Reuben Coffey (1759 - 1842)

Born 16 Sep 1759 in Albemarle, Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 9 Jun 1842 at age 82 in Oil Valley, Wayne, Kentucky, United States

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Reuben Coffey is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A023814.

Biography

Reuben was born in 1759. He was the son of James Coffey and Elizabeth Cleveland.

Reuben was the son of James Coffey and Elizabeth Cleveland,brother to Lewis Russell Coffey.

He married Mildred 'Millie' Morris.^[1]

He participated in the Southern Campaign during the American Revolution. He was a private under Capt. Moses Guest.

Their Daughter Naomi's Obituary says they moved to Wayne county in 1819 when she was age 15,she died at the age of 99, a few Days Shy of Her 100th Birthday

He passed away in 1842 and is buried on the family's old farm land with a memorial stone in the Lewis Russell Coffey Family Cemetery.^[1]

This Reuben is often confused with his uncle of the same name. His uncle married Sally Scott.

Pension Application

Pension Application:^[2]

That I the said Ruben Coffey volunteered under Captain Moses Guest in Wilkes County North Carolina, in a horse company for as long a period as our country needed my services & in the Service of the United States, on the 17th day of June 1780, before the battle of King's Mountain and served as a private. I marched under my Captain Moses Guest, Lieutenant Thomas Ferguson & Major _____ Hartgrove, his Christian name not recollect, & Major Joseph Winston and Col. Benjamin Cleveland with adjutant Major Jesse Franklin. We first marched to Ramsour's Mill in Lincoln County North Carolina the day after the Battle there. And where we met General Rutherford [Griffith Rutherford] and General Thomas Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter] and their Army. The Tories (Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the British Empire and the British monarchy during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men) being then defeated, our Regiment marched towards home and was generally engaged in scouting after the Tories. We had some several small engagements with them. The British and Tories having collected in force and marching towards Virginia as far as Burke County, North Carolina. We pursued them and they retreated towards King's Mountain. Our commanders were Col. Benjamin Cleveland, Colonel William Campbell, Colonel Isaac Shelby & Colonel John Sevier. We overtook and fought the British and Tories at King's Mountain in South Carolina & defeated them on Saturday the 7th day of October 1780. We remained on the Battle ground until Sunday the next day and then marched with the Prisoners up to one Colonel Walker's in Rutherford County North Carolina. We then marched about three miles to a widow Bickerstaff's where a court martial was held and condemned and hung nine of the Tories. We after marched through Burke County, Wilkes County and towards the Moravian Town (Salem, NC). The main Army marched to the Moravian towns & guarded the British & Tories. But my Ensign Benjamin Guest with myself & five or six others of our company by orders were detached to go back upon the frontiers to quell & pursue the Tories, who had caused a considerable alarm. I was upon several small expeditions, one down to Guilford, another to Hunting Creek, another to the hollows of the Adkin [sic, Yadkin River] & was sometime stationed at Hamlin's old Store in Wilkes County & at another time at John Stabler's in Burke County and other places and Remained in service twelve months & upwards. Our country having no further call for our services, myself and others were discharged by our Captain sometime in the fall of the year 1781 at his own House in Wilkes County North Carolina, But not in writing having served fully 12 months for which I now claim.

I the said Reubin Coffey was born in the State of Virginia Albemarle County on the 16th September 1759. My Father moved to Amherst County Virginia four or five years after, where I lived about 15 years. My Father then moved to the State of North Carolina and settled in Wilkes County near the head of the Yadkin River where I resided several years, I think about 14 years. I then settled in Burke County and lived there about 22 years. I then moved to the state.

Notes

Reuben is the great uncle of Shelby Moore Cullom, two term Illinois governor of Illinois and US senator for almost 30 years until his death in 1914.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find A Grave: Memorial #34034884
2. ↑ http://revwarapps.org/s46916.pdf

• "North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-PP9P : accessed 22 April 2023), Reuben Coffee, 12 Feb 1781; citing Burke, North Carolina, United States, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh.
• "North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-PP74 : accessed 22 April 2023), Reuben Coffee, 20 May 1781; citing Burke, North Carolina, United States, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh.
• "United States Census, 1790", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:XHKB-LWM : Fri Mar 10 13:18:17 UTC 2023), Entry for Reubin Coffee, 1790.
• "United States Census, 1810", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:XH26-XM2 : Thu Mar 16 17:27:06 UTC 2023), Entry for Reuben Coffee, 1810.
• "United States Census, 1830", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:XHPZ-3TK : Wed Mar 15 20:01:51 UTC 2023), Entry for Rubin Coffey, 1830.
• "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-2JFX : accessed 22 April 2023), Reuben Coffey, 04 Mar 1831; citing Kentucky, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 4; FHL microfilm 1,319,384.
• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTP-JPR : 10 June 2022), Reuben Coffey, Wayne, Kentucky, United States; citing p. 163, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .
• "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:79LQ-T6W2 : 1 March 2021), Reuben Coffey, 1 Jun 1840; citing Military Service, United States, Citing various published state rosters, United States; FHL microfilm 005732444.
• "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:79LQ-T6W2 : 1 March 2021), Reuben Coffey, 1 Jun 1840; citing Military Service, United States, Citing various published state rosters, United States; FHL microfilm 005732444.

See also:

• Coffey (Ken) Family Records Author: Ken Coffey Publication: Dec 2005.
• Purkiss and Jones Families Records Author: J. D. Purkiss and Lester C. Jones Publication: Dec 2000.
• Marvin Coffey, "James B Coffey, Ancestors" Family Hist Ctr, LDS Church, PAF Filles.