John Calvin Coffey (1848-1930)

John Calvin Coffey was the sixth child and fourth son born to Welborn and Sarah Cottrell Coffey. He was born Apr. 30, 1848. 1 He married Nancy Caroline Tuttle, born Jan. 10, 1854 in Caldwell Co., but I have been unable to find a marriage date. Their first son, Horace Grayson Coffey was born in Dec., 1886, so they probably married in late 1885 or early 1886. John died in Caldwell Co. on Feb. 27, 1930, and Nancy died there on Mar. 10, 1939.

The children born after Horace were:

- Nora E., born c1874 Caldwell Co., married James Laxton
- W. Lemuel, born c1879 Caldwell Co., married 1) Fauna Lamberth; 2) Mamie Neff
- Ida V., born Oct. 1881 Caldwell Co., married David Glass
- Davis Finley, born Oct. 3, 1883 2 Caldwell Co., married Rose Amanda Grant
- Bessie M., no info
- Rufus Anson, born Jul 21, 1888 3 Caldwell Co., married Beatrice Chloe Moore
- John Ross, born May 1890 Caldwell Co., married Mary Woods
- Wellborn Cary, born Oct. 5, 1892 4 Caldwell Co., married Jennie Woods
- Clarence T., born Dec., 1895, Caldwell Co., married Nancy Caroline Tuttle

Horace left Caldwell Co. before 1900, and headed west. He was found in Whitman Co., WA in the 1900 census. By 1902 he was married to Brintie Wilkie. In 1910 they were still in Whitman Co., and the parents of two children: Albert, born c1907, and La Verne, born c1908. Horace registered for the WW1 draft in Colfax, Whitman Co. on Sep. 12, 1918. He was a farmer living at Colfax and was 41-yrs old. He listed his two sons as his nearest relatives. Horace was described as being tall with slender build, blue eyes and sandy colored hair. I have not found Horace in any later census records, but he is said to have married a second time to Pearl Jaynes. Their children are unknown to me.

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[Aug. 17, 2009]  Brintie is buried in the Hay Cemetery in Whitman Co., WA.  Horace's gravesite has not been discovered yet.

Thanks to John Coffey for photo of Brintie's headstone and location of her gravesite.

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Davis followed Horace westward. The first record that I find for him is the Mar., 1912 5 marriage to Rose Amanda Grant in Ritzville, Adams Co., WA. They remained in Adams Co. through the 1920 census, but in 1920 were in Yakima Co. Davis died on Dec. 17, 1970 in Klickitat Co. 6 Rose died Apr. 24, 1972 7 in Spokane Co., WA. Together they had at least eight children: Helen, born c1913; Vera Pearl, born Jan., 1915; Byron W., born c1917; Ralph Calvin, born Nov., 1918; Gladys, born c1921; Edith, born c1923; Robert, born c1925, and Barbara, born c1929.

I have limited information on the remainder of the children. Please contact me if anyone needs more information, or can add to or correct any of the above.


1 Book 17, Page 174, Caldwell Co., NC Register of Deeds at
http://rod.co.caldwell.nc.us/Resolution/search_menu.asp [book 17, p174]
2 ibid [book 10, p161]
3 ibid [book 15, p41]
4 Civilian Draft Registration WW1
5 IGI
6 SSDI and Washington Death Index, 1940-1996