Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Rev. Wyatt Coffelt

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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
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Rev. Wyatt Coffelt, minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and also 
farmer and stock raiser of Benton County, Ark., was born in Knox County, Ky., 
February 3, 1812, and resided in his native State until he was fifteen years of 
age, when he was taken to Monroe County, Tenn., by his parents, Jacob and 
Susanna (Wyatt) Coffelt, who were born in Greenbriar County, Va., in 1782 and 
1786, respectively. Jacob Coffelt was a son of Philip Coffelt, who was of German 
birth, and served under Col. Washington in the French and Indian War at 
Braddock's defeat. He also served through the Revolutionary War. His wife, Ellen 
(Ryan) Coffelt, was captured by the Shawnee Indians during the French and Indian 
War, and after eleven weeks' captivity succeeded in effecting her escape. She 
was born in Ireland, and came with her parents to America at the age of five 
years. Jacob Coffelt was a farmer, and died in 1827, and his widow in 1864. They 
were members of the Baptist Church. The mother's father, Samuel Wyatt, also 
served in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. Rev. Wyatt 
Coffelt was reared, educated and married in Monroe County, Tenn., and there 
learned the saddler's trade. His wife's maiden name was Jane Sligar, a daughter 
of Adam and Catherine (Brown) Sligar. This wife died January 20, 1887, having 
borne fourteen children, six of whom are living, and September 11, 1887, he 
married his second wife, Mrs. Louisa C. Sooter. His children were as follows: 
Louisa J., wife of N. C. Curry; Nancy A., the deceased wife of J. C. Anderson; 
Nicy A., wife of E. A. Torbuss; Thomas W., who was waylaid, murdered and robbed 
by some cut-throats in Texas; Enas J., James A., Theo. A. and Robert Lee; four 
died in infancy, and one, a son. died at the age of fourteen years. Mr. Coffelt 
worked at his trade for twenty-two years, and in 1850 moved to Missouri, and 
there resided until 1854, when he became a missionary among the Cherokee and 
Creek Indians, with whom he labored for eight years. In 1860 he moved his family 
to Benton County, Ark., but he remained in the Indian Territory until the fall 
of 1861, when they took refuge in the South until the close of the war, and then 
returned to Benton County. He began life with very small means, and met with 
many reverses, but is now in comfortable circumstances financially. He has an 
exceptionally fine orchard, and ships his fruit to all parts of the United 
States. His fruit took the first premium of $50 and the second premium of $15 at 
Springdale, Ark., and again took the first premium, $25, this fall, 1888, at 
Rogers, Ark.