| Sources |
- [S78] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume I, 1930-1954, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 3 Jun 1953.
Maxine Ann Catlett obituary
- [S74] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume IV, 1987-1999, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 8 Feb 1992.
Evelyn Maxine Coffelt Catlett obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 29 Nov 2010.
Upland Chronicles: Mel Coffelt remembered as Sevierville institution
by CARROLL McMAHAN The Mountain Press
Mel Coffelt standing in the yard of his home. The building in the background is Broady’s Hospital, which was located next door to the Coffelt residence.
Mel Coffelt as a young man.
Coffelt played on the Murphy College baseball team. In front from left are Thomas Marshall, Jim Marshall, Roy Cox, Clyde Hicks, Lester Denton, Bill Webb and J.R. Cable.; second row, Delmer McNelly, William Tarwater, Herman Tarwater, Hugh Cox, Benjamin McClure and Mel Coffelt.
Wearing a derby hat, Mel Coffelt would stand every Sunday along Newport Highway (now Eastgate Road) selling copies of the Knoxville News-Sentinel out of his large canvas satchel.
For all the years Mel sold newspapers, it never mattered whether there was sunshine, wind, rain or snow because he would always be at the same spot at the same time, like clockwork.
A man of few words, Mel Coffelt was unlike the newspaper hawkers who exclaimed “Extra, extra, read all about it!” or “Get the latest news right here!” Instead, he stood stoically beside the road awaiting a potential sale.
“That’ll be 20 cents” was the usual extent of his conversation with customers.
Born May 30, 1883, Melvin Coffelt was the only son of Mahalia Lanning Coffelt and James H. Coffelt, a local blacksmith who once served on the Sevierville Board of Aldermen.
“He had a middle name,” said 94-year-old Helen Ownby, the only surviving daughter. “But, he never wanted anyone to know what his middle name was. He never used it.”
“The family owned a cabin at Seaton Springs where Daddy and my grandmother spent most of the summer, when school was not in session. Grandpa stayed in town to manage his business during the week.” Helen recalled.
In his youth, Mel was locally renowned for his ice skating exploits on the frozen river above the mill dam located behind Sevierville Milling Company on East Main Street.
More than anything else, Mel loved baseball. As a matter of fact, He continued playing for Murphy College several years beyond the time he was a student there. He was known on the baseball diamond for his superb batting ability.
Mrs. Ownby recalls hearing stories of her father having been recruited by professional baseball teams; however, he chose to remain at home to help his father after the untimely death of his mother.
Both Coffelt and Roy H. Massey, son of Dr. Z.D. Massey, were heavily recruited at the same time. Roy accepted an offer and eventually debuted in the Major Leagues with the Boston Braves in 1918.
“My daddy was a very quiet man.” recalled Helen. “Loved to read, especially anything about baseball. I remember that he subscribed to several sports magazines when I was a child.”
On March 10, 1908, Mel Coffelt married Ann Fox, a daughter of Carroll W. Fox and Mary Katherine Newcomb Fox. They were parents of five children.
The oldest daughter, Marjorie, married Gene Atchley. Their second daughter, Evelyn, was married to Frank Catlett. The younger daughter, Helen, married S.A. Blalock Jr., who died very young. Later, Helen married Cecil Ownby.
Their older son, Gene Coffelt, was stationed in the South Pacific in World War ll. He returned home and, together with his brother-in-law, Gene Atchley, the two men started an auto-body repair shop. After that business sold, he was employed by Newman and Pemberton Trucking Co. for 25 years. The younger son, Jack, never married and was a recluse for most of his adult life.
On the subject of family, Helen reminisces about her grandfather and father.
“Grandpa Cofflet shod horses and built buggies. Although he was never formally trained in the field, he often practiced veterinary medicine, too, so he needed Daddy to stay here and help with the business.”
The Coffelt blacksmith shop and stable was located on East Bruce Street. Broady’s Hospital was built in 1940 on part of the property which J.H. Cofflet and Son Co. once occupied. By the time the automobile had replaced a horse and buggy as the primary mode of transportation, Mel’s father was old enough to retire.
With a family to support, Mel began working for Sevierville Steam Plant, located near the courthouse. The steam plant provided electricity for Sevierville before the construction of Beason Dam. When Coffelt’s shift ended at 9 p.m., there was no electric current available in the entire town until the furnace was rekindled the next morning.
After the steam plant closed, he worked at Stanley McMahan Milling Co. until the business failed due to financial difficulties. In 1934, the mill was purchased by a group of businessmen and Sevier County Milling Co. Inc. was organized.
John E. Temple was manager. Coffelt returned to work at the mill for Mr. Temple, who later acquired ownership and changed the name to Temple Milling Co.
Coffelt held the position of bagger. He bagged the flour and meal into 1-, 5- and 10-pound bags, tied every bag at the top and stacked them according to size.
James A. “Jimmie” Temple, son of John E. Temple, remembers Mel Coffelt always looking sharp. “He would dust the flour powder off his clothes and shoes at the end of the day and walk home looking neat as he had when he reported to work that morning,” said Temple.
Coffelt began the avocation of selling newspapers later in life. The papers were dropped off on the corner near his home by a currier.
Initially, he sold papers on Saturday and Sunday at the corner of Park Road and Bruce Street near his home. Later, he walked from his house to a spot near the bridge over Middle Creek on Newport Highway to carry out business. This routine began sometime in the 1930s and continued for around thirty years.
Mel Coffelt died on Nov. 7, 1968 at the age of 85 and was buried in Alder Branch Cemetery.
Carroll McMahan is the Special Projects Facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce
— The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments; please contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or email to cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or email to ron@ronraderproperties.com
- [S112] Census, 1920.
Name Mell H Coffelt
Residence , Sevier, Tennessee
Estimated Birth Year 1885
Age 35
Birthplace Tennessee
Relationship to Head of Household Son
Gender Male
Race White
Marital Status Married
Father's Birthplace Missouri
Mother's Birthplace Tennessee
Film Number 1821762
Digital Folder Number 4390948
Image Number 00236
Sheet Number 1
Household Gender Age
Parent James H Coffelt M 65y
Mell H Coffelt M 35y
Anna Coffelt F 30y
Marjorie L Coffelt F 7y
Evelyn M Coffelt F 5y
Helen F Coffelt F 3y
Ewaline Lanning F 45y
- [S112] Census, 1910.
Name Mell Coffelt
Birthplace Tennessee
Relationship to Head of Household Son
Residence Sevierville, Sevier, Tennessee
Marital Status Married
Race White
Gender Male
Immigration Year
Father's Birthplace Missouri
Mother's Birthplace Tennessee
Family Number 59
Page Number 3
Household Gender Age
Parent James H Coffelt M 56y
Mell Coffelt M 25y
Anna Coffelt F 18y
Emmaline Laninng F 40y
- [S75] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume II, 1955-1973, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 7 Nov 1968.
Coffelt, Mell 85 b. 5-30-83 Sev d. 11-7-68 E Main Sev retired miller Temple Milling Co f. James H Coffelt m. Mahalia Lanning Alder Branch Cem Survivors: widow Ann Fox 3 dau Mrs Marjorie Atchley Mrs Frank (Evelyn) Catlett 206 E Main Mrs Helen Ownby 2 sons Gene Coffelt Jack Coffelt 4 gc 8 ggc.
- [S34] In the Shadow of the Smokies, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, (1993), 89.
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