McKinney, Arthur L.
Miami Union
2/21/1901
Chaplain 71st OVI
Yesterday morning, another old and respected citizen was gathered to his fathers
and passed to his everlasting reward, mourned by all who knew him in his long
life of usefulness.
The remarkable career of Arthur L. McKinney, teacher, professor, soldier,
lawyer, preacher and office holder, is set forth in the following excelled
tribute to his memory which we copy form the Daily Record.
Captain E.S. Williams, who had an acquaintance with Judge McKinney extending
over a period of 45 years and who is perhaps as well or better acquainted with
his life than any other Trojan, furnished The Record with the following facts
concerning the deceased:
Judge McKinney was a product of Mad River Township, Clark county, where he was
born September 16, 1819 in a log house.
While a lad of 40 years his father removed to Montgomery county, Ind.
The farm, on which they lived, near Enon, earned by hard work, was sold
for $7 an acre. The Indiana house
was located 13 miles from Crawfordsville.
That county was then the “far west” and it was there that Judge McKinney
received his knowledge of early pioneer life.
His father, in addition to being a backwoods farmer, was also a
“backwoods” preacher, said to be one of the ablest in the western Indiana
conference.
Judge McKinney was married March 7, 1841, to Maria McFall, daughter of John and
Elizabeth (McGregor) McFall, of Wilmington, this state.
They were the parents of eight children, four surviving:
Mr. L. M. Northcutt, reporter on The Record; John M.; Mrs. Z.T. Dorman,
of Greenville; and Mrs. Hiram Julian, of this city.
In 1848 Judge McKinney was ordained a minister of the Christian church of the
western Indiana conference. He
entered Wabash College, remaining there five years, maintaining himself and
family by preaching and teaching, neither of which afforded much of an income.
In 1853 he was chosen a member of the faculty of Antioch College.
He taught there two years.
In 1857 he returned to Troy and organized the Troy Christian church, which now
numbers over 400 members. He became
its pastor and remained in that capacity until he was commissioned captain and
chaplain of the Seventy first O.V.I., March 22, 1862.
He served the full term of his enlistment, or until March 22, 1865, being
mustered out at new Market, Tenn.
He returned to Troy and the following year was elected treasurer of the county,
and in 1868 re-elected, thus serving four years.
In 1871 he was elected probate judge of this county, serving six years as
we was re-elected in 1875. He then
engaged in the practice of law, although at an age when other men generally
retire. In April, 1984, he was
elected mayor of Troy and served three terms.
His last term ended April 1900.
This sketch would not be complete without referring to the Masonic history of
the deceased. He was made a Mason
in December, 1846, at Thorntown, Ind.
In 1852, at Attica, Ind., he received the Royal Arch degrees, in 1866 the
Knight Templar in Reed Commandery at Dayton and in 1891 the Scottish rite
degrees in the Cincinnati consistory.
He filled all the offices in master Masonry, chapter, council and
commandery, serving as principal sojourner 28 years.
He was regarded as one of the brightest Masons in Ohio.
Judge McKinney was one of life’s toilers, and for him there was no cessation in
life’s battle. Born and reared amid
the hardships of pioneer life, he had from early boyhood to a ripe old age been
a constant worker. Under
difficulties that would dismay the stoutest heart he acquired a good classical
education, and amid all his work he found time to write several books for the
people and the church.
In the prime of his life he was a skilled debater and met the rough but forcible
Denton on his own platform in 1856 and gave the champion of infidelity a
completed drubbing. He was honored
by the citizens of the country, by his church, by the brethren of the mystic
tie, and in the old age by the people of Troy.
In this sketch I have not touched upon his characteristics as a man nor analyzed his ability as a speaker or a writer, nor have I portrayed the trials or sorrows of Judge McKinney’s life. Thousands of interesting points in his career could be related. In general, however, I can say with emphasis that he passed to the great beyond with a conscience at peace and with relation of peace with all the world.
from Martin Stewart Troy, Ohio Author "Redemption The History of the 71st Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War"
Provided by Computerized
Heritage Association.
All Rights Reserved.