James McCoy was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Democratic politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 from California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

.

Biography

McCoy was born 1821 in County Antrim

County Antrim

County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. He was a big, imposing man and came to the U.S. in 1842 and joined the Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 in 1846, which was recruiting for the Mexican-American War. He came to San Diego in Summer of 1850 as part of the First U.S. Artillery (Magruder's Battery), as a non-commissioned officer. Sergeant McCoy and his troops helped protect the countryside during the war. After discharge in 1853, McCoy remained in San Diego.

McCoy worked odd jobs, surveying and carrying mail between Yuma

Yuma, Arizona

Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....

 and Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...

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In 1859 McCoy was elected Assessor of San Diego. He also started raising sheep near Cuyamaca.

McCoy was sheriff of San Diego County, California

San Diego County, California

San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...

 during 1862–1872. At the time the county stretched to the Colorado River. Charles Kelly described McCoy as "a big man over six feet tall who weighed 190 pounds [85 kilograms]. He could speak Spanish fluently. Everybody though a great deal of him."
Ephraim Morse

Ephraim Morse

Ephraim W. Morse was an early settler of the city of San Diego, and was partially responsible for many of its expansions as a city, such as attracting the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and proposing Balboa Park.-Early life:Morse was born in 1823 in West Amesbury, Massachusetts...

 said that during the time "there are only two men in San Diego that don't occasionally get drunk and they are James McCoy, the sheriff, and myself."

McCoy married Winifred "Winnie" Kearney on April 27, 1869. They bought a newly-built 2-story house in Old Town San Diego. The house was renovated in 1898 to Victorian style. The house was reconstructed in 1999 and is open to the public. It is located across the street from the Trolley Station.

McCoy was president of the San Diego's Board of Trustees during 1869–1871, when San Diego did not have a Mayoral form of government. During 1871–1874 he served in the California State Senate

California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...

. While senator he worked on getting a railroad to San Diego (with limited success), mail service, and land cessions to San Diego.

In 1887, McCoy and others laid out the subdivision of Moreno, east of Mission Bay. Moreno was named for Felipe Morena, a minor character in the novel Ramona

Ramona

Ramona is a 1884 United States historical novel written by Helen Hunt Jackson. It is the story of a Scots-Native American orphan girl in Southern California, who suffers racial discrimination and hardship. Originally serialized in the Christian Union on a weekly basis, the novel became immensely...

.

McCoy died in his home in 1895, and his wife died later. They had no children.

See also

• "James McCoy Lawman and Legislator", The Journal of San Diego History 23:4 (Fall 1977), v. 2, pp. 24-26: "James McCoy". Reprinted 1956 by Riverside Museum Press. An engraged portrait (but no biography) is on p. 153.