Volume 7, Number 7 - Spring 1981


The Coy Family of Taney County
John H. McDaniel

HENRY COY was born December, 1838, near Batesville, Independence County, AR. His parents were DANIEL COY, born September 9, 1820 in LaRue or Hardin County, KY., and SUSAN (Minick) COY, born about 1821, probably Rhea County, TN. I have not determined where they were married. (Minick is spelled in various ways: Minnick, Menick, etc.) DANIEL COY died February 21, 1872, and is buried in the graveyard located on the old Coy farm in the southwest part of Schuyler County, MO. SUSAN COY died August 4, 1898, and is buried in the old Crossroad Cemetery, Portia, AR.

Brothers and sisters of HENRY COY were:
Peter M.; Michael J.; Daniel Skinner; Samuel; Elizabeth Ann (married 1-William Cooper (2)? Gardner); Susan E. (Married Robert H. Stokesberry); and Emily M. (married Jeremiah Ralston).

I have concluded that HENRY COY’s maternal grandfather was many-times married old PETER MINICK, who was born about 1790, in PA.

HENRY COY enlisted at Queen City, Schuyler Co. MO. in the Union Army; His two brothers, Peter M. and John also enlisted; neither survived. Henry was crippled by lightning while lying on the ground in camp with two companions, at Marietta, Georgia, on July 17, 1864.

On November 10, 1859, at Martinstown, Putnam Co. MO., HENRY COY married MATILDA HICKMAN (John P. and Debora (Stout) Hickman), by whom he had: SUSIE (Coy) MERCER (wife of Prof. John Swank Mercer); WILLIAM COY; and JOHN SAMUEL COY.

MATILDA died about 1866, and is buried in Hatfield Cemetery, Putnam, Co., in an unmarked grave.

HENRY COY remarried April 16, 1867, to MARY E. STOKES, in Schuyler Co. MO. They moved to Taney Co. sometime after 1880. By this marriage, were born two daughters and five sons: CHARLIE; IKE; MIKE; SIKE; FRANK; JULIA L. (married George Beeler); and JENNIE (married Thomas Silvey). Jennie was murdered by an itinerant suitor. Taney history reveals that he was later found, where he had bent over a sapling, and hung himself.

HENRY COY was divorced at Forsyth, on November 7, 1889, by his second wife. A short time later, on November 10, 1889, he married RACHEL COX (of Taney Co.), in Redlands, Indian Territory, Okla. By this marriage, he had two children; Molly (married 1st; Garver (2nd) ? (3rd) George Beeler (widower or her half-sister, Julia A.); and DOLLY (married A.L. Kenyon).

HENRY COY died at home of his daughter, Dolly Kenyon, at Republic, MO. on October 26, 1926, and is buried beside the grave of his murdered daughter, Jennie, in the Johnson Schoolhouse Cemetery, located southeast of Hilda, MO.

Many of his descendants still live in the White River area of the Ozarks; in Missouri, and Arkansas.

I am indebted to Minnie Cummings, Mountain View, MO., who, in spite of her age, was willing to answer my inquisitive letters, with information of her childhood days in the Caney Creek Area. She was a neighbor to both of my Henry Coy, and John S. Mercer, families. She says that Henry Coy’s wife was the "midwife" that waited on her mother when Minnie was born.

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