1999 Heart and History

McKinnon Family

Daniel McKinnon, native of Kentyre, Scotland, immigrated to America with his wife, Gracie Currie, and his first born son, Peter McKinnon, about the year 1778. The date of his marriage to Gracie Currie and birth of his first child are not certainly know. They sailed on the sailing vessel, "Industry". On the sixth day from land, their first daughter, Christian, was born. They encountered bad weather and severe seas. Their vessel having become partially disabled, they had to resort continually to the pumps to keep it from sinking. They drifted far from the course, and landed in Charleston instead of New York, where they had expected to land. The voyage lasted 11 weeks, and was attended with much suffering and danger, they were short of water and food part of the time.

His first location was in Richmond County, on the place later owned by Ann Blue. After one year, he bought two tracts of land, about two miles south of his first location. His first building on this land was near the residence of Angus McKinnon. Having lived there a few years, he built on a sand hill near what is known as "Duck Pond" where he lived until his death, having six sons and six daughters born to him. He died about the age of 65 years. His children were: Peter, Christian, Mary, Katie, Duncan, Jeanette, Daniel, Margaret, Flora, Alexander C, John and Murdock McKinnon.

We will deal only with the tenth child, Alexander C McKinnon, in this history. It was some of his descendants who came to Holmes County to live. He lived in what is now Scotland County, near the South Carolina line. He is said to have acquired considerable land but sold it for Confederate money to help finance the Civil War, and in that way lost it. He was married three times, first to Sarah McMillan, second to Charlotte Cameron, and last to Sarah McQueen Currie. He died in 1870. There were no children by the first marriage. By the second there were three: Cameron, Daniel, and Sarah. And by the last marriage, there were five: Arch, Martin, Catherine, Alexander, James, and Angus Currie.

It was the descendants of Alexander C McKinnon’s son Daniel McKinnon who came into Holmes County to settle. Daniel McKinnon married Eugenia Cartledge and they were the parents of seven children: Eddie A; Arch; Lula; Dan C; Green C; Early, and Rosa Cleveland McKinnon who was married to Charles Kendrick.

G C McKINNON (1883 – 1962)

Green C McKinnon of founder of the McKinnon Music Company of Bonifay and Pensacola and head the organization for 52 years. At one time the firm had a branch in Troy, Ala., and distributed organs and pianos throughout South Alabama and West Florida. He lived in Bonifay for years before moving to Pensacola. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bonifay and other organizations.

He was an outstanding Civic leader and worker, and was generous to all worthy causes. At one time he leased to the city, land for Bonifay’s airport free of charge.

It was he who shared with Holmes Countians the old letter from Jonas Chickering. Some of his brothers remained in Holmes County.

Excerpts used with permission of publisher, Sue Cronkite, from Heart and History of Holmes County, by Anna Paget Wells. This 347-page book is full of info, stories, and pictures. It can be ordered from the Holmes County Advertiser, 112 E Virginia Avenue, Bonifay, FL 32425; phone 850-547-2270.