Descendants of Nancy Elizabeth Coffey

Submitted by Al Carhart (dec'd) Kerville, TX

Generation No. 1

1. Nancy Elizabeth7 Coffey (Rice Abner6, Alexander Hamilton5, Rice4, James3, John2, Edward1) was born May 23, 1861 in Rash, Alabama, and died May 16, 1918 in Jackson County, Alabama. She married John Clinton Jacobs November 1, 1883 in Stevenson, Alabama. He was born April 22, 1855 in Beech Grove, Tennessee, and died June 30, 1938 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama.

Children of Nancy Coffey and John Jacobs are:

+ 2 i. Elmer Pruitt8 Jacobs, born August 1, 1887.
3 ii. Bennie Coffey Jacobs, born August 28, 1884; died October 17, 1899.

More About Bennie Coffey Jacobs:
Fact 1: October 16, 1899, Died at 15 years old.

+ 4 iii. Annie Theodosia "Dosia" Jacobs, born February 22, 1890 in Rash, Alabama; died October 24, 1974 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama.
+ 5 iv. Henry W. Grady Jacobs, born August 5, 1892 in Beech Grove, Tennessee; died June 1, 1955 in Jefferson County, Alabama.
+ 6 v. Rice Abner Jacobs, born September 3, 1894; died December 19, 1980.
+ 7 vi. Veda Pearl Jacobs, born September 21, 1896; died March 4, 1940.
+ 8 vii. Fletcher Pitts Jacobs, born January 13, 1899; died July 27, 1962.
+ 9 viii. Lunita Jacobs, born 1903.



Generation No. 2

2. Elmer Pruitt8 Jacobs (Nancy Elizabeth7 Coffey, Rice Abner6, Alexander Hamilton5, Rice4, James3, John2, Edward1) was born August 1, 1887. He married Geneva Givins.

More About Elmer Pruitt Jacobs:
Fact 1: They had 8 children.

Children of Elmer Jacobs and Geneva Givins are:
10 i. Geneva Lunita9 Jacobs. She married Smith.
11 ii. Elmer Pruitt Jacobs, Jr..
12 iii. Bettie Ann Jacobs. She married James Bentley Thomas.
13 iv. Henry Grady Jacobs.
14 v. Sallie Belle Jacobs. She married Raymond Rogers.
15 vi. Nathan Bedford Forrest Jacobs.
16 vii. Mary Jane Jacobs.
17 viii. Rice Abner Jacobs. He married Annie.
18 ix. Lethia Ring Jacobs. She married Herman Austin Watson, ll.



4. Annie Theodosia "Dosia"8 Jacobs (Nancy Elizabeth7 Coffey, Rice Abner6, Alexander Hamilton5, Rice4, James3, John2, Edward1) was born February 22, 1890 in Rash, Alabama, and died October 24, 1974 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama. She married Mitchell Luther Harris March 10, 1910 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama, son of Roderick Harris and Mollie Luther. He was born October 2, 1878 in Harris Community, near Fayetteville, North Carolina, and died May 25, 1961 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama.

Notes for Mitchell Luther Harris:
Mitchell Luther Harris graduated The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1908. He was called as Pastor to The Scottsboro First Baptist Church at a salary of $500.00 per year. THere he met "Annie Dee" Annie Theodosia Jacobs and they were married may 10, 1910. From Scottsboro, he accepted a call to The First Baptist Church of Cullman. His first child, John Clinton, was born there on April 1, 1911. From Cullman, he was called to Ozark, Alabama where his second child, Roderick Edward was born on March 25, 1913. His third child, Elmer Jacobs, was born there on September 27, 1917. In 1918, Mitchell Luther accepted a call to Prattville First Baptist Church. He served there for the next sixteen years (until 1934) and Ruth was born there on January 13, 1921 as well as fourth son, Mitchell Luther, Jr. on April 5, 1926. Most of all of the children's pre-college schooling was in Prattville.

In 1934 he accepted a call from the Guntersville First Baptist Church where he served through 1940 when declining health forced his retirement and they moved to Scottsboro, where they purchased the Colonial red brick home on Scott Street. This was the former home of his Sister-in-law, Veda Spivey. They lived there the remainder of their lives.

............ Information provided by John Clinton Harris of Scottsboro to Albert W. Carhart (Kerrville TX).

Children of Annie Jacobs and Mitchell Harris are:
19 i. John Clinton9 Harris, born April 1, 1911 in Cullman, Alabama. He married Edna Earle Eagerton June 21, 1941 in Montgomery, Albama; born October 16, 1918 in Montgomery, Alabama; died May 18, 2001 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama.

Notes for John Clinton Harris:
John Clinton Harris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA, After being on academic probation through mid-sophomore year, when Dean "Light Horse" Harry Campbell taught him how to study quickly. He played in the school band, sang in the glee club and made the W. & L. Varsity swimming team for three years. As the lead 440 yard free style swimmer, he was undefeated his last two years. He majored in accounting but was unable to get a job because of the Depression until the following January so he spent a year working at the Jacobs Stove Manufacturing Company in Bridgeport. He decided he did not care about spending his life in contoversy with the Steel Workers Union so with his dad, mother and his Uncle Grady Jacobs' financial support, he and his cousin, J.C. Jacobs went into the wholesale grocery business which he enjoyed and spent the rest of his working life in it, until he sold it in 1975.

John Clinton was appointed to the first City School Board in 1954 and served as Chairman for the first five years. The Board's best accomplishments were doing away with the "Cotton Picking Vacation" in Scottsboro Schools, construction of the Caldwell Elementary School, the intergration of Scottboro Schools and closing the old Carver School (formerly the Black school). In 1960, he was elected to a four year term on the Scottsboro City Council and served as Police Commisioner. He has been active in several Grocery Associations and has served as a Director and President of The Alabama Wholesale Grocers Association. He was Director of the Wholesalers and president for two terms. He was also director of the United States Wholesale Grocers Association of which he was Vice President and member of the Executive Committee. He served as President of Food Merchandisers of America with over 4,000 retail affiliates and Director and Governor of American Wholesale Grocers Association.

He did not forget service to charitable organizations as he has served in every Office of the Scottsboro Civitan Club during a sixty four year membership. He has served as Food Chairman of Jackson County Christmas Charities for a number of years. He was the first Chairman of the Fund Raising Committee of the Jackson County United Way and served as President in its second year.

John Clinton has been a member of First Baptist Church since 1933 and served as Sunday School Superintendent or teacher most of that time and served on most of the Committees and was Chairman of the Finance Committee for many terms.

He was one of the organizers of Jackson County Federal Savings and Loan Association and served as Director until it merged with First American Savings and Loan Association and served on the Advisory Board until it merged with Colonial Bank. He served on the Board of J.C. Jacobs Banking for approximately fifty years, until he retired in 1999, during which time they grew from a bank of four employees to one with seventy five employees and seven offices in Jackson, De Kalb and Madison Counties and was rated as one of Alabama's strongest banks.

..............Information provided by John Clinton Harris to Albert W. Carhart (Kerrville, Texas).

20 ii. Roderick Edward Harris, born March 25, 1913 in Ozark, Alabama; died March 29, 1945 in Killed in Naples, Italy.

Notes for Roderick Edward Harris:
"Rodrick Edward Harris was "killed as a flight engineer on a bombing mission over Germany. Plane damaged by ground fire but returned and blew up trying to land."

...................John Clinton Harris (Roderick's brother).



"Roderick Edward Harris, the second child was born August 25, 1913 in Ozark, Dale County, Albama. Clinton was named after his Maternal Grandfather, so Roderick was named after his Paternal Grandfather. Their boyhood friends that we can remember in Ozark were, " Sonny Boy " Reynolds, Norman Holman, Harry Mixon and Howard Valentine, all neighbors with whom Clinton entered the first grade at the school in Ozark.

In 1918, Dada accepted a call from the First Baptist Church of Prattville, Alabama. In September, Clinton entered the second grade in the elementary school which was called the Prattville Academy and two years later, Roderick began his school education there. The famous Southern Poet, Sidney Lanier, was Principal there many years.

When Roderick was in the second grade, he had a mastoid desease in one of his ears. This was a very serious disease and surgery for those days was not well developed and he suffered with healing for a long time and left a deformed ear for all of his life.

Roderick also played a soprano saxaphone in the Autauga High School Band and Orchestra, The Town Band, Church Orchestra and later in the W & L Band

Roderick was the athlete in the family and played on the High School football and basketball teams. Selma and Prattville High Schools were big rivals and in some of our old newspaper clippings is a report of the football game in which guard Roderick out played his opponent, Shug Jordan, who later starred at Auburn and becamefamous as Auburn's football coach for many years.

When Clinton was a senior at W & L, Freshman Roderick entered and they had connecting rooms in Lee's Dormitory. Rod, as he was now known, went out for intra-mural football team and was awarded a medal as an All-School player. After football season, he made the freshman swimming team, later, he made the varsity as the 440 yard free style swimmer. I believe they were undefeated during his four years.

Rod majored in accounting and each summer he served as water front director at Camp Shenandoah, Island Ford, Virginia. After graduation, he spent his first year working at the Jacobs Manufacturing (stove foundry) in Bridgeport. Rod also tired of labor union strikes, so he obtained a Double Cola Bottling franchise for the Greeville, NC area which he operated until it became obvious with a low draft number, he would be called to service Early in World War II, so he decided it best to sell the bottling company and worked for a few months as an accountant with The Department of Agriculture in Memphis, Teneessee.

Upon being drafted, he was sent to Keesler Air Field, Biloxi, Mississippi, where he was trained in Hydraulics on airplanes and very shortly was shipped overseas through North Africa and on to an airbase in Naples, Italy. We do not know how many missions he was a flight engineer but were informed by Telegram that he was killed on March 29, 1945. We were later informed by his Commanding Officer that he was killed in line of duty. After the war, we were informed by his buddy and another friend, Bufford Burroughs, who had worked with Rod at Jacobs Manufacturing in Bridgeport (Bufford and Clinton had also worked together) Gave Clinton the details he knew. Bufford and Rod were stationed on the same Naples Airbase but neither knew the other was there. The bomber was on a mission, apparently over Germany, when it was badly damaged by ground anti-air attacks. They were able to get back to Naples but it was so damaged that they were unable to bring it down on two attempts. On the third attempt, as it hit the ground, it exploded and all the crew were killed. After the war, his remains were returned to Scottsboro's Cedar Hill Cemetary where he was given a Military Funeral. His name is listed with other victims on a monument on the Courthouse Square in Scottsboro. There is also a bronze tablet in the entrance gateway at W & L and on another bronze tablet in the W & L library."

............John Clinton Harris, with help from Bufford Burroughs.

21 iii. Elmer Jacobs Harris, M.D., born September 27, 1916 in Ozark, Alabama. He married (1) Ellen Virginia Moncrief September 7, 1947 in Prattville, Alabama; born May 12, 1920 in Prattville, Alabama; died July 28, 1990 in Jackson, Mississippi. He married (2) Leatrice Van Landingham June 1, 1996.

More About Leatrice Van Landingham:
Fact #1: June 1, 1996, Leatrice was a widow when she married Elmer

22 iv. Ruth Harris, M.D., born January 13, 1921 in Prattville, Alabama. She married Ben Eulberg Peet April 6, 1948 in Lima, Peru, South America; born June 6, 1903 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
23 v. Mitchell Luther Harris, Jr, born April 5, 1926 in Prattville, Alabama. He married Betty Fletcher January 13, 1961 in Miami Shores, Florida; born December 4, 1927 in Honaker, Virginia.
24 vi. Infant Son Harris, born February 3, 1928 in Prattville, Alabama; died February 3, 1928 in Prattville, Alabama.

More About Infant Son Harris:
Fact #1: February 3, 1928, Died in infancy



5. Henry W. Grady8 Jacobs (Nancy Elizabeth7 Coffey, Rice Abner6, Alexander Hamilton5, Rice4, James3, John2, Edward1) was born August 5, 1892 in Beech Grove, Tennessee, and died June 1, 1955 in Jefferson County, Alabama. He married Sarah Louise Willson September 17, 1913 in Niota, McMinn, Tennessee, daughter of Willson and Unknown. She was born February 21, 1893 in McMinn County, Tennessee, and died October 10, 1988 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama.

Children of Henry Jacobs and Sarah Willson are:
25 i. Nancy Elizabeth9 Jacobs, born February 26, 1915 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama; died December 26, 2000. She married Edward George Samsa June 16, 1953 in Scottsboro, Jackson, Alabama; born December 8, 1916 in Cleveland, Ohio.
26 ii. John Clinton Jacobs, born June 26, 1918; died July 11, 1975. He married Ann Alvis; born March 15, 1919; died October 30, 1962.



6. Rice Abner8 Jacobs (Nancy Elizabeth7 Coffey, Rice Abner6, Alexander Hamilton5, Rice4, James3, John2, Edward1) was born September 3, 1894, and died December 19, 1980. He married Jewell Riggs. She was born July 6, 1898, and died February 22, 1952.

Child of Rice Jacobs and Jewell Riggs is:
27 i. Jeanne Adair9 Jacobs, born May 7, 1931; died July 6, 1974. She married Jeptha Edward Moody, Jr.; born June 30, 1926.



7. Veda Pearl8 Jacobs (Nancy Elizabeth7 Coffey, Rice Abner6, Alexander Hamilton5, Rice4, James3, John2, Edward1) was born September 21, 1896, and died March 4, 1940. She married Claude Spivey.

More About Veda Pearl Jacobs:
Fact 1: They had 2 Children.

Children of Veda Jacobs and Claude Spivey are:
28 i. Infant Daughter9 Spivey, born June 8, 1923; died June 14, 1923.

More About Infant Daughter Spivey:
Fact 1: Died in infancy. (6 days old)

29 ii. Carolyn Spivey. She married William B. (Bill) Wilson.



8. Fletcher Pitts8 Jacobs (Nancy Elizabeth7 Coffey, Rice Abner6, Alexander Hamilton5, Rice4, James3, John2, Edward1) was born January 13, 1899, and died July 27, 1962. She married Philo Dayton Benham. He was born August 21, 1895, and died November 22, 1960.

Child of Fletcher Jacobs and Philo Benham is:
30 i. Nancy Lisabeth9 Benham, born January 29, 1933; died March 19, 1967. She married James L. Steenhuis.



9. Lunita8 Jacobs (Nancy Elizabeth7 Coffey, Rice Abner6, Alexander Hamilton5, Rice4, James3, John2, Edward1) was born 1903. She married Robert Lane in Lima, Peru.

More About Lunita Jacobs:
Fact 1: They had 2 children.

Children of Lunita Jacobs and Robert Lane are:
31 i. Robert Martin9 Lane. He married Heather.
32 ii. Frances Fletcher Lane. She married Robert Alwood.