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!

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¹1900 KY, Mercer Co., Dugansville Pct., ED 48, Sheet 9A, dwelling/family 163

²1910 Anderson Co., Goodnight, ED11, Sheet 3A, dwelling 57, family 58

Vester Lee & Bessie Moses Coffey

Vester Lee Coffey was a son of a John Coffey and Lezie or Letha, maiden name unknown.  In 1900 this family lived in Lower Creek Twp., Burke Co., NC and consisted of:

John Coffey, born Jul., 1845 in NC and had been married for 31 years.
Lezie (Letha?), wife, born Apr., 1853 in NC; mother of 14, 9 living
Son, Monroe, born Dec., 1879 in NC
Dau, Danna, born Jun., 1882 in NC
Son, Frank, born Jun., 1884 in NC
Son, Robey, born Jun., 1888 in NC
Son, Vester, born Jun., 1890 in NC
Dau, Nettie, born May, 1894 in NC

Vester married Bessie Moses in Burke Co. on Jan. 3, 1912 in Upper Creek Twp.  In the 1920 census the family appeared in Burke Co., Lower Creek Twp., with children: Claude, Roy and Bertha.  In 1930 they were living in Morganton, Burke Co. and had an additional child, a son named Aruel [sic].

Their son Claude Lee Coffey died in 2008 and his obituary appeared in the Burke Co. News Herald, of Feb. 24, 2008:

Claude Lee Coffey

Claude Lee Coffey, 95, of Morganton, died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008, at his residence following a period of declining health. Born in Burke County, on Sept. 27, 1912, he was the son of the late Vester Lee Coffey and Bessie Moses Coffey. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Roy Coffey, and a sister, Lillie Mae Hollifield. Claude was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Pacific Theatre in World War II. He retired from Broughton Hospital and was a member of Oak Forest United Methodist Church. Mr. Coffey was an avid gardener and fisherman.

Claude is survived by his wife, Katie Williams Coffey of the home; daughters, Carol Lee Walters and husband, Ronald, of Gastonia, Betty Jo McMahan and husband, the Rev. Stanley, of Burnsville, and Wanda Scott and husband, David, of Morganton; a brother, Arnold Coffey and wife, Mary, of Morganton; a sister, Bertha Wilson of Danville, Va.; grandchildren, Jeffrey Walters and wife, Angie, Jennifer Stamey and husband, Donnie, Shelly Thompson and husband, Keith, Joel McMahan, Dana Dale and husband, Jason, and D.J. Scott; and great-grandchildren, Tabitha and Will Thompson and Tanner and Jacey Dale.

The funeral will be held at 6 p.m. today in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home with the Revs. Roderick Randolph and Stanley McMahan officiating. Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday afternoon from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. before the service. At other times the family will be at the residence on Berry Street, Morganton. Memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690. Condolences may be made online at www.sossomanfuneralservice.com.

My problem is not knowing who John Coffey was?  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Elisha "Lish" and Anna Harmon Moody Coffey

I touched a bit on Elisha and Anna Coffey in the Aldridge & Coffey blog of May 1.  Elisha was a son of Joseph and Isabella Lindsay Coffey and was born c1814 and almost certainly in North Carolina.

Anna was a daughter of Edward and Frances Carter Moody and was born c1814 in NC.  She died before 1880 and probably in Watauga Co.  Elisha appeared in that county's 1880 census as a widower.

There are at least two other sons of Lish and Anna for whom I have very little information.  They were all born early enough to have been strong candidates for service during the Civil War and, may have been killed.  Those sons were Jacob, born c1838 and, DeKalb, born c1839.  Some genealogies that I have seen also names another Levi, born c1844 as their son.

I think the Elisha Coffee [sic] and wife Hannah in the 1850 Watauga Co. census is this couple.  In addition to the parents, there was Levi, age 16; De Calb [sic], age 11 and Mary Cannon, age 7.  I am not certain who Mary Cannon was, but there is at least one Cannon female (not Mary) who married into a Coffey family in Burke Co., NC.

In 1860 Watauga co., Jacob, age 21 appeared with the family.  Another child, May A. Harmon [sic] age 2, was enumerated with the family. Although named as a child of Elisha, it isn't clear to me yet that he was.

The 1870 Watauga co. census shows that May Harmon was then Mary Harmon, age 13.  Except for a black male, age 14, named John Adges [?], the only others in the household were Elisha and Ann.

As mentioned earlier, Elisha appeared as a widower in the 1880 census for Watauga Co.

Levi Lafayette, who appears to be the eldest child of Elisha's, was born May 30, 1833 in Burke Co., and died Feb. 11, 1925 in Watauga Co.  He married "Tempie" Calloway, a daughter of James and Nicey Gragg Calloway, c1859 in Watauga Co.

To them were born at least seven children:

1 - Caroline Lavinia Coffey, born Mar. 6, 1860, died Feb. 13, 1923.  Caroline married her cousin David Nathaniel Coffey c1886.  David and Caroline are mentioned in several blogs.  If you are interested in more about them, search the blog archives [use search window in upper left corner and surround search term with quotes; e.g., "David Nathaniel Coffey."]  You can view a photo of David and read a bit of info about him in this blog.

2 - Joseph DeCalb Coffey, born Jan. 24, 1863 at Shulls Mill in Watauga Co., and died there on Dec. 30, 1930.  He married Lutittia [sic] F. Walters, a daughter of Johnathan and Emeline Long Walters, on Apr. 9, 1899 in Watauga Co.  Both are buried at the Byrd Cemetery in Foscoe, Watauga Co.

3 - Judith Coffey, born c1866 - no further information.

4 - Emma Coffey, born Oct. 19, 1869 in Watauga, died Jan. 3, 1938 in Hickory, Catawba Co., NC.  Emma also married a cousin, William M. Coffey c1896.  William was a son of Smith W. and his wife Charity Elizabeth Redmond.

Laurence Coffey gives this name as Elizabeth Baker Redmond, indicating to me that she was probably married previous to her marriage to Smith.  However, in an e-mail to me dated Aug. 23, 2007, Carolyn Curtis wrote this:

"Elizabeth was born 6/25/1836 and died 5/20/1912. She was not married prior to her marriage to Smith Coffey on June 25, 1854 (that was her 18th Birthday). According to the Caldwell County Court of Pleas and Quarter Session, Volume II – January Term 1848, Elizabeth, an orphan child of 11 years of age, was bound to Lucinda Baker (that is where the Baker name originated) until age 18, at which time she was give her freedom, $6.00, a new suit of clothes, a bible and she was to be taught to read and write."


I seem to recall some speculation that Elizabeth was full or part Indian and the Redmond might have something to do with that part of her heritage.  But, that is something that I have not pursued.

Both Charity and Smith are said to be buried in a Coffey Cemetery at Shulls Mill.

5 - James Wesley Coffey, born May 2, 1873 in Watauga Co., died in Boone on Dec. 6, 1960.  He married Donnie Brewer c1906.  A subsequent spouse was Callie Ward, born Mar. 30, 1898, daughter of James Ward and Mary Hicks.  Callie died Aug. 25, 1975 in Boone.  They are also said to be buried in the Coffey Cemetery at Shulls Mill.

6 - Archie E. Coffey, born Mar 23, 1876, died Apr. 11, 1903.  He married Virginia Frances Brown on Sep. 30, 1900.  "Jennie" was a daughter of Samuel Walker and Nancy Jane Joyce Brown.  See the other Levi Lafayette Coffey blog for more.

7 - Oscar Lee Coffey, born Sep. 7, 1878, died Jul. 1, 1977 in Davidson Co., NC.  Oscar married Ollie Belle Calloway, born Mar. 10, 1886 in Watauga Co., died Apr. 23, 1943 in Boone.  She was the daughter of William Henderson Calloway and his wife Almirah M. "Myra" Johnson.  Ollie is buried at Foscoe in the Community Cemetery.  I have not located Oscar's burial site.

I would really love to know if the Coffey Cemetery at Shulls Mill is actually known locally by that name and where it is located.

Grover Cleveland & Stella Mae Coffey Walters

Grover was a son of Johnathan A. and Emeline Long Walters.  He was born on Oct. 28, 1884 in North Carolina and died at the age of 83 on Jan. 3, 1968 in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., NC.  He and Stella were married on Mar. 7, 1914 in Watauga Co.

Stella was the daughter of John Nelson "Nels" and Laura Ann Finley Coffey.  She was born Apr. 30, 1893 in Watauga Co. and died at the age of 72 in Blowing Rock on Oct. 21, 1965.

The photo shows Grover and Stella a year or so after their marriage with first born, Clara Elizabeth, born Jan. 23, 1915 in Portland, Multnomah Co., OR.

Clara married Charles Wesley Bolick, a son of Emanuel and Mary Viella Sherrill Bolick.  Charles was born Aug. 15, 1897 in Caldwell Co. and died in Watauga Co. on Apr. 29, 1996.

Clara's obituary:

Mrs. Bolick

Mrs. Elizabeth Walters Bolick, age 85, of 250 Globe Road, Blowing Rock, widow of Mr. Charles Wesley Bolick, died Saturday, Dec. 2, at Union County Hospice in Monroe.

Mrs. Bolick was born January 23, 1915 in Portland, Oregon, a daughter of the late Grover Cleveland and Stella Mae Coffey Walters. She was a homemaker and a member of Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church of Blowing Rock.

Mrs. Bolick is survived by two daughters, Marilyn Reep and husband, Sam, of Charlotte and Linda Yates and husband, Jim, of Granite Quarry, N.C.; one son, Charles Wesley Bolick, Jr. of Blowing Rock; one brother, Robert "Bob" Walters and wife, Ruby, of Blowing Rock and a sister-in-law, Mrs. Ruth Walters of Winston-Salem. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Wesley Bolick; a daughter, Martha Elaine Bolick; a sister, Mrs. Verdola Sykes and three brothers, Cliff Walters, Carl Walters and Norman Walters.

Funeral services for Mrs. Bolick were conducted on Tuesday morning at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel in Boone. Officiating was the Rev. Francis Greene. Interment followed in Woodlawn Cemetery in Blowing Rock.

Memorials may be considered to Hospice of Charlotte, 1420 East 7th Street, Charlotte, N.C. 28204 or to Hospice of Union County, 700 West Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe, N.C. 28110.

Hampton Funeral Service of Boone was in charge of the arrangements.

Other children born to Grover and Stella were:

Verdola Dare, born Feb. 17, 1916 in Watauga, died Jul 23, 1972 in Asheboro, Randolph Co., NC.  She married Dean William Sykes on Aug. 20, 1939.  Dean was born Jan. 25, 1911 and died Aug. 3, 1972.  Buried at Woodlawn in Blowing Rock.

Carl William, born Aug. 6, 1919 in Watauga Co., died Jan. 28. 1976 in Blowing Rock.  He married Ruth Buxton on Sep. 15, 1938.

Grover Clifford, born Apr. 20, 1921 in Watauga Co., died May 5, 1990 in Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co.  He married Ruth Delores Hildebrand, born Feb. 22, 1923.

Norman Cicero, born Nov. 5, 1923 in Watauga Co., and died there on Dec. 5, 1969.  He married Doris Moody.  Buried at Woodlawn.

Grover and Stella are also buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Contact me at above e-mail address to add to or to correct any of this information.

Joseph DeCalb Coffey

Joseph was the son of Levi Lafayette Coffey and Temperance Calloway.  He was the father of Luther and Ora by a yet unknown spouse, and who were written about in the two previous blogs.

Joseph's middle name as been found spelled as DeCalb and DeKalb.  I haven't a clue what the correct spelling is.  He was born Jan. 24, 1863 in Shulls Mill, Watauga Co., and died Dec. 30, 1939 in that same place.  He married Lutittia [sic] F. Walters on Apr. 9, 1899 in Watauga Co.  Lutittia was born Sep. 17, 1879 in Ashe Co., NC and died in Boone, Brushy Fork Twp., Watauga Co.

The death certificate reveals that Joseph suffered from epilepsy and probably died from that.  Lutittia died of a coronary thrombosis.  Both are buried at the Byrd Cemetery at Foscoe in Watauga Co.

This family lived their entire lives within Watauga Co. and raised at least three children together.  They were:

Dewey C., born Aug., 1898

Virginia Dare, born Nov. 23, 1906, died Nov. 7, 2003.  Virginia married Noa Franklin Church c1925 in Watauga Co.  He was born apr. 26, 1899 to Squire Monroe Church and his wife Sarah Eveline Greer.  Noah died Apr. 13, 1988 in Watauga Co.  I haven't yet found their burial location.  Their children were James F., born Sep. 27, 1925 and Dewey Roger, born Aug. 2, 1927.  There were other children born to them after 1930 but not listed here.

The last child that I know of born to Joseph and Lutittia was Vesta Verdola, born Mar. 2, 1909, died of "accidental poisoning by strychnine" on Dec. 22, 1915.

Please contact me at the above e-mail address to add to or correct any of this information.

Levi Lafayette Coffey

Levi Lafayette Coffey was a son of Elisha and Anna Harmon Moody Coffey. He was born May 30, 1833 in Burke Co., NC and died Feb. 11, 1925 in Watauga Co., NC. At the time of death he was a retired farmer.

Temperance (Tempie) Calloway was the daughter of James and Nicey Gragg Calloway, and was born c1844 in North Carolina, and died there in c1890. She and Levi were married c1859.

In 1860 they were in the Valle Crucis district of Watauga Co. With them was their first child, Lavina, age 5 months. They remained in Watauga county through the 1880 census. Tempie apparently died sometime between June 7, 1880 and Jan. 1, 1882 when Levi married his distant cousin, Mary Ella Coffey.

Children of Levi and Tempie were:

Caroline Lavinia, born Mar. 6, 1860 in Watauga Co., died Feb. 13, 1923. She married David Nathaniel Coffey, a son of Austin Coffey and Mary A. Blalock.

Joseph DeKalb, born 1863 in Watauga Co., and died there on Jan. 24, 1939. He married Letitia Walters on Apr. 9, 1899 in Watauga Co. She was born Sep., 1879 in North Carolina and died in Watauga Co. in 1960. Joseph apparently had a wife before Letitia, but she is yet unidentified.

Judith, born c1866 - no further information.

Emma, born Oct. 19, 1869 in Watauga Co., and died in Hickory, Catawba Co. on Jan. 3, 1938. She married William M. Coffey, a son of Smith W. and Charity Elizabeth Redmond.

James Wesley, born May 2, 1873 in Watauga Co., and died Dec. 6, 1960 in Boone, Watauga Co. He married Callie Ward, a daughter of James Ward and Mary Hicks. Callie was born Mar. 30, 1898 in Watauga Co., and died there on Aug. 25, 1975. James had also been previously married to Donnie Brewer. She was the daughter of Marvel Brower, and was born Dec. 15, 1883 in Watauga Co., and died there on Jun. 22, 1924.

Archie E., born c1875 in North Carolina and died there on Apr. 11, 1903. He married Virginia Frances (Jennie) Brown on Sep. 30, 1900 in Watauga Co. She was the daughter of Samuel Walker and Nancy Jane Joyce Brown. Jennie died Jul. 1, 1962 in Taylorsville in Alexander Co., NC. Virginia had been previously married to Leroy Starnes, and after the death of Archie, she married Henry Boone Coffey, a son of Smith and Charity.

[Note: A reader has reported that Leroy Starnes was Jennie's third husband]





A child of Jennie and Archie was Paul Arch Coffey, born Aug. 30, 1902, and died Mar. 25, 1957. He married Margaret Allen Linney on Dec. 6, 1926 in Watauga Co. She was born Apr. 27, 1906 in Boone and died there on un. 10, 1994. Their son, Paul Armfield Coffey married Rachel Ann Rivers, a daughter
of Robert Campbell and Bonnie Jean Lewis Rivers. Rachel's grandfather acquired the Watauga Democrat in 1889, a year after it was founded. Rachel took over the paper in 1975 after the death of her father and sold it in 1999.



Oscar Lee, born Sep. 7, 1878 in North Carolina and died Jul 1, 1977 in Davidson Co., NC. He married Ollie Belle Calloway, a daughter of William Henderson and Almirah M. Johnson Calloway. Ollie was born Mar. 10, 1886 in Watauga Co., and died on Apr. 23, 1943 in North Carolina.

More information is available on the children and their descendants.

According to her death certificate, Mary Ella Coffey was born in 1865 in North Carolina and died on Mar. 27, 1949 at Shulls Mill, Watauga Co. She was the daughter of Smith W. and Charity Elizabeth Baker* Redmond Coffey. She is buried in the Coffey Cemetery at Shulls Mill.

The only child that I have for them is Henry Oliver Coffey, born Jul. 25, 1889. Henry married Zettie Chloe Honeycutt on Mar. 23, 1913 in Watauga Co. She was the daughter of Luke Jackson Honeycutt and Lithia Rotenberry. Luke was born in Alexander Co. in 1860 and died at Shulls Mill, Watauga Co. on Jul 4, 1939. Lithia was born in Mt. Airy, Surry Co., NC in 1860 and died at Shulls Mill on Oct. 7, 1930. Zettie was sister to Ada who married Lee Nelson Coffey, a son of Smith and Charity.

Children of Henry and Zettie were:

Unnamed female, born and died on Dec. 28, 1913

Henry Clay, born Mar. 31, 1916

Mary Helen, born Jan. 30, 1918

Litha Louise, born Jan. 24, 1920

Ruth Odena, born Nov. 25, 1921, died Aug. 27, 1931

Betty Lee, born Jul 26, 1927

Drop me a note at the above e-mail address to add to or correct any of this information. I will also be happy to provide more information on this famiy to anyone who needs it.




*Laurence Coffey gives this name as Elizabeth Baker Redmond, indicating that she was probably married previous to her marriage to Smith. However, in an e-mail dated Aug. 23, 2007, a family researcher wrote this to me:

"Elizabeth was born 6/25/1836 and died 5/20/1912. She was not married prior to her marriage to Smith Coffey on June 25, 1854 (that was her 18th Birthday). According to the Caldwell County Court of Pleas and Quarter Session, Volume II – January Term 1848, Elizabeth, an orphan child of 11 years of age, was bound to Lucinda Baker (that is where the Baker name originated) until age 18, at which time she was give[n] her freedom, $6.00, a new suit of clothes, a bible and she was to be taught to read and write."

Another reader has recently informed me that "She was also a Cherokee. We never learned her Native-American name. "Chariety" which is from her headstone) is the only nickname we know of. (Sounds a lot like Cherokee) Redmond or Redman could refer to "a red Man" (Indian) this , of course, is family speculation. She needed a Surname for marriage."