Seventh Generation

3720. Sara Zerilda "Relda" Coffey was born on 28 December 1858 in Monticello, Wayne Co., KY. She lived with her sister Eliza. in Wayne Co., KY on 23 June 1880. She appeared in the census on 9 May 1940 in Kleberg Co., TX.¹²³⁵⁹ Sara Zerilda died of colon cancer on 9 September 1940 at the age of 81 in Kingsville, Kleberg Co., TX and was buried at Chamberlain Cemetery in Kingsville, Kleberg Co., TX on 10 September 1940.^12360,12361

Mrs. Parmley At Age of 81

Mrs. Relda Parmley, widow of the late William H. Parmley, died at the family home on the Angle Road southeast of Kingsville Monday morning at 4 o’clock after an illness of more than a year. She had been confined to her bed for several months.
 
Funeral services were held at the home Tuesday afternoon at 5:00 o’clock with Rev. R.F. Curl officiating. Burial was at Chamberlain Burial Park.
 
Mrs. Parmley was born in Monticello, Kentucky, December 28,1858.  She was married in the same city to William H. Parmley, August 18, 1880. The family came here 22 years ago from Channing, Texas. Mr. Parmley preceded his wife in death on January 10, 1933.
 
A life-long member of the Methodist Church, Mrs. Parmley was known to her friends as one devoted to the service of her family and her God.
 
Survivors are four sons, R.E. Parmley of Bennington, Okla;C. L. Parmley of Gilmer; T. M. Parmley of Dumas; W.F. Parmley of Bakersfield,California;  two daughters, Mrs. Dosha Parmley and Mrs. Frank Elsik, both of Kingsville and a brother, Sam Coffey of Kingsville.
 
Pallbearers were K.E. Goerner, Albert Paulson, Frank Williams, Allie Robinson, Henry
Christopher and Frank Lara.

Sara Zerilda "Relda" Coffey and William Harrison Parmley¹²³⁶² were married on 18 August 1880 in Monticello, Wayne Co., KY. They appeared in the census on 22 June 1900 in Montague Co., TX.¹²³⁶³ They¹²³⁶³ appeared in the census on 24 February 1920 in Kingsville, Kleberg Co., TX.¹²³⁶⁴ Relda and William¹²³⁶⁴ appeared in the census on 26 April 1930 in Kleberg Co., TX.¹²³⁶⁵ William Harrison Parmley¹²³⁶⁶, son of Robert Parmley and Zarilda Strunk, was born on 13 September 1858 in Wayne Co., KY.

In the 1900 census he reported that his birthdate was Sep., 1859. He lived with his parents in Monticello, Wayne Co., KY on 28 July 1860. William died of hypertrophy of prostate and uremia on 10 January 1933 at the age of 74 in Kingsville, Kleberg Co., TX and was buried at Chamberlain Cemetery in Kingsville, Kleberg Co., TX on 11 January 1933.^{12367,12368,12369}

"W. H. Parmley came to Kleberg County about twenty years ago and settled near Kingsville where he became a large land owner and was a thoroughly representative planter prior to his death which occurred in 1933. Mr. Parmley was one of the most capable planters of Kleberg County and amassed large land holdings prior to his death and developed some of the best farming property in that area. Before coming to Kleberg County Mr. Parmley had lived in Montague County for twenty-two years.

"W. H. Parmley was born in Wayne County, Kentucky, on the thirteenth of September, 1858, and was a son of Robert Parmley and Polly (Hurt) Parmley, both natives of Palaska [sic] [Pulaski] County, Kentucky. The elder Parmley after many years residence in Kentucky later removed to Kansas where he served as Judge of Crowley County for six years and where he also had large farming interests.

"In 1880 W. H. Parmley was married to Miss Relda Coffey, also of Wayne County, Kentucky and a daughter of A. J. Coffey, who later came to Texas and was one of the outstanding planters of Montague County for many years, and Martha Jane Parmley [sic] [Spann]. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Parmley are R. E., Charley, Thad, Bill, Manna, Dosia and Lula Parmley. Another daughter, Nora, is deceased.

"Mr. Parmley was a friend of education and served for two years as a member of the school board in Montague County. He was a communicant of the Baptist Church, a kindly and considerate man and highly regarded by the citizens of Kleberg County where he has lived for sixteen years.

"Since the death of Mr. Parmley his business operations, including the management of his extensive farming properties, have been carried out in a highly efficient manner by Mrs. Parmley, a gracious and considerate lady who is beloved by a large circle of friends and acquaintances."

The farm and gin interests of Montague county,Texas, have an enterprising representative in the subject of this sketch, William H. Parmley.  He is a Kentuckian by birth and was born in Wayne County, September 13, 1858, son of Robert and Serilda (Strunk) Parmley, both natives of Kentucky.
 
Robert Parmley, Sr., grandfather of William H.,was a Virginian and a great hunter who at an early day settled in the wilds of Kentucky, where he improved a farm and carried on agricultural pursuits extensively, having slaves to do his work.  He was twice married.  Byhis first wife the children were:  James, Garner, John, Washington, Lewis,Robert, Jr., Henderson, Giles, Mrs. Sidney Gan, and Mrs. Rebecca Rice. Following are the names of the children by the second wife:  Mrs. Betty McBath.  William, Lad, Mrs. Abigail Winchester, Mrs. Ersley Stokes, Mrs.Vie Young, Mrs. Ellen Powers and H. Clay.
 
Robert Parmley, Jr., in his early manhood taught school for some years.  Although a southerner, he was a Union man, and two of his brothers, William and Lad, were Union soldiers.  He however took no part in the war.  He is politically a Democrat and was honored with official position in his native State, and also since his removal to Kansas.  He moved west in 1877 and settled in Cowley county, Kansas, where he improved a good farm and was for many years successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits.  Now at the age of eighty-two years, and still vigorous, he is living retired in Burden, that county.   Here he has served as justice of the peace and city judge.  He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and of the Masonic fraternity, and has long been known as a generous, big-hearted, broad-minded man with a character in every way above reproach.  His first wife died in 1879. She belonged to one of the early families of Kentucky; was a member of Cumberland Presbyterian church,and was a woman of lovely Christian character.  Little is known of her family history.  Following are the names of her children:  Mrs. Milda Rice James (deceased); William H.; John (deceased); Ned (deceased); Bell, wife of George R. McClelland, and Ellen, wife of M.Mackey.  The father subsequently married a Mrs. Burris, his present companion. 
 
William H. Parmley was seventeen when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Kansas.  His education was received chiefly at home under his father's instruction and in the practical school of experience.  He assisted his father in the development of their farm in the new State of Kansas.  Then in 1880 he returned to Kentucky,married the sweetheart of his youth and took her back to Kansas with him. The next two years he was employed in breaking prairie with two yoke of oxen. He rented land in Chautauqua county one year;  moved to Llano county,Texas, where he raised two crops; returned to Kansas, but soon came back to Texas, this time settling in Montague county, where he bought eighty acres of land, to which he afterward added another eighty acres, and where he remained eight years.  His next move was to Indian Territory, but he did not remain there long.  Coming again to Montague County, he purchased land where he now resides.  To his original purchase here, one hundred and sixty acres, he has since added until he is now the owner of one thousand acres, 600 acres of which are under cultivation, most of which he rents, his chief products being corn and cotton.  His farm with its commodious, modern residence and other buildings, wind mill and fine water, large orchard of choice fruits, etc., is certainly an ideal country place.  In 1900 Mr. Parmley became interested in ginning.  He erected a gin with a daily capacity of twenty-five bales, to the operation of which he has since given his attention in ginning season.  It has been by his own energy and good management that Mr.Parmley has accumulated his estate since coming to Montague County, and he has well earned the title of self-made man.
 
Politically, Mr. Parmley is a Republican, posted and up-to-date in the country's progress and hopeful of Republican success in Texas.  He is one of the active members of the Farmer's Union, and both he and his wife are identified with the Missionary Baptist Church.
 
Of Mr. Parmley's domestic life, we record that he married Miss Serilda Coffee who was born in Kentucky, December 18, 1858, daughter of Jackson and Martha J. (Spann) Coffee, the former a native of Kentucky, the later of Tennessee. Her grandfather, Nathaniel Coffee, was a prominent farmer of Kentucky.  His children were:  Jackson; Cleve, one of the early settlers of Texas and William.  Jackson, a farmer in Kentucky until 1882, that year moved to Texas and settled in Hopkins county,where he spent two years; then came to Llano county, and two years later to Montague County, where he lived with his daughter for fifteen years. He died here October 20, 1889. He was a plain, honest farmer, a member of the primitive Baptist church, and was highly respected by all who knew him. His children in order of birth are:  Shelby, Lewis, Jack, Henry, and Willis, all deceased;  Samuel and Robert of Indian Territory;  Cleve, who resides with his sister, Mrs. Parmley;  Clay, who died in early life;  Eliza, wife of J. Kennett;  Mrs. Serilda Parmley;  and Mollie, deceased.  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Parmley are:  Robert, Leenora, Charles L., Thadeus, William F., Maud, Dosha and Lula S., all living at this writing except Lenora, who died at the age of three months.

Sara Zerilda "Relda" Coffey and William Harrison Parmley had the following children: