James Coval, jr. was a circuit rider in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Coval was born in Marble Head, Massachusetts, on 4th September, 1796. His father, James Coval Sr., was a travelling minister in the New York conference of the Methodist church. Coval converted to Methodism in 1813. In 1815, he received a license to work as a local preacher, and the following year he was accepted on trial as a circuit rider. He was assigned to the Pittfield circuit in 1816, and the Brandon circuit in 1817.[1]
In 1818, he was ordained a deacon.[2] That year he was assigned to the Durham circuit, in Upper Canada.[2] In 1819, he was assigned to the St. Albans circuit.[2]
In 1820, he received his elder's orders. That year he was assigned to the Ticonderoga circuit, followed by the St. Albans circuit in 1821, Grand Isle circuit in 1822, Cherlotte circuit in 1823, Peru circuit in 1824, the Watervlict circuit in 1825, Brooklyn circuit in 1826, Newburgh circuit in 1827, and the New Windsor circuit in 1828.[1]
In 1828, he was transferred to the Troy Conference, where he was appointed the head of the Troy Conference Academy, a position he remained in for three years. In 1832, he resumed circuit riding, on the Fort Ann circuit.[1]
In 1843, he was assigned to the State Street Church, in Troy, New York, where he remained until his death in 1845. He was survived by a widow and four children.[1]