Sixth Generation

934. Achilles Coffey³⁸¹⁷ was born on 30 July 1806 in Wayne Co., KY. He was also known as Archelaus Coffey. He served in the military between 19 December 1825 and September 1825 in Hampton's Co., 1st Reg., 1st Brigade from Gallatin Co., IL.³⁸¹⁸

Archelaus received a commission as a second lieutenant on Dec. 19, 1825, and volunteered for the Black Hawk Indian War on May 12, 1832. After receiving a promotion to Captain he became commanding officer of "Captain Coffey's company, 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, Illinois Mounted Volunteers of the Black Hawk War." He was furloughed in August 1832 after losing his horse, saddle, bridle and blanket during a forced march. He was mustered out on Sept. 25, 1832. In 1851 he received 40 acres of land for his service, and another 120 acres in 1855. Achilles patented 40 acres in the SW/4 of NW/4, S30, TS7S, R6E on 7 August 1834 in Gallatin Co., IL.³⁸¹⁹ He owned SE/4 of the NW/4 of S32, TS7S, R6E, containing 40 acres on 28 July 1838 in Saline Co., IL.³⁸²⁰ He owned NE/4 of the NW/4, S32, TS7S, R6E, containing 40 acres on 1 March 1855 in Saline Co., IL.³⁸²¹ Achilles lived with his son John in Saline Co., IL on 18 June 1880. Achilles died in Saline Co., IL on 10 March 1883 and was buried at Bethel Creek Church Cemetery in Galatia, Saline Co., IL in March 1883 .³⁸²²

"Having been intimately acquainted with Elder A. Coffey for the last forty years, and believing that it will not be amiss, I will therefore give a short history of his life.

"He was born in Wayne County, Kentucky, July the 30th, A. D. 1806. In the year 1813, the time of the British war, his parents moved to the territory of Indiana, Jefferson County, and settled four miles from the fort. Here they suffered many privations and fears, insomuch that they remained only one year. Thence they removed to Washington County, and settled near the town of Salem, where they remained three years. In the fall of 1817, they moved back to Wayne County, Kentucky, but stayed there only the short space of one year. In 1818, they went to Alabama, where they remained two years. On 30th July they started for Illinois, and in the fall of 1820 landed in what is now Sangamon County, where they were again among the Red Men. Here they stayed two years, and them moved to what is now Saline County, Illinois, which was then a very wilderness country. During all this time they were almost entirely destitute of any means of education.

"It may be rather strange that a man who has been raised among the savages and wild beasts, could write a history, but when we consider that the most talented and useful men have been what is termed self-made, the mystery is solved. Elder Coffey took a great deal of pains to gain an education, and is a tolerably fair scholar. He made a profession of religion in his youth and attached himself to the Baptist Church before the division of the Missionary question. Believing the Bible and the Bible alone to be the only rule of faith and practice, and being utterly opposed to the inventions of men in the affairs of religion, he stood firm on the principles upon which the church was founded. And by his unswerving fidelity to the Apostle's doctrine, he rendered much service to the Regular Baptists of this country. Taking the Bible alone for his guide, and finding that the church of Christ was set up on earth and was to stand forever, his inquiring mind led him to search history to find out where she had been in the dark ages, and the Baptists having such implicit confidence in him, have repeatedly requested that he write a history of the Baptists, principally of Southern Illinois, which he with a great degree of reluctance consented to do. Having examined his manuscript, I, with all my heard, recommend his little volume to the Regular Baptists, and to all enquirers after truth.

"There is no man that stands higher among the Regular Baptists than does Elder Coffey, not only among them, but he is a man of good report with them that are without. Having laborer to the best of my ability in the same gospel field the the last thirty years, I know whereof I speak.

"Respectfully, Richard Fulkerson, Golconda, Illinois, January 1, 1877"

Achilles Coffey and Jane "Jennie" Dean were married on 23 April 1824 in Hamilton Co., IL.

In his book, Marvin Coffey noted that the court clerk wrote his name as Nicholas Coffey.

They appeared in the census on 10 October 1850 in Saline Co., IL.³⁸²³ They³⁸²³ appeared in the census on 13 June 1860 in Humboldt, Allen Co., KS.³⁸²⁴ Achilles and Jennie³⁸²⁴ appeared in the census on 6 July 1870 in Saline Co., IL.³⁸²⁵ Jane "Jennie" Dean, daughter of Jacob Dean and Susannah Hatty, was born circa March 1806. Jane died in Saline Co., IL on 3 October 1876 and was buried at Bethel Creek Church Cemetery in Galatia, Saline Co., IL in October 1876 .³⁸²⁶

Achilles Coffey and Jane "Jennie" Dean had the following children: