"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 490.  Grant County.

VANDEVER L. COFFEY

     Among the leading agriculturists of Grant county, it is fitting to make
mention of the gentleman whose name heads this article, and although he has not
been domiciled within the county as long as some, still his life has been
connected with the interests of eastern Oregon for a long time and  with the
state for nearly half a century and in this lengthened period he has ever
manifested those sterling qualities that are the pride and boast of any well
regulated community and which characterize him to this day.
     Mr. Coffey was born to John and Nancy Coffey, in Gallatin county, Illinois,
on October 26, 1833.  In his native county, he worked on a farm and attended
school during the proper seasons until the spring of 1853.  Then his adventurous
spirit was ready for the long trip across the weary deserts to the land of
promise near the Pacific.  Oregon City was his first stop and soon he was in the
mines in Port Orford, where he wrought until 1855, the date of his enlistment in
Captain John Craton's company of minute men, a portion of the state volunteers
that were led out to quell the uprising of the savages, which conflict continued
until the close of 1856.  He did faithful military service and participated in
many skirmishes and some battles, among which may be mentioned one at the mouth
of the Coquille river in which there were seventeen of the savages slain but not
one of the soldiers.  Following the retreating red skins, they captured
seventy-five of their number and delivered them to the Indian agent and this
completed the war.  For some time subsequent to this, he was engaged in various
places and in different occupations and then came to Weston and embarked in the
furniture business and later in a livery stable.  The latter burned down and
left him penniless.  It was in 1884 that he entered a homestead near Heppner and
there he gave his attention to farming until the spring of 1901, when he sold
the entire property and bought where he now resides, eighteen miles west from
John Day.  He is postmaster at Beach Creek and also has a long distance
telephone station.  His farm is well improved, having fine buildings and other
accessories to a first-class estate.  In addition to the enterprises mentioned,
he is operating a hotel and feed stable and is one of the well-to-do and
prosperous citizens of the county.
     The marriage of Mr. Coffey and Miss Rebecca J. Wright occurred on January
5, 1871, in Marion county, Oregon.  Mr. Coffey is a member of the Masonic
fraternity and has been for thirty-five years.  He and his wife are prominent
members of the Methodist church South, where they take great interest in both
church and Sunday-school work.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.