Edward Coffey is the immigrant ancestor of many of the Coffey families who settled in Virginia and North Carolina, and later throughout the US.
Despite claims posted across the Internet on innumerable genealogical webpages there is NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE for Edward Coffey's parentage. However, his origins are almost certainly Irish: the family name is anglicized from Ó Cobhthaigh. Edward appears to have emigrated to Virginia in the early 1690s, whether from Ireland or England is not known. He may well have left Ireland in the wake of the Jacobite/Williamite War in Ireland of 1689-90, which resulted in vast devastation and the brutal suppression of the island's Catholic majority.
Edward arrived as an indentured servant to William Mosely, a wealthy tobacco planter of St. Anne Parish, Essex Co., VA. The length of his indenture is not known but it was likely 5-7 years. He first appears in Virginia records in Mosely's will, dated January 6, 1699/1700. In the will, Mosely gave "unto my servant Ed. Coffe one heifer of 2 yrs. old." This suggests that Edward was highly regarded by his master. Mosely died soon after. Curiously, Edward had to bring suit against the Mosely estate in order to win his freedom. The court ruling, dated September 10, 1700, not only acknowledged his freedom, but also awarded him clothing and corn for planting.
Earlier in the year, Edward married Ann Powell, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Place Powell of Essex County. The couple had six known children, all named in their father's will: John, Edward, Martha, Annister (Ann), Austin (Austes), and Elizabeth.
In 1706/07, Edward acquired a 118-acre plantation in St. Anne's Parish. Seven years later, shortly before his demise, he sold the property. There is evidence suggesting that he was in the process of acquiring a 200-acre plantation from Mosely's son and executor. However, it was left to his sons John and Edward to finalize the purchase.
In the winter of 1715/16, describing himself as "being in bedd with Sickness," Edward drafted his will which he signed on February 14, 1715/16. He died later that year, likely just before his will was proved on November 20, 1716. His widow and six young children were left in a precarious situation. Therefore, it is not surprising that Ann Coffey remarried within months of his death. Her second husband was Robert Dulin[g], by whom she had two additional children, William and Thomas Dulin[g].
[NOTE: Since documentation of the early generations of the Coffey family is annoyingly weak -- and frequently contradictory -- additional WELL-DOCUMENTED information from other researchers is welcome.]
Despite claims posted across the Internet on innumerable genealogical webpages there is NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE for Edward Coffey's parentage. However, his origins are almost certainly Irish: the family name is anglicized from Ó Cobhthaigh. Edward appears to have emigrated to Virginia in the early 1690s, whether from Ireland or England is not known. He may well have left Ireland in the wake of the Jacobite/Williamite War in Ireland of 1689-90, which resulted in vast devastation and the brutal suppression of the island's Catholic majority.
Edward arrived as an indentured servant to William Mosely, a wealthy tobacco planter of St. Anne Parish, Essex Co., VA. The length of his indenture is not known but it was likely 5-7 years. He first appears in Virginia records in Mosely's will, dated January 6, 1699/1700. In the will, Mosely gave "unto my servant Ed. Coffe one heifer of 2 yrs. old." This suggests that Edward was highly regarded by his master. Mosely died soon after. Curiously, Edward had to bring suit against the Mosely estate in order to win his freedom. The court ruling, dated September 10, 1700, not only acknowledged his freedom, but also awarded him clothing and corn for planting.
Earlier in the year, Edward married Ann Powell, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Place Powell of Essex County. The couple had six known children, all named in their father's will: John, Edward, Martha, Annister (Ann), Austin (Austes), and Elizabeth.
In 1706/07, Edward acquired a 118-acre plantation in St. Anne's Parish. Seven years later, shortly before his demise, he sold the property. There is evidence suggesting that he was in the process of acquiring a 200-acre plantation from Mosely's son and executor. However, it was left to his sons John and Edward to finalize the purchase.
In the winter of 1715/16, describing himself as "being in bedd with Sickness," Edward drafted his will which he signed on February 14, 1715/16. He died later that year, likely just before his will was proved on November 20, 1716. His widow and six young children were left in a precarious situation. Therefore, it is not surprising that Ann Coffey remarried within months of his death. Her second husband was Robert Dulin[g], by whom she had two additional children, William and Thomas Dulin[g].
[NOTE: Since documentation of the early generations of the Coffey family is annoyingly weak -- and frequently contradictory -- additional WELL-DOCUMENTED information from other researchers is welcome.]
Edward Coffey is the immigrant ancestor of many of the Coffey families who settled in Virginia and North Carolina, and later throughout the US.
Despite claims posted across the Internet on innumerable genealogical webpages there is NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE for Edward Coffey's parentage. However, his origins are almost certainly Irish: the family name is anglicized from Ó Cobhthaigh. Edward appears to have emigrated to Virginia in the early 1690s, whether from Ireland or England is not known. He may well have left Ireland in the wake of the Jacobite/Williamite War in Ireland of 1689-90, which resulted in vast devastation and the brutal suppression of the island's Catholic majority.
Edward arrived as an indentured servant to William Mosely, a wealthy tobacco planter of St. Anne Parish, Essex Co., VA. The length of his indenture is not known but it was likely 5-7 years. He first appears in Virginia records in Mosely's will, dated January 6, 1699/1700. In the will, Mosely gave "unto my servant Ed. Coffe one heifer of 2 yrs. old." This suggests that Edward was highly regarded by his master. Mosely died soon after. Curiously, Edward had to bring suit against the Mosely estate in order to win his freedom. The court ruling, dated September 10, 1700, not only acknowledged his freedom, but also awarded him clothing and corn for planting.
Earlier in the year, Edward married Ann Powell, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Place Powell of Essex County. The couple had six known children, all named in their father's will: John, Edward, Martha, Annister (Ann), Austin (Austes), and Elizabeth.
In 1706/07, Edward acquired a 118-acre plantation in St. Anne's Parish. Seven years later, shortly before his demise, he sold the property. There is evidence suggesting that he was in the process of acquiring a 200-acre plantation from Mosely's son and executor. However, it was left to his sons John and Edward to finalize the purchase.
In the winter of 1715/16, describing himself as "being in bedd with Sickness," Edward drafted his will which he signed on February 14, 1715/16. He died later that year, likely just before his will was proved on November 20, 1716. His widow and six young children were left in a precarious situation. Therefore, it is not surprising that Ann Coffey remarried within months of his death. Her second husband was Robert Dulin[g], by whom she had two additional children, William and Thomas Dulin[g].
[NOTE: Since documentation of the early generations of the Coffey family is annoyingly weak -- and frequently contradictory -- additional WELL-DOCUMENTED information from other researchers is welcome.]
Despite claims posted across the Internet on innumerable genealogical webpages there is NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE for Edward Coffey's parentage. However, his origins are almost certainly Irish: the family name is anglicized from Ó Cobhthaigh. Edward appears to have emigrated to Virginia in the early 1690s, whether from Ireland or England is not known. He may well have left Ireland in the wake of the Jacobite/Williamite War in Ireland of 1689-90, which resulted in vast devastation and the brutal suppression of the island's Catholic majority.
Edward arrived as an indentured servant to William Mosely, a wealthy tobacco planter of St. Anne Parish, Essex Co., VA. The length of his indenture is not known but it was likely 5-7 years. He first appears in Virginia records in Mosely's will, dated January 6, 1699/1700. In the will, Mosely gave "unto my servant Ed. Coffe one heifer of 2 yrs. old." This suggests that Edward was highly regarded by his master. Mosely died soon after. Curiously, Edward had to bring suit against the Mosely estate in order to win his freedom. The court ruling, dated September 10, 1700, not only acknowledged his freedom, but also awarded him clothing and corn for planting.
Earlier in the year, Edward married Ann Powell, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Place Powell of Essex County. The couple had six known children, all named in their father's will: John, Edward, Martha, Annister (Ann), Austin (Austes), and Elizabeth.
In 1706/07, Edward acquired a 118-acre plantation in St. Anne's Parish. Seven years later, shortly before his demise, he sold the property. There is evidence suggesting that he was in the process of acquiring a 200-acre plantation from Mosely's son and executor. However, it was left to his sons John and Edward to finalize the purchase.
In the winter of 1715/16, describing himself as "being in bedd with Sickness," Edward drafted his will which he signed on February 14, 1715/16. He died later that year, likely just before his will was proved on November 20, 1716. His widow and six young children were left in a precarious situation. Therefore, it is not surprising that Ann Coffey remarried within months of his death. Her second husband was Robert Dulin[g], by whom she had two additional children, William and Thomas Dulin[g].
[NOTE: Since documentation of the early generations of the Coffey family is annoyingly weak -- and frequently contradictory -- additional WELL-DOCUMENTED information from other researchers is welcome.]
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