought to have been born in the 1813-1815 time frame and, could be twins. I suggested that the certain DNA marker that does not match might be a result of the possibility that Elisha and Jacob were twins.
I don't believe a consensus has yet been reached and the questions remains open.
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| Blaine Dillard Coffey & Faye Dell Van Klaveren Wedding Photo Photo courtesy of Brent Coffey |
Blaine Dillard was married on Sep. 11, 1946 in North Carolina to Faye Dell Van Klaveren, sister to a WWII shipmate of Blaine. She was the daughter of Dick and Tillie Van Kotten Van Klaveren, Dutch emigrants who first settled in Iowa and later moved to Texas. Faye was born in Cotulla, LaSalle Co., TX on Feb. 19, 1928.
Jack
*Readers who have a copy of my Edward Coffey Project DVD or, who have copied my research from elsewhere, should make a note of this change.
January 26, 2013
Thomas Coffey & Elizabeth Smith
Back in 2006 I wrote a short blog about Smith Coffey, thought by me to be the youngest child born to Thomas and Elizabeth Smith Coffey.
Thomas was a son of John and Jane Graves Coffey and, a grandson of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey. He was born on Mar. 7, 1742[1] in Essex Co., VA and married first Elizabeth Smith c1762 in Albemarle Co., VA. Thomas died in Apr., 1825[2] in Wilkes Co., NC; Elizabeth is thought to have died between 1775 and 1780, probably in VA. Thomas' second wife was Sarah "Sally" Fields, married 1778/9, probably in Wilkes Co., NC.
Thomas and Sally had at least 10 children, many of which I have written about in earlier blogs. If anyone want more info, leave a note or send an e-mail.
There were about six children born to Thomas and Elizabeth. Two that I want to write about today are Elizabeth, the eldest and, John Franklin, next eldest.
Elizabeth was born on Oct. 25, 1765 and died in Oct., 1852[3] in Monroe Co., IN. She is buried there at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville. She married David Allen, born in VA in May, 1765 and died in Apr., 1848.[3] He too is buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
Their children were:
Thomas, born 1792 in NC, died and is buried at Ellettsville. A death date is not shown on his headstone.
Polly, born 1794, probably in NC, died and is buried at Ellettsville. She does not have a death date on the stone.
John, born 1797, probably in NC, died Aug. 31, 1844 in Elletsville. John married Eliza Coffey, the daughter of John Franklin Coffey and his wife, Hannah Wilson. Of course, this John Franklin is the brother of Elizabeth, making John Allen and Eliza Coffey first cousins. Eliza was born Nov., 1798 in NC and died Aug., 1844 in Elletsville. They were married in Sep., 1818 in Wilkes Co., NC
Following John was Jesse, born 1800 in NC, died Feb., 1881 in Monroe Co.. I do not know his wife's name but, there were at least seven children born to her. They were James, born c1828 in KY. The rest, all born in IN, were William, c1830; David, c1832; Nancy, c1836; Joseph, c1838; Louisa, c1840 and John Allen, c1842. Jesse is also buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville.
Hanna, born Jul., 1802 in Wilkes Co., married Abner Wilson, born 1804 in Burke Co. He died in Monroe Co. in 1844, she in 1877. They too are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
Martha "Patsy," born in NC in 1804 married John Candler Corder of VA, probably about 1824 or a tad earlier and, probably in IN. John was born in Jul., 1800 and died in 1852.[3] Martha died in Dec., 1887 [3] and both are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
They were parents of at least seven:
Mary A., married Jonathan L. Allen, a son of John and Eliza Coffey Allen. Mary and Jonathan were first cousins as well and second cousins. They too are buried at the Coffey Cemetery. I haven't yet searched for children.
Eliza Jane, born 1829 in IN, died there in 1899. She married Lorenzo [Dow?] Coffey, first cousin once removed, a son of Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey. Larkin was a son of Thomas and his second wife, Sarah Fields Coffey. Lorenzo and Eliza had at least two children: Wayland Everett, born 1854, died 1919 and, Nora E., born c1878, died 1947. Wayland is buried at the Coffey Cemetery; Nora at the Presbyterian Cemetery in Ellettsville.
Rachel, born 1832, died 1912, married Jason Coffey, another son of Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey. Jason was born in 1829, NC, died 1871 in IN. Both are buried at the Coffey Cemetery. They were parents of Merritt V., Ira E., Cyrus V., and Esther Martha.
Elizabeth was next. She was born in 1835 and died in 1841. She is also buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
Stephen, born 1838, died 1909, married Rachel Wilson in IN c1865. She was born in 1843 KY, died in Ellettsville in 1929. Chidlren were John; Frank; William S.; Clara; Emma H.; and Martha. Stephen and Rachel. All of the children and their spouses are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
Sarah, born 1842, died 1860, buried at Coffey Cemetery.
Martha, 1845, buried at Coffey Cemetery, death date not given on headstone. She married Asbury Coffey, her double second cousin, born c1838 in IN to James Wilson and Malena Coffey Coffey. James Wilson was a son of first cousins, John Franklin and Hannah Wilson Coffey; Malena was a daughter of Rev. Reuben and Martha "Polly" Dowell Coffey. Asbury and Martha had children Mary; Charlie; Willie; Freddie and Ethel Malena. Asbury and Martha, as well and their children and spouses are all buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
The last child of David and Elizabeth Coffey Allen was David, born 1808, died 1881. He married Eliza McCowan, born c1799 in VA. Their children, all born in IN, were Elijah; Nancy; Mary; William; James; Sarah and Margaret.
John Franklin Coffey married Hannah Wilson in Oct., 1796, Wilkes Co. Hannah was born there in 1769 and died in IN on Sep. 12, 1862.
I know of five children born to them: Rebecca who married John Wilson; Cassandra; Eliza, mentioned above as spouse of John Allen; John Wilson, mentioned above as spouse of Malena Coffey; and Jane Graves[4], born Mar., 1811, died in 1855, Monroe Co., IN. Jane married Alfred Martin "Martin" Coffey, another son of Rev. Reuben and Martha Dowell. Alfred was born in 1807, Wilkes Co., died in1836, Owen Co., IN. They had at least two children: James Martin, 1837-1861 and Christopher Columbus, birth unknown, died during the Civil War in 1862 at Corinth, Perry Co., MS. He is buried at the National Cemetery in Corinth, Alcorn Co., MS. James is buried at the Stouts-Houston Cemetery in Ellettsville.
I have more information about many of these families.
Updates and corrections are appreciated.
[1] Unproven
[2] According to Laurence Coffey, Thomas "...was buried in Hull Hill graveyard..", and after Sarah died, she was buried next to him. "Years later the cemetery became neglected, and almost lost..." Laurence and cousin Newell Sanders "...had their remains removed to Harper's Chapel burying ground, where a suitable monument was placed above them." Harpers Chapel is located in Patterson, Caldwell Co., NC.
[3] Headstone - birth and/or death dates for everyone buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville are taken from their headstones.
[4] John, in naming this child after his grandmother seems to have had a concept of where his roots lay.
Thomas was a son of John and Jane Graves Coffey and, a grandson of Edward and Ann Powell Coffey. He was born on Mar. 7, 1742[1] in Essex Co., VA and married first Elizabeth Smith c1762 in Albemarle Co., VA. Thomas died in Apr., 1825[2] in Wilkes Co., NC; Elizabeth is thought to have died between 1775 and 1780, probably in VA. Thomas' second wife was Sarah "Sally" Fields, married 1778/9, probably in Wilkes Co., NC.
Thomas and Sally had at least 10 children, many of which I have written about in earlier blogs. If anyone want more info, leave a note or send an e-mail.
There were about six children born to Thomas and Elizabeth. Two that I want to write about today are Elizabeth, the eldest and, John Franklin, next eldest.
Elizabeth was born on Oct. 25, 1765 and died in Oct., 1852[3] in Monroe Co., IN. She is buried there at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville. She married David Allen, born in VA in May, 1765 and died in Apr., 1848.[3] He too is buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
Their children were:
Thomas, born 1792 in NC, died and is buried at Ellettsville. A death date is not shown on his headstone.
Polly, born 1794, probably in NC, died and is buried at Ellettsville. She does not have a death date on the stone.
John, born 1797, probably in NC, died Aug. 31, 1844 in Elletsville. John married Eliza Coffey, the daughter of John Franklin Coffey and his wife, Hannah Wilson. Of course, this John Franklin is the brother of Elizabeth, making John Allen and Eliza Coffey first cousins. Eliza was born Nov., 1798 in NC and died Aug., 1844 in Elletsville. They were married in Sep., 1818 in Wilkes Co., NC
Following John was Jesse, born 1800 in NC, died Feb., 1881 in Monroe Co.. I do not know his wife's name but, there were at least seven children born to her. They were James, born c1828 in KY. The rest, all born in IN, were William, c1830; David, c1832; Nancy, c1836; Joseph, c1838; Louisa, c1840 and John Allen, c1842. Jesse is also buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville.
Hanna, born Jul., 1802 in Wilkes Co., married Abner Wilson, born 1804 in Burke Co. He died in Monroe Co. in 1844, she in 1877. They too are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
Martha "Patsy," born in NC in 1804 married John Candler Corder of VA, probably about 1824 or a tad earlier and, probably in IN. John was born in Jul., 1800 and died in 1852.[3] Martha died in Dec., 1887 [3] and both are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
They were parents of at least seven:
Mary A., married Jonathan L. Allen, a son of John and Eliza Coffey Allen. Mary and Jonathan were first cousins as well and second cousins. They too are buried at the Coffey Cemetery. I haven't yet searched for children.
Eliza Jane, born 1829 in IN, died there in 1899. She married Lorenzo [Dow?] Coffey, first cousin once removed, a son of Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey. Larkin was a son of Thomas and his second wife, Sarah Fields Coffey. Lorenzo and Eliza had at least two children: Wayland Everett, born 1854, died 1919 and, Nora E., born c1878, died 1947. Wayland is buried at the Coffey Cemetery; Nora at the Presbyterian Cemetery in Ellettsville.
Rachel, born 1832, died 1912, married Jason Coffey, another son of Larkin and Catherine H. Wilson Coffey. Jason was born in 1829, NC, died 1871 in IN. Both are buried at the Coffey Cemetery. They were parents of Merritt V., Ira E., Cyrus V., and Esther Martha.
Elizabeth was next. She was born in 1835 and died in 1841. She is also buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
Stephen, born 1838, died 1909, married Rachel Wilson in IN c1865. She was born in 1843 KY, died in Ellettsville in 1929. Chidlren were John; Frank; William S.; Clara; Emma H.; and Martha. Stephen and Rachel. All of the children and their spouses are buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
Sarah, born 1842, died 1860, buried at Coffey Cemetery.
Martha, 1845, buried at Coffey Cemetery, death date not given on headstone. She married Asbury Coffey, her double second cousin, born c1838 in IN to James Wilson and Malena Coffey Coffey. James Wilson was a son of first cousins, John Franklin and Hannah Wilson Coffey; Malena was a daughter of Rev. Reuben and Martha "Polly" Dowell Coffey. Asbury and Martha had children Mary; Charlie; Willie; Freddie and Ethel Malena. Asbury and Martha, as well and their children and spouses are all buried at the Coffey Cemetery.
The last child of David and Elizabeth Coffey Allen was David, born 1808, died 1881. He married Eliza McCowan, born c1799 in VA. Their children, all born in IN, were Elijah; Nancy; Mary; William; James; Sarah and Margaret.
John Franklin Coffey married Hannah Wilson in Oct., 1796, Wilkes Co. Hannah was born there in 1769 and died in IN on Sep. 12, 1862.
I know of five children born to them: Rebecca who married John Wilson; Cassandra; Eliza, mentioned above as spouse of John Allen; John Wilson, mentioned above as spouse of Malena Coffey; and Jane Graves[4], born Mar., 1811, died in 1855, Monroe Co., IN. Jane married Alfred Martin "Martin" Coffey, another son of Rev. Reuben and Martha Dowell. Alfred was born in 1807, Wilkes Co., died in1836, Owen Co., IN. They had at least two children: James Martin, 1837-1861 and Christopher Columbus, birth unknown, died during the Civil War in 1862 at Corinth, Perry Co., MS. He is buried at the National Cemetery in Corinth, Alcorn Co., MS. James is buried at the Stouts-Houston Cemetery in Ellettsville.
I have more information about many of these families.
Updates and corrections are appreciated.
Jack
[1] Unproven
[2] According to Laurence Coffey, Thomas "...was buried in Hull Hill graveyard..", and after Sarah died, she was buried next to him. "Years later the cemetery became neglected, and almost lost..." Laurence and cousin Newell Sanders "...had their remains removed to Harper's Chapel burying ground, where a suitable monument was placed above them." Harpers Chapel is located in Patterson, Caldwell Co., NC.
[3] Headstone - birth and/or death dates for everyone buried at the Coffey Cemetery in Ellettsville are taken from their headstones.
[4] John, in naming this child after his grandmother seems to have had a concept of where his roots lay.
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