Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 6th ed., 1887,
Shelby Co.

STEPHEN P. McKINLEY was born in Shelby County, Ky., March 27, 1827.  His
father, William McKinley, was born in 1799, in Shelby County, a son of
William Sr., who was a native of Ireland.  The mother of our subject was
Ellen Beard, daughter of William Beard, of Nelson County, and was born in
1801.  The Beards were of Irish nationality.  Mrs. McKinley died in 1833
of cholera, and her husband in 1835.  They were both members of the Baptist
Church.  Stephen P. is the third of eight children, five of whom grew to
maturity: James, Alexander (deceased), Stephen P., Felix (deceased) and
Adam (deceased).  Our subject was educated at Terre Haute, Ind., and St.
Joseph's College, Bardstown, Ky.  In October, 1851, he began merchandising
at Wilsonville, Ky., and continued thus for five years.  He then engaged
in the mule trade for a period of two years, when he began farming and
handling fine horses, which occupations he has since followed, and is the
owner of some very fine trotters and thoroughbred horses, some of which
have taken premiums.  He is also the owner of 490 acres of land.  September
13, 1853, he married Mariam, daughter of Jonathan and Polly (Stout) Kester.
She died in December, 1854, a member of the Baptist Church.  September 16,
1856, he married Margaret Kester, adopted daughter of J. Kester.  Her
real name is Margaret Taggart, and she is a daughter of William Taggart.
She was born in 1838, and is a member of the Methodist Church.  The
Taggarts are of Irish ancestry, but long residents of Shelby County.  To
this union five children were born: John W. (deceased), Mary I., Lulu,
Hattie E. and Charles A.  Mr. McKinley was the first to introduce
pedigreed thoroughbred Chester white hogs into his county, and he and J. P.
Beard the first to bring thoroughbred Berkshire hogs, Shorthorn cattle and
Cotswold sheep, also corn planters, into their own and surrounding
counties.  Mr. McKinley and Dr. Heady were the first to buy the left hand
plow for several counties round about, and Mr. McKinley the first to
purchase a binder within a number of adjacent counties.

McKinley Beard Stout Kester Taggart Heady
=
Bardstown-Nelson-KY IN

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/shelby/mckinley.sp.txt