Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.
Alva Thatcher McKinney, son of Jerome B. and Joanna Myers McKinney, who came to Robinson in April 1923 from Springfield, Missouri, before that we lived in Salina and Wichita, Kansas, Dayton and Columbus, Ohio. I was born in Galloway, Ohio.
Grandfather Johnathan McKinney, Grandmother Martha Brierby McKinney, raised twelve children and lived on a farm near Harrisburg, Ohio. Grandfather was in the Civil War while Grandmother kept the farm and the family going.
My wife, Lillian Anna Emery McKinney, was born in Zanesville, Ohio, and her parents were Zenas Johnson and Virginia Hannum Emery.
Our children are Virginia Lillian McKinney Harvey who lives in Springfield, Illinois and her husband, Thomas Merideth Harvey, born in Mt.Vernon, Ill. and their son, Thomas Nelson Harvey was born in Robinson and is now attending U. of S. University. Betty Ruth McKinney, born in Robinson, who married Frank Harwood Corwin of Robinson, and to them were born three children, Jane, William and Frank Harwood Corwin.
I was with the Ohio Oil Company for thirty years, now retired.
My wife and I are members of the Christian Science Church of Robinson, and have been with this faith for forty-five years.