San Diego County Biographies
 
JOSEPH COYNE

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The peace and good order of the city of San Diego is chiefly due to the 
experience of Joseph Coyne, who is now Chief of Police. He was born in 
Cleveland, Ohio, on the 18th of December, 1837. His father died when he was but 
three years old. He spent the first fourteen years of his life at Cleveland and 
attended the public schools there. When he was fifteen years of age he went to 
the mines in Calaveras County, and spent sixteen years in Nevada County. He made 
a few thousand dollars often and as often lost it. He come to San Diego and went 
to the Julian mines, where he remained four years. He, with four others, located 
the Chariot mines, which he worked for about a year, then sold his interest for 
$50,000 to Wit Whitney. Mr. Whitney also purchased all the other shares.
        Mr. Coyne was nominated by the Republican party for Sheriff, and was 
elected by 260 majority over Hon. James M. McCoy. He was elected three terms in 
succession and held the office for seven years. For four years he held the 
office of under-Sheriff under Mr. Bushyhead. Since then he has been elected City 
Marshal three terms of eight months each. He was then elected Chief of Police, 
and held the office sixteen months. Under the new city charter he was appointed 
to the same office, which he now holds.
        He is a native of Ireland and emigrated to the United States when quite 
young. Mr. Coyne's parents were also natives of County West Mayo, Ireland. Mr. 
and Mrs. Coyne's family consists of four girls, of whom one, Jennie May, is 
dead; the others are: Irene, eight years old; Belinda Anna, six years old, and 
Josephine Stephens, two years old.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California… Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  326-327