Rufus & Cordelia Jane Carroll Coffey

Front L-R: Martha, Rufus, Cordelia & Bernice
Rear L-R: James Fred, William Frank & Oma Anna

Rufus was a son of William Allen and Mary Wiseman Coffey.  He was born on Jan. 24, 1860 in Brumley, Miller Co., MO and died in Bristow, Creek Co., OK in 1931.  He and Cordelia were married in Missouri on Mar. 13, 1884.  Cordelia was born Dec. 10, 1863 in Macon Co., GA and died in Bristow in 1942.  They are both buried at Bristow city cemetery.

The children of Rufus and Cordelia were:

William Frank, born Apr. 4, 1885 in Camden Co., MO and died Mar. 31, 1966 in OK.  Frank married twice.  His first wife was Sarah Ellen Scott, born Feb. 4, 1888 in MO and died July 1, 1924 in Bristow.  They had two children together, Stella, born c1908 in MO and, Alice Jane, born Feb. 24, 1911 in Bristow.  Alice died at the age of 20 in Bristow and was buried there in the city cemetery.

Frank's second wife was Senith E. Johnson Kennedy, born Dec. 11, 1902 in OK.  In 1920 Senith and her brother Henry lived with her mother and step-father Jeff Turner in Bristow.  Senith was apparently married to a Mr. Kennedy shortly thereafter.  By 1926 she was married to Frank and so did not appear in the 1930 census as a Kennedy.  The 1930 census for Frank and Senith enumerated several children in the household:  Gordon, age 9 (born c1921); Bryce, age 7 (born c1923); John J., age 5 (born c1925) and Robert, 18 mos. (born c Aug., 1928).  It appears then from this record that the three eldest children were Kennedys while Robert was a Coffey.

 Not much has been yet discovered about the remaining children:

James Fred, born Apr. 2, 1889 in Camden Co.  He married Cora Faye Rhodes.  Of the two brothers, James is the only one for whom a WW1 draft registration has been found.  He registered in Copeland precinct, Gray Co., KS on Jun. 5, 1917.  Jeff was single and a self-employed farmer in Copeland.  He was described as being of medium build and height with blue eyes and black hair.  He was 28 years old, and gave his birth date as Apr. 2, 1889 in Toronto, MO.

Oma Anna, born Aug. 23, 1894 in Camden Co., married Ray Gustin.

Martha J., born Aug. 22, 1899 in Camden Co., died Apr. 24, 1984 in Creek Co.  She married James Floyd Webster, born Dec. 12, 1897, died Jun. 12, 1978 in Creek Co.  Both are buried at Bristow in the city cemetery.

Bernice Fanny, born Aug. 13, 1905 in Camden Co., died Sep. 18, 1983 in Creek Co.  She married Raymond L. Ramsey, born Apr. 17, 1902, died July 26, 1991.  Both are buried at Bristow in the city cemetery.

Much info is still needed: The burial place of James and his family as well as Oma Ann and her family is unknown. Neither do I have a complete list of all the grand children of Rufus and Cordelia.

William Allen and Mary Wiseman Coffey

I received some nice photos of William and Mary from Jo Ann Coffey Peeper a few days ago.

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William & Mary Wisman Coffey

William was a son of Thomas and Kissiah Varnier Coffey, born 1831 in Saline Co., IL. Mary was the daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Winfrey Wiseman and, was born on Dec. 27, 1835 in Camden Co., MO. She and William were married Mar. 22, 1855 in Camden Co.  William died Aug. 13, 1906 in Camden Co.; Mary died Dec. 14, 1913 in Reeds Spring, Stone Co., MO.

Their children as I have them, were all born in Missouri:

L-R: Jasper, Albert, James, Rufus & Thomas Coffey

George, born c1856; Louisa, born c1858; Rufus, born c1861; Keziah Clementine, born c1863; Caldonia, born Oct. 5, 1865, died Jul. 24, 1935 in Walla Walla, WA; Sarah Ellen, born c1866; Thomas, born c1868; James E., born c1871 and Jasper, born c1874.

In her e-mail, Jo Ann wrote that William was known by Allen.  All of their children were  born in Miller and Camden Co.  She lists one additional child, a son named Albert, born 1872 that I have not yet researched.

Jo Ann doesn't name George as one of their sons, so it's possible that George is Albert, but ages do not match.  He will require additional research.

Jo Ann noted that William and Mary appear to be stern, "but the story was that everyone loved to be in their home because they were so loving and kind."

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Update - Jan. 30, 2010

I received this from Jo Ann yesterday:

"On the photo of William Allen sons you didn't name them from left to right.

Jasper b 1872 - Albert b 1870 - James b 1868 - Rufus b 1861 and Thomas b 1858.

I see I had the date for Albert as 1872, and should have been 1870.

[I have them identified on the photograph.  However, I seem to have omitted a comma between James and Rufus.]

Also there is a conflict with the date for Thomas. The 1880 census has him born in 1868 and the 1870 census has him 1858. (Note: to find William Allen Coffey for the 1870 census he is listed as William Alen, with Alen being the last name.) Crazy!  We know it is the right census because of the place and names.

My brother Fred has the Civil War application for William Allen Coffey, dated Feb.25, 1891. The children listed are as follows: George b. 1856 -  Thomas b. 1858  - Rufus b. 1861 - Clementine b. 1863 -Caldonia b. 65 - James b. 1868 - Albert b. 1870 - Jasper b. 1872. The application is signed by William Allen Coffey and Rufus Coffey.

Also I said James 1871, The Civil War app. has him 1868.

So Fred and I decided to go with the dates on the Civil War Application. I hope this makes sense, and clears up the difference between George and Albert."

Thanks again,

Jo Ann

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Gilmer Clinton and Catherine Wiseman Coffey

This couple is buried at the Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista, Virginia.

According to the headstone, Gilmer was born Nov. 27, 1909 and died Jun. 23, 1951. Catherine was born Apr. 17, 1919. There is no death date for Catherine on the stone.

I need help finding his parents. A search of the census record for 1910 failed to find him.

Anyone with information can contact me at the above e-mail address.