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REVEREND DAVID P. COFFEY

DAVID PLEASANT COFFEY, BORN NOVEMBER 1805 IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE, MOVED WHEN HE WAS A SMALL CHILD TO FAYETTE COUNTY WITH HIS FATHER, JOHN COFFEY, AND HIS MOTHER, MARGARET BASKIN COFFEY.
THE EARLY COFFEY ANCESTORS CAME TO AMERICA FROM IRELAND BEFORE THE REVOLUTION. JOHN WAS BORN IN LANCASTER DISTRICT, SOUTH CAROLINA IN 1773. JOHN'S FATHER, WHO WAS ALSO NAMED JOHN, SERVED IN THE COLONIAL ARMY.
JOHN MARRIED MARGARET BASKIN, DAUGHTER OF ANDREW BASKIN, A REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIER WHO WAS BORN IN IRELAND. ANDREW MARRIED MARY MARSHALL IN AUGUSTA COUNTY, VIRGINIA IN 1759, AND DIED IN LANCASTER COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA IN 1800.
JOHN AND MARGARET MOVED ACROSS TENNESSEE, STOPPING FOR A TIME IN LINCOLN AND WILLIAMSON COUNTIES. THEY WERE IN FAYETTE COUNTY BY 1815. JOHN AND MARGARET HAD NINE CHILREN: ELIZABETH, WILLIAM, HUGH, DAVID P., JAMES, JONATHAN N., SUSAN, ISABELLA, AND MARGARET JANE. JOHN DIED IN 1843. MARGARET MOVED TO WOODRUFF COUNTY, ARKANSAS WHERE SHE DIED IN 1848. ELIZABETH MARRIED JOHN PRICE, A BAPTIST MINISTER. HUGH WAS ALSO A BAPTIST MINSTER. JONATHAN N. MARRIED PARMELIA C. CLOYD AND MOVED TO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. HE WAS ELECTED TO SERVE BOONE COUNTY IN THE ARKANSASS STATE LEGISLATURE IN 1874-75. ISABELLA MARRIED JOHN GRIFFIN; MARGARET MARRIED JAMES B. HENLEY AND MOVED TO ASHLEY COUNTY, ARKANSAS.
DAVID P. MARRIED MARY C. COGBILL, NOVEMBER 12, 1835, FAYETTE COUNTY, TENNESSEE. IN 1834, HE AND WILLIAM BRYAN ESTABLISHED THE SHADY GROVE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH NEAR WILLISTON. MARY'S FATHER, CHARLIE C. COGBILL, WAS AN ELDER IN THE CHURCH.
DAVID AND MARY HAD FOURTEEN CHIDREN, THE FIRST NINE BORN IN TENNESSEE: ELIZABETH, JOHN D.(BORN IN MACON, JUNE 19, 1838), MARGARET B., JOSEPHINE, CHARLES L., LUCY, SAMUEL B., MARY D., SALLIE ANN, DAVID PLEASANT, JR., EDWARD E., COLA, AND TWO OTHERS.
IN 1843, THEY WERE IN TIPTON COUNTY, IN 1850 IN SHELBY COUNTY, AND BY 1854, THEY WERE IN WHITE COUNTY, ARKANSAS, STONEY POINT COMMUNITY NEAR BEEBE.
AN ORDAINED MINESTER, DAVID WAS RECEIVED BY LETTER FROM THE MEMPHIS PRESBYTERY INTO THE WHITE RIVER PRESBYTERY IN 1855. AN ELOQUENT SPEAKER, HE WAS ELECTED MODERATOR. HE SERVED AS PASTOR OF THE SEARCY CONGREGATION FOR MANY YEARS. WELL EDUCATED AND WELL INFORMED ON CURRENT EVENTS, HE SERVED AS AN ADVISOR AND GUEST LECTURER AT THE LOCAL COLLEGES. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE MASONIC LODGE AND A ROYAL ARCH MASON.
HE ESTABLISHED THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE STONEY POINT COMMUNITY. HE WAS ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND HELPED TO SURVEY THE TOWN INTO CITY LOTS. RECORDS REFRER TO DOCTOR DAVID P. COFFEY; AND, ACCORDING FAMILY TRADITION, HE WAS A LICENSED, PRACTICING PHYSICIAN.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR HIS HOUSE, 3 1/2 MILES NORTHWEST OF BEEBE, WAS ON THE MAIN STAGECOACH LINE FROM ST. LOUIS TO LITTLE ROCK, THE ROUTE TRAVELED BY BOTH UNION AND CONFEDERATE TROOPS. ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1863, THE UNION ARMY, APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHEAST ENROUTE TO LITTLE ROCK, MET CONFEDERATE TROOPS A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE HOUSE, JOHN D., HOME ON FURLOUGH, ALONG WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COFFEY FAMILY, WAS AN EYEWITNESS TO THE "BATTLE OF HOG EYE." LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, THE BATTLE OF BULL BAYOU WAS FOUGHT A FEW YARDS FROM THE HOUSE. MANY BULLETS REMAINED IN THE WALLS OF THE OLD HOUSE AND LATER YEARS WAS TOURED BY MANY HISTORICAL GROUPS.
DAVID BECAME INVOLVED IN HELPING FURNISH MEDICAL SUPPLIES, HORSES, WAGONS, AND STAPLE FOOD SUPPLIES FOR THE CONFEDERATE TROOPS.
JOHN D., THE ODEST SON, SERVED IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY, CO. D., 10TH INFANTRY REGIMENT. HE FOUGHT AT SHILOH AND WAS LATER TAKEN PRISONER. ON FURLOUGH HE MARRIED HIS CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART, MALISSA G. HARRIS, BORN IN MACON, TENNESSEE ON AUGUST 16, 1845, DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM REUBEN HARRIS (BORN 1811 IN VIRGINIA) AND WIFE CATHERINE (BORN 1821 IN NORTH CAROLINA). MALISSA HAD TRAVELED BY STAGECOACH AND STEAMBOAT TO REACH SEARCY WHERE THEY WERE MARRIED JANUARY 13, 1864. THEY REARED EIGHT CHILDREN WHILE FARMING 40 ACRES OF LAND IN COFFEY TOWNSHIP NEAR SEARCY, NAMED IN HONOR OF DAVID.
DAVID ALSO LISTED FARMING AS HIS OCCUPATION; AND, AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, HE OWNED SEVERAL SECTIONS OF LAND. HE DIED IN 1883, AND MARY DIED TWO YEARS LATER. HE DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO SERVING THE LORD AND HIS FELLOW MAN. A SIMPLE SLAB OF MARBLE MARKS THEIR GRAVE IN STONEY POINT CEMETERY IN WHITE COUNTY, ARKANSAS.

(From Goodspeed's Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas- 1890. WHITE COUNTY AR )

Submitted by Karen Combs kcombs@commandnet.net


Martin William " Gobbler " Jones


Generation No. 1


1. MARTIN WILLIAM " GOBBLER "2 JONES (E.T. OR ETHERLDRED ? APJONES? OR1) was born August 04, 1784 in Surry Co., N.C. or Hamblin, TN., and died August 08, 1879 in Died in Polk Co., Buried in Jonesville Cemetery, Angelina Co., TX.. He married RHODA HODGES July 12, 1804 in Dandridge, Jefferson Co., TN., daughter of EDMOND ?? HODGES. She was born January 20, 1791 in TN., and died Bet. April 11 1859 - 1861 in Jonesville Cemetery, Angelina Co., TX..

Notes for MARTIN WILLIAM " GOBBLER " JONES:
Our Apjones' Ancestors came to America from Wales, sometime in the 1700's. After coming to America, they changed their surname by dropping the "Ap". The now Jones', possibly landed in Virginia and headed to North Carolina. After a short time, they moved westward, southward, southwest, and northwest. Martin is listed on the 1780 Surry Co., N.C. Census. Neighbors living next door on this Census are Timothy Riggs from New Jersey who was Justice of the Peace, and his son Clisby Riggs who ran a still in Jefferson Co., Tennessee who sold his liquer to Davy Crocketts father. Timothy Riggs also had sons Eziah, Jesse and a Dr. Clisby Riggs. Our family believes there is a definite connection to this line also. Our Ancestor Martin William Jones Sr. had travelled west into Tennessee. This is where he married our Rhoda Hodges on 12 of July 1804, Lic. # 543, in Dandridge, Jefferson Co., TN. To this union were born nine sons and three daughters, all living to maturity. At this time, very little is known of Rhoda or her family. We do know where she was buried but her grave is now lost in the Jonesville Cemetery. In 1804 Martin and Rhoda were living in Jefferson Co., TN. in the location that they were married. In 1806, while still in Jefferson, Martin had purchased either land or something at the sell from the Widow Sarah Witt Estate. Between 1812 and 1813, they were in Lincoln Co., TN. when Martin volunteered for service in the War of 1812 on 24th of Sept. 1813. He served with the Regiment of Calvary and mounted Gunmen, TN. Volunteers, under Col. John Coffee and Capt. William Locke. After serving his enlistment he was honorably discharged at Fayetteville, TN. As the War continued, he volunteered a second time and served under Maj. William Russell, Capt. James Wyatt, and Col. Jame Allwine. He was honorably discharged again, this time at Ditto's Landing and had to travel 200 miles to Murfreesboro, TN. and home. By 1820, they had moved to Jackson Co., TN. and while living there, they had six of their sons and two or three of their daughters. Between 1826 and 1828 they had moved to Paint Rock, on the Paint Rock River in Jackson Co., AL. which is a little east of Huntsville, AL. They probably traveled along the " Old Beau Trace ". A blazed trail from Eastern TN. to Chickasaw Bluff ( now Memphis) where they crossed the Mississippi River on a log raft in Arkansas Territory, and up the White River to Bull Creek, a rich and fertile valley. Veering a little to the left somewhat towards Little Rock from the Old Beau Trace,which went as far as Batesville, Ark.They founded the town of Royal Colony on the headwaters of Bull Creek which is about where El Paso, Ark. is. They were accompanied by eight other families. One of which was James Walker and his family. Martin and James founded the town. Martin and at least eight of his children were landowners in White and Pulaski Counties, Ark. When Arkansas became a state in 1835, and White Co. was organized, Martin William Jones became it's first Representative to Little Rock, Ark. Serving 1835-1836 and 1837-1838.
Around 1845-46 restlessness overtook this family again, so they headed for the New Republic of Texas. After weeks of traveling, they finally reached Polk Co. in East Texas. About a mi. east of present town Leggett, they founded Jones Prairie. Enoch Calvin Jones, John Hodges Jones, Clisby Riggs " Tibb 1" Jones, Jesse Riggs Jones, Jasper Hamilton Jones, and Martin William Jones Jr. and maybe others, settled for awhile. Not too far from here, Martin Sr.s' brother Samuel Bethel Jones lived with his family.
Martin and Rhoda Jones and the other sons and daughters and their families moved on to the Shawnee Prairie area which is now Angelina Co., TX. and where the family founded Jonesville, TX. which became the second Co. seat in Angelina Co. At that time, the area was part of Nacogdoches Co., so the Jones' arrived in East Texas and settled in the Jonesville area before it was designated the County of Angelina. Jonesville was located in the big curve in Hwy. 69, about a mile southeast of the present city of Huntington, TX. where the old Browns' Ferry ( also known as Jasper Rd.) crosses the highway. The old road continues on behind the Jonesville Cemetery to the old Iron Bridge crossing on the Angelina River. The main part of the town was located between the present homes of the Jim Clegg family and the Jeff and Dot Youngblood family. Of course the town was named for its founder Martin William Jones and his family, for he owned the land where the town was founded. It was a part of his survey. Later, William sold part of the land to his son Enoch " E.C." Jones and others.
A few years after Martin founded Jonesville, Enoch Jones, John Hodges "Jack" Jones, Clisby Riggs " Tibb 1" Jones, Martin William Jones Jr., Jasper Hamilton " Hamp " Jones, James " Jim " Brashears, and others moved to the Jonesville area too. But for some reason or another, Tibb 1 and Hamp decided to move back to Arkansas. They stopped for a while in Bossier Parish, LA. This time they settled in Lafayette Co. which is near Magnolia, Ark. A part of which later became Columbia Co. About 1857 they moved back to Texas and Clisby Tibb1 settled in Angelina Co., TX. near Jonesville. and Jasper " Hamp" went on to Old Knoxville area of Cherokee Co.
Martin and most of his sons and son-in-laws, had original surveys of land in Angelina Co. around Jonesville, granted to them as third class citizens of Texas ( here before Feb. 19, 1846), when Texas became a state. Martins' survey of 360 acres included part of the city of Jonesville, the Jonesville Cemetery, and north past the present site of the T.&N.O. Railroad, and east for about a mile. At one time, Martin owned over 600 acres in the area. His home was about half a block north of the Cemetery on the same side of the road. Martin was a Farmer and a Stockman. He ran a tannery near the Sixth st. crossing on the railroad. Some of the old bricks from the old vats are still there today. Martins' brand was a O (zero) and his mark was a swallow fork in the left ear and a split in the right. He registered this on 3 Nov. 1852 in Angelina Co., TX.
Enoch Calvin Jones' survey was somewhat in Jonesville and south of Martins' survey. Martin Jr.s' survey was just south of Jonesville toward what is now called Salem Community. Lloyd Forrest who is one of Martins many g.g.grandsons, owns part of this survey today! Martin Jr. also had another survey of 160 acres southwest of Jonesville, near the old Porter place. William Marion " Bill " Jones had 298.7 acre survey just north of and adjoining the Martin Jones survey, which is towards the present day Huntington Cemetery area. Clisby " Tibb 1 " and John C. Jones ( John C. being a grandson of Martins ), had surveys about a mi. northwest of Jonesville. Cicero B. Burns ( Clisbys' son-in-law ), had a survey northwest of them and is now known as the Old Burns Place. Calaway Franklin " Frank " Jones had a survey norteast of Jonesville near the present day Standley Creek Development. Simpson D. Burks ( another son-in-law of Martins ), had a survey just off the present day Hwy. 69 and Farm 1818 area. James " Jim " Brashears ( another of Martins son-in-laws ), had a survey just south of Jonesville, and Calloway Taylor " Cal " Jones also owned land in the area.
The first school in the area was taught by J. M. Nash from Mississippi. Who would have taught Martins grandchildren.      
Martin Jones Sr. was a very colorful character. He wore his hair long and he looked quite scruffy with his old Coon Hat atop his head, to say the least of this adoring gentleman. Martin could imitate a turkey gobble so well, he could call them up close. Once while sitting around the Whittlers' bench in Jonesville, Martin boasted to all his friends that he was going to give a certain large OLD Gobbler one more chance, but if he didn't get the bird this time, he was just going to give up on getting him. That afternoon, he took his old gun and walked down into the woods of Joneville and hid behind a large clay root ( a rotted tree stump ), and he began to gobble and gobble. Finally, the big bird came strutting up close by! But by the time Martin rose to shoot, the gobler took his leave! Now that made Martin mad, so mad that he took off his hat and beat it against that old stump! That old gobbler thought the rythmn was that of two other gobblers fighting, so he returned to investigate and Martin saved his reputation and bagged the bird! This is how our Martin earned his nickname " Gobbler " which stayed with him. It was said that after a fight that Gobbler usually won, He would get up on a stump or a log and start to Gobble! Or when a pretty girl would pass in his path he was prone to Gobble! During the town meetings, if he didn't like what was being said after he opened the meeting to the sound of his Gobble, he would then gobble and turn around and leave. He also ended these meetings with his now famous gobble!
Since Martin had been a member of the legislature in Arkansas, it was natural for him to continue in politics in Angelina Co. He became a commissioner, while the county seat was still a Marion ( Old Marion on Lake Sam Rayburn. With Commissioners Frank Hill and Hardy Parker in 1854, Martin voted to move the county seat of government from Marion to Jonesville where suitable quarters were available. At that time, the Post Office was named Angelina. There were several stores, saloons, and a Baptist Church in Jonesville. THE Sam Houston stood on the steps of the old Jones store and made a speech against secession. Angelina Co. must have taken his advice, for it was the only county in east Texas to vote against secession. But when Texas seceded, Angelina formed two companies early in the War and went off to War.     
In 1856 Homer called for an election to move the county seat from Jonesville to Homer. The first election failed and Jonesville remained county seat. They called for another election in 1858, and this time Homer won. So the county seat was moved to Homer, taking the name of the Post Office along with the courts to Homer. Later the name Homer was restored. This move of the county seat, ultimately caused the death of our Jonesville, which left it a ghost town on the prairie..
In 1936, during the Texas Centenial, a historical marker was erected on Hwy. 69 near the old Robb place, about a mile east of the site of Jonesville. Which reads:
                  SITE OF THE TOWN OF
                  JONESVILLE
            SECOND COUNTY SEAT OF
            ANGELINA COUNTY
            8-22-1854 TO 5-19-1858
            ERECTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, 1936
Although it is not located in the correct place, it does mark the area where history was made. Many tourists pull over and read the inscription on the marker, relax, and reminisce of days gone by... The marker might have been placed in this location for a better view or for parking conveniences instead of the actual site in the curve of the Highway where the town of Jonesville was actually located..     
It is said that after the War, the family decided that there were just too many Jones' in the area, so they actually drew straws to decide who would leave or stay. Clisby Tibb 1, Marion, Frank, and Martin Jr. must have drawn to stay. Some went to Polk Co., some to Cherokee and Smith Co., and some to Kaufman, Ennis, Troup, and other places.     
Martin " Gobbler " past away we believe to be on the 8th of August 1860. Family tradition states that he died in Polk Co. and that his wife Rhoda, another woman, and a negro servant who rode on the casket to hold it in, brought his body back to Jonesville in a little surry, to his home, so he could be buried on his own land on a beautiful little round hill a short distance from the home. Now we don't know if there is discrepency in this story, for some believe that Rhoda had passed on before Gobbler? Gobbler lived to be 95 years old. In fact, at age 95 he reckoned he should get some religion, they took Old Gobbler and Baptized him! Martin was the first of many to be buried here. Soon after Martins death, two of his great grandchildren, the Burks babies, were interred next to Gobbler. It is believed that the babies were brought from Shawnee Prairie or possibly Jonesville. In the plot where Martin lies, are five generations of Jones'. Some of the Jones' buried there are William Marion, Enoch T., William Bryant, Joe Bill, Allie Harvey, Cisby Tibb 1, Calaway Taylor, Susan J. Baird, and many more. Rhoda Jones and Caroline McAnelly are buried there also, but their headstones are lost.
 I've  taken information from the records that Annie Lee Nutt had left as her legacy and was sent to me from Zorn Jones and Ina Cardwell.Wonderful family members I never knew existed until I wanted to continue my trace for my Ancestors. Thank you so much for the information. My hopes are that by placing the information on the internet, that others can find an Ancestor through this information, and I hope I have placed my Ancestors in their rightful place. I'd be very surprised if I havn't made my share of mistakes, but I have recorded this information to the best of my abilities at this time.

More About MARTIN WILLIAM " GOBBLER " JONES:
Baptism: Abt. 1874, Martin decided that at age 90, he should get some religion, so they lowered him into the River!
     
Children of MARTIN JONES and RHODA HODGES are:
2. i.   JOHN HODGES3 JONES, b. November 30, 1805, Jefferson Co., TN.; d. May 09, 1864, Jones Prairie, Polk Co., TX..
3. ii.   CLISBY RIGGS ( TIBB 1 ) JONES, b. February 19, 1808, Hamblin, Jefferson Co., TN.; d. January 02, 1890, Huntington Cem., Jonesville, Angelina Co., TX..
4. iii.   JESSE RIGGS JONES, b. August 02, 1810, Jefferson Co., TN.; d. July 14, 1848, Jones Prairie, Polk Co., TX..
5. iv.   ELIZABETH MARIBE "MARY" JONES, b. March 26, 1813, Jefferson Co., TN.; d. Aft. 1868, Angelina Co., TX..
6. v.   ENOCH CALVIN " E.C. " JONES, b. January 30, 1816, Jefferson Co., TN.; d. June 11, 1886, Hot Springs, ARK./ buried in Troup City Cem., Troup , TX..
7. vi.   MARTIN WILLIAM JR. JONES, b. April 24, 1818, Jefferson Co., TN.; d. January 20, 1864, buried in Jonesville Cem., Angelina Co., TX..
8. vii.   PHETNA MARIAH JONES, b. September 15, 1820, Jefferson Co., TN.; d. November 28, 1845, Old Royal Colony, White Co., Arkansas.
9. viii.   JASPER HAMILTON " HAMP " JONES, b. 1823, Jefferson Co., TN.; d. Abt. 1872, Old Knottsville, Cherokee Co., TX. near Troup, TX..
10. ix.   RHODA ELIZABETH "LIZZIE" JONES, b. 1832, Old Royal Colony, White Co., Arkansas; d. 1866, Angelina Co., TX..
11. x.   FRANKLIN CRAWFORD "FRANK" JONES, b. January 23, 1826, Paint Rock, Jackson Co., AL.; d. September 04, 1882, Jonesville Cem., Angelina Co., TX..
12. xi.   WILLIAM MARION "BILL" JONES, b. August 18, 1828, Paint Rock, Jackson Co., AL.; d. September 17, 1887, Jonesville Cem., Angelina Co., TX..
13. xii.   CALLOWAY " CAL " TAYLOR JONES, b. May 18, 1831, Old Royal Colony, White Co., Arkansas; d. August 01, 1874, Jonesville Cem., Angelina Co., TX..
Submitted By
Belinda Kay Pierce and
Annie Lee Nutt
 

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