Col. J. N. Coffey: This worthy old pioneer deserves the most honorable mention within
the pages of this volume, for he has ever been a representative of the honorable, industrious
and law abiding class, and has done his full share in helping to make Arkansas one of the
most favored states in the Union. He was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, April 15, 1819,
a son of John and Margaret Boskin Coffey, both of whom were born in South Carolina, the
birth of the former occurring in Lancaster District. It is supposed that three brothers of
the Coffey family came from Ireland and settled in this country prior to the Revolution,
and it is a family tradition that John Coffey, the paternal grandfather, was a member of the
Colonial Army and took part in that struggle. John Coffey, the father of the subject of this
sketch, was a participant in the Florida War, was an early settler of Williamson County, Tennessee,
afterward of Lincoln County, and later removed to West Tennessee, dying in Fayette County, in
1843 at the age of seventy years. After his death his widow removed to Woodruff County, Arkansas, in
1848. Both were members of the Presbyterian Church, and throughout a well spent life he
followed the occupation of farming. Their children are as follows: Elizabeth, William, Hugh,
David P., James, Jonathan N., Jane, Susan, Isabel and Margaret, and one that died young.
The subject of this sketch is the only one of the family that is now living. He made his
home with his parents until he was twenty three years old, grew up on a farm and received
such education as the primitive schools of his day afforded. He was married in Tennessee to
Miss Carmelia Cloyd, a daughter of John Cloyd, who died in Tennessee. After his marriage he
moved to Arkansas and settled in Woodruff County, where he made his home until 1850. He
then spent six years in White County, twelve years in Newton County, and then moved to the
farm where he now lives, containing 100 acres, three miles southeast of Harrison on the
Springfield Road. When he first came to the State he entered some Government land at $1.25
per acre. He has been successful from a business standpoint, was engaged for some time in
the tannery business in Newton County, but has always followed the occupation of farming. He
was elected to represent Boone County in the State Legislature in 1874-5 and has always
been active in the support of the men and measures of the Democrat Party, with the exception
of the time that he was an Old Line Whig in an early day. He is a member of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, is an elder in the same, is active in all church and school work, and
all moral measures are heartily and substantially supported by him. By his first wife he
became the father of the following children: John, Tandy, William B., David, Spencer and R.
E. Coffey, and after the death of his wife in 1863, he, in 1864, wedded Elizabeth McPherson,
to whom six children were given, three of whom are living: Oscar, Garland and Leno L. In
1879 the second wife was called to that bourne whence no traveler returns, and for his third
wife he espoused Mrs. M.A. Wynns, a native of North Carolina, and a daughter of William and
Anna Spencer McCarver, both of whom are dead. The present Mrs. Coffey came to this county
from Texas in 1865, with her first husband, Joseph Wynns, who died in Boone County in 1867.
They had four children: Bird, R.B., Fannie A. and J. C., all residents of this county.
Lisa Hamilton submitted the above data from Goodspeed's, 1884;
she did so to help others, is not researching the above person or
families mentioned therein.
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