This data in the form presented here is ©1998-1999 by Jack Coffee, and Coffey Cousins' Clearinghouse. It may not be copied or reproduced for presentation in any other form intended for sale, profit or for display at any location on the World Wide Web, except by the author, Timothy E. Peterman.

Eli and Mary Coffey

Eli Coffey was born in what is now Wilkes Co., N.C. on May 8, 1775. He married Mary "Polly" Coffey, a first cousin according to tradition, on Mar. 22, 1801, in what was then Green Co., Ky. and what is now Russell Co., Ky. Eli Coffey was probably a son of Salathiel and Elizabeth Coffey. Salathiel Coffey died before July 28, 1784 in Wilkes Co., N.C. His widow, Elizabeth, was administrix of his estate. Eli Coffey and Newton Coffey (1773-1858) were brothers. Their sister was probably the Elizabeth "Graney" Coffey who married Rutherford Coffey on Mar. 17, 1801 in what was then Green Co., Ky. another brother might have been the Salathiel Coffey who married Polly Blair on Oct. 25, 1808 in Adair Co., Ky, and who was supposedly born in 1781 in Wilkes Co., N.C. Salathiel Coffey (died 1784) was probably a son of Chesley and Jane (Cleveland) Coffey.

Mary "Polly" Coffey was born on Dec. 7, 1785 in Wilkes Co., N.C. A typed copy of the entries made in her husband's Family Bible listed her birth year as 1780. However, considering that her youngest son was born in 1830, the 1785 date is more likely. Mary was the daughter of Nathan and Mary (Saunders) Coffey and probably the granddaughter of Chesley and Jane (Cleveland) Coffey.

The parents of both Eli and Mary Coffey left Wilkes Co., N.C. during the 1790s and settled in that part of Green Co., Ky. that became Adair Co. in 1802 and Russell Co. in 1826.

Eli and Mary Coffey were members of the Baptist Church and must have worked hard to instill their Christian faith in their children, because at least two of their sons became Baptist ministers. Eli Coffey died in Russell Co., Ky. on July 18, 1833. Mary Coffey died there on Mar. 10, 1872.

Eli and Mary Coffey had 12 children: Mariah, Willis, Elizabeth, Nancy, Salathiel, Sirena, Nathanial, Stanton, William, Newton, Mary Ann, and Reuben.

Mariah Coffey was born on Jan. 17, 1802. She married a second cousin, Elijah Coffey, on May 18, 1826. She died in Russell Co., Ky. in Oct. 1855.

Willis Coffey was born on May 2, 1804. He married Violetta Haynes on Mar. 23, 1828. He died in De Kalb Co., Mo. in 1893.

Elizabeth Coffey was born in Aug. 14, 1807. She married Jacob Wolford on Dec. 19, 1826. She died in Collin Co., Texas on Jan. 21, 1891.

Nancy Coffey was born on Oct. 14, 1809. She married a cousin, Fielding Coffee, on Jan. 17, 1842.

Salathiel Coffey was born on Apr. 20, 1812. He married Nancy Dunbar on Aug. 20, 1835. He married Mrs. Mary Ann (McFarland) Ballew, a widow, in 1854. He died in Collin Co., Tx. on May 29, 1892.

Sirena Coffey was born on Aug. 9, 1814. She married Darias Campbell on Sep. 21, 1834. She died on Nov. 23, 1868.

Rev. Nathaniel J. Coffey was born on Jan. 3, 1817. He married Mary H. Carter on Jan. 17, 1842. He died in Illinois.

Stanton P. Coffey was born Dec. 5, 1819. He married Mary C. Saufley on June 27, 1842.

William S. Coffey was born on July 10, 1821. He married Martha Johnson on Sep. 4, 1845.

Rev. Newton Eli Coffey was born on May 2, 1823. He married Martha Louise Vermillion on Apr. 13, 1843. He died in Christian Co., Illinois on Jan. 14, 1890.

Mary Ann Coffey was born on July 4, 1827. She married Joseph E. Hayes on Mar. 25, 1854. She died on May 24, 1869.

Reuben Coffey was born on Feb. 13, 1830. He was a bachelor.

Sources: County Court minutes of Wilkes Co., N.C. and the Eli Coffey Family Bible.

This work was prepared for Wilkes County Heritage by Timothy E. Peterman