[p. 639] a well-known and respected citizen of Big Beaver Township, is the owner of 100 acres of land and is extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1867, and is a son of Robert and Julia (Delaney) McKinney.
William McKinney, grandfather of John C., was born in Ireland and in early life came to America. He became one of the early settlers of Butler County, Pennsylvania, and was there the owner of a farm, which in after years became valuable through the discovery of oil. He died at the age of forty years. He was the progenitor of five children, of whom Robert was third in order of birth. The latter was born in Butler County, and was there reared on a farm. Some years after his first marriage he and wife, Rebecca, moved to Iowa, and just two hours after arriving at their destination she died of cholera. By that union he had two children: William, deceased, and Thomas. He subsequently was joined in marriage with Julia Delaney, and they moved to Arkansas, where they lived until the outbreak of the Civil War. Being Union sympathizers, they were given twenty-four hours' notice to leave the country, and they returned to Pennsylvania. They located in Allegheny County, where he followed the trade of blacksmithing and also practiced as a veterinary surgeon. He was a skillful mechanic and could successfully turn his hand to various trades. He remained in Allegheny County about ten years, then moved to Lawrence County and for a period of twelve years rented a farm in Big Beaver Township. At the end of that time he returned to Iowa, where he lived until his death, in 1903, at the age of seventy-three years. His wife preceded him to the grave, dying in 1898. They were parents of the following children: Mary L., wife of S. R. Shuller; Sarah (Simpson); Amelia, wife of John Smith; Carrie, wife of S. E. Drew, and John Charles.
John Charles McKinney was about five years of age when he moved with his parents from his native county to Big Beaver Township, Lawrence County, where he was reared until his sixteenth year. He then went to Iowa with his people, but returned alone about four years later. He was married about that time and purchased the place of his father-in-law, the old Patterson homestead, in Big Beaver Township, his present farm. He has followed farming since and has met with good results, and now takes rank with the substantial men of the vicinity.
Mr. McKinney was married in October, 1888, to Anna Mary Patterson, a daughter of Robert Patterson, who was one of the old and respected men of the township. This union resulted in the birth of eleven children, as follows: Lamont, Earl, Laura, Glen, Homer, Martha, Mildred, Margaret, Wilda, James and Pauline. Politically Mr. McKinney is a Republican, but has never sought for political preferment.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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