Notes

Note N468 Index

The evidence is only circumstantial that Timothy was one of John Coy Sr's sons. His birthdate and place and his Biblical name follow a trend of the rest of the family.
Not named in father's will.
1810 Census reports 1 male 26-45 years old and 5 enslaved persons.

Notes

Note N469 Index

During the move from Ky to Knox county, Ill, Urban David, affectionately known as 'Major' Coy, obtained employment with the Latimer family, driving an ox team, and thus met young Susan Latimer, whom he married five years later. Theirs was the first marriage in Knox County, Ill. The year before he was married, when he was twenty two, trouble broke out with the Sac-Fox Indians under Chief Black Hawk, and he enlisted as a private soldier, serving six months under Abraham Lincoln as his Captain. According to the database of "Illinois Black Hawk War Veterans", he served in J Ferguson's company at Gums Fort and also with W. McMurtry's company as part of Bogart's Brigade in Knox county.

When Major Coy was fifty-six, he moved with his large family to the very southwestern corner of Iowa, near the Missouri River. Here, in 1867, he settled at what was later to become the town of Farragut, where many of his descendants are still settled. He fought on the Union side in the Civil War, and afterwards became a well-to-do farmer. There is extant a tax receipt made out to him for taxes on fourteen quarter sections of land, amounting to some 2240 acres, these taxes amounting to $120.00.

From Illinois and Iowa the various members of the Coy family have scattered farther west. One of Urban's sons went to Washington Territory, but finally drifted to Southern California, becoming one of the founders of La Habra, as well as its first postmaster. Another son, George, settled in California and engaged in the fruit business. His brother, Charles, became a Methodist minister and did much effective work in Northern California.

So says source 1.

When his parents moved on to Henderson Grove, Urban stayed behind in Sagaman county, Ill. In 1830, Abraham Lincoln, with his father Thomas Lincoln, settled 10 miles west of Decatur, on the north bank of the Sangaman River. In July of 1831, Lincoln moved to New Salem. While in Sangaman County, Urban David Coy became acquainted with Abraham Lincoln.

In 1832, Urban David volunteered for service in the Black Hawk War that involved the Sac and Fox Indian tribes and the white settlers. Many of the Indians were killed and the rest were forced to retreat into Iowa and Wisconsin. Urban David Coy served as a private in Captain McMurtry's company, Illinois volunteers, Black Hawk War. On September 26, 1850, an Act of Congress entitled "An Act granting Bounty Land to Certain Officers and Soldiers who have been engaged in the military Service of the United States" granted Urban D. Coy forty acres of land as outlined by the Surveyor General.

In 1858 Lincoln and Douglas were both nominated to run for the United States Senate. The main issue was slavery and a number of debates were held at various places in the state. Urban David attended the debate in Galesburg and was in strong support of Lincoln. Even though Lincoln lost in the election, it made him into a national figure. In 1860 Lincoln was nominated on the Republican ticket for President at the National Convention in Chicago. Urban David attended the convention to assist in the support of Lincoln for President. After Lincoln became President, Urban David Coy visited Lincoln in the White House.

When the Civil War started in 1861, Urban David Coy and his son George both enlisted. According to the history of Knox county, U.D. Coy of Abingdon enlisted October 22 1861 as a private and was discharged on Nov 4 1861 because of age. However, his name appears in the "Illinois Civil War Veterans" database as having served in company K or the 55th Infantry, home town given as Abingdon.

According to the "Annals of Knox County", the first church and school house erected in the county, was at Cherry Grove in Cedar Township in 1832, and Major Coy said he cut the first log for this church and school house.

According to a newspaper in Galesburg, Illinois, Thursday, April 11, 1867, Major U. D. Coy of Cedar township was summoned to the podium and "in a rather humorous vein, proceeded to describe the early life of the settler, the hardships and pleasures endured by those who first came into the then almost wilderness of Illinois. Mills were then scarce and often they were obliged to go from sixty to one hundred miles to one, and remain a week before they could get their work done, so as to return. The first Winter and Spring, grain was very scarce and only to be obtained at Prophetstown, in Whiteside County, some eighty miles distant, and then in order to keep it, it had to be buried in the sand, and was the only corn in the county to be had to grow. He said he cut the first log for the first school house and church ever built in the County."
"The Major paid a fine tribute to Jacob B. Gum, the first minister in Knox county, and who is now deceased. (This is possible the Gum of Gums Fort, where UD and other Coys served during the Black Hawk War). He thought the Old Settlers were the best people he ever knew, saying that the first settlers of Galesburg were the best people who ever settled anywhere in the West. There was life and sociability then, which now is not to be found, and that those days were the best. And now, he remarked, as soon as the roads are good, I am going further west to find in southwestern Iowa the old sociability once enjoyed by the first settlers of this County".

According to Terry Wilson, Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois 61401-4999, the following facts are reported. "In 1831 he (U.D.) was enrolled on 18 June and served until 4 July in the volunteer company of Capt. James Ferguson. The company's entire term of service was passed at Gum's Fort on Henderson Creek in Knox County. His father and his brother Matthew served in the same unit. In 1832 he enrolled in Capt. William McMurtry's Company of the Odd Battalion of Mounted Rangers on 24 June. He enlisted for 90 days and was present at the muster-out. It doesn't appear that Benjamin or Matthew participated in this campaign, at least not from this county".

Urban David Coy's name appears in the database "Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales" as having completed the following purchases:
E2NW of Section 5, twp 09N, Range 01E, Meridian 4, Knox Co 76.13 acres, $1.25/acre.
SESW of Section 21,twp 10N, Range 01E, Meridian 4, Knox Co 40.0 acres $1.25/acre.
SWSE of Section 21,twp 10N, Range 01E, Meridian 4, Knox Co, 40.0 acres $1.25/acre.
W2NW of Section 01,twp 09N, Range 01W, Meridian 4, Warren Co, 74.54 acres,$1.25/ac.

The same database shows that he was given 40 acres located at NENW, section 10, twp 09N, Range 01W, Meridian4, Warren county, Illinois.

"Captain and Major during the Black Hawk and Mexican Wars.

In July of 1831 while in Sangaman County, Urban David Coy became acquainted with Abraham Lincoln. In 1832, Urban David volunteered for service in the Black Hawk War that involved the Sac and Fox Indian tribes and the white settlers. He enlisted as a private soldier, serving six months under Abraham Lincoln as his Captain. he served in J Ferguson's company at Gums Fort and also with W. McMurtry's company as part of Bogart's Brigade .
In 1860 Lincoln was nominated on the Republican ticket for President at the National Convention in Chicago. Urban David attended the convention to assist in the support of Lincoln for President. After Lincoln became President, Urban David Coy visited Lincoln in the White House.When the Civil War started in 1861, he enlisted as a private and was discharged on Nov 4 1861 because of age."--Find-a-grave