The Arkansas advocate., 1833-07-31

| cinity fiocked to the late mansion of tho ,ie- ceased. to attend the funeral service. In every lace present, was depicted unaffected sorrow, for the death of an invaluable and greatly beloved fellow-citizen. All that renamed of heroic and skilfnl General. "a true patriot,--an honest man.-tbe mrena ,.n or the poor and nfortunate,-was q ilieiess corpse. A sad instance of the t,fansitory nature of all earthly cood If the prayers of the widowed, whose hearts had been gladdened by his paternal care oi me poor and friendless, who had been relieved by his bounty-of his felow-eit zens Who loved and respected him, if Meiy petitions could have prolonged his useful llfe, ne would have lived yet long time among us. But they could only shed a friendly tear to his memory.
 The femains were conveyed to the grave by the Artillery Company, followed by a weeping concourse of friends and consign- cd to the tomb.
 ten. JOHN COFFEE was native of Vir- ginia; he was born in Prince Edward coun- ty, on the 2d June, 1772; his father remoy- cd 10 North Carolina when the subject of this brief memoir was very young. There, me son grew up to the years of manhood, and remained until about the year l79s, when he enligrated to Tennessee, and sci tied near Nashville. Endowed by nature with strong powers both of mind and of bo- dy he was well qualified to engage with success in the hardy pursuits of the border CTS. An incident occurred few years af- ter his removal to Tennessee, which at once placed his character high in public estina- ton as an upright honest man: having en- gagged Tn the mercantile business, with two other individuals, as partners, the concern turned out looslng one; the house failed tor a coS rable amount tnd neither of his partiis could, or would aid in paying the debt. Gen. Coffee was then a young man; he had inherited moderate patrimo- ny, and his individual property consisted of some twelve or fifteen negroes, and tract Of land. The whole of this property he surrendered without hesitation, to the credi- tors of the firm; and when all had proved insufficient 10 pay the debts, he gave his own obligation for the balance; went to work with his compass and chain in the un- surveyed woods of Tennessee, and from the proceeds of his labor, discharged the debt. He had now to make his own way in the world; industry and integrity were the principles upon which he acted; these ] soon placed him in respectable and inde- pendent circumstances. Tn 1872, JOHN COFFEE accompanied Gen. Jackson in the l expedition to Natchez, and was then the commandant of a regiment of volunteers.
 At the commencement of the Creek war we lind him at the head of fine regiment of mounted rihemen: this corps and it's lead er speedily acquired distinction in the fre- quent engagements which ensued with the Creek Indians; their deeds of vaior protect ed the frontier settlements of that day from the tomahawk and scapling knife. We shall not, however, attempt even a sketch of his military career: fhat is well known to fame. Gen. Coffee was the companion in arms and the intimate associate of Andrew Jackson throughout the whole of his bril- liant course in the late war, and the name and memory of Coffee will be co-existent with the fame of Jackson. The latter will deem 1t no disparagement to bis well earn- ou iePutdion tO say, tIldI VlcIOTy usually perched upon his banner, when his move ments and plan of attack were in accord ance with the opinions and advice of Gen. Coffee.
 At the close of the late war Gen. Coffee retired to his farm in Tennessee and re- sumed his agricultural pursuits. These, had more charms to mind like his, than any attractions presented by official dis tinction: when his country was invaded he was among the foremost Tn its defence, nor did he retire from the field until victory was proclaimed, peace announced, and he and his associates had won for themselves the lasting gratitude oftheir country. In 1877, Gen. Coffee accepted the appointment of Surveyor General of the public lands in the State of Alabama, and continued to dis charge the duties of that office to the time of his decease. At the land sales of 1919, he became largely interested in the pur- chase of the site upon which the town of Florence is laid out, and he removed from Tennessee and settled with his family near this town, where he continued to reside un- til his death.
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