History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

AMOS UNDERWOOD AND FAMILY                         D.M.C.                    1852
From Coe Diary, "Central Oregon", A. Underwood

     September 9th 1852, is the date given by Mr. Underwood as the date when he first came to "Dog River". This was before the arrival of the Farnsworth and Laughlin families, and he was probably on some business and lived either at The Dalles or at the Cascades.
     He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 10, 1834 and was but eighteen years of age when he first saw this valley.
     In 1855 he was Corporal in Co. B of the Oregon Volunteers, near Walla Walla where fierce fighting was in progress with the Indians. PeoPeo MoxMox, chief of the Walla Walla Indians, while attempting a parley with the whites, was taken and held as a hostage. Several other Indians were also held as prisoners. Amos Under wood, a man named Warfield and several others, were acting as guardsmen. The Indians were out in the open, not bound in any way, but were supposed to be without weapons. An order was received from Col. Kelly to send every man to the front. "What shall we do with the Indians?" was asked by one of the guards. "Tie them" was the answer, another voice called out, "Shoot them."
     When the guards attempted to tie the Indians, Wolf Skin drew an ugly looking knife, which he had concealed in his clothing, and began striking at the whites. Several shots were fired and a general mixup ensued. In a few minutes four of the Indians were dead, PeoPeo MoxMox being one of the number. It was a time of excitement and confusion and no one knows who was responsible for the death of the Walla Walla chief.
     In the latter part of February 1856, Amos Underwood with three companions, drove a band of stock which had been recovered from the Indians, down to The Dalles. On turning the stock over to the Government the men received their discharge from service. Mr. Underwood came on down the trail, riding his cayuse, on his way to the Cascades. As he rode down the mountain side towards Dog River he saw the Joslyn house in flames and, knew it was the work of the Indians. He crossed Dog River and went to the home of William Jenkins to pass the night.
     Lieutenant Davidson, with a company of soldiers, had come from The Dalles earlier in the day, and when the Wasco came in sight on her return from the Cascades, she was hailed and the Lieutenant took his company on board for the purpose of crossing the river and punishing the Indians. Eugene and Charles Coe, Nathan and James Benson and Amos Underwood accompanied the soldiers. When they approached the north bank of the river they were greeted with yells and saw the trees and rocks alive with redskins. They were greatly outnumbered and without landing came back to the Oregon shore to await further orders. That night a few of the hostile Indians secured boats and crossed over to the south side of the river and attacked the friendly Indians, who fled to the Coe home. The hostile Indians then fired on the guards stationed on the hill above the house but when the guards returned the fire the Indians fled in the darkness. The Jenkins family and all of the inhabitants of the settlement spent the night at the Coe home. When morning came the Indians had disappeared. Amos Underwood traveled on to the Cascades and was with the Atwells on the morning of March 26th. He saw the Indians attack the Bradford store and watched them crossing from Bradford Island to the Washington shore.
     On August 5, 1859 he filed on a claim at Polalla Illalie, now the site of Ruthton. A little later he located on the North Bank at the place which now bears his name. He married Ellen, an Indian woman, daughter of Chief Chenowith. She had a daughter known as Isabel Lear, daughter of Col. Lear. This daughter attended School with the white children and received a fair education. Ed Underwood, a younger brother of Amos Underwood, also located on the North Bank and married the daughter, Isabel Lear. They raised a family of eight children, two being pupils in the Barrett School in 1881. Rev. Thomas Condon of The Dalles officiated at the wedding of both Amos and Ed Underwood. Amos Underwood and wife had three children, Jefferson Underwood born January 28, 1862, died 1878, Mary Underwood born April 17, 1864, John Underwood, born October 23, 1868, died 1882. Mrs. Amos Underwood was highly esteemed by her neighbors as a wise and efficient woman. She died in 1907. Amos Underwood died at his home December 15, 1917, at the age of 83 years. Mary their daughter still lives at Underwood.

[HOME] ©  Jeffrey L. Elmer