Autobiography and Reminiscence of Alvin Aaron Coffey, Mills Seminary P.O., 1901.
Title:
Autobiography and Reminiscence of Alvin Aaron Coffey, Mills Seminary P.O., 1901.[Institutional Records Digitization Project: Reminiscences of Early Pioneers: 1900-1904]
Creator/Contributor:
Coffey, Alvin Aaron, 1822-1902, creatorAbstract:
Autobiographies and Reminiscences of California Pioneers, p.45-52, Vol. 1. This is a typed transcript, bound into a volume,
of the member's autobiographical reminiscence created as an institutional record for the Society of California Pioneers.
The transcription includes a reference to a photograph of the member in a set of bound volumes. It appears that the photographs
in this set were dispersed throughout the regular photography collection, but the photographs referenced in the related materials
may or may not be these same photographs. The reminiscence spans the period of April 2, 1849 (St. Louis, Missouri) to 1851,
Coffey's first return to Missouri but it is mainly the year 1849, from his overland journey to California with his master,
Dr. Barrett. Coffey gives his reactions to his enslavement and accuses Barrett of taking money given to him to secure Coffey's
emancipation. He then sold Coffey to another master. Geographic details in this reminiscence are incomplete.
Date:
1901 (issued)Subject:
Coffey, Alvin Aaron -- 1822-1902
Pioneers --
California --
Biography
Pioneers, Black
African American pioneers --
California --
Biography
Slave narratives
Freedmen --
California --
San Francisco.
Overland journeys to the Pacific
Gold mines and mining
Frontier and pioneer life
California v Biography.
California --
History --
19th century.
California, Northern.
Tehama County (Calif.)
Note:
Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of
California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright
holder, which must be obtained by the reader
Autobiography & Reminiscence of Alvin Aaron Coffey, Mills Seminary, P.O., 1901. The Society of California Pioneers
Alvin Aaron Coffey, born on July 14th, 1822, began life as the slave of Margaret Cook of Mason County, Kentucky. His parents
were Larkin Coffey and Nellie Cook. He married Mahala Tindall on October 9, 1842 in Kentucky. Cook sold Coffey in 1834 to
Henry H. Duvall and in 1846, Duvall sold Coffey to Dr. Bassett for $600. Coffey worked on Bassett's farm for 3 years, going
to California with him in 1849. The Bassett party left St. Louis on April 2, 1849, for St. Joseph leaving there on May 5th.
The group endured a cholera epidemic and at Deer Creek (Sacramento Valley), they divided up the wagons. The Bassett party
moved to Clear Creek and began dry-digging where Coffey worked for Bassett for 13 months in Cal. saving $616 to buy his freedom.
Bassett took Coffey's money travelling with him back to Missouri, via New Orleans, and sold him again for the amount of $1000.
Coffey returned to California in 1854 and lived in Shasta County until 1857. He saved the money to buy his and his family's
freedom, returning East to get them. Returning to Shasta County in 1857, he bought a farm in Tehama County and was employed
by the Government during the Modoc War. Later, Coffey lived in the Home for Aged Colored People in Alameda County, and became
the only Negro member of the California Society of Pioneers
Type:
Autobiographies.Slave narratives.
Physical Description:
[8] p. ; 35 x 21 cm.
Language:
English
Identifier:
\LowResSCANS\Volume01\ARCoffey,A01.jpg8
Origin:
CaliforniaCopyright Note:
Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of
California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright
holder, which must be obtained by the reader.
Related Item:
Autobiographies & Reminiscences of California Pioneers, compiled by The Historical Committee of the Society of California
Pioneers.