MARY FRANCIS or FRANCIS ELIZABETH ARMOUR ____________________________________________________________ This information graciously contributed by Joe George: jgeorge@northcoast.com You can return to the main table of contents for this Person family document by going to the books section of the Ark. USGW archives. You can also get a full copy of the document by contacting Joe. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. ____________________________________________________________ B7 MARY FRANCIS or FRANCIS ELIZABETH ARMOUR was born December 15, 1879 to Thomas Dixon and Sarah Elizabeth Ringer Armour. She was supposedly born on McCollum farm in the Liberty Hall settlement, Yell County, Arkansas. Her children think her to be a native of Collierville, Tennessee. Her father died when she was about there years of age (1883). Her widowed mother reared the family with the aid of her sons, Shelby and Harve Armour. The family did not own a home so they lived in several places such as Mount George, Liberty Hall and "Backbone Ridge." Francis attended school at all the places she lived. She married James Leonard "Capp" Cofer on August 9, 1898. He was born in 1877. They lived with his parents on their farm north of "Backbone Ridge" and east of Centerville, Arkansas. At the death of the older Cofers, "Capp" was left the farm and he and Francis reared their children in the home of the grandparents. The farm has been owned by the Cofer family for a hundred years. Francis and "Capp" Cofer were the parents of eight children: C12 Their first son died. C13 Stella Cofer was born March, 1900. She taught school before her marriage to Roy Tillman. She and Roy have lived in Carden Bottom their entire married life, They had two children: D30 Betty Tillman married Arthur Lee Banks. Their children were Myra, Carol and James Banks. D31 Roy Tillman, Jr. married Wanda Findley. Their children were Paul, David, Lessia and Stephen Tillman. C14 John Cofer was born in 1902. He went to Detroit, Michigan soon after 1924. He married Detroiter Cletas Vandiver and reared two daughters, Kathleen and Jo Ann Cofer. C15 Jennie Mae Cofer was born February 13, 1904. She taught school and married Finis Owens of Dover, Arkansas. They made their home in Dover. She gave birth to a child that died soon after birth. Three or four days later Jennie Mae had a blood clot that caused her death on March 29, 1936. She was buried alongside her sister, Lexine, at New Hope cemetery in Yell Co. C16 Lexine Cofer was born August 23, 1906. She married Walter John "Bill" George circa 1925. She had two daughters: D34 Mary Ellen George D35 Patsy George Lexine died with tuberculosis on July 13, 1934. Her parents reared her daughters. Lexine and Bill lived near Centerville the short time they were married before her death. C17 Leighton Cofer was born circa 1908. He married Iris Robertson of Benton, Arkansas. They reared their two children, D36-James and D37-Lydia in California, Leighton drives a taxicab in Vallejo, California in l968. C18 Mary Cofer was born circa 1911. She married Elton Lynch and they have lived most of their married life in Wabbaseka, Arkansas. Their children are D38-Robert, D39-Ricky and D40-Kanet Lynch. C19 Morris Cofer was born about 1913. He married Helen Garrett. They presently make their home in Tennessee in 1968. Their children are D41 Dan, D42-Dennis, D43-Jennie Lea, D44-Randy and D45-Madalyn. J. L. "Capp" Cofer suffered a stroke and died November, 1958. Funeral was in Centerville and burial in Moore's Hill cemetery. Francis stayed in her home in the summer for seven years and spent the winters with her children. She entered a rest home in Ola, Arkansas in the summer of 1966. It was then and until 1968 that she so kindly helped her great niece, Lola Person Cooper, with the genealogy of Ringer and Armour ancestors. She knew some of the data and had heard about some earlier data passed on to her from older relatives during her lifetime. Mary Francis or Francis Elizabeth Armour Cofer died January 5, 1968 at Ola Rest Home in Yell County, Arkansas. Funeral was held January 8, 1968 at 2 p.m, in Cornwell Funeral Chapel in Dardanelle, Arkansas by Rev. Harold Sadler (Baptist). The weather was extremely bad with ice and sleet on the ground. Burial was in Moore's Hill cemetery beside her husband. Survivors were Stella, John, Leighton, Mary, Morris, 17 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. The visits this writer made to see Francis "Aunt Fan" Cofer at the Ola Rest Home lasted through 1966-1968. The last visit was on January 3 before her death on January 5, 1968. Her death came as a surprise for she appeared healthy and in good spirits only a short time before her death - - so closed the chapter of genealogy on Ringer and Armour ancestors that she could recall through her 88 years of life. This writer will always have pleasant memories of "Aunt Fan" and the close contact that we had. To me she was a true Christian at heart who played her role in life well. As a child she was a joy and inspiration to her widowed mother, as a wife she was true to her husband, as a mother she was devoted to her eight children, and, lastly, she was a true friend to all her neighbors.