Washington County OR Archives Biographies.....McKinney, W. Verne And Emma C. 1 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 27, 2008, 1:30 am Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company W. VERNE and EMMA C. MC KINNEY, owners and publishers of the Hillsboro Argus, are rendering a distinctive news service to the people of Washington county, the Argus ranking among the best weekly newspapers in Oregon and commanding a large circulation throughout the county. The Argus was established in 1894 by W. C. Clow and R. H. Mitchell, who later sold and the paper passed through several ownership until 1904, when Mrs. Emma C. McKinney bought a half interest in the paper from the late Claude Robinson, L. A. Long being the owner of the other half interest. In 1907 H. G. Guild bought Mr. Long's interest and two years later sold out to Mrs. McKinney, who thus became the sole owner of the paper. In 1909 L. A. Long, who was one of the pioneer newspaper men of Oregon, returned to the Argus as editor and manager, remaining until 1923, at which time Mrs. McKinney gave a half interest to her son W. Verne, who has since devoted his attention to the paper. The Argus is printed in one of the best equipped plants in Washington county, having a linotype machine, a Huber Hodgman cylinder press, a complete assortment of type and printing materials and a good bindery, so that the office is prepared to promptly and satisfactorily handle all kinds of printing and binding jobs. The Argus is a twelve-page, seven-column paper, issued every Thursday, and is not only one of the largest weekly papers in the northwest, but has no superior as a purveyor of news, being edited in a careful manner and in an interesting literary style, while the typographical appearance of the sheet will compare favorably with any of its contemporaries. The Argus has a circulation of twenty-eight hundred and fifty and has proven an excellent advertising medium, entering practically all of the homes of the community and continguous territory. Mrs. Emma C. McKinney is a native of Washington county, Oregon, and is a daughter of F. J. and Henrietta (Deelwater) Carstens, both of whom were natives of Germany. They came to the United States in young manhood and womanhood and were married in Chicago, Illinois. They lived in Crown Point, Indiana, until 1871, when they came to Washington county, Oregon, locating east of Hillsboro, near where Orenco now stands, where the father bought a farm. Later they moved to Banks, this county, and finally to Hillsboro, where they spent their remaining days, the mother dying in 1901 and the father in 1904. They became the parents of eight children, namely: A. C., deceased; Henry C., who lives at Roy, Oregon; Mrs. Sophia Smith, of Forest Grove, Oregon; Lewis F. and John F., deceased; Mrs. Henrietta Williams, of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. McKinney; and Pearl, deceased. Mrs. McKinney was educated in public schools in and near Hillsboro and in 1896 became the wife of W. Walter McKinney, who was born just west of Hillsboro, a son of J. N. and Sarah McKinney, who were pioneers of this locality, while his paternal grandparents were William and Anne (Walter) McKinney, who came to this state in 1845, locating first in Portland, and later coming to Washington county. His grandmother was horn in Middleton, Washington county, Pennsylvania, September 20, 1806, and in 1815 went with her father's family to Wayne county, Indiana, where, in 1822, she became the wife of William McKinney, who was a third cousin of James Montgomery, the Revolutionary soldier. In the spring of 1845 the McKinneys started for Oregon, leaving St. Joseph, Missouri, in a company in which were sixty wagons. The journey was made under great difficulties. In the Platte country the Pawnee Indians attacked the train and killed and scattered a lot of loose stock. Near Fort Hall the Sioux overtook the company and forced them to stop and cook dinner for three hundred warriors. In Idaho the Indians again appeared and drove off a band of cattle, which they recaptured and returned the following day on being plentifully supplied with provisions. Mr. and Mrs. McKinney became the parents of six children. Mr. McKinney died in Washington county in 1889 and after his death Mrs. McKinney took up her residence with her daughter, Mrs. Benjamin Cornelius, in Portland; where she died, at the age of ninety-two years and one day. J. N. McKinney was born in Des Moines county, Iowa, December 26, 1836, and accompanied his parents on their migration to Oregon. He engaged in the cattle business east of the mountains until 1864, when he returned to Washington county and was there married to Miss Jane Cornelius, a daughter of Benjamin Cornelius, who had come to Oregon in the same train with the McKinneys. His first wife died in 1871 and afterward he married Miss Sarah Brown, and they became the parents of W. Walter McKinney, deceased; James Montgomery McKinney, of Vale, Oregon; Herbert Edward McKinney, of Donald, Oregon; and Mrs. Susie McDonald of Tacoma, Washington. Walter received a good public school education, after which he went to work in T. D. Humphreys' abstract office in Hillsboro. Later he was appointed deputy county clerk and while serving in that capacity his health broke down, his lungs being affected. In the hope of gaining relief, he went to eastern Washington, but was not benefited there and returned home, where his death occurred April 10, 1900. He was a member of the Foresters of America, a man of sterling qualities and kindly manner, and was very popular among his associates. To Mr. and Mrs. Walter McKinney was born a son, Walter Verne. Mrs. McKinney had learned typesetting before her marriage, working in the office of the Hillsboro Independent when it was owned by Dr. Linklater, and after the death of her husband she again took up newspaper work, buying an interest in the Hillsboro Argus in 1904, as related in a preceding paragraph. She has proven a good business woman and her success has been attained through determined, persistent and well directed efforts, so that she holds a high place in the respect and esteem of all who know her. Walter Verne McKinney attended the public schools of Hillsboro and while in high school he enlisted, on March 27, 1917, in the Third Regiment Oregon Infantry, being one of the first four to enlist from Hillsboro. His command became Company B, One Hundred and Sixty-second Infantry Regiment, One Hundred and Forty-first Division. After a period of training he was sent to Camp Mills, and on December 12, 1917, embarked for overseas, landing at Port St. Nazaire on December 27th. About that time the army made a request for printers and Mr. McKinney's companions, who knew that he had worked some at that trade in boyhood, mentioned his name. He was at once detailed and sent to the central printing plant in Paris, where he at first worked in the office of the purchasing agent, but was soon afterwards sent into the printing plant, with which he was connected continuously until May 22, 1919. On his return to this country, he was honorably discharged at Camp Mills with the rank of sergeant first-class in the Quartermaster Corps. Soon after his return home Mr. McKinney entered the Oregon Agricultural College, in which he took the commercial course, and was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in 1923, since which time he has been closely identified with the Hillsboro Argus, in which he has a half interest. On June 10, 1926, Mr. McKinney was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Barr, who was born and reared in Hillsboro and is a daughter of Frank and Bessie (Sigler) Barr. Mr. Barr is a native of Washington, and Mrs. Barr is a native of Washington county, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. McKinney are the parents of a son, Walter Verne, Jr. Mr. McKinney is a member of the Knights of Pythias, in which he has held offices; the American Legion, of which he was commander for two years; the Chamber of Commerce, of which he is vice president; the Rotary Club; the Sigma Delta Chi, a journalist fraternity; the Alpha Kappa Psi, an honorary fraternity, and was one of the founders of the Fleur De Lis Club, composed of ex-service boys, and which later became the Delta Kappa, a local fraternity. A gentleman of earnest purpose, possessing the real newspaperman's instinct for news and with high ideals as to the makeup of a paper, he has been an important factor in the success of the Argus and is highly regarded throughout the community where he has spent his life, and in the welfare and progress of which he has shown a constant and effective interest. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 558 - 560 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/washington/bios/mckinney532gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 9.2 Kb