Charles Ephraim "Charlie" “42 children” McKinney, Sr.

Charles Ephriam McKinney (1780-1858) was a son of William Mckinney b ca 1745 & Mary b ca 1747.

Charles McKinney had 4 marriages:

Wife #1 Elizabeth Lowery m 3-7-1813 Burke Co.NC.

Wife #2 Margaret "Peggy" Lowery

Wife #3 Sarah"Sally" Hobson

Wife #4 Nancy Triplett

Source:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11833480/charles-ephriam-mckinney

GEDCOM Note

Biography

Charlie was born about 1773. Charlie McKinney ... He passed away in 1852.<ref>A source for this information is needed.</ref>

Sources

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Uncle "Jake" Jacob Carpenter recalls in his "Anthology of Death" Charles Mckinney, age 79 d:05-10-1852, was a farmer; live in Blew Ridge; had 4 womin married 1; lived in McKinney Gap; all went to fields to make grane, all went to crib for corn; all went smke house of mete; he cided 75or 80 hogs a year; and womin never had no words having so many womin. If it ware these time, that wuld be hare pulled; Thare war 42 children belongin to him; They all went to prechin together, nothing said; he made brandy all his lif; never had no fores; got along fin with everybodi nod him.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11833480

Medieval brides Play the Medieval brides.
Charlie was born about 1773. Charlie McKinney passed away in 1852.

From Find A Grave: Memorial #11833480:

Charles Mckinney's Parents: were William Mckinney b: abt 1745 & Mary b: abt 1747.

Note - Parents have been removed from the page!!

Spouse: (Had 4 women, only married Elizabeth)

1. Elizabeth Lowery, 1795 – unknown, m 3-7-1813 Burke Co.NC.
2. Margaret "Peggy Lowery", 1802–1882
3. Sarah"Sally" Hobson, 1805 – unknown
4. Nancy Triplet, 1805 – unknown

There was 42 children belonging to him;
Memorial gravestone has dates that do not match older, smaller gravestones
His children include the following:

1. Alexander Charles McKinney (1814-1846)
2. Rachel Louise (McKinney) Lowery (1816-1904)
3. Charles Ephraim McKinney Jr (1817-1862)
4. Mary (McKinney) Biddix (1820-1907)
5. Henry McKinney (1823-1914)
6. Flurrie (McKinney) Hollifield (1824-1920)
7. Merritt Burgin McKinney (1825-1903)
8. Mathilda (Mckinney) McFalls (1827-1908)
9. Jason Carson McKinney (1827-1920)
10. Carolina (McKinney) Lowery (1830-)
11. Rosanna (McKinney) Buchanan (1830-1870)
12. Reuben McKinney (1830-1874)
13. Elmira (McKinney) Biddix (1830-1904)
14. Nancy (McKinney) Dickson (1832-1915)
15. Elizabeth A (McKinney) Washburn (1833-)
16. Harriett (McKinney) Brown (1833-)
17. William M McKinney (1833-1919)
18. Thomas McKinney (1834-1863)
19. Sarah Manervia (McKinney) Smith (1835-)
20. William "Burley Bill" McKinney, 1835 – unknown
21. Samuel Samson McKinney (1837-)
22. Hazel McKinney Ray, 1839 – unknown
23. David McKinney (1840-)
24. Joseph McKinney (1840-1912)
25. Martha Evelyne (McKinney) Lowery (1840-1926)
26. Joseph Tarpley McKinney (1842-1915)
27. James F McKinney (1842-1915)
28. Mary E (McKinney) Greene (1842-1916)
29. Rebecca (McKinney) Rathbone (1843-)
30. Laura Emily (McKinney) Jaynes (1846-1932)
31. Dorthy McKinney (1848-1855)
32. Olly M McKinney (1850-)
33. Emily Cordelia (McKinney) Glenn (1851-1930)

Research Notes

Eliza Poore (1811-1912) was married to a different Charles McKinney (1799-abt.1858). The 2 Charles have a big age difference but they are confused frequently. Find A Grave: Memorial #11833480 has removed Eliza as a spouse.

From the book Charles McKinney and Related Families written by Estelena McKinney Harper

ORIGIN of the NAME MCKINNEY

The name McKinney originated in the highlands of Scotland.

Burt wrote in, LETTERS FROM A GENTLEMEN in 1726, "the highlanders are divided into tribes or clans under chief's, as called in the law of Scotland. Each clan is divided into branches from the main stock who have chieftains over them. These are subdivided into similar branches called Septs.. of 50-60 men who deduce their origin from paticular chieftains, and rely upon them as their more immediate protectors and defenders.

Mac or Mc means the son of in Scotland and Ireland. So we get Mc-Kinney is the son of Kenneth (Cionaodh) meaning "fire-sprung."

THE SCOTTISH CLANS AND THEIR TARTANS by W. and A.K. Johnston and G.W. Bacon Ltd., Edinburg, Scotland, gives a brief history of each clan and a fill list of the septs. According to this account, "McKinney is a sept of the McKinnon clan. An older form of this surname show it to be Fingon." SURNAME BOOK and RACIAL HISTORY by Board and Relief Society, Salt Lake City, Utah states, "McKinney a sept of McAlpline clan through McKinnon, son of Finguin." It all seems to fit together, as the war cry of the McKinnon Clas is, "Remember the death of Alpine." King Alpine was killed by Brude, King of the Picts, in 834 A.D. Clan McAlpine along with Clan Chattan was the most ancient of the clans of Scotland.

I hope that information will be discovered soon to enable me to trace our family back to Ireland/Scotland. Thomas C Chapman wrote a book on our Wiseman family says, "Most McKinneys came to this country from either County Tyron or County Antrim in the north of Ireland. They came into Ireland from Scotland in the 1630's and 1640's."

CHARLES MCKINNEY

In or before the year of 1796 Charles McKinney came to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where he settled in a cove. The cove gave him his name of Cove Charles. This area was Burke County at the time, but in 1842 changed to McDowel County. By 1846 the cove was commonly called McKinney Gap officially recorded as such in the McDowell County Court Minutes. So he in turn gave his name to the area in which he lived. Today the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway is on the land he settled near the Altapass Tunnel.

I wonder what visions and hopes for the future he had as he gazed up on the beautiful mountains that surronded him for the first time. How I envy him being able to see the virgin timber, wild flowers, abundant berries and the land untouched by civilization. I know that Indians were there before him, but from what we read in history books they kept the laws of nature and didn't polute the land when they passed through on their hunting expeditions. White there in the summer of 1970 I was very happy to see that it is still clean and unspoiled. I doubt very much that Charles McKinney was thinking of the kind of life that he would eventually fall into that has made him a legend in that part of the country and many other places wherever his decendants have moved. Perhaps looking over his little domain gave him the idea he would have to have children, lots of children, to help him tame this wilderness in his lifetime. Even in this category he prepared himself by taking a bridge that was a mid-wife.

I believe that Charles McKinney showed up in the mountains with one possibly two wives which will be shown on the 1800 census. A few of his decendants in North Carolina corrected me about calling the women wives... I am going to continue to do so and here are the reasons why. First, I have always heard them referred to as such by my family. Second, they always functioned as a family, in other words, the women lived on his land and he in turn took care of each family as any father would have done. If my great-great grandfather had left each woman and her children to get along as best they could for themselves then that would be a different story to write. According to everything that I have heard and read they had plenty for that time and place. In fact I would say they were well off. Third, out of respect for my fore-barer and his women I will call them wives. I am very proud of my heritage and would not exchange it for the most illustrious families of the United States.

Many stories have been handed down as to where Charles McKinney was born and where he came from before coming to our mountains. The earliest one that I remember hearing said: when the Revolutionaty War broke out Charles was in Ireland (most sources agree he was born in Scotland) and was conscripted to fight in the British Army. Our history books record that the troops were conscripted were in sympathy with the colonies. Most of them deserted to join our forces. The ones that stayed with the British didn't fight with their hearts in it. Great grandpa Henry didn't say which was the case here but he did tell that his father Charles liked it so well in this country that he stayed, took himself four wives, each having tweleve children, making a total of fourty-eight.

On the 1810 census he gave his age 26-45. If he was 45 then he would have been born in 1765. If this record was true he possibly could have served in the latter part of the revolution. However age-wise the census does not always tally out the same every ten years for any of my progenitors. I believe the records show that he had at least 48 children which will be given in a later chapter.

J. Myron Houston who lives in Kamia, N.C. has collected quite a bit of information on early families of that area. He told me that Charles McKinney came from Virginia with a wagon load of apple seedlings. There were the first apple trees planted on the south side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Today there is large commercial apple orchard on the original site at McKinney Gap near the Altapass Tunnel. William D. Mace of Marion, N.C. said that Flurie, a daughter of Charles told a story about her father going to Virginia for a visit. He went to church and in the congregation sat a beautiful young girl. All during the service he couldn't keep his eyes away from her. She looked just like his mother. After church he asked, "Young lady who is your father?" She blushed and waited a bit before answering, "they say my father was Charles McKinney." He found out that her mother had been dead for a long time. When he was ready to leave he reached down in his pockets and handed her a fity cent piece which was all the money he had with him.

Another story frequently told is that Charles and two brothers came from Scotland. Charles and one brother staying in North Carolina while the other one went south, some say to Georgia others Louisiana or Mississippi. This one was supposed to have become very wealthy. Many people that knew my great grandfather Henry said that he had a thick Scotch brogue. Even my grandfather John talked much faster than anyone I knew as a child.

One account that I have heard said that Charles was born in the Watauga Settlement, which is now in Tennessee, but at that time was North Carolina. On the 1850 census he said that he was born in North Carolina.

Each wife had her own home to live in with her family. Charles rotated his stay with each, spending a night at one, the next night with another. The next morning he rode on horseback checking on each family, seeing that everything was alright and helping with the work that had to be done. An amazing thing to me, being a woman, is that all of the women got along good together. On this large farm they lived working together and nofighting amongsth themselves. The food they raised was stored in one place, and the meat in one store-house. They went to church and was accepted by the people of the community in which they lived and from what I can find out was like by everyone. My great-great grandfather must have had a magnetic personality and the makings of a general to have so many women to agree to his unusual arrangement and being happy with it, keeping that many children in line, plus keeping the respect of his friends and neighbors.

Wherever Charles McKinney came from he brought with him the art of making good brandy and whiskey. It is an estabished fact that he made it and the recipe must have been handed down from father to son in every generation since. Recently I called my father and asked him to get together with some of the family and write down the recipe for me so that I could have something that had been in the family for a long time as a keep-sake, of course I didn't add that part to my conversation. I could feel the stunned silence on the other end of the line. I started laughing and assured him that I had no intention of making it in my backyard, it is too small. You know he still hasn't sent it to me. When I was visiting with Liller, daughter of Merrit, I asked her to tell me something about her father. While she was thinking I asked her if he drank and made whiskey like great grandpa Henry? She laughed, "didn't all McKinneys?" I answered with, "I'm a McKinney but I have never seen it made nor drank in my life." But you are a girl was her sweet reply.

Not all of the time was spent with work to feed the mouths in this large family. When they worked they worked hard, when they played they played hard and when they fought they fought hard. Christmas Day all of the families gathered in one home and had a big feast with plenty of merry making. They would have had to have plenty of music on that day because I don't know of a McKinney that couldn't sing or play some kind of instrument. Most of them can play several instruments and sing beautifully. I know that great grandpa Henry was as good as any comic that is on television today, and he didn't work from a prepared script either. I have been told that he have many in the family today that are just as funny. That must have been an exciting day to be able to participate in the activities with so many in the family. He loved his children and was good to them, or so one of his wives told a nephew.

One day Charles McKinney took his 35 boys (I can only find evidence of 18 or 19) to Marion to buy hats. In front of Blantons Store he lined them up, oldest to youngest, and told them to wait while he talked to the owner. Inside he asked for the hats that he needed. Mr. Blanton wanted to know why so many hats and Charles told him for his boys. Evidently he didn't believe this story and told Charles to bring all of them in and he would give the hats to the boys. Outside Charles went and marched all of them inside the store. The man kept his word, giving all of them free hats. I don't know what kind of a sense of humor Mr. Blanton had but when I was a little girl I knew a store owner, J.G. "Jeffy" Hughes on Roaring Creek who would have been delighted to give the hats to the boys just to be able to see al of them together at one time.

Trying to figure an age for Charles McKinney at least from any records that I have seen is an impossibility. As stated before the earliest one being born in 1765, and the latest he gave in 1850 as being 54 or born in 1796. Since he was in the home with one woman who claimed to be 40, this is understandable to s-t-r-e-t-c-h your age a wee bit or should I have said cut off a wee bit? He could read and write too as stated in the census and every document with his name on it was signed by him. Otherwise it would have had his x mark.

As far the exact date of death there has been some controversy to. I know that he was alive 31 Jul 1856, when the sheriff of McDowell County sold 600 acres of his land for a debt of $89.98. The land was sold for $90.00, wonder what happened to the 2 cents. He had a bill to E. Elliott dur 1 Jan for $18.25 and another for $4.75 but I couldn't make out the writing, whether it said dur or deceased abreviated without the apostrophe. Another note to J.C. Whitson dur 1 Jan 1852 for $614.00. Alonzo Conley paid $500.00 on the note 17 Nov 1852. 31 Jul 1854 he acknowledged in open court a deep he had made to his daughter Rachel Lowrey made 9 Feb 1854. Sometime between these dates but before the 1860 census was taken Charles McKinney passed away.

My father remembers visiting the burial place of his great grand-father, with his father and grandfather, when he was a young child. Last summer 1970 he took me to the site. I remember going toward the Altapass Tunnel from the commercial apple orchard on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is a dirt road leading off the Parkway to another one that runs parallel to the Parkway. We turned left and went a few hundred yards when my father stopped. He said if I would go down at the place where he pointed about 200 yards I would find the grave of Charles McKinney. He described certain land marks to look for. Trembling and scared to death I started out by myself. Believe me no amount of money could have persuaded me to go alone but I knew this was my only chance. If a twig had broken or a leaf had fallen I would have had a heart attach right then and there. A short distance from Dad and the car the only thing you can see are trees and underbrush. Everything of people, Highways and cars are lost. After passing a small cement block one of the signs I came to a tree that had fallen down a certain way which was another sign. By this time it seemed like I had gone mile but I kept going secretly hoping that I wouldn't find the graveyard, but wanting to too. I breathed a sigh of relief thinking that I had missed it and was ready to turn back when I looked to my left and saw a tombstone 50-100 feet away. I was in too deep by this time so I cautiously made it over to the tombstone of Melinda Stamey, wife of J.L. Stamey, born 1836, died 1876. Dad had mentioned her tombstone in a letter about a year before saying that she was a McKinney before marriage, but I haven't placed her yet. A few fet from her tombstone I noticed a huge log across an opening where trees, shrubs and vines had formed a nook or small room. Inside this room Charles McKinney is buried along with 1 or 2 other large graves and a few feet below looked like a baby was buried. The log is across a grave too. I didn't see a formation like this anywhere else in this area. Someone had put a recent undertaker's marker on his grave with his name and 1773-1852. All I can say is that if he and the person that is buried beside him was that tall, according to the placement of the rocks, they were almost giants. In Dad's letter he said, "There are several other graves in this cemetary that may be his children. They are: Robert T. McKinney, died 1810 and D. McKinney, no dates." Needless to say I didn't linger here only long enough to take some pictures and collect a few leaves around this rom for Dad to identify for me. Some of the leaves were oak and laurel but I can't remember the others and have lost the paper that I put all the information on. One of the pictures turned out very faint it was very dark in the room. I believe Dad said there were ten or so graves here--- I didn't take time to count them. I would like to visit this place again with someone that wouldn't try to scare me to death. I halfway expected Dad to come down and try but I had insured that possibility by taking one of his crutches to help me get down over the bank. I wonder if it would be possible to get permission from the owner of the land to make an easier patchway to get down to the cemetary? I think this burial site of our ancestor should be preserved for future generations to visit and pay their respects to their forebarer.

Sources

1. WikiTree contributors, "Charles Ephriam (McKinney) Mckinney Sr (abt.1773-abt.1852)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McKinney-1297 : accessed 29 April 2024).
2. North Carolina, Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
3. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11833480/charles-ephriam-mckinney : accessed 19 August 2021), memorial page for Charles Ephriam McKinney Sr. (1780–10 May 1858), Find A Grave: Memorial #11833480, citing Charles Mckinney Cemetery, North Cove, McDowell County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Roger Phillip Burnett (contributor 46801633) .
4. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Liza Poore
5. North Carolina, Marriage Index, 1741-2004, Elizabeth Lowery