Daniel Coil, a citizen of Osborne, was born in Boone County, Mo., on September 28, 1819. His parents were Daniel and Elizabeth (Silver) Coil, both natives of Madison County, Ky. The father was of Irish descent. After their marriage in their native county, they settled on a farm, and in 1819 immigrated to Missouri and settled in Boone County, where the father died in 1825. The mother died in Buchanan County about eight years ago. The subject of this sketch is the third of six children. He received a common-school education, and remained on his father's farm until about eighteen years of age, when he began business for himself as a farmer in Buchanan County. About 1838 he returned to his mother's, and in 1845 came to De Kalb County, where he has since resided, except the years of 1850 and 1851 that he spent in California, going the overland route and returning by water. In 1843 he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Parrott, daughter of Col. Elias Parrott. They have had seven children—one son and six daughters—of whom two are dead—one son and one daughter. Mr. Coil has been a life-long Democrat. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He is now trustee of the church, and has been steward for seventeen years. In 1872 he removed to Osborne to accommodate himself to the schools of that place.
Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), pp. 555-556.