Reverend H. D. Coffey

Gretna Christian Church
Minister: Reverend Dwight Mays
111 Leftwich Street
Gretna, Virginia
Mailing Address: Post Office Box 644 Gretna, Virginia 24577

We cannot start this story without beginning with the Reverend Henry Davis Coffey. The Reverend Coffey was born on the Tye River, Nelson County, Virginia on November 16, 1861 to Andrew J. Coffey and his wife Rebecca Campbell Coffey. He was the grandson of Henry B. Coffey a pioneer preacher who rode horseback over mountains preaching the Old Jerusalem Gospel, visiting the sick, marrying people and burying them without pay. Reverend Coffey credits his grandfather with teaching him to commit scripture to memory which was a great help in his service to God.
According to Mr. Coffey’s autobiography, “My Life With God”, his father was forced into the army during the Civil War leaving his mother for four years. While his mother attended her duties, he would read aloud from their Bible and primer and she would correct him. Quoting him from his book, “My mother was the best woman that I ever knew. From an earthly point of view, I owe all that I am, or have done to her.” The young Henry Davis Coffey and his mother lived the hard scrabble life, but after the war his father returned, he built them a log house and went to work for his family.
Naturally books were scarce and when Schools were open in his section, he would be the first one to get up in the morning to make fires, feed and cut wood for the home before he went to school. There were many duties to do at home and he would stay up until ten or twelve o’clock at night studying. One year there was no school in his district so Monday he had to walk across the mountain to Augusta County and then three miles to school. Then on Friday evening walk home in the dark and on Saturday cut wood for the family for the following week.
Reverend Coffey attended school until he obtained a certificate to teach. He taught at the school where he had attended until the school closed. After that he attended the Louisa Male Academy taught by Z. Parker Richardson. Reverend Coffey had wanted to attend college, but the circumstances of the time prevented him from doing so. But he was active in the Evergreen church and diligently studied the Bible. He was a teacher at the church, Superintendant of Sunday School and a leader. Evangelist E. R. Perry of the Piedmont District, Virginia, held a meeting at Evergreen Church and came back for another meeting. At that time, he announced that Reverend Coffey would be ordained to preach.

Tomorrow I will continue with articles I found and stories of the Reverend H. D. Coffey.