Sixth Generation

967. James Coffey Jr. was born in 1820 in Kentucky. He lived with his parents in Pulaski Co., KY on 26 September 1850. He patented land on 28 March 1851 and³⁹⁵⁴ 7 April 1851 in Pulaski Co., KY³⁹⁵⁵ James died on 16 November 1862 at the age of 42 in Perry Co., MO and was buried in an unmarked grave at Mount Hope Cemetery in Perryville, Perry Co., MO.³⁹⁵⁶

James Coffey, Jr. appeared in the 1850 census in Pulaski Co., KY with his parents and patented land with his father in that county in 1851. After that, I lose him.

On Mar. 4, 18521 a James Coffey married Sophia Giebear in Adair Co., MO. They were in Perryville, Saline Twp., MO, enumerated on the 1860 census. However, this James reported his birth in NC, not KY. James died on Nov. 16, 1862 in Perry Co. and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Perryville. In 1870 Sophia was enumerated as head of household in Perry Co. and in 1880 with her son Henry Coffey in Cinque Homme Twp., Perry Co. She died in August of 1880 and was also buried at Mount Hope.

Some genealogies that I have seen name this James as James, Jr., son of James and Sarah Sumpter Coffey.

James and Sophia are in the 1860 census for Perry Co., Saline Twp.2 In addition to the children named below, a Permelia E. Coffey, age 14, born IL, also appeared in the household. She would have been born c1846 but, did not appear with the Coffey family in 1850 Pulaski Co., KY. Her relationship to 1860 James is unclear.

The children that I have for James and Sophia were all but one born in Perry Co. and all died in Perry Co.:

James Henry, born Feb. 14, 1853, died Jun. 11, 1940. He married Mary Emma Dickerson of MO and had at least one child, James Edward, born Aug. 25, 1895, died Aug. 14, 1961. James Edward married Mary Zilpha Layton. James Henry is buried at Mount Hope. Mary is likely there as well but not listed there.

William Austin, born Mar. 18, 1855, died Dec. 7, 1923. He married Margaret Adaline Fowler, born Feb. 14, 1862 in SC, died Feb. 4, 1935 in Perry Co. They are also buried at Mount Hope. They had at least 10 children: Robert, Florence, James Austin, Rosalie, John Edward, Maude, Jesse, Everett, Charles H. and Lillie.

Mary Jane, born Feb. 12, 1857, died Jun. 24, 1954. She married John D. Red, born Sep. 17, 1842 in IL, died Jan. 30, 1908 in Perryville. They too are buried at Mount Hope. They had at least three children: Mary S., Julia, and Charles.

The last child I have for them was Lucinda Elizabeth, born Sep. 10, 1859 in Adair Co., MO, died Aug. 7, 1937 in Perryville. She married John Calvin Welker, born Jul. 9, 1858 in Cinque Homme, died Nov. 6, 1931 in Perryville. They are also buried at Mount Hope. Their children were: William E., Victoria Edith, Ola Emma, Jesse Clarenton, Glenton Oliver, Mary Ethel, Annie Della and Reath Rosa.

I have to conclude there are enough inconsistencies in this genealogy to unlink this Perry Co. James Coffey from the James and Sarah Sumpter Coffey family. If that is an accurate assessment then who is the Perry Co. James? What happened to James, Jr. of Pulaski Co. and, who was Permelia?

James Coffey Jr. had the following children:

James Coffey Jr. and Sophia Giebear were married on 4 March 1852 in Adair Co., MO.³⁹⁵⁷ They³⁹⁵⁷ appeared in the census on 7 June 1860 in Perryville, Perry Co., MO.³⁹⁵⁸ Sophia Giebear, daughter of Nicholas Giebear and Ann Marie Drouard, was born on 22 May 1834 in Missouri. She lived with her father in Cape Cinque Hommes, Perry Co., MO on 28 September 1850. She appeared in the census on 15 July 1870 in Perryville, Perry Co., MO.³⁹⁵⁹ Sophia lived with her son Henry in Cinque Homme Twp., Perry Co., MO on 17 June 1880. Sophia died on 8 August 1880 at the age of 46 in Perry Co., MO and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Perryville, Perry Co., MO.^3960,3961

James Coffey Jr. and Sophia Giebear had the following children: