Yolo-Tuolumne-El Dorado County CA Archives Biographies.....McKinney, Robert J. 1837 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com January 18, 2006, 4:53 pm Author: Tom Gregory (1913) ROBERT J. McKINNEY The swift flight of almost sixty years has left its impress of civilization and growth upon every part of the west since first Robert J. McKinney, then a rugged youth eager for adventure, beheld its valleys and mountains and discerned with prophetic foresight the greatness of years to come. As early as 1859 he became a rancher of the Capay valley and thereafter until his earth life closed, he contributed his quota to the agricultural development of Yolo county, at the same time aiding in the moral, religious and educational upbuilding of his community. No enterprise for the general welfare failed of his earnest support. Church work especially enjoyed his generous assistance and from early life he was a devoted-member of the United Brethren denomination. Of recent years he yielded to the affectionate appeal of the local congregation, numbering from thirty to thirty-five members, and served as their pastor, filling the pulpit with dignity at the regular services, officiating at the marriages of a goodly number of young people, and giving to the dead those last tributes of respect which the church commends and affection suggests. Various removals of the family brought their interesting changes into the early years of Robert J. McKinney, who was born in Tennessee December 27, 1837, and lived there and in Mississippi during early boyhood, later making a brief sojourn in Arkansas. During the spring of 1854 he started for California and drove a team of oxen across the plains. The route of the expedition followed the course of the Platte river and took the party through the present site of the city of Denver, thence westward to Salt Lake City. After they had crossed the North Platte the ferryman warned them that they would encounter a band of about seven hundred Arapahoe Indians. The captain, James Simms, who had crossed the plains in 1852 and understood the danger of Indian attacks, immediately made preparations for trouble. They had traveled but a short distance when some of the savages met them and demanded five head of fat cattle. Not daring to refuse yet realizing that the cattle were sorely needed by the expedition, the captain tried to temporize and eventually offered them three head of sore-footed cattle. Angered thereby the savages jerked him from his horse, tore his clothes, bruised his body and left him decidedly the worse for the experience. Three of the Indians traveled with the train all day and remained with them at night, the whites retreating to their wagons for sleep and leaving their uninvited visitors to the occupancy of a tent. In the morning they found that the Indians had cut all the ropes of the tents and had fled. On another occasion Indians stampeded the cattle, but the stock had been well guarded and not a head was lost. After an interesting journey of six months and six days the party arrived at their destination and Mr. McKinney worked at Sonora, Tuolumne county, until March of 1856, when he removed to Eldorado county and engaged in mining six miles north of Hangtown (Placerville). A subsequent experience as a teamster earned him a livelihood at Bloomfield, Sonoma county, from which point he came to Yolo county in December of 1859. The development of the country caused him to relinquish agricultural pursuits in favor of horticulture and latterly he had only two head of stock, a radical change from the early years with their large stock interests. In the vicinity of Esparto he purchased a small but well-developed fruit farm with improvements that represented his own keen intelligence, sagacious judgment and tireless industry. Here he raised prunes, almonds and apricots, and the six and one-half acres of orchard return a flattering revenue on the original investment. Nine children were born of the union of Mr. McKinney and Miss Mary Armstrong, a native of Missouri. They are named as follows: Robert L., James D., George W., John W., Leonard S., Nora E., Mary Olive, Ella J. and Florence E. The first-named son married Emeline Murphy and has two children, John W. and Felicia N. Mary Olive had a daughter, Estelle M., by her marriage to William Finley, and by her second marriage, to J. M. Coppock, she became the mother of two children, Everett and George. Ella J. McKinney was the wife of John Bishop and after his death married Frederick C. Newman, having one son, Harry Wesley Bishop, by her first union. Throughout his life Mr. McKinney voted with the Republican party, but no partisan spirit entered into his life and he always avoided official cares, preferring to devote his entire attention to private affairs. He passed away at his home in Esparto July 6, 1912, much loved and esteemed by everyone. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/mckinney360bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 5.7 Kb