Sixth Generation

2250. James Wilson Coffey⁸⁴⁰³ was born on 10 May 1822 in Pulaski Co., KY. James died on 15 July 1889 at the age of 67 in Wellman, Washington Co., IA and was buried at Wassonville Cemetery in Daytonville, Washington Co., IA.^{2422,8404,8405,8406}

From Portrait and Biographical Album, Washington County, Iowa found at

http://freepages.books.rootsweb.com/~cooverfamily/album_1.html

JAMES WILSON COFFEY, section 14, Lime Creek Township. Among the highly respected citizens of Washington County will be found the subject of this personal sketch. He was born in Pulaski County, Ky., May 10, 1822, and is the son of Lewis M., and Delilah (Turpin) Coffey, the former a native of Stokes County, N.C., born in 1798, and the latter of Pulaski County, Ky., born in 1802. They were the parents of ten children: Nancy, the widow of Robert Jones, resides in Morgan County, Ind.; J. W., the subject of this sketch; Mary A., the wife of John Cook Bettie, deceased; John L., a farmer in Allen County, Kan.; Moses T., a farmer in Morgan County, Ind.; Philip B., a resident of Cass County, Mo.; Delilah, deceased, was the wife of F.M. Hale, of Harrison County, Mo.; Elizabeth was the wife of James Ready, both deceased; R. W., a farmer in Cumberland County, Ill.; Lewis M., deceased. The family left Kentucky in the fall of 1827, and moved to Morgan County, Ind., where they settled upon a farm of 101 acres and made that their home until the death of Mr. Coffey in 1844. He was a flatbed pilot, and each year would take a load of produce down the river to New Orleans. Mr. Coffey was an industrious man, a careful manager, and one who possessed the confidence of all his friends. After her husband's death Mrs. Coffey continued to make the old farm in Indiana her home until her death, which occurred in 1873, at the age of seventy-one years. She was a kind mother, and one who took great pride in her children.

The early life of our subject was spent upon the farm and in attendance upon the common schools until the age of thirteen. He then went to work upon the public canal, remaining at that for three years, and in the spring of 1838 went with his father to New Orleans, and afterward made one trip each year, which took them three or four months each time. Between times he worked upon his father's farm until 1842, when the cholera broke out and they abandoned flatboating. Mr. Coffey was married, on the 11th of December, 1842, to Miss Louisa T. Norman, a native of Tennessee, born June 23, 1826, and the daughter of James and Sarah (Harrison) Norman, the former a native of North Carolina, and the latter of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Coffey are the parents of ten children: Lemuel L.M., born March 6, 1844, at home; John T., born May 23, 1847, was a member of the 27th Indiana Infantry, running away from home to defend his country's flag, and is now a farmer in Clatsop County, Ore.; B. F., born Jan. 28, 1850, and James M., Sept. Sept. 30, 1853, are farmers in Clatsop County, Ore.; Joseph L., born May 19, 1856, is a clerk in the hardware store of B. W. Nicola & Co., of Wellman, Iowa; V. H., born May 30, 1858, is a clerk in a dry-goods house in Astoria, Ore.; P. D., born April 22, 1861, and Sarah D., Feb. 11, 1864, are at home; two died in infancy.

After our subject had abandoned the river, he turned his attention exclusively to farming, and continued to live in Morgan County, Ind., where his children were all born, for a period of thirty-seven years, or until the 9th of October, 1864, when he loaded his family into a wagon and started for Lime Creek Township, Washington Co., Iowa. He had made a trip to this county in 1863, at which time he decided that Iowa was the place for him to live. After his arrival on Oct. 24, 1864, he bought 148 acres on section 14, Lime Creek Township, where he has since continued to reside. He has bought and sold a number of acres since, but his farm is now in fine condition, and is one of the best fenced in Lime Creek Township, all fenced in 20-acre fields.

At the time of the marriage of our subject he had no money and was $43 in debt, but by his own industry and good management he has acquired a fine farm and enough of this world's goods to live comfortably in his old age. He has held various township offices, was Treasurer of the School District, and Treasurer of the township. He is held in high esteem by all who know him, and is a man who takes an active part in all political and public affairs. Socially he is a member of the A.F. & A.M. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party.

From The Iowa City Daily Press, Iowa City, IA, Jun. 4, 1904:

"Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Leighton of Evans; Golda, Morris and Lewis Leighton of Wellman; and Mrs. Etta Lally of What Cheer, returned home today after visiting at Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Coffey's home."

From the Iowa City Daily Citizen, Iowa City, IA, Aug. 2, 1916:

"Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Coffey and children, 503 S. Van Buren Street, have returned form [sic] [from] a visit in West Chester."

James Wilson Coffey and Louisa Tennessee Norman were married on 11 December 1842 in Morgan Co., IN.^8407,8408 They^8407,8408 appeared in the census on 2 October 1850 in Morgan Co., IN.⁸⁴⁰⁹ They⁸⁴⁰⁹ appeared in the census on 22 June 1860 in Morgan Co., IN.⁸⁴¹⁰ James and Louisa⁸⁴¹⁰ appeared in the census on 13 July 1870 in Lime Creek Twp., Washington Co., IA.⁸⁴¹¹ They⁸⁴¹¹ appeared in the census on 18 June 1880 in Lime Creek Twp., Washington Co., IA.⁸⁴¹² Louisa Tennessee Norman, daughter of James Norman and Sarah A. Harrison, was born on 23 June 1826 in Tennessee. She appeared in the census on 8 June 1900 in Clatsop Co., OR.⁸⁴¹³ She lived with her son Victor in Clatsop Co., OR on 10 April 1910. Louisa died on 24 December 1912 at the age of 86 in Warrenton, Clatsop Co., OR and was buried at Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Clatsop Co., OR.^{2422,8414,8415,8416}

Obituary, The Oregonian, Portland, OR, Thu., Dec. 26, 1912, Vol. LII, Issue 16253, Page 6

Warrenton, Or., Dec. 25 - Mrs. Louisa Tennessee Coffey died here at the home of her son, Victor H. Coffey, at 11 P. M. on Christmas eve.

Mrs. Coffey was born in Tennessee June 23, 1826, and is survived by six sons, Lemuel M., J. Taylor Coffey, of Svensen, Or.; Ben F. and James N. Coffey, of Hammond, Or.; V. H. Coffey, of Warrenton and J. Lane Coffey, of Westchester, Iowa.

Mr. Coffey had been a resident of Oregon for the last 14 years and until a month ago had enjoyed good health.

Burial will be in Oceanview Cemetery, Dec. 26.

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Mrs. Lousa T. Coffey, an aged and most highly respected resident of Warrenton, died 30 minutes before midnight on Christmas eve., after an extended illness with the ailments incident to advanced years. The deceased was born in Tennessee on June 23, 1826, and at the time of her death was thus 86 years of age. The greater portion of her life was spent in her native state, but during the past fourteen years she made her home with her son, at Warrenton. Mrs. Coffey left six sons. They are L.M. and J.T. Coffey, of Svensen; B.F. and J.N. Coffey of Hammond; J.L. Coffey of West Chester, Iowa; and V.H. Coffey of Warrenton. The funeral was held from the family residence at 2 o'clock this afternoon and the interment was in Ocean View cemetery.

James Wilson Coffey and Louisa Tennessee Norman had the following children: