My Genealogy Hound

COL. CHRISTOPHER C. McKINNEY was born December 10, 1825 in Lincoln County, Tenn. He was reared on the farm and attended the old-time subscription schools. His parents were James and Temperance (Rowe) McKinney, natives, respectively, of Virginia and South Carolina. When young they came to this State, the father in 1808 and the mother two years later. After marriage they settled in Lincoln County where they passed the remainder of their days. The father was a member of the Methodist Church and the mother a member of the Primitive Baptist Church. Their family consisted of seven children, six of whom are living. The father was a farmer and carpenter and a soldier in the war of 1812. The father died in 1862 and the mother in 1880. Our subject after reaching twenty-one years of age began working for himself at $5 per month. After farming and milling for several years he opened a grocery store in Petersburg in 1854. He then changed to the dry goods business and this he continued till the war. In 1849 he wedded Mary Luna, and this union resulted in the birth of seven children, six of whom are living. In 1861 Mr. McKinney enlisted in Company B, Eighth Tennessee Infantry, sharpshooters, as first lieutenant and from that arose to lieutenant-colonel of his regiment. At the end of four years’ faithful service he returned and engaged in merchandising as salesman and book-keeper at Richmond, Tenn. In 1884 he opened a grocery store in this place where he has had a lucrative practice ever since. Mr. and Mrs. McKinney are active members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he has been an elder for twenty-nine years. He is a Democrat, a good business man and a highly respected citizen.