Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 923
NATHANIEL L. COYLE

The COYLE family came to Harrison county, Iowa, from Kentucky in 1879 and located about ten miles southeast of Woodbine. Mr. COYLE started in to work by the month, after reaching his majority and later began as a renter. Before he finally located on his present farm in Allen township he bought and sold several different farms in the county. He now has as much land under cultivation as any other farmer in Allen township, and is universally considered one of the most enterprising farmers of that township.

Nathaniel L. COYLE, the son of Peter and Hester (RAMEY) COYLE, was born on March 10, 1863, in Kentucky. His parents were both natives of the same state, of Irish descent. The first members of the COYLE family came to the United States about 1800.

Nathaniel L. COYLE was one of ten children, born to his parents and next to the youngest. When he was sixteen years old the family came from Kentucky to Harrison county, Iowa, where they purchased land. Mr. COYLE received but a limited common school education in the subscription schools, which were current in his day. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age and then worked out for three years, receiving twenty dollars a month, which was then considered good wages. He saved his money, and then rented a farm for three years before buying his first farm of eighty acres southwest of Woodbine. On this farm he lived for twelve years, to which he added, from time to time, until he had one hundred and seventy-five acres. His first eighty acres cost him fifteen dollars an acre. He sold this farm and bought eighty acres a mile and a half north of Logan in 1905, but only lived on it for two years. He then bought a farm east of Logan, on which he lived for six years. He bought his present farm of two hundred and fifty acres in section 28, Ellan township, in 1913. While engaging in general farming, he devotes most of his attention to stock raising, and feeds about one hundred and fifty head of hogs and three carloads of cattle for the market each year. He is one of the few farmers in the county who are breeding Hampshire hogs, and has had excellent success in handling this particular breed.

Mr. COYLE was married on January 11, 1888, to Edith ALLISON. She was born in Harrison county, and is a daughter of Isaac and Sarah (OWENS) Allison, natives of Virginia. Her parents came to Harrison county about 1856 and were among the very first settlers.

Mr. and Mrs. COYLE are the parents of fourteen children. Four of the children are married, Cloy, Gussie, Rena and Harrison. Cloy married Bert Peterson, a farmer of this county, and has two children, Stella and Edith; Gussie became the wife of Julius Grovener, a farmer living near Woodbine, and has two children, Dorothy and Hattie; Rena is the wife of Charles Hollenbeck, a farmer living northwest of Logan, and has two children, Edith and Harold. Harrison, a farmer living northwest of Woodbine, married Elsie Harper. Eddie married Nellie Elhert, now farming the Ehlert farm. The other children are still at home; Thelma, Hattie, Frank, Clara, Hester, Dora, Ralph, Rex and Clark Nathaniel.

Mr. COYLE is a Democrat and has served as road supervisor and school director in his township. He has never cared to take an active part in a political way, and only took these offices at the earnest solicitation of his friends. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Mrs. COYLE is a member of the Latter-Day Saints church.

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