Son of Patrick and Bridget Coyne.

James was the oldest of ten children.

He married Isabel Jane Thomas in Claremore around 12 May 1895. They were the parents of 9 children.

James, Isabel and their family were among the original members of the St Augustine Catholic Church, south of Centralia until it burned and the congregation transferred to the Holy Ghost Catholic Church of Vinita.

James and Isabel lived a quarter of a mile from where his parents homesteaded after arriving on Salt Creek, then known as Ruby, Indian Territory in 1885. He was a farmer and also raised cattle.

At the time, the area was rife with outlaws and they were visited many times by the Rogers gang when their horses would be stolen during the night. Later, the horses would be returned.

They had their own school, Coyne School, district #58; from 1909 to 1922 when it was annexed into the Centralia school district. The building was one fourth mile from the family home.

One of the teachers was Florence Chaney who boarded with James and Isabel, there she met their oldest son Pat, whom she married after he returned from world War I.

The Craig County Gazette of July 1925 carried the following obituary:

James Coyne, age fifty-two years died at his home southwest of Centralia Thursday morning, June 25, 1925, after a lingering illness of several months. He is survived by his wife and five sons and four daughters. His father, 3 brothers and two sisters who were at the bedside when the end came. All was done that physicians and loving hands could do to relieve his suffering. Funeral services were held at the church south of Centralia, Friday. Interment at the Vinita cemetery. The bereaved ones have the sympathy of the entire community.

The church mentioned in the obituary would have been the "St. Augustine Catholic Church" which was torn down in late 1942 or early 1943, due to lack of good roads. All that is left are some foundation blocks and a cemetery that contains 7 recorded graves. The cemetery is severely deteriorated due to lack of maintenance.