My husband's great-grandfather, Jesse S. Coffey, was born 17 July 1798, in Wilkes County. He lived there until he married 22 December, 1821, Winneford Crumpton, born 20 November, 1801, daughter of Jezekiah and Jane Crimpton (sic) of Wilkes County.

Jesse and Winneford moved to Jasper Georgia. They both died there and are buried at Long Swamp Church. Jesse died 8 October, 1858, and Winneford died 11 November, 1863. Jesse received land lottery in 1832 in Gwinett County, Georgia.

Jesse and Winneford had the following children: Larkin D., Lewis Elbert, Thomas W., William R., Eli C., Martin Van Buren, and John Gordon.

The father of Jesse remains a mystery but some believe that Thomas Coffey, born in Virginia 7 March, 1742, and moved to Wilkes County by 1780, was his father. This Thomas was mentioned as having a son named Jesse.

The last child of Jesse and Winneford was John Gordon Coffey, born 24 August in Pickens County, Ga., married Mary Monroe Pettitt, born 15 September, 1840, daughter of John and Hettie Mooney Pettitt. They were married 21 August, 1859. He died February 1920, and Mary died 19 February, 1915. Both are buried at Long Swamp Church, Jasper, Ga. John Gordon Coffey was in the Civil War.

John Gordon and Mary Pettitt Coffey's children were: (1) James Elbert, born 24 May, 1860, married Frances Crow; (2) Mary Ellen, born 30 October, 1861, married Tom Hamilton. (3) Martha Emiline, born 8 August, 1864, married Thomas Pendley (4) Millie Angeline, born 14 March, 1866, married John Fields. (5) Amanda Jane, born 29 May, 1868, died October 1868 (6) Fannie Permelia, born 5 October, 1869, married William Lafayette Dilbeck; (7) Raymond Lucious, born 12 December, 1871, married Mannie Mullinax; (8) Willie Eleanor, born 12 August, 1874, married Robert S. Hammontree; (9) John Pettitt, born 14 March, 1877, married Susan first and married second Addie Lindsay. (10) Thomas Masterson, born 14 March, 1877, twin, married Dora King (11) Martin Dewitt, born 15 November, 1881, married Mary Laconia Hamilton; (12) Effie Susannah, born 2 July, 1884, married James Fann. (13) Dillie Pearl, born 17 August, 1887, married Berry Reeves.

Martin Dewitt Coffey, son of John and Mary, was born 15 November, 1881, in Georgia and married 23 March, 1905, Mary Laconia Hamilton in Lawrence C., Ala. Mary Laconia was born 16 October, 1883, daughter of Thomas N. and Barbara A. Blaxton Hamilton.

Martin Dewitt died 6 September, 1943. Mary Laconia died 14 February, 1964. They are buried in Lawrence Co., Ala. Martin Dewitt was a farmer and active in the Baptist church.

The children of Martin and Mary were: (1) Clarence Jackson, born 21 June, 1906, married Mable Darnell. He died 10 June, 1970; (2) Edna, born 16 November, 1907, died at birth; (3) Clifton Thomas, born 6 December, 1909, married Sadie Thompson; (4) John Clauton, born 15 November, 1911, married Mary Elizabeth Cornelius; (5) Elbert Carl, born 19 December, 1813, married Louise Smith; (6) Corilla Norean, born 15 January, 1915, married first to Minor Sharril, and second to Sherman Roden; (7) Raymond Paul, born 11 April, 1917, married Edna Martin. Paul died 15 May, 1972, buried in Decatur, Ala.; (8) Martin Dewitt Jr., born 21 February, 1919, killed in Germany 17 July, 1945; (9) Cecil Martk, born 20 September, 1923, married Eva Campbell.

The Children in this family loved music. They spent their time after evening meals making music. Martin Dewitt was a singing teacher.

John Clayton Coffey, son of Dewitt and Mary, was born 15 November, 1911, in Lawrence County, Alabama. He began school in a one-room cabin. He remembers this one room well because there were so many wasps the children were afraid they would get stung.

During the Depression John Clayton worked as a farm laborer for fifty cents a day and sometimes would only receive one gallon of mollasses for a day's labor. In 1932 he began dating Mary Elizabeth Cornelius, born 18 April, 1917, the daughter of John Rowland Cornelius and Susie Elizabeth Corum of Detatur, Ala. On 10 February, 1934, John and Mary were married.

By this time John had a job and Mary was also working. This seemed to be a happy beginning, but Mary became ill with typhoid fever and almost died. She recovered, and John took a course in ship building and worked for Ingills Ship Yard where he worked during World War II. After the war he started his business of Home Building in which he was successful.

In 1962 John Clayton's health began to fail, and he was advised to leave the climate of Alabama. He moved to Dallas, Texas where he now lives and has as his hobby the building of grandfather clocks.

John and Mary had two sons: (1) Clayton Douglas, born 12 November, 1939, died with cancer May 27, 1978 and is buried in Decatur, Ala. He married 29 April, 1960, Marjorie Waters. (2) David Anthony, born 1 December, 1946, married Nobuko (Judy) Kobayashi, born 16 April, 1940, in Manchuria (Japan) China.

Sources: Family Bible, Family Memories, Personal knowledge, Census

This work was prepared for Wilkes County Heritage by Mary E. Cornelius Coffey