The Coley  Family Genealogy

           Francis Coley, 

1. John Coley, of Great Munden, Hertfordshire England;

     2.  Samuel Coley, of Milford, Conn.

        3. Thomas Coley, Sr., bapt 4/20/1657 Conn

            4. Thomas Coley, Jr., bapt 4/8/1696

                5. Robert Coley, 

                    6. Francis Coley, of Charles City Co., VA 

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1. John Coley, born about 1586; married ? They had son Samuel.

   2. Samuel Coley, born 1615/20 in Great Munden,  Hertfordshire  

      England; died August 17, 1684 in Millford,  New Haven, CT. came 

      to Massachusetts Bay Colony in  1631,  married  Anne Prudden 

      Feb 14, 1640 and they had seven children--three sons and four 

     daughters. All of  his children settled close around Milford with 

     their  parents but Thomas, born April 20, 1657, and married 

     Martha Stream, and migrated to Virginia.  He had two sons, 

     Thomas, (Jr?) baptized  4/8/1696 and Samuel, baptized 11/1/1702 

     and  died February  2, 1703/1704. It is believed our Virginia Coleys 

    originated from Thomas, son of Thomas, who, among his children could 

    have been Francis, Julius, Robert, Charles and Isham Coley, these  sons 

     migrating to NC., but, of course, this is still on the research list to be

     connected at a later date. 

    3. Thomas Coley, bapt 20 Apr 1657; md Martha Streme, had two  sons. 

       This is the Coley that we cannot find any thing else on, if he moved 

       or had any other children. One of his sons died at a very young age 

       and one more is listed. The following is believed to be his children, 

       but is not proven, other than Thomas and Samuel: 

       4   Coley, Thomas bapt 4/8/1696 

       4.  Coley, Samuel, bapt 11/1/1702; died 2/6/1703/04

       4.  Coley, Charles of Charles City County, VA

       4.  Coley, Robert of Charles City County, VA

       4.  Coley, Francis of Goochland County, VA

       4   Coley, Thomas (Jr?) bapt 4/8/1696 

           5. Robert Coley having sold land in Charles City County,  VA 

                  in 1771 moving to Halifax County, NC leaving a will dated

                  25  June 1785 naming his wife, Frances and two sons, Francis 

                  and William.  No information available at this time on William. 

                  6 Francis Coley, born 14 Sept 1757 in Charles City County, VA., 

                  died 19 Sept 1840.  Certain Record Books link him to a Francis 

                  CORLEY of Trousdale County, but Census records show a Francis 

                  Corley of Trousdale County and also a Francis Coley of Smith 

                  County.  Francis died 19  Sept 1840 in Smith County, and is 

                  believed to be buried in a unmarked stone grave in the Coley-

                  town Cemetery in Macon Co., TN.

                        The earliest found record of Francis Coley in TN was a Land 

                 grant # 6874 for 50 acres  on record in Smith Co., dated 

                 Sept 19, 1827, which probably was made a part of Macon 

                County when it was formed in 1842 from Smith and Sumner 

                Counties.  He served in the Revolutionary War as a private 

               having fought in the Battle of Brier Creek in Savannah, Ga., 

               and in the Battle of Guilford,  NC  A copy of his  War Record 

               obtained from the Washington, D. C. Archives is available on 

               another page.

                 His son John C. Coley and his wife, Mary are residing close 

                to Francis in Smith County in 1830 also.  As stated before, 

                this is believed to be part of the area made into Macon 

                County in 1842, where Coleytown now is.   John and 

                his wife had ten children, eight of whom are known to us.

                As J. Carlton Coley said so eloquently, you don't find the 

                Coley name much in the history books of the area, but 

                they certainly did their part in beating a path through 

                the wilderness of Tennessee for a bunch of us later

                Coleys that came along.  It is unknown when Francis 

                got  married or to whom.  The following are believed to 

                be some of his children.

                7  Coley, Abraham, born abt 1784; md Sarah Hightower 

                    28 June 1803 in Brunswick County, VA.

                7   Coley, daughter, born abt 1788

                7   Coley, daughter, born abt 1792

                7   John C., born abt 1795

                        7  Francis, born 15 May 1798  

              7. John C. Coley, b 1795 in NC., moved to Smith County, 

                 TN during the 1820’s He died Oct of 1864; married 

                 Mary "Polly" Ann Thrailkill/Thrailkeld born in NC in 

                 1798; died Oct 1879. John C.and Polly both died in 

                 Macon County, TN. They married about 1815 in NC. 

                 Their children: William D., Joseph D., Catherine, Nancy A.

                 Mary J. (Jane), Sarah Ann "Sallie", Wesley, Able G., and 

                 Julius.  (See William D. Coley Genealogy)

                 8 William D. Coley (See William D. Coley Family Genealogy)     

                    8. Joseph D. Coley, b 1821 in VA; 2nd son of John C. & Mary 

                    Coley, md 20  June 1854 to Sarah Ellen Hoskins, b 1841. 

                    Their children: Nancy A., Lucinda J., Martha R. P., Sally, 

                    Susan, and Emaline Coley.

                    9. Nancy A. Coley, b 1858 in Macon Co., TN.

                    9. Lucinda J. Coley, b 1861 in Macon Co., TN., 

                       md 5 Apr 1877 Joseph Fry.

                    9. Martha R. P. Coley, b 1863 in Macon Co., TN., 

                       md 30 Oct 1879  J. W. Bond.

                    9. Sarah "Sally" Coley, b 1865 in Macon Co., TN.

                    9. Susan Coley, b 1868 in Macon Co., TN.

                             9.Emaline Coley, b 1870 in Macon Co., TN.

              8. Catherine Coley, b 1822 in TN., md Alexander Temple.

              8. Nancy A. Coley, b 1824; md 12 Mar 1850 John A. Pascal.

              8. Mary Jane Coley, b 1826 in Smith Co., TN.

              8. Sarah Ann "Sallie" Coley, b 1829 in Smith Co., TN; 

                  d 5 Feb 1894 in Monroe Co., KY.  Married Richard 

                  Temple, b 1833, son of James and Martha B. Temple.  

                  Their children: 

                   9. Martha E. Temple, b 1857 in KY; 

                   9. J. A.Temple, b 1854 in TN; 

                   9. Francis Marion Temple, b 1866 in KY. 

                8. Wesley Coley, b 1831 in Smith Co., TN., d 10 June 1929. 

                  No further information on his family.

                   8. Abel G. "Abram" Coley, b 7 Feb 1833 in Smith Co., TN., 

                   d 27 Nov 1900 in Monroe Co., KY., md 4 Mar 1858 in 

                   Macon Co., TN. Elizabeth "Betsy" Temple, b Mar 1837 

                   in TN., daughter of James and Martha B. ? Temple; 

                   d 8 July 1913 in Monroe Co., KY. 

                   See Abel G. Coley Family Genealogy

            8. Julius Coley, See Julius Coley Family Genealogy