Name: Willis COFFEY
--------------------------------------------------
Birth: 2
May 1804
Death: 26
Sep 1893 Stewartsville, De
Kalb Co., MO
Father: Eli
COFFEY (1775-1833)
Mother: Mary
"Polly" COFFEY (1785-1872)
COMMON ANCESTORS:
Edward COFFEY (1650-1670 - abt 14 Feb 1716) & Ann POWELL (1683-1685
- Oct-Dec 1744)
Edward COFFEY Jr. (Feb - Jul 1700 - aft 1774) & Unknown MARTIN
Chesley COFFEY (Bet
1720-1730 - aft 1760) & Jane CLEVELAND (1725 - aft 1760)
Salathial COFFEY (abt
1753 - 1784) & Elizabeth NEWTON (1758 - )
Eli COFFEY (8 May
1775 - 18 Jul 1833) & Mary "Polly" COFFEY (7 Dec 1785 - 10 Mar
1872)
WILLIS’ DESCENDANTS:
Willis COFFEY* (2 May 1804
- 26 Sep 1893) & Violetta “Lotty” HAYNES (17 Mar 1805 - 10 Oct 1869)
Eliza
COFFEY (28 Jul 1829 - 17 Jul 1870) & Willis Washington WARRINER
(Unknown)
COFFEY (24 Jul 1829 - )
Nebuzarden
COFFEY (1832 - )
Teckley
COFFEY (18 May 1833 - )
Sarah
COFFEY (25 Feb 1835 - ) & John TILLER
Mary
Francis COFFEY (23 Feb 1837 - )
Jackson
COFFEY (29 Nov 1838 - )
Lotty
Emeline COFFEY (16 Nov 1840 - 4 Jun 1899) & William Henry CARTER
Nancy
COFFEY (21 May 1843 - )
James C
(Curt?) COFFEY (16 Mar 1845 - 1 Oct 1875)
Willis COFFEY* (2 May 1804
- 26 Sep 1893) & Susan PICKETT (abt 1832 - )
Willis
Franklin COFFEY (12 Oct 1874 - abt 1936) & Laura Alice THORNTON (27 Jul
1874 - 13 Apr 1933)
Elva
L. COFFEY (Jul 1894 - 21 Aug 1970)
Alice
B COFFEY (Oct 1896 - )
Erin M. COFFEY (1 Sep
1900 - Mar 1953) & Delores M CLARK (8 Dec 1905 - 14 Feb 1999)
Willis Clarence COFFEY (24 Feb 1926 - 3 Jun 1999)
Ronald Gilbert COFFEY (3 Oct 1927 - 3 Jul 1990)
Meldon Robert COFFEY (22 Mar 1933 - ) &
Constance FRENCH (26 Feb 1933 - 9 May 2007)
Melinda S. COFFEY (12 May 1954 - )
Sandra J. COFFEY (30 Dec 1955 - )
Alan COFFEY (30 May 1957 - )
Erin M COFFEY (25 Oct 1961 - )
Dennis L COFFEY (1 Sep 1963 - )
Dorene Mae COFFEY (30 Nov 1939 - ) & MELENDREZ
CONTINUATION: FRED COFFEY
LINE:
Newton Eli
COFFEY (2 May 1823 - 13 Jan 1890) & Martha Louise VERMILLION (4 May 1827
(1826?) - 27 Mar 1904)
William
COFFEY (27 Oct 1848 - 16 Mar 1896) & Malcena BARBRE (28 Mar 1855 - 12 May
1920)
Newton
COFFEY (23 Sep 1875 - 26 May 1969) & Adelia Gertrude ROBINSON (12 Sep 1878
- 16 Jan 1973)
Leo Newton COFFEY (22 Jul 1901 - 26 Oct 1998) & Elsie Maureen WALKER
(20 Nov 1903 - 12 Mar 1983)
Leo Frederick COFFEY
Misc. Notes
Searching
for Family of Willis Coffey
by Fred
Coffey
WILLIS IS NOT MY ANCESTOR, he is my GGG Uncle. However he
is of particular interest because he effectively became head of the family when
his father Eli died in 1833. Also, I undertook a search to find a living
descendant, for DNA testing purposes. Here are the details on my search (ALL
GENERATIONS are discussed here, but the search has focused so far on tracking
the line of Willis’ youngest son Willis Franklin):
1810 and
1820 CENSUS, ADAIR COUNTY, KENTUCKY:
The ages and
count of children for his father Eli Coffey is consistent with their having a
son, Willis.
1830 CENSUS,
RUSSELL COUNTY, KY:
Willis and
his wife are found on their own in this census. They report two children, a
male and a female, both under age 5. (This is interesting, since we only know
the name of one child, a female Eliza, as having been born before this census
date. There was an unnamed male child, who moved on or died before the 1850
census named family members?)
1833 DEATH
OF FATHER:
Eli Coffey
will states “I appoint Willis Coffey my sole executor. . .” Willis would have
been age 29. The Court set up a “guardian bond” for the three minor children,
with Willis and his mother Mary bound to report regularly on disbursements and
to turn over the property to the children when they reached age 21. Mary was
appointed guardian. Mary signed with an “X”, but Willis was able to sign his
own name.
PROPERTY TAX
RECORDS, RUSSELL COUNTY, KY:
Tax records
show that the tax valuation of Willis’ mother is much reduced after the death
of Eli, and that of Willis is significantly increased. I suspect that Eli
transferred much of his wealth to Willis prior to his death, and Willis assumed
responsibility for the extended family.
1840 CENSUS,
RUSSELL COUNTY, KY:
Willis is
found living adjacent to his widowed mother, Mary Coffey, and there are 30
people in the two households. Census shows Willis has 3 sons, with ages fitting
Nebuzarden, Jackson, and the mystery son from the 1830 census. The female
children fit Eliza, Teckley, Sarah and Mary. Willis owns 7 slaves (3 females
under 10, 1 female 10-24, 2 males under 10, 1 male over age 55).
1848
GUARDIANSHIP:
Willis was
named guardian of Reuben, then age 18 and the only remaining minor child of
father Eli. (Suspect that Reuben began to work for Willis at that time?)
1850 CENSUS,
RUSSELL COUNTY, KY:
Willis,
Lotty and all their named children are present and accounted for. Lotty is born
in Virginia, everyone else in Kentucky. (There is a note on line for “Nancy”
saying “Idiotic”, but that entry almost certainly is an error that should have
applied to youngest son James C on the next line. Another researcher says Nancy
later married, and she signed her name to Willis’ Will. Also see 1870 census
note about James.) Willis (indexed in slave schedule as “Willa Coffey”) has two
slaves, a blind female age 18, and a female age 1.
1860 CENSUS,
WASHINGTON TWP., DEKALB CO., MISSOURI:
Willis and
Loty have moved to Missouri. Only three children are still at home, they are
Jackson, Nancy, and James C. (Note that Nancy, age 16, has been attending
school, suggesting that the “Idiotic” label in the 1850 census was clearly an
error. Nothing is said about James, but he is age 13 and NOT attending school.)
willis owns one slave, a male age 7.
1870 CENSUS,
WASHINGTON TWP., DEKALB CO., MO:
Census taker
recorded the family name as “Coffie”. Willis is shown as age 55, but that is
clearly an error (he is 65). His wife died in 1869, and so is not there. Living
at home is James, age 26, marked “Idiot”. Also in household are Velotty Warner
age 16, and Willis Warner age 22. (Willis Coffey’s daughter Eliza married
Willis Washington Warriner, and these are therefore Willis’ grandchildren
through his daughter Eliza. Eliza died in 1870.)
Living in
the next household is Willis’ oldest son Nebuzeraden, age 39, and his wife
Anne, age 26. They have a son William, age 1.
1875 FAMILY
DEATH:
Son James C
Coffey died 1 Oct 1875, is buried Stewartsville cemetery, Stewartsville, DeKalb
County, Missouri. Have seen photo of grave stone, inscription is “James C
Coffey died Oct 1 1875 aged 30 yrs 6mths 16 dys. Son of Willis Coffey”.
1880 CENSUS,
WASHINGTON TWP., DEKALB CO., MO:
Willis is
76, and living with his new wife Susan age 48. They have a son, Willis F., age
5. Also in the household is Mary Pickett, age 14, stepdaughter. (Susan was
obviously married before, and her married name was Pickett.)
1893 DEATH
OF WILLIS:
Willis
(Senior) died 26 Sep 1893 in DeKalb Co., MO. (I have seen references to his
will, so that document can presumably be found by a diligent researcher.)
The
continuation of this report will focus on his youngest son, Willis Franklin.
1900 CENSUS,
WASHINGTON TWP., DEKALB CO., MO:
Willis F.
age 25 is found with his wife Laura age 25. They have been married 6 years,
have had 3 children, and 2 children are still living. Willis is an implement
dealer, and they have a boarder living in the house who is an implement
salesman. The children living are daughters Elva L. and Alice B.
1910 CENSUS,
MULTNOMAH CO., OREGON:
Willis F. is
age 35, as is his wife Laura. Living with them is his half-sister Mary Pickett
(see 1880 census). In the house are daughters Elva and Alice, and their new son
Erin age 8. (Erin got indexed as Erice.)
1917 WWI
DRAFT REGISTRATION:
Willis
Franklin Coffey registered for the draft, from his address at 1097 Vernon Ave.,
Portland, Oregon. He is a merchant, and his wife is Laura. He is age 43, of
medium height and stout build.
1920 CENSUS,
MULTNOMAH CO., OR:
Didn’t find
Willis in this census, but he will reappear in 1930. In any event, my attention
is now focused on son Erin. Erin is a shipping clerk, living with his sister
Elva and Elva’s husband James Forrest. James and Elva have a baby son, Howard.
1930 CENSUS,
MULTNOMAH CO., OR:
The extended
family is back together in Willis F Coffey’s house. Willis and his wife Laura
are there, and Willis F. is a real estate broker. Their daughter Alice B. is
living there with her husband Benjamin Knight, and their daughter Velma, age
13. And his son Erin M. Coffey age 28, and his wife Delores M. age 24 are
there, with their two sons Willis C. age 4 and Ronald G. age 2 yrs, 6 months.
Erin is a laundry driver. They also have a boarder, Lewis Hall.
No census
after 1930 is presently available for examination.
DEATH
INDICES FOR SONS OF ERIN COFFEY:
Per SSDI
Ronald G. Coffey was born 3 Oct 1927 and died 3 Jul 1990. The Oregon Death
Index says he died in Washington Co., Oregon, Death Certificate 90-13045. He is
listed in the Veterans Gravesites index, as buried in Willamette National
Cemetery. He had service in the U.S. Navy between 30 Oct 1945 and 19 Aug 1946.
Willis C.
Coffey is in the SSDI as born 24 Feb 1926 and died 3 Jun 1999. His last
residence was in Portland, Washington County, Oregon 97225.
MAKING
A CONNECTION:
The
online “white pages” said there was a Willis D. Coffey, and wife Dorothy, in
Portland, OR 97225. I called, and had a chat with Dorothy. Turns out this was
the widow of the Willis C. Coffey introduced above! We had a chat, and she
referred me to Meldon Coffey, the brother of Willis. I then called Meldon, and
we had a great chat. And he is willing to share information, and has agreed to
do the y-DNA test!
He
is Meldon Robert Coffey, 1451 NW Fall Place, Beaverton, OR 97006, Phone
503-645-1902.
Spouses
--------------------------------------------------
1: Violetta “Lotty”
HAYNES
Birth: 17
Mar 1805 Virginia
Death: 10
Oct 1869 Dekalb Co., MO
Marriage: 28
Mar 1828 Russell Co., KY
Children:
Willis COFFEY (2 May 1804 - 26 Sep 1893) & Violetta
“Lotty” HAYNES (17 Mar 1805 - 10 Oct 1869)
Eliza COFFEY (28
Jul 1829 - 17 Jul 1870) & Willis Washington WARRINER*
(Unknown) COFFEY
(abt 1830 - )
Nebuzarden COFFEY
(1832 - )
Teckley COFFEY (18
May 1833 - )
Sarah COFFEY (25
Feb 1835 - )
Mary COFFEY (1837
- )
Jackson COFFEY
(1839 - )
Lotty Emeline
COFFEY (1840 - 4 Jun 1899) & William Henry CARTER
Nancy COFFEY (1843
- )
James C. COFFEY
(16 Mar 1845 - 1 Oct 1875)
*MEMO: Have had some correspondence with Dana Mireles, who
writes “I descend from Willis's daughter Eliza Coffey who married Willis
Warriner, his daughter Angenoma married James Marion Clark - all in Missouri
and then I have my grandfather James Cleveland Clark.”
--------------------------------------------------
2: Susan PICKETT
Birth: abt
1832 Ohio
Children:
Willis COFFEY (2 May 1804 - 26 Sep 1893) & Susan PICKETT
(abt 1832 - )
Willis Franklin
COFFEY (12 Oct 1874 - abt 1936) & Laura Alice THORNTON (27 Jul 1874 - 13
Apr 1931)
Elva L. COFFEY
(Jul 1894 - 21 Aug 1970)
Alice B COFFEY
(Oct 1896 - )
Erin M. COFFEY
(abt 1907 - 19 Mar 1942) & Delores M (abt 1906 - )
Willis Clarence COFFEY (24 Feb 1926
- 3 Jun 1999)
Ronald
Gilbert COFFEY (3 Oct 1927 - 3 Jul 1990)
Meldon
Robert COFFEY (22 Mar 1933 - )
Dorene Mae
COFFEY (30 Nov 1939 - ) & MELENDREZ
--------------------------------------------------
Please report corrections or additions to... FredCoffey@AOL.COM