The Whitewright Sun Thursday, May 10, 1923 pg.4 PIONEER CITIZEN LAID to REST TUESDAY Peter McKenna, pioneer citizen of this section, died at his home , 1112 Montana street, El Paso, at 1:55 o'clock Sunday morning, where he had made his home for the last 2 years. Mr. McKenna was born May 8, 1838, near Edinburgh, Scotland and was brought to America by his parents at the age of 6 months. They settled in Indiana, later moving to Illinois. Mr. McKenna came to Texas in 1860 and settled at Pilot Grove. From there he joined the Confederate Army and served throughout the war between the States in the Sul Ross brigade. After the war came to a close he returned to Pilot Grove. On October 26, 1869 he was married to Miss Katherine Batsell. To this union 10 children were born, 6 of whom survive. When Whitewright was started, Mr. McKenna moved here and operated the first grocery store in the town. It is said that he cast the first prohibition vote in this city, and was one of the first to take an active part in the interest of prohibition. Mr. McKenna was one of the charter members of the Whitewright Masonic Lodge and was the oldest member of the lodge at the time of his death. He was also one of the charter members of the local Church of Christ, and was a member of this church for over 40 years. Mr. McKenna took an active part in politics and served Whitewright as postmaster during the Cleveland administration. He was always found on the right side of all moral issues and lived a useful life. He was a good citizen, loved his neighbors and friends and was always ready to lend a helping hand to those who needed assistance. Mr. McKenna moved to El Paso about 2 years ago to be near his children. While he had been feeble for several years, he enjoyed good health up until a few months ago. The body was brought here for burial, arriving Monday night at 9:45 and was taken to the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Reeves. The funeral service was held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the Church of Christ. The funeral services were conducted by Elder W.N. Carter, who paid a beautiful tribute to the life Mr. McKenna lived. The burial service was conducted at the City Cemetery by the Masonic lodge. Mr. McKenna was buried on his 85th birthday. A host of friends of the family attended the services, many of whom were from out of town. The floral offerings were large and the new made grave was covered was covered with flowers, attesting in a small way the high esteem in which the deceased was held by those who knew him. Mr. McKenna is survived by his aged wife and the following children: James B. McKenna, W.R. McKenna, Mrs. A.M. Pillsbury and Mrs. George Haile of El Paso; Mrs. T.N. Souter of Washington, D.C.; and Charlie McKenna, who resides north of town. Active pallbearers, nephews of the deceased, were Chas. Batsell, WIll Batsell and Simon Sivells of Sherman; Tom Ayers of Trenton; and J.C. and Jim Ayers of north of town. The Whitewright Sun Thursday, October 27, 1938 pg.5 Funeral services for Mrs. Catherine McKenna were held at the Church of Christ Monday morning at 10:30, conducted by the pastor, Joe Burton. Mrs. McKenna died in Houston Saturday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. T.N. Souter. Day by day death thins the ranks of the pioneers and the death of Mrs. McKenna marks the passing of one of the real pioneers of this community. She was born on a farm 4 mile north of Whitewright in 1851. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Batsell, were among the earliest settlers in the community. She received her education in the early local schools and in the old Carleton College at Bonham. In 1869, just 4 years after the close of the Civil War, she was married to a young merchant of the community, Peter McKenna. Peter McKenna, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, who had been with the Army in the Confederacy. The young couple assumed their responsibilities in the troublous period of the Reconstruction. They helped to rebuild the community and maintain law and order in the village of Kentuckytown and later in the new town of Whitewright when it was founded in 1878. For many years they shared its fortunes, they reared their family here and watched the town grow into permancy. After the death of Mr. McKenna in 1923, Mrs. McKenna left Whitewright to make her home with her daughter, Mrs. Souter, in Houston, but had returned for many frequent visits during the interim since that time. Mrs. McKenna was noted as a woman of strong personality. From the days of her youth, she exerted a great influence on her friends and her family. Like most of the pioneers, she possesed strong convictions and the forcefulness of character to uphold them. She was a fluent and easy conversationalist and could recount vividly happenings of the early days here and of her travels through Texas and Mexico. She also possessed great religious zeal and was extremely well-versed in a knowledge of the Bible. She had been a member of the Church of Christ for more than half a century and was a charter member of the Whitewright church. It was her request that the last rites for her be held in this church. The following children survive: Charlie McKenna, who lives on the old Batsell farm north of Whitewright; Mrs. T.N. Souter of Houston; Mrs. Arthur Pillsbury of El Paso; Mrs. George Hale of Mountain Park, New Mexico; Jim McKenna El Paso. She also leaves 9 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren and a large number of nephews and nieces. People like "Aunt Cat" - thus she was known to many friends as well as relatives - helped to make our country what it is. It is a challenge to us today. in this chaotic times, to keep what they have made. Among the out-of-town relatives attending the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Howard Brodhead, Jr. of Gainesville; Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Moore of Denison; Mr. and Mrs. Ferd Moore, Miss Betty Moore, Mrs. Rosa Batsell, Mrs. Chas. Batsell, all of Sherman; Mrs. Volney Cox of Denton; Mrs. Gladys Magar of Krum; Mr. and Mrs. Neva McKenna of Dallas. Pallbearers were Howard Brodhead, Joe Hamilton, Murray Bryant, Charlie Ayres, Bryant King and Ferd Moore.  Charles C. McKenna 1884 - 1967 Lillie Kennard McKenna 1889 - 1971 The Whitewright Sun
Thursday, August 17, 1967 pg. 1 Funeral services were held at Earnheart Funeral Chapel Sunday for Charles C. McKenna, 83, a retired farmer who died in a Sherman hospital at 9:45 a.m. Friday, August 11, 1967, after an extended illness. Rev. C.C. Dooley, Presbyterian minister, conducted the services. Mr. McKenna was born January 12, 1884 in Whitewright, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter McKenna. He married Miss Lillie Kennard September 10, 1907 in Tom Bean. He retired from farming in 1947 and moved into Whitewright. His father owned the first grocery store in Whitewright in 1878. Survivors include his wife of Whitewright; two daughters, Mrs. Fred Clark of Denison and Mrs. Graham True of Jacksonville, Florida; two sisters, Mrs. T.M. Souter of Houston and Mrs. Ella Hail of Almagordo, New Mexico; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The Whitewright Sun Thursday, April 15, 1971 pg. 5 Services were held Tuesday in Earnheart Funeral Chapel for Mrs. C.C. McKenna, 81, who died Saturday in a Whitewright nursing home. Burial was in the City Cemetery with Rev. William E. Grisson of Whitewright conducting the service. Mrs. McKenna was born May 15, 1889 in Mabank, Texas, daughter of A.K. and Susan Kennard. She married Charles Carlton McKenna September 10, 1907 in Tom Bean. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bells. Survivors are two daughters, Mrs. G.L. True of Jacksonville, Florida, and Mrs. Fred Clark of Denison; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Before moving to Whitewright in 1948, Mrs. McKenna had lived on the Wallace Wilson place for 25 years. Pallbearers were Dick Walker, Charlie Ayres, Elbert Bennett, Lloyd Alexander, Bill Pettit and Ralph Judd.  Whitewright City Cemetery Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |
