Umatilla County OR Archives Biographies.....Coffey, A. L. 1831 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Carlene Still crstill@oregontrail.net September 26, 2006, 5:36 am

Author: Colonel William Parsons 

Page 473, 474

A. L. Coffey, C. E.
	The scenes and incidents of the life of the man now under considera- 
tion are well worth a more extended detail than we are now enable to give 
them. It would be gratifying to all old-timers, and the generations to follow 
as well, if Mr. Coffey could be persuaded to write out in detail some, at 
least, of the items in his eventful career. We sincerely hope that such will 
be the case. However, we will as well as possible, outline the matters as they 
were briefly given to us. He was born in Boonville, Missouri, in 1831, and 
attended the public schools of his native town, completing his education in a 
private institution. It was as early as 1852 that he came to Vancouver, 
Washington, making the trip by ox team, as was customary in those days. His 
first impression of Vancouver was associated with the British flag, which was 
flying over it at that time. The great fur companies were then holding 
tyrannical sway over great portions of our territory. He was occupied at 
sawmilling and various other enterprises until 1855, when the Indian war broke 
out and he enlisted in Company A, Washington Territory Volunteers, called 
Mounted Rifles. He was stationed at The Dalles continuously until January, 
1856, when they were disbanded. They re-enlisted in the service and were 
immediately called to the Sound. About eight miles from Olympia, the savages 
had massacred several pioneers and were in the way to make much more trouble. 
While this company was proceeding to the scene of tragedy they had frequent 
skirmishes with the reds, and at one time they killed several and captured 
thirty; from these they were able, by keen and careful methods, to ascertain 
the whereabouts of the main camp. Being a company of westerners, they were 
enabled to use the Indian tactics and succeeded in surrounding this camp 
without giving the slightest notice of their presence. The surprise was 
complete and every Indian in the camp was killed. Not one escaped to tell to 
his comrades of the other tribes that day's record. With the bloody scalps, 
wrenched from unwary and unsuspecting settlers, still hanging to their hideous 
persons, in the midst of their fiendish glee, with their devilish triumph of 
the days before only half enjoyed, they were met with summary and most 
terrible judgment. The men in that volunteer company knew their business and 
followed this victory with such relentless sterness that they drove the noted 
Lashi clear out of the Sound country. He then joined the Umatillas and the  
Cayuses, but his enemies were on his track and retribution was not to be so 
easily evaded.  He was overtaken in the Grande Ronde valley and he and his 
colleagues with all their bands were routed after most severe fighting. Mr. 
Coffey returned to Walla Walla and went with Lieutenant Mullen upon the 
construction of the famous Mullen road through parts of Washington, Idaho and 
Montana. By some misfortune they lost all their stock and had to freight all 
their equipage on hand sleds from November until January. To any one who has 
been over the old Mullen road and toiled up and down its steep and rocky hills 
and canyons this will almost seem beyond the power of man. But such was the 
case, and one may well meditate with what hardships that way for the immigrant 
was opened up. Upon the completion of this enterprise he was discharged and 
went back to Vancouver. The next spring he returned to Walla Walla and worked 
for the quartermaster until 1862, when he went up to the mines at Florence, 
Idaho. Returning from these, he went and helped to establish Boise, Idaho, and 
then returned to Vancouver. Here he was elected assessor and then sheriff for 
four years. He then came to this county and was county surveyor for two years. 
After this he went to Adams county, Washington, where he was surveyor. In this 
county he was employed by Dr. Blalock to construct an irrigating ditch. In 
November of 1896 he removed to Pendleton, and has since resided there. He is 
quite an extensive land owner, having a farm of five hundred acres, which he 
rents, and also a half section down the Umatilla river, which is used for 
pasture.


Additional Comments:
An Illustrated History of Umatilla County by Colonel William Parsons and of 
Morrow County by W. S. Shiach with a brief outline of the early history of the 
State of Oregon.  W. H. Lever, Publisher  1902.

	Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Oregon Biographies 
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies. 

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