Sixth Generation

1287. Calvin Allen Coffey⁴⁹⁹³ was born in December 1839 in Tennessee. He lived with his parents in Grainger Co., TN on 26 July 1860. Calvin died in Haw Creek Twp., Morgan Co., IN on 20 February 1907 and was buried at Haw Creek Cemetery in Hope, Haw Creek Twp., Bartholomew Co., IN in February 1907 .^4994,4995

"Calvin Coffey grew up on his father's farm in Grainger County, Tennessee. Apparently public education started in Tennessee while he was growing up. The 1850 census lists that 10 year old Calvin, his 14 year old brother John, and the younger children were going to school, but his parents and the older children could not read or write.

"Eastern Tennessee was an area much divided by the Civil War. Most of the Grainger County farms depended upon the labor of the farm families rather than upon slavery. Calvin chose to fight for the Confederacy and served as a private in the 59th Regiment of the Tennessee Infantry. He served at Vicksburg, Mississippi, which fell to U. S. Grant's forces on July 4, 1863. He was paroled on July 10. He returned home and reenlisted which was a violation of his parole.

"After the war, there was little opportunity for a young man in eastern Tennessee. He accepted a position as a school teacher in a rural school in Bartholomew County, Indiana. He taught for several years and then borrowed money from his father to purchase a farm in Bartholomew County.

"On April 25, 1869, he married Josephine Simmonds, the daughter of Wesley Simmons [sic] and Margaret Pearson.

"Calvin and Josephine had five children: Cora (who married Frank Linke), Walter, Webster, Joel, and Margaret.

"Peggy Swwenson (daughter of Joel Coffey) writes: "My father never talked much about his growing up years on the farm. I gathered that life was not easy. His father (Calvin) was a Southern Baptist and extremely religious. On Sunday they could not do any work except feed the farm animals. His mother could not cook and they could not read anything except the Bible. Of course, they attended church service each Sunday. They could never play cards, dance or view any kind of play. This must have been difficult as barn dances were an important entertainment during that period and at that place."

"Calvin and Josephine insisted on their children pursuing their education past high school and all did except Webster.

"Cora Coffey was a teacher before marrying Frank Linke.

"Walter Coffey became a Professor in Animal Husbandry at the University of Illinois. He served as Dean of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota and became the 7th President of that University. He also served seven years on the Federal reserve Board of Directors and was named chairman in 1940. He served on the Education Board of the Methodist Church. During the two years that my family lived in Minneapolis, I enjoyed knowing Uncle Walter. He loved to tell Swedish jokes and I would tell him jokes that I had read in "Boy's Life."

"Webster Coffey went to Texas with Frank Linke and stayed after the others had returned to Indiana. He grew cotton there until about 1939 when oil was discovered on his land. He and his family now had money to travel and to visit. They came to Minneapolis. We joined them for a tour of the University of Minnesota Agricultural Department with Uncle Walter. Later in the summer, they visited my Grandfather and Grandmother Linke in Brown County, Indiana. We visited at the same time and had a grand time with his son Walter and some of our cousins sleeping out down by Salt Creek.

"Joel attended high school in Hope where he had to work for his room and board in addition to his studies. His entry into college was delayed by his father's death in 1907. He attended the University of Illinois and became a Professor of Animal Husbandry at Ohio State University. He was teaching there when my father attended Ohio State, and it was at Joel's suggestion that my father visited the Linke family when he became County agent in southern Indiana.

"Margaret Coffey became a nurse in Indianapolis.

Josephine (Simmonds) Coffey died March 5, 1918 in Texas where Webster Coffey lived."

Calvin Allen Coffey and Josephine Simmonds⁴⁹⁹⁶ were married on 25 April 1869 in Bartholomew Co., IN.⁴⁹⁹⁷ They⁴⁹⁹⁷ appeared in the census on 4 August 1870 in Bartholomew Co., IN.⁴⁹⁹⁸ They⁴⁹⁹⁸ appeared in the census on 8 June 1880 in Bartholomew Co., IN.⁴⁹⁹⁹ Calvin and Josephine⁴⁹⁹⁹ appeared in the census on 13 June 1900 in Bartholomew Co., IN.⁵⁰⁰⁰ Josephine Simmonds, daughter of Wesley Simmons and Margaret Pearson, was born in August 1851 in Indiana. She appeared in the census on 21 April 1910 in Bartholomew Co., IN.⁵⁰⁰¹ Josephine died in Victoria Co., TX on 5 March 1918.⁴⁹⁹⁶

Calvin Allen Coffey and Josephine Simmonds had the following children: