For those of you who may think being ashamed of a Confederate ancestor is a good thing, you are historical revisionists.  It’s like German’s claiming the Holocaust never took place.   We their descendants did not commit their crimes and atrocities or perform their acts of courage and sacrifice in the face of an enemy.  It is just history.  Our association by ancestry does not implicate us.  We were not involved.  We would be wrong to forget that it happened.  Remember, the United States fought a Civil War:  brother against brother.   My Yankee family and Southern family were at the same battles together!  (But, I’m not conflicted, no… )

BIOGRAPHY of Daniel Wesley Coffman

Daniel Wesley Coffman was born January the 4^th 1842, Tishamingo County, Miss. (near Corinth Miss).  When about 4 years of age, his Father’s family moved to West Tennessee, Hardin County, near Hamburg on Tennessee River, where they resided until in the fall of 1854, whence the family moved to Texas, and settled near Tyler, Smith County.  In the fall of 1857 the family moved to Van Zandt County, settling on a farm on the Natches River, and near the line of Smith County, Garden Valley being the Post Office.  In the year 1858 Dan was converted and joined the Methodist Church, at his Fathers house, at a meeting held by Rev. R. W. Thompson the then traveling Local Circuit rider --- Uncle Dick as know then and now was a great favorite among the people, and this was his regular monthly preaching place. ₁

In the year 1861 Dan joined the army, as a confederate soldier, under Capt. Jack Whorton as Captain, and went into camps at Camp Barte in Dallas County, and soon thereafter this Company was organized with others into a Regiment of Texas Cavalry, with Col. Warren B. Stone as Colonel, J.S. Griffith as Lt. Col. and Sul Ross as Major, this regiment was put on the march at once for Miss. to join Gen. Henry McCullock’s and Gen. (Earl) Van Dorn’s army, then near Fayetteville, Me. or Arkansas not reach the battle field in time for the Oak Hill engagement, the whole army was then return to Ark. on the Arkansas river and on Mulberry creek and ordered into winter quarters.  About Dec. the 20^th the entire regiment was ordered out to meet Pothalahoma, a noted Indian chief and fighter, and on the 26^th the fight came off, and a victory won by this command, from thence was returned to the winter quarters. 

  ( … stopped proofing here … )

In the spring Genl Price, Macullock and Vandorn engaged the enemy in fight at Elk Horn in Ark. After a hard fight in which Genl McCullock and Churchhill were both killed, the army was ordered on retreat, to Red River, at Degarch Ark the entire regiment was dismounted sent the horses home and the army under Genl Price and Van dorn was sent to Corinth Miss, we reached Corinth too late for the battle of Shilo, but was in the Farmington fight.

The army under Genl Beuagard retreated to Tipile Miss, for recuperation, my regiment was camped for some time at Moorsville Miss, from there the army reorganized and reached to and made an attack upon Luke Miss, and was repulsed, with heavy loss on both sides, after-wards the army under Price and Vandorn engaged the enemy at Corinth Miss. With a heavy loss to both sides, our army was ordered on retreat down in Miss near Grenada, just at and about the time we reached Lumpkin’s Mill our horses came to us, we had some little trouble to get our horses, as our commanders wanted us to engage the enemy once more as infantry, but the whole cavalry regiment offered to rebel, rather than to make this fight if we could not first have our horses, we got the horses, and from thense we went into camps a few weeks near Pulaska Miss afterwards we made a dashing charge of the enemy at Holley Springs Miss, and was very successful, from thence Genl Van Dorns forces were turned to Middle Tenn. And has some noted fights at Spring Hill, Tenn, and Near Franklin, from thence back to Miss, and was preparing to enter Vickbufge at the time it was surrender by Genl Pemberto, the whole of Johnsons army was then on Big Black River, and on the march, when we met the news of Permetons surrend, we fell back to Jackson Miss, and to Meredian, fron thence to Yazoo City in a running fight, thence to Nothern Ala and GA, under Genl Joseph Johnson, and from Rome Ga, to Daltomand all down the line to New Hope Church, Kennisaw Mountain, Merrettia and Atlanta, we were under the enemys fire for more than 40 days, we also was engaged with Genl McCook a federal officer in a running fight at Nawnam Ga, where we was again very successful, and on the night of Aug 18^th 1864 while on picket duty with his command Dan Coffman was captured by some of Genl Killpatricks command, and retained as a prisoner of war, was carried to Atlanta Ga, for about 10 days, thence to Merietta Ga, for some two weeks, thence over the road part on rail and part on foot to Chattanooga Tenn, for 16 days here we seen the white children and negroes all attending the same school together, from thence was carried to Camp Douglass prison at Chicago Ills, landing at Camp Douglass on the 6^th day of Oct 1864, there we received all manner of cruel treatment at the hands of the enemy, and thousands of good soldiers were starved to death, and otherwise punished to death, and on the 14^th of April the day that was President Lincoln was assassinated we certainly was most cruelly treated and punished, this treatment continued as long as any prisoners were held captive, on May 4^th 1865 I and a friend by the name of Eugene Norris exchanged names and I stole away from prison under an assumed name, Thence by rail with some 800 others we came to Carlo, Thence by Steamboat to Memphis, Vicksburgem and to New Orleans, where we were held some 10 days, during which time the Major Penn, was captured in an effort to pass the port, and to briney deep, he was held as we were until about the time we left there, when he was separated from us, and I never again seen or met Major Penn until about 1877 or 8, at Terrell, Texas holding an evangelist meeting.

From New Orleans we came on the 26^th day of May to the mouth of Red River for exchange, there we met the last Federal prisoners held at Tyler Texas and were exchanged, from Thence up Red River we came to Shreveport La, and all the exchanged prisoners were furloughed for sixty days or until such terms of surrender should be agreed up, between U.S. and C.S. authorities, I reached Fathers home on June 1^st 1865 late in the evening, was not recognized by the family at first, having been gone 4 years many changes had came about and some reports had reached the home that I had been killed during some engagement with the enemy, and some reports were to the effect that I had been captured by the enemy, Now on the 6^th day of June I called upon my girl and enjoyed the call, and after a few visits to my girl we decided to end the frequent calls as were now having and so agreeing were married on July 12^th 1865 to Miss Marth Ann. C. Smith (daughter of Young Smith) Miss Sallie Watts and Miss Millie Moton were brides mades, and Mr. Josiah T. Tunnell and Bev B. Brannon were Groomsmen, Rev Stefi_as the Baptist minister who officiated in the marriage the day following my parents gave us a nice dinner for many of our friends. 

I then engaged in farming, and teaming until about 1870, however in the fall of 1868 I took the 1^st 3 degrees of Masonry in Pine Hill Lodge #203. and the last days of December 1869 I moved with my little family to Cedar Grove Kaufman County, Texas. During the years 1970 1, & 2, I sold goos for Tom Woodhouse, and in the year 1871 I went to Kaufman Town and with Capt Slaughter, and Joe Burton I took the Chapter degress in masonry, I also affiliated with Cedar Grove Lodge, and in 1874 I was elected Master, and in June 1874 I represented Cedar Grove Lodge, in the Grand Lodge of Masons at Houston Texas, and in the year 1875 I again represented Cedar Grove Lodge, Tolbert, Lodge, and Artesia Lodge in the Grand Lodge of Texas, and while in attendance on the Grand Lodge I took the Council Degrees in in Judge Teague as County Judge, R.M. Anderson, G.A. Buchanan and John M. Lewis I represented Elmo and Terrell Precincts, for 2 years.

In 1876 I settled a term near Ables Springs, and in 1878 I sold it to Hamp Adams, and in 1880 I bought the Basil Lylon place on Bull Prairie, and there I remained until on December 31^st 1890 when I moved to Kaufman, and accepted a place under Frank Gilmore as Deputy County Clerk, at the close of the year I resigned this place, and engaged in Carpentering, until the spring of 1893 when I took spinal meningitis and sciatic rheumatism, and was prostrated for many long months, in the fall same year wife and I bought of Mr. J.A. Blanton his Interest in the old Wilson Hotel, and we engaged then in the Hotel business.

In March 1894 Temple Walker was the District Clerk and he took some trouble about the head from which he died, and Henry Erwin was then appointed by Judge Dillard the present Distrct Judge to fill out Walker’s unexpired term, soon thereafter Henry Erwin, Henry Wade, and myself entered the filed as applicants for this office, and in July the 1^st Primary election came off, I received more votes at this election than both my opponents, & 65 over, in 1896 I was again elected without opposition, -- In 1898 I again entered the race for a third term but was defeated by Will Hearn, after a rest of 4 years I entered the race for election to the same office but was again defeated by John R. Hill.  I however lead Will Hearn in this race, I was soon appointed Deputy District Clerk and held this position most all the remaining years thereafter until 1909.  In the year 1896 I accepted a place as recorder with A.J. Hindman in the County Clerk’s office for a few months, during these years from 1878 to 1896 I was Worshipful Master of Elmo Lodge, and Bloomfield Lodge.  And in the year 1880 I was Heigh Priest Cedar Grove Chapter, then held at Wills Point Texas.

In the year 1898 I bought of Will Dulaney the present home that we now have, thus closing a brief rambling biography of myself almost complete from first to last.

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Daniel Wesley Coffman photos

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