Lucas-Taylor County IA Archives Biographies.....Coffelt, Elijah 1837 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 24, 2007, 11:40 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896)

ELIJAH COFFELT, one of the respected farmers of White Breast township, Lucas
county, Iowa, was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, February 12, 1837. His
father, Daniel Coffelt, was a native of Tennessee and the son of a Revolutionary
soldier. When a young man he removed from Tennessee to Indiana, where he was
subsequently united in marriage to Miss Peggy Bivens, like himself a native of
Tennessee. Her father, Elijah Bivens, a Tennesseean by birth, was a participant
in the Indian wars in 1812-13, and was one of the earliest settlers of Hendricks
county, Indiana. Daniel and Peggy Coffelt were the parents of five children,
namely: Mary, deceased; Elijah, whose name initiates this sketch; Nancy, who
died in early childhood; Mrs. Margaret Woods, of Lucas county, Iowa; and Sarah,
also of this county. The parents died in Owen county, Indiana, the mother at the
age of thirty-five years, and the father at sixty-three. He was a farmer by
occupation, in politics was a Democrat, and as an honest and industrious man and
worthy citizen had the respect of all who knew him.

   Elijah Coffelt was reared on his father's farm in Indiana, his youthful days
being given to farm work and his educational advantages limited. At the age of
twenty-six he went to Vigo county, Indiana, and was there during the greater
part of the war. Before the war closed, however, he entered the Union ranks and
rendered valued service in helping to protect the old flag. It was as a member
of Company H, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Indiana Infantry, and in February,
1865, tnat he enlisted, and he served until September of that year, when he was
honorably discharged. He was with the forces that operated in the South and was
a portion of the time stationed at Decatur, Alabama.

   Returning to Vigo county after the war, he made his home at that place until
1868, when he removed to Iowa, his first location in this State being in Taylor
county, near Bedford. In 1873 he took up his abode in Lucas county and in 1876
he moved on to his present farm. Here he owns forty acres of land, twenty-two of
which are rich bottom soil. He has a comfortable cottage, 20 x 24 feet in
dimensions, and located on a natural building site.

   Mr. Coffelt was married in Putnam county, Indiana, to Miss Rachel Carpenter,
who was born and reared in that State, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Ruby)
Carpenter, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. Her parents
both died in Indiana. They had two sons who were Union soldiers, E)avid and
Joseph, the former now deceased and the latter a resident of Harrison county,
Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Coffelt have had eight children, seven of whom are
living, namely: William, Mrs. Amanda Bradford, Daniel, Robert, George, Mrs. May
Goben, and Mrs. Ettie Stevenson, all of this county, excepting that William
lives in Alturas county, Idaho, and Robert in Elmore county, same Territory. The
one deceased was named Lucinda.

   Mr. Coffelt supports the principles of the Republican party and is a member
of the G. A. R., having a membership in Isemyer Post, No. 18, of Chariton.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA

ILLUSTRATED

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."'—MACAULAY.

"Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant,
of all things."—CARLYLE

"History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE.

CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1896


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