McKinneyj
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JAMES M. McKINNEY is one of the
pioneers of Okanogan county, he and his wife and family having settled
where they now reside, five miles northwest of Tonasket, about 1890.
Since then he has given his entire attention to stock raising and farming.
He has a good ranch, supplied with irrigation water, which produces bounteous
crops of timothy, alfalfa and red top, besides other produce.
James M. McKinney was born on August 6, 1834,
about a mile from the Tippecanoe battle grounds. His parents were William
and Ann (Walter) McKinney, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively.
The family removed to Henry county, Iowa, when our subject was a chil,
and in 1844 they started across the plains, but stopped in Missouri until
the following spring, when they joined a large ox train and made a trip
to Washington county, Oregon. They had no trouble except that their
stock was stampeded by the Indians. They were among the first permanent
settlers in that vicinity, and took a donation claim. For many years
the parents labored there, and the father died about fifteen years since,
aged eighty-five. The mother lived for a decade afterwards and was
ninety-two when she passed away. They were the parents of six children:
Charles died in June, 1902; Mrs. Isabel Hinshaw; Mrs. Rachel Cornelius;
James M., our subject; William and Jasper N.
Our subject was born and grew up on the frontier,
consequently had very little opportunity to gain an education, but he has
stored his mind by general reading, so is a well-informed man. He
remained with his parents until twenty-six years of age, and during that
time fought in the Rogue River war, in Captain Sheffield's company.
In 1860 Mr. McKinney went to Walla Walla and engaged in stock raising until
1874, when he went to Wallowa valley and continued in the same business.
During the Bannock war of 1878 he did considerable riding express to Walla
Walla. In 1880 Mr. McKinney located in Whitman county, about fifteen
miles from Sprague, and ten years later came to his present place, which
has been his home since. He is numbered among the prosperous and
successful stock raisers and farmers of the county and is a progressive
and broad-minded citizen.
In Whitman county on January 6, 1887, Mr.
McKinney married Mrs. Susan A. McNall. She was born in McLean county,
Illinois, on May 11, 1832, and came to the coast in 1850, crossing the
plains with an ox train, in company with a family by the name of Hamilton,
who settled at the Cascades. Mr. McKinney was a strong Democrat until
recently when he imbibed socialistic ideas and is now a thorough student
of these principles.