James McKinney

Major James McKinney served in the War of 1812.

James McKinney was the the son of Charles McKinney and Marianne Chastain, a French Huguenot of Manakintown, VA, daughter of Dr. Pierre Chastain and Anne Soblet. Born in Virginia, James moved with his parents to Crab Orchard, KY around 1784/85. James married Levisa Whitley, daughter of Col. William Whitley. James's great-uncle, Phillip Soblet (Anne Soblet's brother), married Levisa's sister, Isabella Whitley.

In 1818, James and Levisa moved to Missouri at St. Charles where he collected and sold firewood. In 1820 he bought Amos Kibbe's place in Grand Prairie, Calloway County, Missouri. According to US General Land Office Records, he purchased 80 acres in 1831, 80 more on 2/9/1835 and another 80 acres on July 11, 1837. He is found in the 1830 Census in Calloway County. In 1840, the Census finds James and Levisa in Liberty, Calloway County, in their 60's, with one teenage son, and 4 slaves.

He was a member of Ironside Baptist Church.

He served as County Judge from 1827 to 1832. He had 12 brothers, three of whom were killed in the Revolutionary War. James and Levisa are both interred in the Old Auxvasse Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Calloway County. The graves can be viewed at findagrave.com.