The Minor Family of Somerset

Illinois historical Biographical Chapter XVI page 819
"McKinnon, John T. TheMcKinnon family has always exhibited it
s patriotic spirit whenever occasion demanded and in both war a
nd peace its members have been true, loyal citizens. They are a
ssociated with the early history of Effingham County and have no
bly borne their part in its upbuilding and development. One o
f the representatives of this well-known and honored family is J
ohn T. McKinnon, a farmerof Summit Township, on the Sebuttie fa
rm of ninety-six acres. He was born inWatson Township, Decembe
r 29, 1844, a son of William and E. Sarah (Gillespie) McKinnon
, both the families being prominent pioneers of Effingham County
.
William McKinnon was born in North Carolina and he came with hi
s mother toIllinois about 1835. They settled in what is now kn
own as Watson Township, Effingham County, where he entered lan
d and improved a farm of eighty acres.This he later sold and w
as preparing to go to Texas, everything being packedin the wago
ns awaiting the start when he was taken ill and died, March 10 1
856. He and his wife had five children: Mary H. widow of Thoma
s Sharp, who was a farmer of Watson Township; Elizabeth, wife o
f Marion Campbell of Effingham; Susan, deceased; John T; and Jos
eph a farmer and dairyman of Watson Township.
Like many other farmer boys, John T. McKinnon spent his youthfu
l Days attending the district school and working upon his mother
's farm. He remainedat home until the outbreak of the war, whe
n he enlisted, July 4 1862, in Company I, Seventy-first Illinoi
s Volunteer Infantry, for three months' service.The regiment w
as sent to Jackson County, Ill., and assigned to guard duty.Se
ptember 28 1862 Mr. McKinnon was discharged and returned home
. In April, 1863, he enlisted for 100 Days service in Company D
, One Hundred Thirty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and wa
s sent to Pilot Knob, Mo., and again assigned to garrison duty u
ntil his discharge, September 18 1863. February 4,1864, he enl
isted in Company H. One Hundred Fifty-fourth Illinois Voluntee
rInfantry; for one year, and being sent south was at Murfreesbo
ro, Tenn., when the news arrived of the assassination of Preside
nt Lincoln. The regiment was kept in Tennessee until October, 1
865, when he was mustered out being discharged at Springfield, I
llinois.
At the close of his service in the army Mr. McKinnon returned h
ome and resumed farm work. During his service he had lost his m
other,, who died in 1863. March 11, 1866, he married Electa Lev
itt, born in Tummit Township, daughter of Fabian Levitt, one o
f the pioneers ofEffingham County, who died in 1864. After hi
s marriage Mr. McKinnon purchased forty acres of lan in Watson T
ownship and commenced improving it. It was covered mosty with b
rush, but he kept at work until ghe had evolved a good home, whe
re his children were born. Here the family lived until 1876, wh
en Mr. McKinnon sold out and moved to Jasper County, Illinois, r
enting eighty acres, where he lived until 1890, shen he bought 1
00 acres of good timber land.He sold this in 1895 and rented l
and in Jefferson County three years, but returned to Jasper Coun
ty in 1898 and in 1899 to Effingham County. He rented afarm o
f 120 acres in Watson Township until 1902 then bought forty acre
s inthe same township. In 1906 he sold this farm and rented la
nd in Douglas Township, remaining on it until 1909 when he rente
d ninety-six acres in Summit Township, where he now resides.
Children were born to Mr. McKinnon and his wifeas follows: Capt
ain William McKinnon of Newton, who was a member of Company B. F
ourth United States Infantry, and was Color Sergeant of his comp
any, under General FitzHugh Lee during the Spanish-American War
, is now Captain of Company B. Fourth Regiment Illinois Nationa
l Guard; George P. foreman of the Morton docks of Chicago, wher
e he has lived the p