Fourth Generation

56. Ambrose Coffey was born circa 1762 in Blue Run, Orange Co., VA.¹⁴⁸ He appeared in the census in 1790 in Wilkes Co., NC.¹⁴⁹ He appeared in the census in 1800 in Wilkes Co., NC.¹⁵⁰ Ambrose appeared in the census in 1810 in Pulaski Co., KY.¹⁵¹ Ambrose died in Pulaski Co., KY in September 1818.

Ambrose lived in Wilkes Co., NC until 1804; lived in TN for a short time then to KY c1806 where he died in 1818. Polly applied for allowance of dower in Sep. and Nov. 1818 respectively. They sold 90 acres of land in Pulaski Co. to Vincent Garner on Sep.. 2. The balance of land (157 acres) went to widow and children which was sold in 1826, also to Vincent Garner. Settlement mentions 12 children but no names.

In all petitions and deeds Ambrose's wife is listed as Polly. Since Polly is not a diminutive of Elizabeth, it appears that Ambrose had a 3d wife. In an indenture of 1826 she is listed as wife of John Mills but no record found of their marriage. Her maiden name is unknown. There is a Polly Coffey married to James McHenry on Jul. 7, 1821, security Vincent Garner, so perhaps she married McHenry first then John Mills before 1826. Because Vincent provided bond when she obtained letters of administration, and he is frequently found in other records involving Polly and Ambrose, it seems likely that her maiden name was Garner. In Oct. 1877 Samuel Tate is granted letters of administration in the estate of Polly Coffey, deceased, but this could be another Polly.

There is a Polly Coffey in Pulaski Co., KY in 1820 census (11----/11-1) (age 26-45), and a Polly Ann (age 20-30) in Pulaski Co. in 1830 (1/-11-1). Four children are listed at home in 1820, three in 1830 but one of latter is male under 5. Based on census age alone, it appears that these two women are not the same person: The 1820 Polly is age 26-45, and in 1830 she is 20-30.

If they are the same women, perhaps Polly was remarried once or even twice (briefly) had 1 son and resumed her Coffee/y surname. Or, perhaps she had an illegitimate child by a Mills male!?

What may also be possible is that the female, age 10-16 in the 1820 household is the Polly of 1830.

Ambrose is said by some researchers to have served in the Rev. War, but no records have been found. He is often confused with the Ambrose Coffey of Fort Boonesboro. A deposition taken in 1809 in Madison Co., KY proves that the Ambrose at the fort was not our Ambrose. The Fort Boonesboro Ambrose was born in Dublin, IR and came to this country as a young boy. He is probably the Ambrose in Fayette Co., KY census of 1790, and Montgomery Co. in 1800. He is also likely the Rev. war soldier stationed at Fincastle, KY in 1776.* He too had several children, including a son named Ambrose who in turn had a son named Ambrose. These families are prominent in the records of Montgomery, Morgan and Greenup counties.

The Ambrose of this record married Millie Moore, another daughter of Jesse and Alley Moore. Millie was born Mar. 31, 1770 and died in 1812, probably in Pulaski Co., KY. Following her death, Ambrose married Elizabeth Rice, and later probably Polly.

Ambrose lived in Wilkes Co. until about 1804, lived in TN for a short time, and then moved to KY about 1806. He was living in Pulaski Co. at the time of his death. His widow petitioned there for letters of administration and for the allowance of dower in September and November, 1818 respectively.

They had just sold land purchased in 1816 in Pulaski Co. to Vincent Garner on Sept. 2. the balance of Ambrose' land (157 acres) went to the widow and children, but was eventually sold on April 18, 1826, also to Vincent Garner.

The settlement mentions 12 children, but doesn't name them. In all of the petitions his wife is listed as Polly. Since this is not a diminutive of Elizabeth it seems likely that Ambrose had a third wife. In the indenture of 1826 she is listed as the wife of John Mills but no record of that marriage has been found.

21 May 1802, Burke Co. Deed Book C-1, page 44, between Thomas Fields and Ambrose Coffey, 10 lbs, 40 acres on S bank Yadkin River at Laurance Rosses old line and Joshua Murrys line; signed Thomas Fields, wit: Eli Coffey, Thomas Coffey

21 May 1802, Burke Co. Deed Book C-1, page 32, between Ambrose Coffey and John Townzen, Burke Co., NC, 15 lbs, 25 acres, trace entered by Benjamin Coffey. Thomas Coffey corner. Signed Ambrose X Coffey, wit: Eli Coffey, Thomas Coffey

In a 1994 supplement [original was printed in 1984] and followup note to his book on James Bluford Coffey, Marvin Coffey wrote that Harold Elrod of Old Saybrook, CT had written that he [Elrod] had "studied all appropriate court records and used some inductive reasoning to shed light on what are the probably facts" in the study of Ambrose's wives. "One point is central: the clerk in the 1826 deed record evidently made a mistake in listing 'Polly' Coffey twice. The one which is the wife of John Mills should be Ally."

*His name is on a list of men stationed at Fort Fincastle under Sgt. Lane. See Virginia's Colonial Soldiers, Loyd DeWitt Bockstruck, Gen. Pub. Co., 1988.

Ambrose Coffey and Mildred "Millie" Moore were married before 1788.¹⁵² Mildred "Millie" Moore, daughter of Jesse Moore and Alley Johnson, was born on 31 March 1770 in Wayne Co., KY. Mildred died in Pulaski Co., KY circa 1812.

Ambrose Coffey and Mildred "Millie" Moore had the following children:

Ambrose Coffey and Elizabeth Rice were married after 1812.¹⁵² Elizabeth Rice was born (date unknown).

Ambrose Coffey and Elizabeth Rice had the following children:

Ambrose Coffey and Polly Garner were married before September 1818.¹⁵² Polly Garner appeared in the census in 1820 in Somerset Twp., Pulaski Co., KY.¹⁵³ Polly is likely the widow of Ambrose. Some of the children match ages with known children by Mildred Moore and Elizabeth Rice, but others too young to be away from home are not in this census. Could they have been farmed out to other relatives to help ease the burden after Ambrose died? There was a Polly Ann Coffey in the 1830 Pulaski Co. census, enumerated on page 23, with 1 male child under 5; 1 female, age 5 to 10, 1 female, age 10 to 15, and 1 female age 20 to 30. It is not likely that this Polly Ann was the widowed wife of Ambrose, because that Polly is known to have been remarried by 1826, this time to John Mills.