Reuben Coffey (1744 - 1818)

Born 1744 in Essex, Spotsylvania County, Virginia Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Scott) Coffey — married 1769 in Albemarle County.,Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died 1818 at about age 74 in Globe, Burke County, North Carolina, USA

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Biography

Reuben Coffey of Globe Settlement

Coffey was born in 1744 (may have been 1759), in Essex, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, USA; He passed away in January 1818, in Burke County, North Carolina, United States.^{[1] [2][3]}

Reuben was the son of John Coffey and Jane Jean Graves. He passed away in 1818. ^[4]

Great confusion exists about two men of this name, uncle & nephew, both of whom resided for some years in Burke (now Coldwell Co.) N.C. They may be differentiated as Ruben Coffey Sr. of the Globe settlement, on Johns River; and Rubin Coffey (1759-1842), the Revolutionary pensioner, of Blair Fork, afterwards of Wayne County Ky.

Name

Name: Reuben Coffey ^[1][5][6]

This Reuben Coffey is referenced as "The Senior" to differentiate between him and his Nephew, Reuben ca.1759-1842.

Birth

Birth Date: 1744

Birth Place: Essex, Spotsylvania, Virginia, United States ^[1]

Death

Death Date: Bfr 1819

Place: Globe, Burke, North Carolina, United States ^[1]

Death Date: 1813

Place: Globe, Burke, North Carolina, United States^[1]

Story: Two Reuben Coffey's

The following information comes from an undated document prepared by Mr. Allen Poe., Lenoir, N.C. A note included with it indicates that it was copied by Mr. R. Ivey Moore of N. Wilkesboro, N.C. in 1965. I have transcribed it here exactly as it is presented in the typed document, including grammatical and spelling errors.

Great confusion exists about two men of this name, uncle & nephew, both of whom resided for some years in Burke (now Coldwell Co.) N.C. They may be differentiated as Ruben Coffey Sr. of the Globe settlement, on Johns River; and Rubin Coffey (1759-1842), the Revolutionary pensioner, of Blair Fork, afterwards of Wayne County Ky.

REUBEN COFFEY Senior, son of John and Jane (Graves) Coffey, was b. perhaps ca 1744, and was much older than his nephew of the same name. Ruben Sr. removed from Albermarle Co., Va. to Burke County, N.C. at some time before 1770. He m. Sarah Scott, called Sally, but it has not yet been determined whether they were married in Va. or in N. Carolina, since the exact date of the marriage and the migration are not known. There were several Scott families in Burke county, but this is a common surname, and there may also, Scott families in Albemarle county, Va. Rubin Coffey Sr. continued to reside in Burke county until his death, which occured between 1810-1820. He lived in what has always been called the Globe, near the head of Johns River, in the present Coldwell county. His widow Sally (Scott) Coffey survived him for some years, as is shown by Burke Co. tax lists and census reports. The total number of there children is not known. It can be ascertained from cencus reports that they had at least two daughters (one born 1774/84, one 1784/90 and four sons, but there were probably one or two more sons and perhaps some older daughters. Until something more definite is known about the date of their marriage, the possibility remains that Rubin Sr. and Sally could have had some children as early as the late 1760's; from cencus returnes it appears that their last child was a son born between 1790 and 1794. The 1810 census also shows with them a boy under 10 years of age, probably a grandson, since by that time Sally was at least 55 years of age and probably older. Only of of the children of Rubin Sr. and Sally (Scott) Coffey has ben positively identified -- Elijah Coffey, b. 7 Mar. 1779 in the Globe settlement, Burke County; m. 1803, Mary Dyer of Ashe Co., and some years afterward removed to Owen county, Ind. This is Mrs. Griffin's ancestor.

RUBEN COFFEY (1759-1842), the pensioner, was the fourth son of Rev. James Coffey and wife Elizabeth Cleveland, and a nephew of Ruben preveding. This younger Ruben came to Wilkes County N.C. about the time of the Rev. War, and rendered his service from Wilkes Co., he m. about 1782, probably in Wilkes, where he lived at that time and some years thereafter.

According to the manuscript notes of the late Dr. L. U. Coffey of Lenoir, N.C. the maiden name of the wife of Reuben Coffey the pensioner was MILDRED* MORRIS, but this seems to be a purely traditional statement. However, there was a Morris family in Wilkes county at this time. From cencus records it appears that Millie was at least four years older that Ruben, so it is possible that she could have been a young "war widow" when he married her. They had at least nine children, and it is just possible that there might have been one more (born after 1800).

Rubin resided in Wilkes county for about 14 years after his marriage, on the north side of Warrior Gap, directly adjoining the Burke county line. About 1797 he moved over into Burke county and settled about five miles south of his former residence. He purchased from John Coffey (either his brother or his uncle) a 400 acre plantation on Blair's Fork of Lower Creek, Burke, (Now Coldwell Co.) this tract now lies just outside the northern limits of the town of Lenoir, in a suburs called Valmead. For many years it was well known as the Gen. Cornelious Clarke place, and though the old house burned many years ago, the approximate site is marked by the Clarke Fam. cemetery, now used as a community burying ground by the residents of Valmead area. Ruren Coffey sold this plantation in March 1819 to Jeremiah Clarke (fa. of Gen. Clarke), and immediately thereafter removed to Wayne county, Kr., where he lived until his death in 1842.

Reuben and Millie Coffey had at least 4 sons and 5 daughters. Dr. Coffey gave an obviously incomplete list, partially in error. He named four dau. - Nancy, Millie, Martha and Elizabeth - but does not state who they married. He also named 4 sons - James, Lewis, Reuben, and Oliver Cromwell - but the Ruben is plainly an error for Benjamine since Dr. C. gives the name of "Rubins" wife as Exea Sophronia Stubbs a patent error for Stepp. It is possible that there may have been a son Alfred, as one Alfred Coffey, not otherwise identified, witnessed the 1819 deed by which Reuben sold out in Burke County.

From the census returns of 1790 (Wilkes Co.) and 1800 (Burke Co.) the family of Reuben and Millie Coffey appears as follows: Born by 1784 - one Daughter. Born 1784/90 - one son (James), two daughters. Born 1790/1800 - three sons (Benjamin, Oliver, perhaps Lewis or Alfred, two daughters.

It is not likely that more than one child could have been born after 1800, since at that time Millie was at least 45 years old.

Some accounts list Oliver and Cromwell as two different sons of Reuben the pensioner; but it seems more likely that there was one son named Oliver Cromwell Coffey. This is a traditional name in the Cleveland family, who clamed (wholly with out proof) descent from Lord- Protector Cromwell.

Known marriages of sons of Ruben Coffey the pensioner:

1. James Coffey, the eldest son, m. (ca 7 July 1810) Sally Sumter of Burke County.
2. Benjamine Coffey, m. Exea Sophronia Stepp of Burke Co.
3. Olliver Coffey, m. (ca 18 Oct. 1815) Sally Ramsey of Burke County.
   

The Sumter and Stepp families were near neighbors of Ruben Coffey on Blairs Fork; the Ramsey’s lived a little further west, but still on the waters of Lower Creek, and were connected with the Sumter’s by marriage. THOMAS STEPP was living here during the Revolution, and must be either the father or the grandfather of Exea who married Ben Coffey.

I have not positively identified the daughters of Ruben the pensioner, but I think that the daughter Eliz. is probably the Eliz. ________, who was born. ca 1789, m. ca 1810, Thomas Sum(p)ter, and removed to Wayne county, KY.

Benjamin Coffey and his wife Exea Stepp were cousins in some degree. Benjamine great grandfather John Coffey had a sister Martha Coffey who m. Joseph Stepp (often spelled Stapp), son of Abraham and Dorothy (Moss) Stepp of Essex County, Va. Joshua and Martha removed to Orange County, Va., from many of their descendance later migrated to Burke and Wilkes counties, North Carolina, about the time of the Revolutionary War.
^[7]

Census 1790: The 1790 Census for Wilkes County, North Carolina lists Reuben Coffey with 1 male over 16; 1 male under 16; 4 females; and no slaves.

Information on Reuben and Sally Coffee

Most of Reuben Coffey(1744-1818) and Sally Scott Coffey's children moved from North Carolina to Indiania, including Rueben Coffey Jr. (1772-1851). Reuben Sr.(1744-1818) had a nephew (the son of his brother Thomas), who was also named Rueben. This nephew Reuben (1785-1854), along with his wife Polly Dowell and their ten children, moved from Wilkes County, N.C.to Indiania in 1832, because they did not believe in slavery. .

The following was added Nov. 2008:.

Reuben Sr. (1744-1818) died in his home by John's River in the Globe settlement, now Caldwell County, N.C. His wife Sally died there, also..

Reuben Sr.(1744-1818) had a grandson (the son of his son Jesse) who was named Reuben. He lived from 1805-1893 and married Rachel Hays..

Reuben Sr. (1744-1818) had a nephew (the son of his brother James), who was named Reuben. He was born in 1759, but I'm not sure when he died, as I have seen several different dates and have no idea which is correct. This Reuben was a Veteran of the Revolutionary War and eventually settled in Wayne County, Kentucky, where he died..

All of these Reuben Coffeys make the family tree very confusing, resulting in alot of mistakes. Take for example the following, written by the late Nancy Alexander, a local (and very well thought of), historian of Caldwell county:.

"...A proud possession of the pioneer was his flint-lock, long barreled rifle, which was usually called a 'rifle-gun'. ..... Guns were welded on the anvil and forge with a hammer and bored with a water drill. Most Blacksmiths could turn out a fairly passable gun; but a man who wanted a sturdy, trusty rifle had it made by a man skilled in the trade--a gunsmith. .

"Among the fading hills of Mulberry, a small, ice glazed creek trickles along the valleys and murmers softly it's name from out of the past---Boring Mill Branch. On it's waters was once the homestead forge of a well known gunsmith: Reuben Coffey, whose name was synonymous with patience and craftmanship. He migrated from Albemarle county, VA., were he was born September 19, 1759, fought in the Revolutionary War with a North Carolina regiment, and settled in the Mulberry section on land first owned by Isaac Emmons and afterwards Washington Moore. His Wife was Sally Scott Coffey. They later moved to Wayne county, Kentucky, about 1820 and Reuben died there on March 4. 1841.....".

This, I believe (although I could be mistaken), was made by combining Reuben Coffey (1744-1818) with his nephew (b. 1759), the son of his brother James. Reuben Coffey Sr. (1744-1818), married Sally Scott & lived in the Globe Settlement on the John's River. His nephew Reuben (b. 1759), a veteran of the Revolutionary War, lived in Mulberry and then moved a little south to Blairs Fork, which is in Valmead. At this time in history the Globe Settlement, Mulberry and Blairs Fork were in Burke county. In 1841 Caldwell County was formed and all of these areas became part of Caldwell County. When Avery County was formed in the 20th century, part of the Globe area remained in Caldwell County, and part of it went to Avery County. Mulberry and Blairs Fork stayed in Caldwell.^[8]

Family Data Collection - Individual Records about Reuben Coffey

Name: Reuben Coffey

Parents: John Coffey, Jane Graves

Birth Place: Essex Or Spotsylvania Co, VA

Birth Date: 1744

Death Place: Burke Co, NC

Death Date: 1818^[9]

Reuben Coffey married Sarah Sally Scott in 1769, in Albemarle County, Virginia, United States^[10]

U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 about Reuben Coffey

Name: Reuben Coffey

Gender: Male

Birth Place: VA

Birth Year: 1744

Spouse Name: Sarah Scott

Birth Place: VA

Spouse Birth Year: 1750

Marriage Year: 1769

Marriage State: VA^[2]

1790 US Federal Census for: Wilkes County, North Carolina, USA

Name: Reuben Coffey

Home in 1790 (City, County, State): Wilkes, North Carolina

Free White Persons - Males - Under 16: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1

Free White Persons - Females: 4

Number of Household Members: 6 ^[11]

U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815 about Ruben Coffey

Name: Ruben Coffey

Company: 2 REG'T (MCGIMPSY'S) NORTH CAROLINA MIL.

Rank - Induction: PRIVATE

Rank - Discharge: PRIVATE

Roll Box: 42

Microfilm Publication: M602^[12]

Residence

Residence Date: BET 1742 AND 1900

Place: USA<r^[1]

Residence Date: 1814

Place: Burke County, NC^[1]

Marriage

Husband: Reuben Coffey

Wife: Sarah Scott

Child: Jane Coffey

Marriage Date: 1769

Place: VA^[1]

Notes

Note: Reuben removed to Indiana where he founded Franklin College.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} Ancestry Family Tree:Reuben Coffey
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004..
3. ↑ Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Individual Records. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000
4. ↑ Entered by Stephanie Sanchez, Sunday, November 3, 2013.
5. ↑ IGI North America, v3.06 - 5.0 Author: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Publication: FamilySearch(tm), (c) 1999-2005 by Intellectual Reserve Inc. Call Number: Media: Church Record. Batch 7426831, Sheet 30
6. ↑ Coffey (Ken) Family Records Author: Ken Coffey Publication: Dec 2005. Call Number: Media: Letter.
7. ↑ Poe, Allen. Lenoir, N.C. Copied by: Mr. R. Ivey Moore, 301 Kensington Ave., N. Wilkesboro, N.C. (1965). My best interpretation, source is nearly unreadable on this line
8. ↑ Ancestry.com: Story of Reuben Coffey
9. ↑ Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Individual Records. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000
10. ↑ Cited in the family tree "Coffey Family Tree" created by "LloydCoffey48"
11. ↑ See: Image of 1790 Census
12. ↑ Direct Data Capture, comp. U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: National Archives and Records Administration. Index to the Compiled Military Service Records for the Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M602, 234 rolls.

• Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Reuben Coffey Sr

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to David Black for creating WikiTree profile Coffey-840 through the import of David_s Family Tree_Ancestry_26Jun2013.ged on Jul 23, 2013.

• Thank you to Larry Chesebro' for creating WikiTree profile Coffey-879 through the import of LarryChesebro'Coffey.ged on Sep 4, 2013.

• Travis Wagner, firsthand knowledge.

• Thank you to Stephanie Sanchez for creating Coffey-933 on 3 Nov 13.

• Coffey-1615 was created by Earl D House through the import of Earl Dewayne House Ancestors Jun Small 2014_2014-06-29.ged on Jun 29, 2014.