Coffey, Mary (Mrs. John) 1844-1893

COFFEY, BARRY

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 8/28/2010 at 15:08:36

From the Alton Democrat of Jun 3, 1893
Granville News.
"From the Isle of Saints to the land of the Pilgrims, from the land of Pilgrims to the wild rose covered prairies of Granville to the lily studded fields of Heaven, was the course of mortal pilgrimage of Mrs. Mary Coffey."
Such was the beginning of the funeral sermon preached by Rev. Father Tierney over the body of Mrs. Mary Coffey, whose demise took place at the home of Thomas Barry Thursday morning, May 15th. Mrs. Coffey was a resident of Northamption, Mass., and had been an invalid for some time, and was advised that nothing could prove more beneficial to her than a change of climate. Hence accompanied by her husband and children, Alice, John and Simon, she bade farewell to New England's rugged headlands and came to seek strenght in Western Iowa with her sister Mrs. Thomas Barry of this place. They arrived in Granville just four weeks before her death. The first two weeks after her arrival great hopes of her recovery were cherished; but Thursday evening, May 11th, she suffered severely from an unexpected atack of hemorrhage of the lungs. After this her sufferings were extreme until the evening before her death. Her death bed was surrounded by those who called her wife, mother, sister and aunt. The remains were interred in the Catholic cemetery Saturday morning at nine o'clock. The bereaved husband and children have the full sympathy of the entire community.
(From the Cemetery Index Mary Coffey b. 15 Jul 1844 died 25 May 1893, her husband John Coffey b. Nov 27 1841 died 10 Aug 1893 both buried in St. Joseph's cemetery Granville. Mary's sister was Mrs. Thomas Barry and she may have been an O'Connor. Simon Coffee born Dec 1882 Mass. died 5 Aug 1902 at his uncle and aunt's home Thomas Barry. The later where abouts of Alice and John Coffey could not be found.)

MORE:
A biography/family history of John H. Coffey is included in
"Montana, Its Story and Biography", Vol 3.

John H. Coffey was born, 31 Mar 1879, son of John and Mary
(Powers) Coffey, natives of County Waterford & County
Tipperary, respectively. In April 1893, the family moved to
Granville, Iowa, and both parents died there a few months
later. Children: Sister Mary Justita, St. Mary's Academy,
Chicago; Simon born Dec 1882 North Hampton Mass. died 5 Aug
1902 Granville IA of comsumption; John H. as described
below.
(Also, an Alice Coffey was born to them)

John H. received his early education in Iowa, then worked as
a farmhand, a storeclerk in Granville, and a tinner. He
worked as a tinsmith in Eldorado, KS, & then located to
Berthold, ND, where he worked in a hardware store. On 25
Sept 1911, he located to the new town of Wolf Point, MT, and
opened a store selling hardware, furniture, and machinery.
In 1919 he sold his successful business to the Wolf Point
Cooperative Association. He was a partner in the Trader's
Store at Wolf Point; built the first movie theater in town;
had interest in the local meat market and an automobile
business; was one of the original stockholders of the First
State Bank and the Sherman Hotel Company; and interests in
businesses in Glasgow and Great Falls, MT.

On 11 May 1909, Minot, ND, John married Miss Christine
Dries, b. Feb 1881, Granville, IA, daughter of John Dries.
Coffey children: Evelyn, Melbourne, and Robert Emmet.

John H. Coffey, died 27 Oct 1933, Age 54, Roosevelt County,
MT
Christine Coffey died 8 Mar 1854, Age 74, Roosevelt County,
MT