PATRICK COYNE
PHOTO
LATER IN LIFE
Buried in Mount Cavalry, Florence, Marion
County, KS.
Patrick Coyne was
born in Galway County, Ireland April 1834. Orphaned at 9 years of age,
he came to America in 1851 at the age of 17. Records show he was a
laborer. In 1855, he joined the regular army, discharged in 1860.
When the Civil War broke out he reenlisted in 1st
Kansas Volunteer Infantry Co. C at Fort Leavenworth as a private,
later earning the rank of corporal, being the 6th corporal for that
company, under the command of Capt. Peter McFarland.
At the battle of Wilson`s Creek, Missouri, he took a
ball in the right thigh during the charge up Bloody Hill, discharged at
Clinton, Tennessee in June of 1862.
Following this, he moved to St. Louis where he
married. In 1871 he relocated to Florence, KS, acquiring 160 acres under the
Homestead Act. There he built up a home and farmed, raising a family of 5
children.
Patrick was an early settler at Florence, active in
the Catholic Church which he helped build. He was an active member of Post 102
of G.A.R.
In July 1907, he was walking home from his farm down
the railroad tracks as was his usual custom. A set of two tracks...he jumped
out of the way of one oncoming train, not hearing or seeing the other one
coming the opposite direction and was struck and killed instantly. He is
buried in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery west of Florence.
Biography and Photo provided by Jimmy Coyne his
great-grandson