James & Elizabeth "Betsy" Coffey Bridge

Descendants of Jordan Coffey know that Jane Coffey, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Osborne Coffey, is considered by many to be the mother of Jordan*.  His father is known through DNA testing of descendants to have been a Taliaferro.

Some, interested only in Jane do not realize that she had a younger sister, Elizabeth, born c1775 in either Amherst or Nelson Co., VA who married James Bridge.  James' birth date is not known but speculatively it was c1775.  He and Elizabeth were married on Sep. 15, 1795 in Amherst Co.

My research shows their first child, William, wasn't born until 1801 in Nelson Co.  There were probably some born earlier but I have found no record.  William died on Mar. 22, 1879 in Back Creek, Augusta Co.  Nothing is known by me of his life between birth and death.

Edmond C., born c1802 was next.  He married Martha W. Tyler of Apr. 29, 1824 in Amherst Co.  Like William, I know nothing of his life with Martha.

Elizabeth was third born c1805.  She married Spotswood Padgett on Nov. 24, 1824 in Amherst Co. and together they were parents to at least seven children:  Frances Jane, c1826; Elizabeth, c1828; Reuben Beverly, b1829; James, c1833; Catharine, c1837; Mary A., c1839 and, Martha W., c1844.

Elizabeth married Leonard S. S. Farnsworth, a son of Nathaniel and Pamela Simonder [sic] Farnsworth, on Jul. 3, 1856.

Reuben Beverly married Minerva J. Rankin, a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth Sheets Rankin, on Aug. 30, 1854 in Augusta Co.

James S. followed Elizabeth in 1808.  He married Nancy Lee on Jun. 27, 1832 in Nelson Co.  Nancy was born in VA in 1803 and died at Back Creek Augusta Co. on Aug. 6, 1855.  James died Nov. 28, 1870 in Augusta C.  Their children were Violetta, born c1833; Alexander, c1834; Mary Jane, c1837; Jefferson, born c1839 and Jesse Richardson, born May 30, 1844.

Violetta married Joseph Cabell Campbell, a son of Francis Jefferson Campbell II and his wife, Nancy Coffey.  Nancy was a daughter of Edmond S. and Nancy Barnett Coffey.  Joseph and Violetta were parents of at least two children:  Lawson J., born Nov. 1851, died Jan. 23, 1928.  Lawson married Susan Mildred Truslow on Dec. 15, 1873 in Nelson Co.  

She and Lawson had a number of children, one of which married Grace M. Coffey, daughter of Andrew Jackson and Rebecca Campbell Coffey.  His name was Grover Cleveland Campbell, born Aug. 18, 1886, died Apr. 16, 1955 in Lynchburg, VA.  He and Grace were married on Dec. 25, 1904 in Nelson Co.

Jesse Odom followed James S.  He was born in 1810 and died on Sep. 2, 1859 at Back Creek.  I know nothing of his life between those dates.

Mary Ann was the last of James and Elizabeth's children.  She was born c1815 and married Nicholas Demastus, a son of John and Martha "Patsy" Moran Demastus.  Nicholas was born of Feb. 18, 1788 and married Mary Ann on Jan. 23, 1837 in Lyndhurst, Augusta Co.

There are a lot of unknowns for James and Elizabeth; e.g., when and where were they born, who were his parents and, when/where did they die?

*James Bridge provided the surety bond when Jordan married Elizabeth Rippetoe in 1803.

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Sources:  Amherst Co. Marriage Records, 1763-1821; Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940; Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1902; US Federal Census, 1850-1880; Dodd, Jordan R., et al.. Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850

Pittward "Pitt" & Flavonia Fletcher Coffey

I completed some additional work on Pittward this morning.  Readers are invited to click on the blog title to see the original blog about this family and, which contains a few of the updates that will be included here.

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Pittward, or Pitt as he seems to have been called, was the eldest child and son of Charles Edward and Sarah Jane Ogden Coffey.  Charles Edward was a son of John Jack and Betsey Duff Coffey and, John Jack was the third son of Jordan and Betsey Rippetoe Coffey.  By now, descendants of Jordan should know that he was actually a Talliaferro (Toliver) and not a Coffey.  But, they are interesting folks and they do eventually get back together with the Coffeys through intermarriage.

Pitt was born in Virginia - and very likely Amherst Co. because his parents never left.  They lived there, raised their children there and are now buried there.  His first wife was Lucy Parks White, daughter of Henry A., and wife Elizabeth, born c1863.  She was the fourth of six children in the White household in the 1870 Peddlar Twp., Amherst Co. census.

Lucy apparently died in childbirth, c1882.  Her only child was Vernie Irvine, born Sep. 23, 1882, died Mar., 1970 in Buena Vista, VA.  Vernie married Robert L. Seay on Dec. 13, 1899.  He was also an Amherst Co. resident, having been born there on Oct. 25, 1875.  They had at least six children:  Evelyn, Vivia, John Robert, Henry Vaughn, Marion and William Lee.

Sometime between Vernie's birth and Sep., 1885, Pitt married Flavonia [sic] Fletcher, a daughter of Lucian and Maria Frances Crawford Fletcher.  Flavonia was born Apr. 8, 1869 in Amherst Co. and died on Jan. 4, 1955 at Fraziers Bottom in Putnam Co., WV.  Their first child was Jesse, born Sep., 1885, died unmarried on Feb. 12, 1918 at Charleston in Kanawha Co., WV.  He is buried at Spring Hill in Charleston, Kanawha Co.

The second child was Janet Aurelia, born Jul. 24, 1888 in Kanawha Co., died Mar. 27, 1945 at Huntington in Cabell Co., WV.  Janet died by suicide when she jumped off the 5th Ave. bridge spanning the Guyan River.  She was nearly 57 years old and was Mrs. Chester L. Martin.  Her first husband was T. Edward Berry to whom she was married on Nov. 19, 1908.  I have not found them in the 1910 census and do not know if any children resulted from that union.  Martin was her second husband, but I have not found a marriage date.  Chester died on Sep. 14, 1959 in Huntington.  His burial place is not known to me; Janet is buried at Spring Hill.

Third child was Alma Elizabeth, born at Jarretts Ford in Kanawha Co. on Mar. 1, 1890.  She was first married there to Thomas H. Young in 1911. They divorced sometime c1921 (it says so on the license for her second marriage) after giving birth to at least three children by Thomas:  Harless, c1913; Margaret, c1915; and Carroll Fletcher, c1918.  Alma married her second husband Frank C. Briscoe when she was 34 and he was a 51-year old widower.  They were married in West Virginia in 1924, and lived for awhile at 215 Hunt Ave. in Charleston where she gave birth to two of his children:  Mary, born c1925 and Joseph H., born c1927.  I haven't found a death record for James.  Alma died on Dec. 12, 1969 in Charleston but not before marrying again at age 73 to the 72-year old James Marshall Lawson on Apr. 25, 1963 in Kanawha Co.  Alma is buried at Spring Hill.  The buial places of her three spouses are unknown.

[Update] Child number four was Harry Clarkston, born Jun. 8, 1892 at Elkview in Kanawha Co., WV; died at Fraziers Bottom, Putnam Co., WV on Mar. 14, 1969.  His wife was Cecil Ann Fisher, born May, 1895 in Putnam Co. and died there in 1985.  She and Harry are buried at Saint Albans, Kanawha Co. WV at the Cunningham Memorial Park cemetery. I am still searching for a marriage date and place.

Number five was Fletcher Euick (?), born Jul. 5, 1895 in Charleston, died Nov., 1980 in Kanawha Co.  Also, no info on possible wife and children.

Six was Stoughton (I've seen it spelled Stephen, but it's Stoughton on his death certificate) Edward, born Feb. 27, 1897 in Kanawha Co., died of tuberculosis in Charleston on Apr. 17, 1918 at age 21,  He is also buried at Spring Hill.  He also was unmarried.

The last and seventh child that I have for Pitt and Flavonia was James Tinsley.  He was born Sep. 21, 1901 in WV and died from heart failure at age 330years Oct. 10, 1934 in Charleston.  He was also unmarried.

Peter Hilman & Mary Susan Tyree Coffey

Peter was born in Virginia, probably in Nelson Co., in 1865 to George Washington and Mary Catherine Demastus Coffey. Mary Catherine was a daughter of John and Mary Ann Coffey Demastus. herself a daughter of Edmund F. & Elizabeth Burger Coffey. Edmund was a son of William and Elizabeth Osborne Coffey who were also parents of Jane Coffey, the mother of Jordan (Taliaferro) Coffey.

Peter Hilman Coffey Headstone

Peter married Mary Susan Tyree, born Aug., 1873, probably in Virginia, and believed to have died in 1949. Peter died in Nelson Co. in 1942 and was buried at Demastus Family Cemetery near Tyro in Nelson Co.

Peter and Mary had at least six children:

Alvin Reynolds, born May 24, 1894 in Nelson Co., died Sep. 2, 1956 in VA.  Alvin married Fannie Demastus, a daughter of Luke and Anna Bell Coffey Demastus c1920.  Fannie was born Aug. 19, 1900 in Nelson Co., and died May 19, 1952.  Both are buried at the Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery, Stuarts Draft, Augusta Co., VA.  Their children were Oakley, Betty Celene and DeWitt Malcolm.  DeWitt married Helen Marie Maupin, born Aug. 9, 1930 in Waynesboro, Augusta Co., VA, died Aug. 9, 2006 in Charlotesville Co., VA.  Helen is buried at Augusta Memorial Park in Waynesboro.  DeWitt's burial site is unknown, but probably also at Augusta Memorial.  Alvin and Fannie in addition to being man and wife were related nine different ways, from first cousin once removed to fourth cousin, one removed.

Annie Coffey, born Sep. 16, 1901 at Massies Mill in Nelson Co., died Jan. 13, 1986 at Sanford in Seminole Co., FL.  She married Jacob Coffey, a son of John James and Lucy Ann Demastus Coffey.  Both are buried at Calvary United Methodist.  I do not have a list of their children.  Annie and Jacob were related eight different ways beginning with third cousin and ending at fifth cousin.

Elwood C. Coffey

Ethel Coffey, born Jun. 29, 1903 in Nelson Co., died Nov. 25, 1971 at Waynesboro.  She married Andrew Coffey, born Jan. 2, 1899, died Aug. 24, 1972 at Waynesboro.  Andrew was a brother to Jacob who married Annie.  Both are buried at Augusta Memorial.  Their children were Andrew, Jr., born Jul 5, 1927, died July 16, 1927 and Elwood C. "Jimmy", born Apr. 23, 1937, died Sep. 28, 2008 at Charlottesville.  Andrew is buried at the Demastus Cemetery near Tyro; Elwood is buried at Augusta Memorial.  Andrew and Annie had the same kinship as Jacob and Annie.

Headstone for Harold, Sr.

Harold Bernard Coffey, Sr. was born Nov. 9, 1909 at Massies Mill and died Aug. 14, 1974 at Waynesboro.  He married Rosey Arline Claytor, born Jun. 13, 1913, died Sep. 13, 1966.  Both are buried at Augusta Memorial  Harold was a veteran of WW2, having enlisted on Nov. 13, 1942 at Fort Belvoir, VA.  I know of one child, Harold, Jr., born Aug. 7, 1942, died May 26, 1996 at Waynesboro.  Jr. is also buried at Augusta Memorial.  Harold, Jr. died of a heart attack at home.  He was a City of Waynesboro policeman.

Dewey Love Coffey,born May 1, 1912, died May 9, 1988.  He married Jessie Jane Ray on Jan. 31, 1931.  Both are buried at Augusta Memorial.  I know of one child, Janet Grey, born Dec. 19, 1933 at Augusta Co., died Aug. 8, 1999 at Fishersville in Augusta Co.  She too is buried at Augusta Memorial in Waynesborn.

Woodrow Wilson Coffey, born May 9, 1916 in Love, Augusta Co., died Oct. 30, 2006 at Fishersville.  He married Eva Virginia Chittum, born Apr. 4, 1917 in Rockbridge Co., VA, died Feb. 21, 1965 in Augusta Co.  Both are buried at Augusta Memorial.  Their children were Paul Allen, Clarene Arthur, born May 12, 1936, died Aug. 24, 2009 in Concord, Cabarrus Co., NC; Mary and Kathleen.

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There is another Peter Hilman Coffey (1939-1999) buried at Augusta Memorial and is likely a descendant of this Peter Hilman and Mary Tyree Coffey. If you can connect his for me, please drop an e-mail.

Contact me to add to or correct any of this information.

Click on the Chicken Hollow link below to find general area of Demastus Cemetery.

James Coffey, son of Annister

Fred Coffey is the Coffey Cousins' DNA "guru."  Today he submitted the following with permission to publish here.  For back issues of the Coffey Cousins' newsletter, contact editor Bonnie Culley..

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DNA PROJECT: THE "SAMUEL" CONECTION


By Fred Coffey

An article by Bonnie Culley in the last CCC Newsletter, "Currents in the Stream", indicated that we were trying to use DNA to determine the paternal ancestry of James Coffey (born about 1735 in Virginia). James is the base born son of Annister, daughter of Edward. And now we know his father was probably "James Samuel"!

After earlier tries, DNA again became a promising tool after we were pointed to a Virginia court order book dated 20 Feb 1738/9 with a record "It is ordered that the Churchwardens of St. Ann's Parish do bind James Coffy a bastard child to James Samuel as the law directs".

The "James Samuel" referenced would be a man born 14 Jun 1690, died 16 May 1759, married Sarah Boulware on 5 Apr 1714. He was born, lived, married, and died in St. Ann's Parish, Essex County, VA – the same location as the above court record.

We now have in hand y-DNA tests on two descendants of James Coffey, and on one descendant of the brother of the above James Samuel. And this, combined with the court record, proves "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the father of James Coffey was someone from this "Samuel" family.

This is in many ways like the famous "Thomas Jefferson/Sally Heming" case, where DNA proves that some male from the Jefferson family fathered at least one of slave Sally Heming's children. It could have been any male "Jefferson", but the overwhelming "circumstantial evidence" suspect is Thomas himself.

Likewise, the father of James Coffey could be any "Samuel" male, such as a son or brother of the named James Samuel. But James Samuel himself must definitely be the most likely suspect?

I have been "chasing" James Coffey for quite some time, and have a lot more information on him than can be covered here, including more detailed discussion of the DNA. You're invited to visit at

www.coffey.ws/FamilyTree/FamilyNotes/JamesCoffee.htm

A FOOTNOTE:

Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally stumbles upon something fortunate, especially while looking for something entirely unrelated. (Wikipedia)

When looking for my "Walker Family" ancestry, I accidentally discovered records for "James Coffee" in Surry County, NC. I asked questions, and Bonnie Culley told me this James was likely the base born son of Annister Coffey, who later married a Chenault. And then two men who believed they descended from this James joined our DNA project. This suggested there might be "Chenault" DNA matches. We found Chenault tests, but no match. However this led me to start exchanging notes with Reverend John Chenault, a genealogist who had information on Annister, and who was Annister's descendant by her later marriage. Then John pointed out that he had seen the above court record connecting James Coffey with one James Samuel. This led to looking for and discovering the Samuel DNA match. This in turn opened communication with the Samuel family, who turned out to also have connections with the Powell family – the same family that Edward Coffey had married into. And thus a new path of information exchanges is opened – see Bonnie's notes from the last newsletter.

Oh, the Samuel exchange included a 1754 reference to one "Robert Taliaferro", which shows the Coffey/Samuel/Powell/Taliaferro families were all interacting no later than 1754. And that ties to another DNA article in the last newsletter tying a Taliaferro to the line of Jordan Coffey, born 1790.

And finally, midway through all this, a "Walker" genealogist did a Google search, and discovered postings I had made about James Coffee, wherein I mentioned my Walker search. And this led to more information exchanges and to a Walker DNA test. And that led to new sources of info on the origins of my "Walker" family!

So what will we stumble across tomorrow?

Sign up for our DNA Project, and maybe in addition to helping with your "Coffey" research, our note exchanges may turn up unexpected sources? Visit us at:

www.coffey.ws/FamilyTree/DNA