Dear Mr. Powell:

This is all the information I have about the Kinch West 
incident, as quoted from a book about ourMcConnell ancestry.

"In June 1864, as Kinch West and his band of guerillas
left the town of Melville (Dadeville) MO which they
had burned, they passed the home of Thomas McConnell.
Thomas was sick in bed, and they carried him out into
the yard with his wife [Narcissa Pocahontas McConnell]
and two sons [Thos. Alexander, age 11; John B., age 3]
and then set fire to his house. House and contents
were lost. The neighbors joined in and built him a
little house on the premises, and he remained there
until his death." [in 1869, age 43]

As I said in my previous letter, Thomas Alexander grew
up to marry the daughter of the local judge, and became 
Sheriff of Dade County for a few years, before opening a 
livery stable. Apparently, even nepotism couldn't keep 
him in office. 

I'd also be interested in anything more you found out
about Kinch West.

Yours,
Bruce E. Hall