Sixth Generation

1187. William "Billy" Coffey was born on 9 April 1815 in Virginia.⁴⁶⁷⁴ He appeared in the census in 1840 in Amherst Co., VA.⁴⁶⁷⁵ William died on 12 May 1896 at the age of 81 in Virginia and was buried at Bridge Hill Cemetery in Alto [Coffeytown], Amherst Co., VA.^{4676,4677,4678,4679}

1840 census, Amherst Co.: 1 male under 5; 1 male, 20 under 30; 1 female under 5; 1 female 20 and under 30; 1 free colored male, 10 under 24

William "Billy" Coffey and Sarah G. (Ann?) "Sally" Crawford⁴⁶⁴⁹ were married on 24 September 1835 in Amherst Co., VA.^4680,4681 They^4680,4681 appeared in the census on 17 September 1850 in Amherst Co., VA.⁴⁶⁸² They⁴⁶⁸² appeared in the census on 31 July 1860 in Amherst Co., VA.⁴⁶⁸³ Billy and Sally⁴⁶⁸³ appeared in the census on 23 August 1870 in Amherst Co., VA.⁴⁶⁸⁴ They⁴⁶⁸⁴ appeared in the census on 1 June 1880 in Amherst Co., VA.⁴⁶⁸⁵

"Billy and his family built a house just north of Staton's Creek to the immediate west of Elsie Coffey's present house, where the family grew up. It was not until 1897 that the house Elsie lived in was constructed. This may have been his second house in the general area of Coffeytown. His first purchase of land was made in 1873 when he and John Jack jointly purchased 1335 acres of property in the area. Up until that time, he may have lived on Henry's property or John Jack's land which he purchased in 1859.

"Billy was too old for the Civil War but some of his sons were of the proper age, including Jim and William. Harden was about the same age as Daniel Rufus and was not known to have been involved. Edward was about 10 years old and Arthur was only two or three years old when the War began. James Coffey was enlisted 22 April 1862 in Gordonsville, VA by Col Walker for 3 years or for the duration of the war, whichever was longest. He was a Private in Co. E, 13th VA Infantry. This is the same group John Jack, Jr. and Charles joined. He is listed as deserted 13 August 1862 (Charles was AWOL in June, 1862). William Coffey has the same record. Evidently, they all came home because the farms needed attention. Later John Jack and Charles joined the 50th Regiment VA Infantry. There are many James Coffeys involved in the war from Virginia. The one record of service later in the War which looks most like it would be Jim's is for a Jim Coffey who joined the same group - 50th VA, and that James is listed as being captured at The Wilderness/Spottsylvania Courthouse and sent to Elmira 30 July 1864, but then that James is listed as having died 14 October 1864 from chronic diarrhea, and they have him buried in grave #714 at Elmira. Independent records confirm there is a Jim Coffey from Virginia buried there. Fortunately, “our” Jim Coffey lived until 1915. (The 1910 Census shows him alive and well). The military records for none of the other James Coffeys seem logical for this man, and it is possible that he never re-joined after the episode in Gordonsville. The same may be true for William.

"Billy's headstone shows a death date as 11 May 1896. Death records show a William Coffey, unlisted parents, dying 26 July 1897. Evidently Billy's death came as a result of falling down the stairs at the original house, after he had returned from the new house. If this is true and the new house was not built until 1897, the 26 July date may be accurate. Otherwise, it could have been over a year since his death when it was reported in Amherst Courthouse, and the record shows the reported date, not the actual date; or the listed William is not the right one. However, the listed Billy was 81 years old, which is right for his age. No other William of that age was known to be in Amherst County at the time.

"Sally" and Billy Coffey are buried on the hill behind Elsie Coffey's house in a fenced-in area which includes Bettie Coffey, their unmarried daughter. Bettie evidently died of grief, as she was very attached to her mother. Others in the cemetery include Walter Campbell, perhaps related to John Jack's second wife, or to one of John Jack Jr.'s two daughters, Lena and Emma Jane, who married Campbell men in sufficient time to have had Walter. Robert H. Coffey, great-grandson of Billy Coffey, grandson of Harden Coffey and Hersey Coffey's brother, has the only other marked grave (1903-1907) in this cemetery. John Jack and his wife Betsey Duff are also believed to be buried in this vicinity, although there is no marker." Sarah G. (Ann?) "Sally" Crawford, daughter of James Crawford and Sarah Noel, was born circa 1820 in Virginia.⁴⁶⁸⁶

William "Billy" Coffey and Sarah G. (Ann?) "Sally" Crawford had the following children: