Fifth Generation

485. Thomas Jefferson Coffey¹⁹⁰² was born on 3 December 1828 in North Carolina in that part of NC that later became Patterson Twp., Caldwell Co. He lived with his parents in Yadkin Dist., Caldwell Co., NC on 17 September 1850. He lived with the Ezekiel Smith family in Butler, Johnson Co., TN on 3 July 1860. Thomas enlisted on 5 July 1862 in Co. E, 58th NC Inf. Regt. in Yadkin Valley, Caldwell Co., NC.¹⁹⁰³ He was discharged on 15 March 1865 He appeared in the census on 10 August 1870 in Watauga Co., NC.¹⁹⁰⁴ Thomas died on 11 June 1901 at the age of 72 in North Carolina and was buried at Boone City Cemetery in Boone, Watauga Co., NC.^1905,1906

Thomas Jefferson Coffey taught school at Valle Crucis (Watauga County) before the Civil War, but soon went into business at what is now Butler , TN. He joined the Confederate Army, becoming captain of Company E. 58th North Carolina infantry. Before his death he and brother, W. C. entered into an agreement that whichever survived the other should carry on the firm business as long as he thought fit, and then divide the property. (http://www.fmoran.com/coffey14.html)

According to American Civil War Soldiers, Thomas Jefferson Coffey enlisted as a Lt. 2d Class. He was transferred on Sep. 9, 1863 from Co., E to Co. S and promoted to Full Asst. Quartermaster. On Jun. 1, 1964 he transferred from Co. S. back to Co., E.

This same source offers additional information on Thomas:

He was a merchant who resided in Butler, TN and enlisted on Jul. 5, 1862 and served in Co. E., 58th Inf. Regt, North Carolina. He was promoted to Full Lt. 2d Class on Jul. 29, 1862. He was on the unit rolls Aug. 31, 1864 and promoted to Full Lt. 1st Class on that date.

He was hospitalized on Mar. 14, 1865 at Charlotte, NC and furloughed on Mar. 15, 1865.

*Coffey Brothers.-- Thomas J. and W. C. Coffey, two brothers, had carried on business at what is now Butler, Tenn., but on the left bank of Roan Creek, before the Civil War. They had to leave on account of their Southern principles after the war commenced. They returned to their old home in Caldwell County and remained till after the close of the war, when, in 1866, they moved to Boone and opened a store in the store room which stood where J.D. Councill's residence now stands. But W. C. Coffey opened a branch store at Zionville and moved there about 1867. T. J. Coffey lived in the Brown cottage just east of the Blair hotel after his marriage to Miss Curtis, of Wilkes County, till the Coffey hotel and store, now occupied by Murray Critcher, was completed in 1870.

*Coffey Brothers' Enterprises.--Thos. J. Coffey and brother used to operate a wagon, harness and saddle business in Boone for years after the Civil War. These wagons were taken to Kentucky and exchanged for horses and mules which were driven South and sold. The wagons were made about two hundred yards east of the house now occupied by Wilson A. Beech; the saddles and harness were manufactured in rooms on the second story of the present Brick Row, east of the Critcher hotel. John Allen made the wagons and Joshua Stezer made the harness and saddles. They also tanned hides in front of what is now the residence of W. A. Beech. They bought hides in the South, in bales, besides tanning hides for local farmers.

Thomas Jefferson Coffey was born in 1828 near Patterson, in present-day Caldwell county. Before the war, he was a school teacher in Valle Crucis, North Carolina and later a merchant in Eastern Tennessee. When the war started, he enlisted, at age 33, as a private in Company E of the 58th North Carolina. Later he was promoted to 2nd and then 1st lieutenant as well as assistant quartermaster of the regiment. In this tintype he holds a Whitney of C. S. manufactured Spiller & Burr revolver. His sword, although covered in gilt paint, resembles a type manufactured in Richmond. Coffey was hospitalized at Charlotte on March 14, 1865 with phthisis, which is a wasting away of the body, usually caused by tuberculosis. He was furloughed on the same date. He returned to Tennessee and joined his brother in business. Before his death he and his brother entered into an agreement that whichever survived the other should carry on the firm business as long as he thought fit, and then divide the property. Coffey died in 1901.

Source: The 58th North Carolina Photographs found at http://averymuseum.com/58th%20North%20Carolina%20Photographs.htm

Company E, Captain Alfred T. Stewart's Company, was organized on July 29, 1862 in Caldwell County, North Carolina. Stewart was promoted to Major opening the command of the company. Thomas J. Coffey was chosen for the vacancy. They participated in the battle of Chickamauga, Atlanta, The Carolina's Campaign, and Bentonville.

Thomas Jefferson Coffey and Mary Elizabeth "Mollie" Greer¹⁸⁷⁷ were married. They appeared in the census on 7 June 1880 in Watauga Co., NC.¹⁹⁰⁷ They¹⁹⁰⁷ appeared in the census on 1 June 1900 in Watauga Co., NC.¹⁹⁰⁸

Children and spouses named by Laurence Coffey. Mary Elizabeth "Mollie" Greer¹⁹⁰⁹, daughter of Thomas Greer and Mary Ray, was born on 6 March 1846 in Ashe Co., NC. Mary died chronic valvular heart diseast on 6 May 1926 at the age of 80 in Statesville Twp., Iredell Co., NC and was buried at Boone City Cemetery in Boone, Watauga Co., NC.^{1910,1911,1912}

Mary Ray Greer was born September 22, 1913, and died March 26, 1906 at the Critcher hotel. Her grave is in the cemetery at Boone. She was the daughter of William Ray, of Elk Creek, above Todd, and the wife of Thomas Greer. Her daughter, Jennie, married J. L. Phillips, white Evelyn became the wife of George Grubb; Martha the wife of Julius Elliott, of Rowan, and Millie [sic] the wife of Thos. J. Coffey. Her son, Larkin, was killed in the Civil War. The latter was about to marry Sarah Ferguson, of Meat Camp, when he was at home once during the Civil War on furlough, and was on the way to the magistrate's to be married when they were met by her sister, Martha Ann, who faced them about and prevented the marriage. Sarah afterwards married Zecharih Moretz. Martha Ann never married.

Thomas Jefferson Coffey and Mary Elizabeth "Mollie" Greer had the following children: