Sarah Deliah Coffey (1864-1897)

Sarah Deli[l]ah was the daughter of James Wilson and Louisa T. Norman Coffey. She was born Feb. 11, 1864 in Morgan Co., IN and died on Jun. 7, 1897 in Svenson, Clatsop Co., OR. She was 33 years old.

Sarah was apparently an accomplished concert violinist, who did not make time to marry. She did bear at least three children, however.

Her first known child was Virgil Benjamin (Bert Snyder) Coffey, born c1891 in Washington Co., IA. Virgil was apparently given up for adoption and was renamed Bert Snyder.

The second and third child were twins: James Norman and Clarence, born Sep. 20, 1896 in Iowa.

Sarah's father, James Wilson was born May 10, 1882 in Pulaski Co., KY, married Louisa, born Jun. 23, 1826 in TN, on Dec. 11, 1842 in Morgan Co., IN. He died Jul 15, 1889 in Wellman, Lime Creek Twp., in Washington Co., IA. Louisa died Dec. 24, 1912 in Warrrenton, Clatsop Co., OR.

Their other children were:

Lemuel Lewis Moses, born Mar 6, 1844, died May 23, 1936

Unnamed, born c1845/46

John Taylor, born May 1847, died Jun. 6, 1926, married Sarah Adeline (Sofie) Gates on Jun. 12, 1880 in Wahkiakum Co., WA. Both died in Svenson, Clatsop Co., OR in the late 1920s.

Benjamin Franklin, born Jan. 28, 1850, died Sep. 28, 1928.

James Norman, born Sep. 30, 1853, died 1934, married Laura Ellen Hays in Lime Creek Twp., Washington Co., IA on Sep 27, 1877. James died in 1934 in Solano Co., CA; Laura on Sep. 19, 1902 in Clatsop Co.

Joseph Lone, born May 19, 1856 in Lime Creek Twp., died Aug. 21, 1927 in West Chester, Washington Co., IA. He married Susanah Wellman on Oct. 3, 1876. She was born May 13, 1850 in Indiana and died Apr. 14, 1919 in West Chester.

Victor Hugo, born May 30, 1858 in Morgan Co., IN, died Apr. 25, 1953 in Astoria, Clatsop Co. He married Anna Mary Brandt, born Aug. 7, 1862 in Mercer Co., NJ, and died Jun. 7, 1941 in Clatsop Co., on Dec. 18, 1881 in Washington Co., IA

Paschal Davis, born Apr. 23, 1861 in Morgan Co., IN, died Nov. 7, 1900 in Washington Co., IA

The last child was also unnamed and was born and died c1866.

It is unlikely that the father(s) of her three children will ever be identified. However, it would be satisfying to learn of the descendants of those children. I would also be interested in learning more about Sarah's professional life.

Coffee/Coffey in Texas

From my personal files:

Minerva A. Coffee, spouse James H. Slaughter. James born Apr. 8, 1812 in KY, in TX in 1853. Father was Matthew Slaughter, born VA, and an early settler of Lincoln Co., KY. Married Polly Huston, daughter of Stevenson Huston of VA. James H. was their 3d child. Married Minerva, daughter of Col. Jesse A. Coffee of KY who was a member of legislature for many years. (Biographical Souvenier of the State of Texas (976.4 B6156); Southern Historical Press, Chicago, FA Battey & Co., 1889)

Ella Josephine Coffee, spouse John Francis Yearwood, son of Thomas and Lavinia Yearwood, married Ella Coffee and settled in Georgetown, TX. (Tennessee Cousins, a History of the Tennessee People, Worth S. Ray, Jul., 1950, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1960-1989, and The Mecklenberg Signers and Their Neighbors, originally published as Lost Tribes of North Carolina, Part III, reprint 1993 by Gen. Pub. Co., Baltimore, Md.) John was born 1859, died c1942. Ella was daughter of Capt. John Coffee

James Burl Coffee married Alma Wahene Christopher, Big Spring, Howard Co., TX, Marriage Book 12, page 97 (date not recorded)

John S. Coffey, member of TX State Police from 1870-1871 from Texas Adjutant General Service Records

Catherine Jane Coffee, spouse of John Wesley Snyder; John born 1837, died 1922, rancher and Civil War veteran. Married Catherine, daughter of John T. Coffee of Georgetown and father of 8 children. (The New Handbook of Texas Online)

A. B. Coffee, member of TX Frontier Batallion which was in existance from 1874-1878, and again in 1901. Also a member of TX Special Rangers in existance from 1916-1934. From Texas Adjutant General Service Records

James Coffee, member of TX State Police which was in existance from 1861-1865

W. Coffee, member of TX Loyalty Rangers which was in existance in 1918

Hooper Coffey, to Mr. S. F. Austin, Empesario: "I have emigrated to this colony...my name is Hooper Coffey, 50 years of age. My wifes name is Mary, 37 years. I have five children of which 3 are male and 2 female. Moved from the state of Alabama." From Character Certificates in the General Land Office of Texas, compiled by Gifford White, 1985 (976.4 Whi)

Evener Coffee, married Lois Noonkoster , Haskell Co marriage book 5, page 147 (date not recorded)

J. E. Coffee, married Clara Dungan, Haskell Co marriage book 5, page 186 (date not recorded)

Mary Coffee, spouse of Philip Martin. See above link to The New Handbook of Texas Online

James D. Coffee, first arrived in Texas 29 Sep 1837; class 2 land grant of 640 acres; conditional certificate issued 10 May 1839 in Galveston Co. (Texas Land Records)

James Coffee, first arrived in TX Jun 1839; class 3 land grant of 320 acres; unconditional certificate issued 2 Aug 1845 in Houston Co. (Texas Land Records)

James S. Coffee, migrated to Peters Colony as a family man prior to Jul. 1, 1848. Issued Fannin Third Class Certificate No. 588 for 640 acres which he sold (unlocated) and later patented in Grayson Co. Listed on 1850 census in Grayson Co. as family 251 as a 27-yr old farmer with three children, born in IN. First migrated to MO, then to Cherokee Nation, then to TX (The Peters Colony of Texas by TX State Historical Assn., 1959)

Children of John Trousdale Coffee

Charles Franklin Coffee was the eldest son of John Trousdale and Harriet Weir Coffee. He was born in Dade County, Missouri of March 22, 1847, and died in December, 1935 in Chadron, Dawes County, Nebraska. He was 88 years old.

Charles was a veteran of the Civil War, and trailed cattle from Texas to Wyoming while working for the Snyder Brothers and their Coldwater Cattle Company. I do not know when or where he married Virginia Ashland Toney, but based on the birthdates of their first child, I can estimate the year to be 1880-81, and the place to have been Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyoming.

According to information found at www.nebraskahistory.org Charles Coffee was the founder of a large pioneer ranch headquartered on Hat Creek in Nebraska, and Rawhide Creek in Wyoming. Charles wanted to send dressed meat to Chicago so he and others arranged to have the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad (that became the Chicago and North Western) siding built near his ranch on Hat Creek. The siding, called Coffee Siding is said to have been over 1000 feet in length with seven cattle pens.

Children of Charles Franklin Coffee and Virginia Ashland Toney were:

John Toney Coffee, born June 23, 1882 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and died 1959 in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska. He married Martha Sagert in 1910. John was a rancher and banker. In 1935 he was president of Sioux National Bank of Harrison, and held interests in several Wyoming ranches where he bred Hereford cattle. Unfortunately, I do not yet have a list of his children.

Blanche McLain Coffee, born March, 1884 in Wyoming, died unmarried in 1929.

Charles Franklin Coffee, Jr., was born October, 1887 in Wyoming. He married Catherine Morgan Richtly on October 9, 1912 in Chadron, Dawes County, Nebraska. I only know of one child, Charles Franklin Coffee III, born about 1914 in Dawes County.

The second child of John Trousdale and Harriet was Marietta. I have no information other than she married Hi Webb.

Third born was Arthur B. Coffee, born February, 1850, died 1880. I have found no other information.

Fourth was Samuel Buffington Coffee, born March, 1856. Samuel married May Elizabeth Tisdale (no dates). Together they had four children: Harry Buffington, born March 16, 1890, died 1972; Rexford T. Coffee, born February, 1892; Guy Hyman (Chick) Coffee, born Dec. 7, 1893; and Edna Coffee, born December, 1896.

Harry Buffington Coffee served in the US Army during World War 1, and from 1935-1943 was a US Representative from Nebraska's Northeast 5th Congressional District. He was also in real estate, and organized the Coffee Cattle Co., Inc. in 1915. Readers needing more information on Harry can find a short biography on the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website:

http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000582.

Guy "Chick" Coffee was a Vice President and general manager of the Coffee Cattle Company and recognized as a specialist in registered Hereford cattle. He married Ila Florence Conn on October 12, 1915 at Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Fifth was William F. Coffee, born about 1857, and died in 1944. No other information.

The last child was Lula Coffee, born about 1861. All I know of Lula is that she married Lum Bradford.

Some of the Coffee homes in Chadron can be found at:

http://www.chadron.com/history/tour01.php

Please contact me at jkcoffee@yahoo.com if you find factual errors, or can add to the information presented here.

Col. John Trousdale Coffee

According to Memorandum of Field Officers in the Confederate States Service; Bethesda, Md: University Publications of America, 1900, John Trousdale Coffee was not a General, contrary to some reports, but was a Colonel in the 6th Missouri Cavalry.

John Trousdale Coffee was born December 14, 1816 to Rev. Joshua M. and Jane "Jinny" Trousdale Coffee. Joshua, (whose middle name may have been McAllister after his mother's maiden name (also questionable)) was a grandson of Peter Coffee through Peter's son William.

John was married at least four times, first to Eliza Stone in 1841. Eliza died in 1842 at age 17 years and was buried in Cleveland, Tennessee. In 1842 he moved to Missouri where he met and married Catherine G. Hunt on December 12, 1843. They had one child, Catherine, born Oct. 7, 1844. I do not know when wife Catherine died, but others have reported it "before 1850." She probably died at Catherine's birth, but I don't know for sure. Catherine the daughter is found in the 1850 Polk Co., Missouri census in the household with Rhoda Hunt, age 60, and other Hunt children. It is not clear to me how Rhoda was related to wife Catherine.

After Catherine died, John T. married a third time. He married Harriet Weir on September 14, 1845, this date adding more evidence that second wife Catherine died at or shortly after childbirth. His marriage to Harriet produced six children: Charles Franklin, born March 22, 1847, died December, 1935; Marietta, no dates; Arthur B., born February 1850, died 1880; Samuel Buffington, born about 1855; William F., born about 1857, died 1944; and Lula, born about 1861.

Again, we are without a date for the death of Harriet, but it must have been sometime shortly after Lula's birth, for John T. married for the fourth time on October 26, 1865. This marriage was to Mrs. Eunice Allen Vontress. I do not know where the marriage took place, but probably in Williamson Co., Texas for that is where their first child, John T., Jr. was born on September 15, 1866. Other children born to this union were: Ella Josephine, born November 3, 1868, died January 22, 1950; Florence, no dates; Tommy (spelled Tommye in some records), born August 1, 1871, died March 16, 1963; and James, born 1877, died April 12, 1952.

Some of John's sons and grandsons became wealthy cattlemen, and bankers in Nebraska. Son Charles was one who did very well. He was a veteran of the Civil War at age 18, and later trailed cattle from Texas to Wyoming while working for the Snyder Brothers. He eventually pioneered on the Wyoming-Nebraska frontier. He was elected to the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City in 1966.

More on the children of John T. at a later date.

In the meantime please let me know if any factual errors have been made here. Write to me at jkcoffee@yahoo.com.

Recommendations for additional information about John Trousdale Coffee:

Hulston, John K. A Look at Dade County, Missouri 1905-1985. Greenfield, MO:
Citizens Home Bank, 1985.

Hulston, John K. and James W. Goodrich. Colonel John Trousdale Coffee: Lawyer, Politician, Confederate. Missouri Historical Review 77 (April 1983 ): 272-295. Illus.