An excerpt from “The John Bernard Coyne Family in America”
by Robert Paul Hoffman
We are not alone in this life. We take comfort in knowing that the spirits of our ancestors surround us in many ways, especially in the form of their teachings and the enrichment they have given us by their works. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors as we face the challenges of our lives.
Author’s Notes
This material is an excerpt from a book of the genealogical history of my family. It is furnished to be used as an addition to the Clifden2012 web site for the enjoyment of those who may read it there.
The full book is over 550 pages and traces our roots back to Clifden, Ireland in the nineteenth century and extends to current times. This excerpt covers the life of my grandfather from his birth through the time of his emigration from Ireland. A brief overview of Irish history was included to enrich the readers in my family with an understanding of the environment in which our Irish ancestors lived. My apologies in advance to those readers of this excerpt better informed than I for any mistaken facts. The following is from the introduction of the full book:
“This book tells the story of John Bernard Coyne and his family as well as it can be recreated from the information available to me now as I search for knowledge of them. Information is scarce but enough has been found to paint the beginnings of the picture, especially when combined with information about the places and the times in which they lived. To this end, I have added background stories describing life and living in those times, and descriptions of the places where they lived. They are interleaved with genealogical fact to create a meaningful whole. I trust that the result will give those of us who are one or more generations removed from them an appreciation of the experiences and accomplishments of those who have gone before.”
This material is copyrighted and may not be reproduced or published in any medium without written permission from the author.
Robert P. Hoffman
2012
Please click on the link below to download the PDF version of this excerpt.
The John Bernard Coyne Family in America
Hello,
I am trying to find relatives of a Bernard Coyne who lived in Anthon, Iowa, 1897-1921, who was a pituitary giant of 8ft 2ins tall. I am assisting in a medical research programme, led by Prof Marta Korbonits of St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London into the prevalence in Irish families of a gene which causes the medical condition from which Bernard Coyne died at such a young age. I am hoping you can assist if this person was related to the same Coyne family to which your book refers.
Hi Brendan,
I came across your question yesterday when I was researching Bernard Coyne. He is a distant relative of mine, so I am contacting you to see if you are still looking for information about him. I realize your question was posed 3 years ago, so you may not still be looking for information about him. If you are, and I can be of help, please contact me and I will do my best to help.
Sincerely,
Megan Brady
Hello Brendan,
My research has shown no members of our Coyne ancestors in any location other than Troy, New York.
My maternal grandmother was named Catherine Holland but I have not been able to trace her place of birth in Ireland. She had a sisten called Mae. They emigrated together around 1902. The town of Limerick was known to my mother but without certainty as to its meaning.
regards,
Robert
My grandmother, Bridget Coyne came to Boston from MInish. Her birth certificate is from office in Clifden. She married John Connelly of South Boston. I am so grateful to have been told all about my Irish heritage. I make sure I and my children do our very best each day.
Dear Robert:
Thank you for this informative excerpt from your book. Is the book available for purchase? We are going to Connemara for three weeks next month to explore my Coyne roots.
Warm Regards,
Phil Reedy
Redding, CA
Is one of your ancestors named Mary Ann reedy married to Michael halloran coyne?