FOURTH GENERATION

12. James Jasper Coker ⁽¹⁾ was born on 17 Aug 1840 in Millerville, AL. He died on 7 Jul 1922 in Mt.Olivet Cemetary, Ft. Worth, TX. He has reference number D005. Coker, James Jasper (D005)

1840: Born in Millerville, Clay County, Alabama, August 17.

1850: US Census, Tallapoose Co., AL (South of Clay Co.) taken on Nov 20 (pg 053), lists James J. Coker, age 10, living with his father who is a physician, mother Frances, age 50, and sister Ann W. (or M.), age 13.

1960: US Census, Talladega Co., AL (West of Clay Co.) on pg 944 lists Jasper Coker, age 19; living with father and Martha (new step mother?), and Mary Luke, age 34. Next door is his older brother, Marion, who is also a physician.

1861:* March 22, enlisted in the Confederate Army at Montgomery, Ala. for 12 months, as Private in Co G, 1 Regiment Alabama Infantry. Present on Muster Rolls of July & August, Aug 30 -Oct. 31, Nov & Dec, 1861. "Term of enlistment extended two years, $50.00 bounty due Jan 14, 1862.

1862: January, "on furlough to his residence." April 8, "captured at Island No 10." (Then in Co. D).

1864: Went into Calvary; wounded July 21; captured at Port Hudson.

1865: Paroled as Prisoner of War on June 13, from Talladega, listed as "Pvt. Co B, 1 Regt. Ala."

1870: Married Vivian (Viola) Annie Davis on June 26 in Millerville, Ala. They went to New Orleans on their honeymoon and sailed down the Mississippi River on a water wheel boat.

The 1870 US Census of Clay Co., AL (pg 213) lists: Coker, J.J., age 30, Artist, born in AL; Coker Vicy, age 22, Keeps House. Two houses later his older brother, Marian J. Coker, Physician, is listed (see E005). Apparently James Jasper was an artist in early years before he became a doctor like his brother and father. Soon after their marriage James and "Vicy" (Ann) apparently moved to Texas where their first son was born, before returning to AL prior to 1874 when a second son was born.
In all, they had 8 children, all except the first born in Millerville and Rockford, Alabama.

1872: A son, Jonathon Clark (named after his grandfather), was born Jan 8 in Texas (according to 1880 census); married Jane Andersen Gray (sister of Nina Ann) on Nov. 22, 1893 (see D008); died Feb. 4, 1959; buried Cotulla, TX.

1874: William Thomas, born July 5 (C003).

1876: James Jasper Jr., born Oct 1; married Avie Cureton on 13 April 1902; died Nov, 1953; buried Natchitoches, LA.

1879: Robert Willis, born July 19 in Rockford, Ala.; married Nora Burnauman on June 16, 1902; died April 11, 1934; buried at Bear Creek Cemetery, Bryceland, LA.

1880: US Census of Coosa Co., AL, Beat # 7, Rockford, lists:
Coker, James J, age 39
Ann, age 25, born AL
Jonathan, age 8, born Tex
William, age 6, born AL
James, age 4, born AL
Robert, age 11/12, born AL
Macon, Jasper, age 14 (no relation), born AL

1881: Fannie Bessie, born April 28 in Rockford; married L.M. Honeycutt on July 28, 1897; died Jan 28, 1959.

1883: Edith, born May 3; died July 1883.

1884: Lilian (one l in Bible), born Dec. 25; married Jim H.Gray, then C.M. Honeycutt on April 6, 1909; died Sept. 14, 1983? in Texas.

1887: Arther Earnest, born May 3 in Rockford.

1893?: Moved to Bryceland, La. Rented Captain Brice's farm (where school building was in 1962). The two story house was north of present site. Dr. J.J. Coker was said to be a good doctor. He practiced medicine and operated the farm. Family moved to Texas; then to Bienville Parish, La.; back to Texas, and practiced in Navasota and Grimes Counties. "They were nearly all Baptists." Dr. Coker retired to Handley, Texas, near Dallas. Helen Marie Coker, his grandaughter remembered her mother saying they had to take his buggy away from him to stop him making house calls "after he was too old." Constance Coker (Evans) remembered him letting her fill his quinine pills when she was a little girl.

1922: Died July 7; buried Mt.Olivet Cemetary, Ft. Worth, Texas.

* Alabama Confederate War Record includes "Coker, Jasper J.; command-Co D. 1st Regt Ala Vol; C.S.A. 1861-1865; (was Co G. Perote Guards); Date and Place of enlistment: Ap1, 1861, age 21, Talladega, AL; Remarks: Went into Calvary in 1864, Captured at Island 10 and Port Hudson. Survived the war." (This on Card 1) Card 2 notes: "Command: Co G, 1st Ala. Vol, 12 mos, Capt R.H. Isbell; Date Place: Talladega Co., Age 22." Card 3: "Co ‘D' First Ala Infantry Regiment, C.S.A.; Wounds: wounded 21 July, 1864."

Index for Federal Records: "Coker, James J., Co D, 1 Alabama Infantry; Private. Private original filed under Coker, Jasper J."Davis, Vivian Ann (Viola) (Called Annie) (D006)

1849: Born July 23 in Alabama; Siblings: J. (Jim) O; died 1930; Jennie; and Mary

1870: Married James Jasper Coker in Millerville, Ala., Clay County on June 26, by J.? Smith, at B.M. Davis's. Had 8 children (See D005)

1922: Her husband died. "She visited her children in La, but make her home with her daughters Lilian and Bessie Honeycutt in Dallas."

1940: Died Feb. 23; Buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Ft. Worth, TX.

From History Of Bienville Parish, Vol I, 1984, p176:

"Dr. Coker was a well educated man and excellent doctor. People considered him ahead of his times in the fielf of Medical Doctors. At one time he was called in on a case by another doctor who was about to lose his patient. He immediately raised all of the windonws in the house and told the other doctor that the patient needed fresh air. The room had a roaring fire in it without fresh air. The first doctor was discharged and the patient soon recovered. Dr. Coker made house calls throughout the community using his horse and buggy. When he could not get to his patients in the Buggy he would go on horseback." He was married to Annie Vivian (Viola) Davis on 26 Jun 1870 in Millerville, AL. They were married by J? Smith at the home of B.M. Davis.

13. Annie Vivian (Viola) Davis⁽¹⁾ was born on 23 Jul 1849 in Alabama. She died on 23 Feb 1940 in Ft. Worth, TX. Davis, Vivian Ann (Viola) (Called Annie) (D006)

1849: Born July 23 in Alabama; Siblings: J. (Jim) O; died 1930; Jennie; and Mary

1870: Married James Jasper Coker in Millerville, Ala., Clay County on June 26, by J.? Smith, at B.M. Davis's. Had 8 children (See D005)

1922: Her husband died. "She visited her children in La, but make her home with her daughters Lilian and Bessie Honeycutt in Dallas."

1940: Died Feb. 23; Buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Ft. Worth, TX.

Children were:

i. Jonathon Clark Coker⁽¹⁾ was born on 8 Jan 1872 in TEXAS. He died on 4 Feb 1959 in Cotulla, TX. He was buried in Old Cotulla Cemetery.
6 ii. William Thomas (Bill) Coker.
iii. James Jasper, Jr Coker⁽¹⁾ was born on 1 Oct 1876. He died in Nov 1953 in Nacogdoches, TX. He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Nacogdoches, TX. He has reference number C091. James had a horse and mule barn. He was also a cotton broker.

iv. Robert Willis Coker⁽¹⁾ was born on 19 Jul 1879 in Rockford, AL. He died of cerebral hemorrhage.
He died on 11 Apr 1934 in Bryceland, LA. He has reference number C092. He died of cerebral hemorrhage.
v. Fannie Bessie Coker⁽¹⁾ was born on 28 Apr 1881 in Rockford, AL. She died on 28 Jan 1959. She has reference number C093.
vi. Edith Mae Coker⁽¹⁾ was born on 3 May 1883. She died in Jul 1883. She has reference number C094. She died young.
vii. Lilian Coker⁽¹⁾ was born on 25 Dec 1884. She died on 14 Sep 1983 in TEXAS. She has reference number C095.
viii. Arthur Earnest Coker⁽¹⁾ was born on 3 May 1887 in Rockford, AL. He has reference number C096. He died young.