GEORGE F. MCKINNEY. No State in the Union gives greater encourage-ment to a man who desires to devote himself to agriculture than does Arkansas. Its resources are almost inexhaustible, and its climate is adapted to the culti-vation of varied crops. Among the prominent and enterprising farmers of Boone County is George F. McKinney, who owes his nativity to Franklin County, this State, his birth having occurred on the 28th of January, 1843.
His parents were John A. and Lucetta (Fleeman) McKinney, the former of whom was born in Alabama in 1800, a son of George McKinney, who was one of the very early residents of Arkansas, and who lived and died in Franklin County, leaving a large family. John A. McKinney was the eldest but one of his father’s family, and was but a boy at the time he came to Arkansas. He grew up in Franklin County, became a well-to-do planter, and after the death of his first wife, the mother of George F. McKinney, he married a Miss Bourland, and by her became the father of five children: William, who is living in Washington County, Arkansas, and was a soldier in the Civil War; Lavinia, who lives in Franklin County, Arkansas; Charles, who resides in Ozark, Arkansas; Belinda, wife of R. Lesley, resides in Franklin County, and Sterling, who is living in Harrison, Arkansas Mr. McKinney became a member of the Northwest Fifteenth Arkansas Regiment, C. S. A., and had been in the service but a short time when he was killed at the battle of Elkhorn. He and his family were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
George F. McKinney was educated in the common schools, and although but a boy when the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the first company that left Franklin Connty, and took part in the battles of Elkhorn, Corinth, Luka, Port Gibson, Baker’s Creek, Vicksburg and others. He was wounded at Mark’s Mill, Arkansas, by a gun shot, which unfitted him for duty for a time, but aside from this was always at his post. After the war closed he returned to his native county, and was engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1874, when he bought and located on the farm where he now resides, which farm consists of 350 acres of fertile land. The place is well improved, with a good residence and other buildings, and 250 acres are under cultivation. He has given considerable attention to stockraising, and has found this a profitable branch of agriculture. He is one of the county’s most substantial men, is very public-spirited, a Democrat in politics, and is a member of Bellefonte Lodge of the A. F. & A. M.
He was married in Franklin County to Miss Sarah F. Webb, a daughter of P. F. Webb, of Ozark, Arkansas, who came to this State from Tennessee, dying here in 1885. Mrs. McKinney was born in Franklin County, Arkansas, and has borne her husband the following children: Etta, wife of William H. McMillan; Ida, wife of William Bower, of Harrison; John A., who is a successful school teacher; Lloyd, who is the wife of . W.D. Chauncy, of Franklin County; Garland, Nellie, Jean, Charlie (a girl), William, George and Joe. Mr. and Mrs. McKinney are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and he is an elder in the same.