JAMES COYLE

Sacramento County

Biographies

JAMES COYLE

JAMES COYLE, a farmer, was born in County Cavan, North Ireland, in 1825, son of Charles and Bridget (Flynn) Coyle; both parents remained in the old country until their deaths. Of their four sons and four daughters the only one living in the United States is the subject of this sketch. He was brought up in Ireland on a farm. In 1851 he sailed from Liverpool on an old steamer, which went down during the second trip after that. In twenty-four days he landed in New Orleans, thus making the second best trip that had even been made to that city. After spending two months there he went to Memphis, Tennessee, for three or four months; during the ensuing summer season he was in Cincinnati and vicinity; then he resided in Clay County, Missouri, until he came to California in 1853, overland, with a train belonging to Miller & Arthur. In this train were forty persons, with 500 head of horses and mules, and a thousand head of cattle. Between 400 and 500 head of cattle were lost on the way; the horses and mules were brought through all right. They crossed the Missouri River at Council Bluffs on a steamboat, even taking the live-stock across in that way, as they found that driving the cattle across by fording was too slow. Of the party, however, only seven or eight came through together. Two days after passing Fort Laramie they met a large number of Indians mixed up with travelers, and, after this train has passed, a fight ensued between them and the soldiers. A number were killed on both sides, including all the soldiers who sided with the emigrants. Stopping a week or more at Salt Lake to recruit, Mr. Coyle’s party completed their journey by the usual route, arriving in this county in just six months from the time they started. The stock was quartered at the mouth of Cache Creek. Mr. Coyle’s first work was on the construction of the levee here at Sacramento, which was then completed as far as Sutter’s fort. Next he spent two months in the gold mines on the Cosumnes River, in El Dorado County, during the highest period of excitement there. He mined at Placerville, and worked on the canal there for about six months. Settling down in the county he bought from a Frenchman a claim in Sutter Township, three miles from Sacramento, on the lower Stockton road. It was then a place of very desolate appearance, with a small cabin and a few improvements upon it. He bought it in the spring, spent the summer in the mines, and returning in the fall he did not like his purchase, and he offered the land for $300, although he paid $600 for it. Not finding a purchaser he concluded to go upon it and make the best of it. This ranch now contains 155 acres, and is one of the finest in the county! Mr. Coyle erected his handsome residence here in the spring of 1885, and it is indeed a credit to the community. He has paid considerable attention to the rearing of live-stock, mostly horses and particularly roadsters. Commencing here with nothing, he has made a comfortable home, and is well to do. He was one of the firsts who started farming on the Haggin grant, which is now coming so fast into cultivation. He is a genial gentleman, liberal and public-spirited, and the citizens are glad to see him able to enjoy the fruits of his many years of toil. He was married in May, 1858, to Julia Leary, a native of County Cork, Ireland. They have six children, all sons, viz: James, Jr., and Charles, twins; John, Thomas, Edward and Joseph,—all residing in this county.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 696-697. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.