Rev. Wyatt Coffelt, minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and also farmer and stock raiser of Benton County, Arkansas was born in Knox County, Kentucky, February 3, 1812, and resided in his native state until he was fifteen years of age, when he was taken to Monroe County, Tennessee by his parents Jacob and Susannah (Wyatt) Coffelt, who were born in Greenbrair County, Virginia, 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 Braddack'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 Wars, and after eleven weeks of captivity succeeded in effecting her escape. She was born in Ireland and came to America with her parents at the age of five years.
