Fifth Generation

272. Martha was probably born in Tennessee on 24 December 1806. Martha died in Benton Co., AR on 5 January 1849 and was buried at Yell Cemetery in Siloam Springs, Benton Co., AR in January 1849 .⁸⁹⁵

From a Bedford Co. Family History book summited by Linda Pitts via Betty Landers (dclander@bellsouth.net) on Dec. 18, 2004:

Martha D. Coffey daughter of Rice Coffey 1805-1849 d. in Benton Arkansas married in 1831 to Alexander Curry Yell 1805-1881 b. in Rutherford Co. Tn. d. in Benton Arkansas. they reared six children who all died in Arkansas.

Martha D. "Patsy" Coffey and Col. Alexander Curry Yell were married.

This family was in Washington Co., AR at least as early as 1840 where they appeared in the Prairie Township census. At that census, a mother was not in the household making it likely that Martha Coffey was Col. Yell's second wife. Col. Alexander Curry Yell, son of Moses Archibald Yell and Jane Curry, was born on 12 November 1805 in Rutherford Co., TN. He appeared in the census in 1840 in Washington Co., AR.⁸⁹⁶ He appeared in the census on 28 October 1850 in Benton Co., AR.⁸⁹⁷ Alexander appeared in the census on 29 August 1860 in Ball Twp., Benton Co., AR.⁸⁹⁸ He appeared in the census on 7 June 1880 in Bell Twp., Benton Co., AR.⁸⁹⁹ Col. Yell died on 24 October 1881 at the age of 75 in Benton Co., AR and was buried at Yell Cemetery in Siloam Springs, Benton Co., AR.^900,901

The Public Ledger, Memphis, TN, 1865-1893, Nov. 2, 1881, Page 1, Col. 3.

Alexander C. Yell

We omitted to mention last week, the death of our old-time friend, Col. Yell. He was a well-known and prominent citizen of this and Benton counties. The name of Aleck Yell in Northwest Arkansas was a household word. Always the friend of the oppressed, none knew him but to love him. Now that his earthly career is ended, the memory of his good deeds will outlive the cold marble that covers his ashes. Friend of our early days, sorrowfully we pronounce the word that makes us inger [linger?], farewell.

A genealogy of the Emery Family was found at

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com./~jameseastonburns/emery.htm

provides the following information:

ALEXANDER CURRY YELL b. 12 Nov. 1805 Rutherford co., Tn.; m. Fayetteville, Washington, Ar. MARTHA COFFEE; d. 24 Oct. 1881 Robinson, Washington, Ar.

Martha D. "Patsy" Coffey and Col. Alexander Curry Yell had the following children:

1053	i.	Sarah J. Yell was born circa 1829 in Tennessee.
1054	ii.	Mary E. Yell was born in 1832 in Tennessee. She lived with her father in Benton Co., AR on 7 June 1880. Mary died in Arkansas in 1905 and was buried at Yell Cemetery in Siloam Springs, Benton Co., AR in 1905 .⁹⁰²
1055	iii.	Martha Ellen Yell was born on 21 September 1834 in Bedford Co., TN. She lived with her father in Benton Co., AR on 7 June 1880. Martha died in Siloam Springs, Benton Co., AR on 21 February 1929 and was buried at Yell Cemetery in Siloam Springs, Benton Co., AR in February 1929 .⁹⁰³ Obituary, The Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, AR, Fri., Feb. 22, 1929, Page 10 Obituary Miss Martha E. Yell, Niece of Former Governor, is Dead Siloam Springs, Feb. 21.--Miss Martha Ellen Yell, aged 94, died at the home of her brother, Arch Yell, this morning. Miss Yell was born in Befdford county, Tennessee, September 21, 1834. Miss Yell, with her brother, came to this city in 1909 and has resided at their home east of here ever since. The family moved from Tennessee to Fayetteville, Ark., in 1845, later moving to Robinson. She was a niece of former Governor Yell of Arkansas.
1056	iv.	Elizabeth "Betty" Yell was born circa 1841 in Arkansas.
1057	v.	Marna E. Yell was born circa 1844 in Arkansas.
1058	vi.	Archibald M. Yell was born in 1848 in Arkansas. Archibald died at home in Benton Co., AR on 26 March 1935 and was buried at Yell Cemetery in Siloam Springs, Benton Co., AR in March 1935 .⁹⁰⁴ Death, Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, AR, Wed., Mar. 27, 1935, Page 2 Member of Noted Family Murdered Body of Archibald Yell Found in His Home at Siloam Springs. Bentonville, March 26.--Sheriff Earl Austin was called to Siloam Springs to investigate the murder of Archibald Yell, 86, last survivor of a family that helped to make Arkansas history. The body of Mr. Yell, who had been shot to death, was found in the home where he lived alone. The house had been ransacked. The sheriff was told that Yell recently had received a sum of money and this is believed to have been the incentive for the murder. The victim was a nephew of the late Col. Archibald Yell who served with distinction in the American army in the War with Mexico and who afterward became governor of Arkansas. Yell county is named for him. Mr. Yell's home was one mile east of Siloam Springs. The body was found by a gardner lying on a walk in the read of the house. There was a bullet wound behind the right ear. Mr. Yell was born at Fayetteville but had lived at the home where he was killed for many years. ----- Trial Postponed, The Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, AR, Sun., May 12, 1935, Page 13 Trials of Two First Degree Murder Cases Postponed Bentonville, May 11.--Trial of first degree murder charges against John Golden [Gilden?] Mabry, aged 19, of Siloam Springs, and Woodrow Dillinger, 23, of Bentonville were continued today by Judge Combs to the September term. Both were indicted by a special Grand Jury Wednesday. Mabry is charged with the murder of Archibald Yell, aged and wealthy recluse and member of a family notable in the early history of the state. Dillinger is charged with having killed his brother-in-law, Plummer Smith, who was shot in the home of his father, J. N. Smith, in Bentonville, April 21. [Trial was subsequently postponed, this time until October 7, 1935. The trial began and the jury was unable to reach a verdict. The trial was again postponed until the Spring term of 1936. In March, 1936 the trial was again postponed until September and Mabry was allowed to post $5000 bond and was released. I found no subsequent report of trial or disposition of the charge against Mabry.]