Laura W. McKinney was born to Susan Rebecca [nee: McClellan] McKinney and Clark Watson McKinney on May 6, 1865 in Adams county, Illinois. While the details of "why" are still being researched, Laura, at some point came to live with her grandparents, Samuel McClellan and Mary Nicholson McClellan, parents of Susan Rebecca. Her father, Clark Watson, murdered William Harrison Reeder in 1882 and was tried, convicted, sentenced to hang and sent to the Kansas State Penitentiary for execution. He was not directly involved in Laura's life; however, he wrote a letter from prison to his nephew, Charles Calvin McKinney, who at the time was living near Newcastle, California, farming a fruit orchard. In the letter, Clark asked his nephew to request of his father, Clark's brother, William McKinney, to move Laura from living with her dying grandmother in Adams county, Illinois, to Sumner county, Kansas, and care for Laura. It appears that William was not speaking with Clark, most likely because of the murder of Reeder by Clark; otherwise, Clark would have directly asked his older brother.
Laura's grandmother passed on March 18, 1890, and was buried in Wesley Chapel Cemetery near Mendon, Adams county, Illinois. A newspaper obituary for Laura indicated that it was believed that Laura, who died four years and three days later, was living somewhere in Missouri at the time of her death. It was further reported that she had lived with William and Eliza Simmons following her grandmother's death.
Research continues to learn more about the Simmons, to confirm that Laura was in Missouri at the time of her death, to determine why the Simmons would have been the care givers. It is assumed, but not confirmed, that Laura may have had some type of disability and required care though she was an adult.
Wherever Laura died, she was buried in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery near both sets of her grandparents, the McClellans and the McKinneys.
No memorial has been created for Laura's mother, Susan Rebecca McClellan, as no record of her has been found following the 1870 Federal Census which shows she is again living with her mother and siblings and going by her maiden name of McClellan.
Laura's grandmother passed on March 18, 1890, and was buried in Wesley Chapel Cemetery near Mendon, Adams county, Illinois. A newspaper obituary for Laura indicated that it was believed that Laura, who died four years and three days later, was living somewhere in Missouri at the time of her death. It was further reported that she had lived with William and Eliza Simmons following her grandmother's death.
Research continues to learn more about the Simmons, to confirm that Laura was in Missouri at the time of her death, to determine why the Simmons would have been the care givers. It is assumed, but not confirmed, that Laura may have had some type of disability and required care though she was an adult.
Wherever Laura died, she was buried in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery near both sets of her grandparents, the McClellans and the McKinneys.
No memorial has been created for Laura's mother, Susan Rebecca McClellan, as no record of her has been found following the 1870 Federal Census which shows she is again living with her mother and siblings and going by her maiden name of McClellan.
Laura W. McKinney was born to Susan Rebecca [nee: McClellan] McKinney and Clark Watson McKinney on May 6, 1865 in Adams county, Illinois. While the details of "why" are still being researched, Laura, at some point came to live with her grandparents, Samuel McClellan and Mary Nicholson McClellan, parents of Susan Rebecca. Her father, Clark Watson, murdered William Harrison Reeder in 1882 and was tried, convicted, sentenced to hang and sent to the Kansas State Penitentiary for execution. He was not directly involved in Laura's life; however, he wrote a letter from prison to his nephew, Charles Calvin McKinney, who at the time was living near Newcastle, California, farming a fruit orchard. In the letter, Clark asked his nephew to request of his father, Clark's brother, William McKinney, to move Laura from living with her dying grandmother in Adams county, Illinois, to Sumner county, Kansas, and care for Laura. It appears that William was not speaking with Clark, most likely because of the murder of Reeder by Clark; otherwise, Clark would have directly asked his older brother.
Laura's grandmother passed on March 18, 1890, and was buried in Wesley Chapel Cemetery near Mendon, Adams county, Illinois. A newspaper obituary for Laura indicated that it was believed that Laura, who died four years and three days later, was living somewhere in Missouri at the time of her death. It was further reported that she had lived with William and Eliza Simmons following her grandmother's death.
Research continues to learn more about the Simmons, to confirm that Laura was in Missouri at the time of her death, to determine why the Simmons would have been the care givers. It is assumed, but not confirmed, that Laura may have had some type of disability and required care though she was an adult.
Wherever Laura died, she was buried in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery near both sets of her grandparents, the McClellans and the McKinneys.
No memorial has been created for Laura's mother, Susan Rebecca McClellan, as no record of her has been found following the 1870 Federal Census which shows she is again living with her mother and siblings and going by her maiden name of McClellan.
Laura's grandmother passed on March 18, 1890, and was buried in Wesley Chapel Cemetery near Mendon, Adams county, Illinois. A newspaper obituary for Laura indicated that it was believed that Laura, who died four years and three days later, was living somewhere in Missouri at the time of her death. It was further reported that she had lived with William and Eliza Simmons following her grandmother's death.
Research continues to learn more about the Simmons, to confirm that Laura was in Missouri at the time of her death, to determine why the Simmons would have been the care givers. It is assumed, but not confirmed, that Laura may have had some type of disability and required care though she was an adult.
Wherever Laura died, she was buried in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery near both sets of her grandparents, the McClellans and the McKinneys.
No memorial has been created for Laura's mother, Susan Rebecca McClellan, as no record of her has been found following the 1870 Federal Census which shows she is again living with her mother and siblings and going by her maiden name of McClellan.
Inscription
Laura W. McKinney
May 6, 1865
Mar. 21, 1894
Gravesite Details
The marker is shared by other members of the family and is in decent condition with the exception of the golden lichen growing on the marker.
Family Members
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