Whatever happened to Valievia Gossett McCoy Jennings and her daughter Lou Emma McCoy?
Here is the story....
In February of 1907 Tabitha Florence Deweese McCoy, wife of John Robert McCoy (s/o Joseph and Salina Adkins McCoy, gs/o John and Nancy Hatfield McCoy), passed away of Tuberculosis. John Robert was left to care for their three daughters, then 6 1/2 year old Hattie, 3 1/2 year old Beatrice, and 2 year old Lois.
A few years ago, thanks to some sleuthing by Deweese cousin by marriage Debbie Coulter, I learned that by July of 1908 John had met and married Vallivia Gossett from nearby Summershade in neighboring Metcalfe County. Born to John and Valievia was a girl child, in approximately April or May of 1909, Lou Emma McCoy. (See the transcription of the marriage record below)
But by the 1910 Barren County Kentucky Federal census John is recorded as again a single father with his 3 daughters from Tabitha, and has employed a Nanny, Martha Ann Melton. Meanwhile Valievia is recorded residing with her elderly parents, Peter and Martha Gossett in Summershade, Metcalfe County, with daughter Lou Emma, by then 11 months old. (See the transcriptions of the census records below)
The October 1911 Metcalfe County Kentucky Circuit Court records a divorce between John Robert McCoy and Valievia. John is ordered to pay child support in the amount of $12.50 per year for three years and the case is continued. We have not found further record. (See the transcription of the divorce file below)
By 1915 John has ostensibly married again (although no marriage record has been located for this union) to Abby Park Reece. He relocated with his family to Yuma County Colorado. By 1920 this family is recorded on the federal census there. During that same decade Valievia has married a General Lafayette Jennings and by 1920 is recorded with him and her daughter Lou Emma in his household. (See census records below)
John Robert and his family remained in Yuma County Colorado, recorded on the 1930 census there. Lafayette is recorded as an elderly divorced man residing in the home of a grown son in 1930. No record for Valievia nor for Lou Emma in 1930 has yet been found....
I have found record of Vallivia's death among the Kentucky Vital Records. She passed away at age 88 on February 27, 1960.
Some years ago a kind gentleman, whose name I have misplaced, provided me with the photo of Valievia taken upon the occasion of her wedding to General Lafayette Jennings (above). That gentleman was researching the Jennings family, if I recall correctly, and said there is no mention among any of their records of Valievia's daughter Lou Emma.
These are the only clues we have about Valievia and her marriage to John Robert McCoy and their daughter Lou Emma McCoy. Although elderly, Lou Emma may yet be living? Perhaps she has living children that may recognize some of the story? If anyone has any clues to add, PLEASE let us know. We'd dearly love to find this "lost" branch of our family tree. I can be emailed at
[email protected]
or I can be reached by post at
PO Box 472, Bayside, CA 95524
September 2009
The plot thickens....
During intervening years since the above was first noted I have discovered a death certificate for Lou Emma McCoy Jeffries. This document tells us she passed away
August 15, 1944 in Louisville from complications arising from a tubal pregnancy. Additionally
it informs us Lou Emma was married to an Albert Jeffries. So far this is all we know, his name.
While there are some "likely candidates" in found records, none has been identified with
certainty as to belonging to THIS Albert Jeffries. Cousin Evelyn White has also discovered
an obituary from and unknown Louisville newspaper for Lou Emma. Regrettably the brief mention of her passing
does not tell us any more than we have learned from other sources.
Other recent investigations by Evelyn reveal that a burial plot and marker were
reserved for both mother Valievia and daughter Lou Emma among a Wade family plot
at the Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery in Jefferson County KY. While
Lou Emma is indeed buried at Resthaven Memorial Park, Valievia's name is chiseled
over and a Mattie Wade is interred in that place. A record in the files of
Resthaven record this request, and finally that file contains a brief
sketch map of the plot layout. What is the connection to
this Wade family of Valievia and Lou Emma? Who is this Wade family? Who was Lou Emma's
spouse? Where did he come from? Where did he go? Why, when a burial plot was reserved for her, was Valievia buried in Metcalfe
County instead, and as a McCoy rather than as a Jennings? Why did she divorce General LaFayette Jennings and when did that occur?
Rather than answering questions, the more information we discover, the deeper this mystery
becomes. Any help, any leads, just anything at all about the half-sister of my grandmother
we only recently discovered even existed, or information on her mother Valievia, will be
so much appreciated! Please see contact information above.
Thanks so much,
all of us on this one branch of this McCoy Family Tree
Metcalfe County Kentucky Marriage Records:
Name of Groom J R McCoy
residence Glasgow
Age 41
Number of Marriage 2
Occupation farmer
Birthplace Tenn
Father of Groom Joseph McCoy Tenn
Mother of Groom Salina Adkins Tenn
Name of Bride Vallevia A Gossett
Residence Summer Shade Metcalfe Co
Age 36
Number of Marriages 1
Birthplace Barren Co
Father of Bride Peter Gossett Virginia
Mother of Bride Martha J Whitlow Barren Co
married at house of Peter Gossett on July 1,1908 signed by J R McCoy
1910 Barren County Kentucky Federal Census Slick Rock Precinct
Dw#206/Fm#209 McCoy,
J.R. head W/M 43 wd TN TN TN
Hatty dau W/F 9 KY TN KY
Beatrice C. dau W/F 6 KY TN KY
Lois dau W/F 4 KY TN KY
Melton,
Martha Ann servant B/F 73 KY KY KY
1910 Metcalfe County Kentucky Federal Census Mag District No 3 May 5,1910
Peter Gossett 82 married 40 years
Martha J 71 six children born five living
McCoy Valleva A 39 married 1 time married 1 year one child born one child living
Lou E granddaughter either 1 month or 11 months KY TN KY
1920 Metcalfe County Kentucky Federal Census Summer Shade District #3 enumerated January 7, 1920 Page 5A (235)
Dw#79/Fm#79 Jennings
Fayette Head A M W 70 M X X X X yes yes Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee Yes Tenant General farm ?? 74
Valleva A Wife F W 47 M X X X X yes yes Kentucky Virginia Kentucky yes None X X X
Lou Emma Daughter F W 12 S X X X yes yes yes Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky yes None XXX
ORDERS-CIVIL CAUSES
METCALFE CIRCUT COURT
October Term, 3" Day of Oct 4, 1911
J R McCoy Pett
vs
Valivia McCoy Deft
Order
This day of cause the Deft by her attorney & produced and filed her answer & counter claim herein
ORDERS-CIVIL CAUSES
METCALFE CIRCUT COURT
October Term, 5" Day of Oct 6, 1911
J R McCoy Pett
vs
Valivia McCoy Deft
Judgment
This cause on to be heard, and by agreement of parties, and attorneys was submitted for Judgment, and the parties agree for the court to enter the following Judgment, and the Court being fully advised as to said agreement, by their atty�s adjudges from the proof & said agreement, that Pett be granted a divorce from Valevia McCoy, dissolving the bonds of matrimony theretofore existing between them, and in conformity with said agreement, the Court adjudges that Pett pay to the Deft Valevia McCoy the sum of $25 per year for 3 years, in installments beginning the 1st day of Feby 1912 of $12.50 for the use and benefit of their child _____ McCoy, a girl about 2 years old, and the Pett will pay $12.50 the 1st day of Feb 1912 and a like sum 6 months thereafter for 3 years, and at the end of said time the support of said child will be settled by the Court. Deft is given custody of the child _______ McCoy, for the said 3 years, and until further orders of this court. The Pett is adjudged to pay the cost of this suit including the atty fee to J W Compton Atty for Deft of $25.00 which is made Nov 4, 1911 and so much of Deft Answer as asks alimony & maintenance for her is discussed and this cause continued.
Kentucky Death Index 1911-1986:
VALLEVIE O MCCOY
Date 600227 Age 088 Place BARRN Residence BARREN Volume 009 Cert 04370 Deathvol 60
