Family Genealogy

I. Samuel Coley who came to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1631,   

   married Anne Pruden in 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. 

 2. Coley, Thomas, bapt 20 Apr 1657; md Martha Streme, had 2  

     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: 

     3   Coley, Thomas bapt 4/8/1696 

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

     3.  Coley, Charles of Charles City County, VA

     3. Coley, Robert of Charles City County, VA

     3.  Coley, Francis of Goochland County, VA

 3. 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. 

      4. 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 stone marked grave in the Coleytown 

          Cemetery in Macon Co., TN.

          The earliest found record of Francis Coley in Tennessee 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, N. C. A copy of his  War Record obtained from the

          Washington, D. C. Archives is available on another page.

             It is unknown when he got  married or to whom.  The following

           are believed to some of his children:

          5)  Coley, Abraham, born abt 1784; md Sarah Hightower 28  

                June 1803 in Brunswick County, VA.

          5)  Coley, daughter, born abt 1788

          5)   Coley, daughter, born abt 1792

          5)  John C., born abt 1795

          5)  Francis, born 15 May 1798

His son John C. Coley and his wife, Mary are residing close to Francis in Smith County in 1830 also.  as stated above 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, nine 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. 

.  5. 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,  Abel G., and Julius.

        6.   Julius Coley, b 7 Jan 1838 in Smith Co., TN., d 15 Apr 1909 in  

              Macon Co., TN., md 15 Jan 1863 in Macon Co., TN. Margaret Jane  

              Perrigo, b 8 Nov 1841; d 26 Nov 1916, daughter of John and 

              “Caty” Catherine Samples Pedigo.  Maiden name unknown. Julius  

              and Margaret both are buried in the Lafayette Public Cemetery.   

              Their children: Patsy Mary Catherine, William G., (twin), Able J. J.  

              “Jim” (twin), Eason “Hugh” Frank, and Joseph Wiseman Bratton  

              Coley.

           Julius enlisted in the 9th KY Inf. Co. I during the Civil War on the  

          Union side on the 15th day of Sept 1861. His tour of duty was from  

          15 Sept 1861 to 5 July 1862; during which time his regiment saw  

          action in the great Battle of Shiloh, where he was hit by a “spirit ball”  

          which caused him much pain and caused his joints to swell with an  

          arthritic condition and he was medically discharged on July 5, 1862,  

          at hospital #4 in Louisville, KY.

          7.  Patsy Mary Catherine Coley, b 9 June 1864; d 8 Mar 1917; the

               eldest child and only daughter.  She married “Doc” Gross.  See   

               Gross Genealogy Page.  . Patsy and Doc’s children are: Nancy,  

               Mary,  James Robert “Haley”, Minnie, Lassie, Henry, Myrtle, Lonna,  

               Frank and Lee. (See Gross Family Genealogy)

          7.  William Greenberry Jordan Coley,  “Bill”, (twin) b 27 July  

               1867 in Macon Co., TN., d 7 Apr 1947 in Macon Co., TN., married  

               Cora Lee Lawson, b Feb 1883; daughter of Michael Henderson and   

               Mollie Stafford Lawson, died 18 Nov 1918. Both are buried in  

               Lafayette Public Cemetery.  Their children: Bertha Louise, Beadie  

               Anne and Lillie Mae Coley.

          (The following obituary was in the Macon County Times of Lafayette,  

            TN on April 10, 1947.)  

                                        Bill Coley dies at age of 81

   William Greenberry Jordan Coley, familiarly known as Bill Coley, was found  

   dead in his bed at his home in Newtown at an early hour last Monday  

   morning.  He had suffered an attack of flu and it is supposed he developed  

   pneumonia, that ended his life unexpectedly.  He was 81 years of age, and  

   is survived by one daughter, Beadie Coley, five grandchildren and one  

   brother, Wiseman Coley of Lafayette. 

  Burial was made about 2:00 Tuesday afternoon in the Town Cemetery  

  following a talk by Pass McClard.  The deceased was a very poor man and  

  had known many of life's hardships. He was the son of Julius and Margaret  

  Jane  Perrigo Coley and was born in Lafayette.

                     Bill and Cora Lawson Coley's children:  

      8.  Bertha Louise Coley, b 19 Oct 1901; d 11 Feb 1939 of pneumonia,  

           md 3 Apr 1929 Will Britt.  She was pregnant at the time of her death.  

     8.  Coley, Beadie Anne, b 20 Mar 1909; d 16 Nov 1968 in Franklin,  

           KY. of fibrosis of the  lungs; similar to T. B.  Was married  to Henry  

           Crook. Beadie had five children:  Willard D. ,Gladys Mae, Lorene Cora,  

            Lamon Elizabeth and Edward Edwin. 

           9. McClanahan, Willard Coley said as a young man, he had trouble  

               spelling McClanahan, so changed it to Coley.  All legal papers in  

               name  of Coley. He was b 18 June 1929; md Nellie Gray Gross, b 7  

               Mar 1926; d 12 May 1979, buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in  

               Simpson Co., KY. Their children: 2 stepchildren by Phillip Haddock,

               a previous marriage of Nellie’s (See information on these Haddock  

               children under Nellie Gray Gross.) Phillip Harold and Janie Emaline  

               Haddock, Wanda Darlene, Nina Faye and Anita Kaye Coley. 

               10.  Haddock, Phillip Harold, Nellie's son by Phil Haddock, Sr.

               10.  Haddock, Janie Emaline, Nellie's daughter by Phil Haddock, Sr.

               10.  Coley, Wanda Darlene, b 11 Feb 1960, died in infancy.                        10.  Coley, Nina Faye, b 29 Jan 1961; md 3 Nov 1976 to David  

                      Eugene  Mann; b 20 May 1958, son of Bobby Gene and Lois  

                      Meeks Mann.  Their  children: Anita Janelle and David Jonathan  

                      Mann.

                    11.  Mann, Anita Janelle, b 23 Aug 1977. married October 14.  

                          1996 Ernest Lee Houchens, JR.,  born Sept. 8, 1972. Their  

                          children: 

                          12.  Bailey Lane Houchens, born August 27, 1998.                           12.  Austin Luke Houchens,  born August 13, 2000.                       11. David Jonathan Mann, b 18 June 1981

             10. Coley,  Anita Kaye, b 4 June 1962; md 20 Sept 1977 to Samuel  

                  Wesley Huff, b 13 Jan 1960, son of Homer and Rosie Stahl Huff.  

                  Their children: Michael Wesley and Amanda Michelle “Missie”  

                  Huff.  

                  11.  Huff, Michael Wesley, b 5 July 1978, married July 11. 1998  

                         Alice ?  They have a son:

                        12.  Huff, Timothy Michael, born Sept. 7, 2000.                        

                 11.  Amanda Michelle “Missie” Huff, b 1 Aug 1981.

     9.   Gladys Mae Crook, b 23 Jan 1933.  She md (1) 19 Feb 1954 Charles  

            Dwight Long, b 27 Feb 1935; d Nov., 1988 in Tallahassee, FLA., son of  

            Bolivar and Mary Elsie Morris Long. (Div May. 1961). One child  

            Deborah.  

            Gladys md (2)  25 Apr 1964 Joseph Dencil House, b 15 Sept 1936,  

            son of Joseph “Joe” and Callie Mixon House. No children by this  

           marriage.

     On May 13, 1941 all the children except one son, Willard, was taken  

     from Beadie Coley Crook; and one, Gladys, was placed in the home of a 62  

     year  old lady, Mrs. Mary Snead, to raise. (three remaining children were  

     placed in the Tennessee Childrens Home in Nashville, TN) Beadie was  

     widowed and could not make a living for us, being uneducated, and also  

     the welfare society or service would not help her.  

          10.  Long, Deborah Diane, b 13 Feb 1958, md (1) 1978  Gregory “Greg”

                 Escalante (Div-no children); md (2) Steven Kelley Archer, b 27 Aug

                 1947, son of Kelley and Louise Archer.  Their children: Tina Marie,

                 Jeffrey “Jeff” Steven, and James Edward Archer.

                 11.  Archer, Tina Marie, b 25 Aug 1991.

                 11.  Archer, Jeffrey “Jeff” Steven, b 3 Aug 1992.

                 11.  Archer, James Edward, b 17 Mar 1994.

  9.  Cook, Lorene Cora, was placed in the Tennessee Childrens Home in Nash-

        ville, TN., through the courts of Lafayette, TN., due to hard times,  

        her mother being widowed, and the welfare service had placed her on a  

        rejection list for three years, and told her that she could not use up the  

        small check that her father was receiving from the W P A.  He received a  

       check for $13.50. and it had a guardian for it; a Mr. Dan Wooten.  

        Peggy was adopted within a year from the Childrens Home by a Mr &

        Mrs Sidney Wilson of Chattanooga, TN.  The Wilsons’ changed Lorene’s  

        name to Peggy Jo Wilson.  Peggy was born 2 Feb 1935. She md Arville F.  

        Hurst on 22 Dec 1956.  He was born 27 July 1932, son of Lloyd J. and  

        Mary Myrtle Holland Hurst.  Peggy and Arville have the following  

        children:   James Harvey, Marcia Renee and Andrea Denise Hurst.

        10. Hurst, James Harvey, b 29 Apr 1959; died 11 Feb 2002; bur Rose 

              Hill Cemetery in Manchester, TN.;md 22 Oct 1982 Joyce Vaughn,  

              daughter of Charles Edwin and Lula Wimberly Vaughn.  Their  

              children:  Jennifer Lorene and Jameson Lloyd Hurst.

              11.  Jennifer Lorene Hurst, b 7 Sept 1984

              11.  Jameson Lloyd Hurst, b 13 Mar 1988

       10.  Hurst, Marcia Renee, b 22 Feb 1961; md (1) 22 Mar 1981 Donald  

              Allen Dover (Div-one child: Julia Marie Dover); md (2) Howard Kyle  

              Payne, (Div - no children); md (3) 6 Sept 1987 Robert Frank  

              Harbaugh, b 27 Oct 1962; died 18 Oct 1995. Robert and Marcia 

              had three children: Candace Anne, Robert Frank, Jr. and Krystal  

              Lynn Harbaugh.  

              11. Harbaugh,  Julia Marie Dover, (legally adopted by Robert, Sr)

                    b 12 Mar 1982.

              11. Harbaugh, Candace Anne, b 18 Feb 1988                                           

              11. Harbaugh, Robert Frank, Jr., b 28 Dec 1991.           

              11. Harbaugh, Krystal Lynn, b 15 Dec 1992.

     10. Hurst,  Andrea Denise, b 11 Aug 1964; md (1) 22 Oct 1987  Joseph 

           Roy Pollard (Div-one child Alecia Adele Pollard) md (3) 6 May 1995  

           Clarence Eldon Wright. They have a daughter: 

           11.  Pollard, Alecia Adele, b 25 Aug 1988.

           11.  Wright, Ashley Nicole, b 31 Dec 1995

     10.  Cook, Lamon Elizabeth, was placed in the Tennessee Childrens Home.

           Same as her sister Peggy.  She was adopted first by the same family  

           that adopted Peggy about a year later.  They changed Lamon’s name  

           to Judith “Judy” Marie Wilson. Judy was born 15 Nov 1936, and  

           married Earl Cleckler, who died in April of 1960.  No children. 

    10.  Cook, Edwin Edwin, born 30 April 1941; was 13 days old when the  

           courts took him along with Lorene Cora and Lamon Elizabeth on May  

           13, 1941. Due to hard times, and being widowed, mother could not  

           receive any help from the welfare society; seems that she had been 

           put on the rejection list for three years; they placed these children 

           in the Tennessee Childrens Home for adoption.  This was during the  

           time of the “Black  marketing” of Babies through the childrens home  

           and in my opinion, the welfare societies all over Tennessee were  

           connected to this scheme, and we had a 13 day old baby at our house  

           and poor; so they had to do something with all of us in order to get 

           the baby.  Edwin was adopted by a Mr. and Mrs Martin; and renamed  

           Jerry Lee Martin.  They were 48 years old each; and died when Jerry  

           was only 13.  The Martins died within 13 days apart.  The Human  

           Services Society would not give his adopted mother any information  

           concerning his birth family; (I, Gladys was 19 at the time; so Jerry  

            was then raised by some friends of Mr. & Mrs. Martin.   

            He married Patsy Brown, daughter of Lee M. Brown.  Their children:  

            Lagenia & Nicole.

            11. Martin, Lagenia, b 7 Feb 1969; md 23 Dec 1988 Gary Justice.

                  They have a son: 

                  12.  Justice, Brandon Eugene Gary b 15 May 1989.                           11.  Nicole Martin, b 24 May 1973.

 7.  Coley, Able J. “Jim”, (twin) b 25 July 1867; died 1938. He never  

       married and always made his home with his twin brother Bill. He is 

       buried in Lafayette Public Cemetery.  

7.  Coley, Eason “Hugh” Frank, b 19 Sept 1869 in Macon Co., TN., md  

      (1)  Maggie Chafflin. They had one daughter named Martha. He md (2)  

             Lawsie Cartwright. They had one daughter named Minnie. He md 

             (3) 10 Aug 1910  Lassie Jones. They had no children. 

       8.  Coley, Martha, b 26 Jan 1891; md 14 Mar 1911 Will Britt. Their  

            children: Edith, Douglas and L. C., Jr. 

            9.  Britt, Edith, b 20 Sept 1919; d 3 Sept 1978; married Raymond J.  

                 Bergdorf,  son of George McKinley and Allie Myrtle Jenkins  

                 Bergdorf. Raymond was b 2 Jan 1909; d 7 July 1966.  They both 

                 are buried in the Roark Cemetery in Macon Co., TN. 

            9.  Douglas Britt 

            9.  L. C. Britt, Jr.

       8.  Coley, Minnie, b 1909 in Macon County, TN. No info

7. Coley,  Joseph “Wiseman” Bratton,  b 25 Dec 1879; d 6 June 1950; md  

     (1) Flora Garrett (Div- no children. Flora later married Michael Henderson