Seventh Generation

4773. Ella Elzina Coffey was born on 15 April 1883 in Wilkes Co., NC. She lived with her mother in Wilkes Co., NC on 20 June 1900. She died of a cerebral vascular accident on 20 October 1957 at the age of 74 at home in North Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC and was buried at Reddies River Baptist Church Cemetery in Wilbar, Wilkes Co., NC on 22 October 1957.^{15112,15113,15114}

Obituary, The Greensboro Daily News, Greensboro, NC, Mon., Oct. 21, 1957, Page 18

Mrs. L. Z. Johnson

North Wilkesboro, Oct. 20 -- Mrs. Ella Coffey Johnson, 74, died today at her home on Route 4, North Wilkesboro, after a five year illness.

She leaves her husband, L. Z. [sic] Johnson; three sons, William T. of Route 4, North Wilkesboro, James C. of Winston-Salem and A. F. Johnson of Millers Creek. two daughters, Mrs. Quinten Ferguson and Mrs. Ray Bumgarner of Route 4, North Wilkesboro; two brothers, L. C. Coffey of North Wilkesboro and J. T. Coffey of Wilbar; and two sisters, Mrs. Will Bumgarner of Route 3, North Wilkesboro, and Mrs. George Hayes of Laurel Springs.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Old Reddies River Baptist Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Ella Elzina Coffey and Leander Vance "Lee" Johnson were married on 24 April 1904 in Wilkes Co., NC. Leander Vance "Lee" Johnson, son of George Johnson and Eliza Whittington, was born on 14 March 1879 in Wilkes Co., NC. Lee died of heart failure on 23 January 1959 at the age of 79 at home in North Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC and was buried at Reddies River Baptist Church Cemetery in Wilbar, Wilkes Co., NC on 25 January 1959.^15115,15116

Obituary, The Greensboro Daily News, Greensboro, NC, Jan. 24, 1959, Page B4

Lee Johnson

North Wilkesboro, Jan. 23 -- Lee Ander Vance Johnson, 79, of Route 4, North Wilkesboro, died unexpectedly early today at his home. Death was attributed to a heart attack. He was born in Wilkes County. For many years he worked in the sawmill industry in Wilkes.

Surviving are three sons, William T. Johnson of Route 4, North Wilkesboro, Arthur F. Johnson of Millers Creek, James C. Johnson of Route 7, Winston-Salem; two daughters, Mr. O. R. Ferguson and Mrs. Ray Bumgarner, both of Route 4, North Wilkesboro; 13 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild; two bothers, Dock Johnson of West Jefferson and Wiley Johnson of Route 4, North Wilkesboro; a sister, Miss Janie Johnson of Wilbar.

Funeral services will be conducted Sunday at 2 p.m. at Reddies River Baptist Church by the Rev. Glenn Huffman and the Rev. Allen Staley.

Ella Elzina Coffey and Leander Vance "Lee" Johnson had the following children:

10322	i.	William Thomas Johnson was born on 6 March 1907 in Wilkes Co., NC. William died of natural causes on 29 July 1968 at the age of 61 at home in North Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC and was buried at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC on 31 July 1968.¹⁵¹¹⁷
10323	ii.	Sarah Virginia Johnson was born on 13 March 1909 in Wilkes Co., NC.¹⁵¹¹⁸
10324	iii.	George T. Johnson was born on 8 October 1911 in Wilkes Co., NC. George died of a gunshot wound ruled homicide on 15 June 1941 at the age of 29 at Wilkes General Hospital in North Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC and was buried at Reddies River Baptist Church Cemetery in Wilbar, Wilkes Co., NC on 16 June 1941.^15119,15120 News Item, The Greensboro Daily News, Greensboro, NC, Mon., Jun. 16, 1941, Page 10 Wilkes Farmer Held For Fatal Shooting George T. Johnson, 30, Killed In Reddies River Community. (Special to Daily News) North Wilkesboro, June 15.--George T. Johnson, 30, died this morning in the Wilkes hospital from two bullet wounds inflicted Saturday evening by Ambrose Shepherd at the Shepherd home in the Reddies River community, 12 miles northwest of here. Johnson was his twice, once in the neck and once in the abdomen. The bullet in his neck penetrated his spinal column. Shepherd, a prominent farmer of the Reddies River community, cames to Wilkesboro and surrendered to officers who placed him in jail. No date has been set for a hearing. Johnson was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Johnson, tenants on the Shepherd farm, where he was reared. For the past few years he lived near North Wilkesboro and was employed as a truck driver by a local firm. Funeral will be held Monday at 2 o'clock at Reddies River church. Johnson is survived by his wife, Mrs. Sarah Johnson; his father and mother; three brothers, James, Will and Arthur Johnson, and two sisters, Mrs. Ray Bumgarner, and Miss Sarah Johnson. ----- According to a subsequent news item in the Daily News on Thur., Aug. 14, 1941, Johnson reportedly stopped in fromt of the Shepherd home where Ambrose Shepherd was seated on the porch. Shepherd went to the car and in a few minutes Johnson got out of the car and threatened to kill him. Johnson allegedly removed Shepherd's glasses and struck him, then picked up a couple of rocks. Shepherd went towards his home where he picked up a shotgun and shot Johnson as he was preparing to leave. A follow-up in the Greensboro Daily News on Aug. 14, 1941 reports that Ambrose Shepherd was sentenced to three to five years in the state penitentiary after the jury returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter for the fatal shooting of Johnson. An appeal was filed the same day. The Greensboro Record of Wed., Nov. 16, 1941 included a short blurb which reported the appeal court upheld the conviction of manslaughter of Ambrose Shepherd. The Apr. 8, 1956 issue of the Greensboro Daily News reported the death of Mr. Shepherd on Apr. 7, 1956 in Wilkes General Hospital.
10325	iv.	Arthur Franklin Johnson was born on 13 August 1923 in Wilkes Co., NC.¹⁵¹²¹