The Trails of Our Past

My Grandparent’s House
By: Dusty Williams

For as long as I can remember, every Christmas Eve has been spent at my grandparents at 576 N. Main, formerly 402. It has, for me, created many festive memories of family gatherings for many generations of my family. I’ve often wondered who else made this their home and created memories such as mine, for surely a house as old as this has many tales to tell…and so our story begins.

My grandparents, Wayne and Sherry Ferguson Jeffers, bought the house in 1979 for themselves and their two daughters. Since living here, they have had many occasions throughout the years when someone will stop and share a story about their home. One of the earliest stories that I can remember hearing about is that an elderly woman stopped by and proclaimed that she used to live there with her aunt. At the time of her residence, her mother passed away and they held the funeral in the living room of the house. Another instance of a time gone by first made an appearance when my grandparents turned the upstairs loft area into an actual bedroom. While removing some paneling, they uncovered an old leather strap that was used to sharpen a shaving blade…they couldn’t understand why it was placed behind a wall. Sometime later the mystery revealed itself when a man stopped by who also laid claim to a past residence here. His family resided here and in order to prevent further punishment by way of a leather strap, this gentleman hid the leather to save his hide.

Although much of the intricate history of any home can never truly be known, some interesting facts have been uncovered about my grandparent's house, alt hough it has not formerly been published in any histories that I am aware of.  The house over at 576 N. Main was originally the Doc McKinney homestead and was located two doors down from his sister, Mrs. W.H. Cave.  James David Leslie McKinney, or "Doc" as he was referred to was the grandson of local pioneer, Collin McKinney and son of Younger Scott McKinney.  Doc was born on September 28, 1857 and was raised on his father's farm east of town off of what is now Jim Cannon road.  Doc was married on December 2, 1878 to Sarah Margaret Bradley.  Maggie was born in Tennessee on July 24, 1857, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Waters Bradley.  Mrs. McKinney served as the first president of Parsonage and Home Mission society, which would later evolve into the Woman's Missionary Society.  In 1885, Doc moved from his farm near Cannon and purchased the lot on N. Main Street on February 20, 1885 from S.L. McKinney.  It is not know if the three room house was already there, or if Doc McKinney built it.  However, if it was not alreaady three, then it was most definitely built in 1885 as Doc took up residence that year, according to his own personal statements.  According to records, Doc purchased lot 1 in block 1, so it is likely that Doc built, or had the house built...this is the same house that currently stands, although it has been added on to since the 1885 construction.

Newspaper articles and other histories reveal that Doc McKinney was very involved with the Methodist Church, sometimes even officiating funerals.  In regards to his occupation, all records indicate that he was a dry goods salesman for 20 years and a salesman for the Sherman Nursery Company and Terrell Nursery.  When my grandparents moved here in 1879, there were Plum, Apple, Peach and Pear trees on the property.  There has also been evidence of newspaper ads promoting the sale of "Doc McKinney's Plums" in Pilot Grove.  One of Doc's favorite possessions was the pen that was used by Colling McKinney to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence...thus meaning that the artifact was once housed at 576 N. Main in Van Alstyne.

Doc and Maggie were the parents of Eula, Sewell, Virginia, Pauline and Vincent. All of the children, except for Eula, were born at or near the McKinney home on Main Street. Of his many titles, Doc was also one of the Vice Presidents of the Collin McKinney Descendants Memorial Association. Doc passed away on Oct. 6, 1932, followed by Maggie on November 2, 1936. The couple were interred in the Van Alstyne Cemetery where many of their friends and relatives are also at rest.

Front Row (L-R): J. D. L. McKinney, Virginia McKinney Eagleton, Vincient McKinney, Maggie McKinney, Pauline McKinney Shervill
Back Row (L-R): Eula McKinney Ferris, Raymond Ferris, Anabel Hughes McKinney, Sewell McKinney

J. D. L. McKINNEY - James David Leslie McKinney; nickname "Doc"
VINCENT McKINNEY - nickname "Vinson"
MAGGIE McKINNEY - Sarah Margaret McKinney; nickname "Maggie"

ANABEL HUGHES McKINNEY, a niece, was reared by the J. D. L. McKinney family. Her mother, Molly, was Maggie McKinney's sister.  She died very young and left Anabel, a very small child.

The Cave House, which is two doors to the north, is a history in its own right, having been built by Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Cave. The house in between the two homes served as a boarding house, catering to the Interurban railway which ran directly behind all three properties. Around 1948 and the last year of the Interurban, Cecil and Stella Bastell purchased the property and turned the boarding house into a residence. From Stella the Jeffers family learned many things about the history of their neighborhood. On one occasion, Stella gave the family some encyclopedias from the 1800’s that had been given to her by Miss Cave, a school teacher from next door. 

As the tides of time continue to sweep across Texoma, my grandparent’s house sits quietly tucked away over on North Main Street, across from the tracks that built this town. Although just as old and important, perhaps even older, as many of the early homes in Van Alstyne, it has casually escaped fame and publication from many of the local histories. Regardless of its future, the house has been the shelter of many happy memories since the earliest days of Van Alstyne.

To be published in the Van Alstyne Leader
Dusty Williams is the author of "The Trails of Our Past" column, which will be printed twice a month in the Leader.