McKinney Cemetery, Montgomery County, Arkansas

McKinney Cemetery

The McKinney Cemetery is north of Mt Ida, Montgomery County, Arkansas. From Mt Ida take Hwy 27 north five miles, turn right at the Sweet Home Church, and go two miles down South Fork Road until the gravel road ends by Lake Ouachita. Fenced and looks like someone is maintaining the area, keeping back the undergrowth and the grass mowed. Not a good place to go fishing the water is too shallow and it is an isolated spot. It is out in the boondocks for sure. This cemetery transcription completed in 1 and half hour, on a hot day in July 2001 by Olwyn. 137 graves approximately including forty-four fieldstones. The oldest marked grave was Samuel Cunningham. He was born in Virginia in 1791 and died in 1858. Four CSA soldiers are buried here.
George P. McKinney served Co. I 33 AR Inf.
Will Meeks, 2008 photo FAG, military headstone.
J.L. Pope does not have a military headstone.
Sheffield, Pinkney F 1832-1896 - headstone probably placed after2007.
The rows are not straight so missed a few when compared with the Montgomery Counties Arkansas Cemeteries book which lists an additional names and information. Someone did very well with the cemetery book transcription, very few mistakes. I did not have time to re-walk the cemetery. The rows run east - west with Row One starting to the right of the gate. Find a grave, 2007, 110 interments.

26 Sept. 2023. Visited the cemetery in the evening, still well maintained, measured the big white oak, 11ft in circumference i.e. 132 inches, oaks grow just under an inch a year depending on weather conditions so maybe this tree is about 130 years old. Was it planted? I like how the bronze military markers are mounted in rock. Findagrave now has 144 records for this cemetery, 127 headstone photos, 17 with no grave photograph and one open photo request for Ida McKinney 1860-1882. Arkansas Gravesone.org more up-to-date with photos of headstones. Datascout has the cemetery recorded "CEMETERY MCKENNEY--SHEFFIELD IDA" 1 acre. Section 15 2S Range 24 West, Sweet Home Rd.

1a Fryar Elizabeth Nov 24 1821 - Dec 13 1909 Asleep in Jesus blessed asleep 1b McKinney James May 13 1829 - Sep 13 1887 s/o of Reuben's brother, William who lived in Barry Co. Mo. 2a fs 2b base only 2c McKinney George P. Mar 18 1832 - Oct 26 1897 Mason Emblem 2d McKinney M. Feb 16 1852 - Feb 18 1859 2e MFM fieldstone 3a base only 3b (McKinney) Nora Oct 28 1889 aged 17 years and 18 days w/o TD Selrese 3c Burton Cynthia Mar 17 1883 - 1884 d/o WL & Martha M McKinney Burton broken 3d McKinney Elender Feb 14 1826 - Sep 25 1877 d/o Elizabeth "Betsy" Goodner and Garrett Fryar, w/o GP McKinney 3e Sheffield Ottie Mae May 20 1908 - Oct 2 1956 3f Sheffield Verda Aug 30 1906 - Jun 2 1972 4 fs 4a McKinney Leaniah Jan 23 1862 - Aug 13 1871 4b McKinney James Jan 2 1860 - May 12 1872 s/o Eleanor & George P. McKinney 4c Sheffield Margaret Apr 11 1891 - Jun 4 1964 4e Sheffield A.G. "Thad" 1865 - 1939 Gross Mortuary 4f Sheffield Courtney Eform_ Sep 2 1861 - Sep 21 1890 4g Sheffield Jane 1917 - 1921 4g Sheffield Holder 1915 - 1919 4h Sheffield David Aug 20 1884 - Oct 7 1892 4i Greek Forrest G. Mar 2 1898 - May 3 1973 4j fs 5a McKinney George P. 1908 - 1910 5b L McK footstone 5c fs 5d I McK footstone 5e fs 5f fs 5h fs 5i Sheffield Sonny & Wanda 1915 - 1932 5j fs 5k fs 5l b. Oct 20 18__ broken 5m fs 7h Mayberry Tracy Nichole May 10 1988 - May 27 1988 8 7 fieldstones 8h Scrimshire Mack Oct 16 1903 - Aug 9 1996 In loving memory 8i Scrimshire W. Edward Jan 21 1908 - Jul 26 1978 8j Scrimshire Lizzie 1873 - 1948 8k Hanshew Lona 1906 - 1926 8l Scrimshire Edmond 1907 - Jul 26 1978 8m Scrimshire Wiley 1872 - 1908 8n Sheffield Carra Mae Bell Sep 16 1907 - Nov 5 1998 Thornton FHM 8o Sheffield Ross C. May 20 1894 - Dec 12 1971 Ark CPL US Army WWII 8p Sheffield Curtes 1932 - 1996 Thornton FHM 8q illegible FHM 8r fs 8s Sheffield Chester Jun 9 1977 age 3 months 5 days Thornton FHM 9a McKinney Mary Ida Oct 20 1901 - May 15 1902 9b Scrimshire Thomas Jefferson 1897- Nov 29 1899 9c Fox J.D. Dec 30 1858 - Sep 17 1895 9d fs 9e Bates Malice Mirlia Mar 16 1909 - Jun 30 1910 d/o JF & L Bates 9f Bates John Freeman Feb 26 1859 - May 3 1936 9g Housley Lanthe Sep 2 1885 - May 18 1970 Mason Emblem 10a White Lena Geral Dean Dec 3 1929 10b White Everett L. Jan 5 1921 - Dec 28 1983 Tec 4 US Army WWII 10c White Clint Nov 15 1893 - May 13 1996 Andrew Clinton White m. Dora McKinney 5 Jul 1916 10c White Dora Aug 15 1892 - Aug 15 1876 10d McKinney Norsis Cockburn 1853 - 1901 10d McKinney Reubin Jr 1850 - 1935 10e broken illegible 10f fs broken 10g Smith James M. Jan 4 1881 - Feb 15 1946 At Rest 10h fs 11a White Gene C. Oct 28 1930 - Mar 21 1991 11b BM 11c NM 11d Meeks 1854 - 1935 11e McKinney Reubin Sr. 1805 - fieldstone broken 11f McKinney Pulcherry 1815 - 1870-1880 11g fs 11h fs 11i McKinney ?Martha Sep 24 1924 age 77 M.J.?(difficult to read) d/o Russell Cockburn & Celia Carroll 11j fs 11k Cunningham Samuel Jan 4 1791 VA - Jul 1858 ARK 11l Pope Cynthia Jane Jun 22 1841 - Aug 22 1023 Cunningham 11l Pope James Dec 25 1834 - Aug 28 1903 One peaceful home we once enjoyed, how sweet their memory still, but they have left an aching void The world can never fill 11m Pope Flora A. Jun 29 1908 - Jul 21 1994 11n 8 fieldstones in bed surrounded by concrete edge 12a-f fieldstones 12g Sheffield illegible d. Aug 13 1890 12h fs 12i fs 12j Sheffield Naoma Mae Oct 19 1904 - Oct 20 1988 12j Sheffield Charles Pinkney Jul 29 1896 - Dec 21 1984 12k Mayberry Florene Faye age 70 years 9 months 18 days Davis Smith 12j Mayberry John Leroy Jan 16 1920 - May 5 1983 13a McKinney Frank Dec 25 1880 - Aug 25 1884 13b Pope Lonie L. Aug 17 1901 - Jan 23 1985 Thornton FHM 13c Pope Theadosia Nov 7 1872 - Jan 25 1912 13d Pope J.L. Feb 18 1869 - Apr 8 1915 13e Meeks William (no dates) Co. E. Monroe's AR CAV CSA 13f Bates Russell Oct 5 1911 - Oct 9 1936 Westbrook FH Glenwood 13g Dec 1936 14a fs 14b fs 14c McKinney John (no dates) Bugler Co. D. 4 Ark Cav. 14e McKinney Cicely 1844 - 1926 Mother 14f McKinney illegible At Rest 14f Mayberry John 1890 - Nov 30 1951 FHM 14g Mayberry James Woodrow Nov 29 1917 - Mar 30 1983 PFC US Army WWII 14g Mayberry Nellie Meeks 1891 - 1977 FHM 14h Mayberry Margaret Feb 22 1923 - Sep 15 2000 Loving mother and grandmother 15i Hovell Flora A. 1865 - 1954 15k Hughbanks Maude Mar 8 1884 - Mar 11 1978 15j Hughbanks P.L. Mar 1 1881 - May 17 1954 16a Standridge Two infants of T.W. 17a Standridge Lillie M. Mar 23 1887 - Jan 24 1940 17a Standridge Thomas 1886 - 1964 17c Gossett Minnie 1889 - 17c Gossett William 1884 - 1956 17d Gossett W.P. 1885 - 1965 17e Gossett William Allen 1918 - Sep 25 1984 PFC US Army WWII Thornton FH 66 years 8m 25 days 17f Mayberry Junior William Nov 6 1931 - Jul 17 1932 17g Mayberry Leon N. Jul 3 1934 - Jan 29 1989 Dixon FH Danville, AR 17h Cornwell FH Montgomery Counties Arkansas Cemeteries 1986 Names I missed when compared to the book. Maybe they don't have headstones? I checked Findagrave. *has headstone photo* *Anderson, Paul J. 1941-Jul 28 1996 *Bates, Alice Marie 1909-Jun 28 1910 Carpenter, Marvin d. Dec. 1931 Cearley, Susan Oneal Medlock Aug/Sep 28 1806-1862 w/o Samuel Cunningham and John Clearly *Easley, Savannah McKinney Baker (Oct. 1971 FAG) 1872-1900 w/o Marion M. Baker & FL Easley. d/o Cicely & John McKinney *Howard: Dovie, Jeanine, Joanne, Maurice, Paul and infant 1927 McKinney, Ida Dec 12 1860-Feb 24 1882 McKinney, infant Feb 16 1882- Feb 18 1882 *Meeks, William Harley Dec 16 1932-1934 rock marker (now has headstone Sept. 2023) Pope, Arson 1904 Pope, twins 1912 *Scrimshire, Edward 1907-Jul 26 1978 *Sheffield Charles -Dec 2 1984 *Sheffield, Oma 1905-Sep 1988 (fag Naoma 1904-1988) Shield no dates veteran Wood, Richard S. May 18 1833 - Apr 8 1855

MCKINNEY
James McKinney was born 1773 in Culpeper Co. VA, and his will was probated Nov. 13,1865 in Limestone Co. AL. He married Delila Caldwell about 1803 in Giles County, Tennessee/Limestone County, Alabama (Mississippi Territory). She was born Nov. 28, 1779 in Virginia/East Tennessee, and died Sept. 29, 1881 in Limestone Co., AL. They were life long residents of Limestone Co., AL and during their marriage had thirteen children, four who died as children.

Their son, Reuben McKinney was born 1805 and died 1883 in Montgomery Co., AR. He married Pulcharia (Pulcherry) Crabb about 1830 in Limestone Co., AL. She was born 1815 in Marshall Co., TN, and died between 1870 - 1880 in Montgomery Co., AR. The Reuben McKinney fanily settled down South Fork about seven miles north of Mt Ida.

Reuben and Pulcherry had the following children who survived to adulthood: 1 Mary (Polly) b. abt 1834 Hot Springs Co. AR d. abt. 1856 Montgomery Co. AR m. Isaac Southerland 2 N. Beunaparte b. abt 1837 Hot Springs Co. AR d. May 25 1865 In a train wreck, on the way home from the Civil War, between Knoxville and Chattanooga, TN. 3 Elizabeth b. abt 1840 Hot Springs Co. AR d. after 1880 4 William b. April 1842 Hot Springs Co. AR d. Jul. 18 1922 Silver Montgomery Co., AR m. Martha Cockburn 5 Nancy b. abt 1844 Silver Montgomery Co. AR m1 Mr. Hill m2 W. Taylor Fulton 6 John b. Dec 25 1847 Flat Creek Barry Co. Mo. d. Aug. 6 1884 Silver Montgomery Co. AR m. Cicly (Sis) Meeks. John was killed by John P. McKinnion according to the Widows Pension papers filed by Cicly 7 George b. abt 1848 Flat Creek Barry Co. Mo. d. after 1883 8 Reuben b. Jan 1 1850 Silver d. Jan. 10 1935 Silver m. Narcis Cockburn. 9 Samuel b. Nov. 1852 Silver d. Dec. 14 1908 Montgomery Co. AR m1 Frances West m2 Mary J. Taylor 10 Sarah Ann b. Dec. 1854 Silver d. Mar. 10 1935 Montgomery Co. AR m. William Meeks

Notes for Reuben McKinney:
Limestone Co., AL, Census for 1830. He and Pulcherry appear with no children.
Hot Springs Co., AR Tax Records: 1832-1844 Taxes Paid
Hot Springs Co., AR Census for 1840. Reuben and Pulcherry appear with two children.
Sulpher Spring Township Montgomery Co. AR. Census for 1850. Reuben and Pulcherry appear with eight children.

Reuben and his brother, William, were appointed school inspectors (Surveyors) in March 1848, Barry Co., Mo., when School Township No. 9 was established for T-23 R-26. He lived there temporarily while his brother, who had moved from Limestone Co., Al, became established.

Montgomery Co., AR. Census for 1850-1870. Reuben appears with Pulcherry and other family.
South Fork Twp Montgomery Co. 1872 List of Persons assessed for Taxation: McKinney R
Montgomery Co., AR Census for 1880 Reuben appears without Pulcherry living with family.

Reuben's father James had other brothers. George P. McKinney's father, William C. McKinney m. Mahaly (Allie) Wilkerson. Rueben's (1805-1883) sister, Mary, m. George Wilkerson (Allie's brother). So Rueben was an uncle to George P. McKinney by marriage. William and Allie did travel with the Reuben McKinney family to Hot Spring Co. AR. They are all on the store register in Hot Spring Co. AR. Montgomery Co. AR was formed from Hot Spring Co. in 1842. William C. McKinney was killed in Hot Spring Co. in 1838-39, over a land dispute and his wife, married James Ginnens 2 April 1840. Information courtesy of Gabrielle McKinney. Please Gabrielle if you have further information on the McKinney family or you would like information. Posted 18 August 2001.

Savannah McKinney, daughter of John, married Marion Baker 15 May 1892. On 19 Nov 1899 Savannah married Frank L. Easley. They had one son, Frank EASLEY, Jr. Savannah died shortly after Frank, Jr. was born. Frank Logan Easley then married Martha E. SANDLIN 20 Mar. 1901. He was 42 yrs. old & she was 21 and had been born and raised in Mt. Ida, AR. Frank L. had left home at an early age & wandered onto an Indian reservation where he lived with the Indians for a long period of time and was a good friend of the Cherokee Indians. Information courtesy of Gloria Swensson. Posted 18 August 2001.

SHEFFIELD
Isom Sheffield from Saxinee, England to Ireland to the States in 1806. This is hearsay only. His children were Pinkney F., Ross, Arch, Ewin and Sallie Sheffield.

Pinkney F. Sheffield b. April 10 1832 d. August 13 1896 is buried in the McKinney Cemetery. Had sixteen children:
1. Richard Isom Sheffield m. Ester Stricken
2. Rhoda m. Dr. Moline
3. Nancy m. Pink Moline
4. Karline m. George Jones
5. Jim (James) m. Mary McBride
6. Augusta
7. Stonewall Jackson m. Nancy Harrison
8. Robert Lee
9. A.G. "Thad" b. in MS probably Mathis, Sept. 5 1865 and died Dec. 19, 1939. Dillard Haskell Sheffield was born June 4 1889 in Mount Ida to A.G. Sheffield and Emma McBride. On August 14 1907 R.B. McGough, a Pleasant Hill, Hurricane Grove, a Primitive Baptist elder, married Dillard Sheffield and Mary Elizabeth Whitehouse. J.W. Meeks as Security. They had seven children. Dillard died August 30 1963 and is buried in the Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, Kansas. Thad married T.Z. Bates 11 Aug 1898. Thad's last wife was Thula Helton and their children were Earl, Verdie, Jane and their youngest child was Joe. Thad was 48 years old and Thula age 18 on 1 Dec. 1914 when they married.

Helen wrote in May 2015 - A.G. "Thad" Sheffield was married three times. He fathered 12 children. Dillard was the oldest. His first wife had two children. His second wife had four children. I believe the youngest of her children was Verda, who was the only one still living at home when he married his third wife - my grandmother - Darthula "Thula" Helton. She had six children. The first two, Holder and Jane, who died at about age four, are buried in the McKinney Cemetery, along with my grandfather.
    I never met my Uncle Dillard, but have meet - Verda, Virgil, Lee and "Doc" ... I don't know what Doc's real name is - or remember what the other child's name was ... But I think Verda was the only girl the first two wives gave birth to.
    Thula's third child, Joe, is my father. He was born on December 17, 1919, and died on December 29, 2002. He is buried in the Gaston Cemetery in Montgomery County, along with my mother, Evelyn Buck (April 15, 1926-Feb. 25, 2006) and my younger brother, William Timothy Sheffield (March 5, 1957-February 25, 2011). My sister, Jo Katherine "Kathy" Sheffield Brakefield Smith (b. Feb. 20, 1952) died on April 6, 2010.
    Daddy had three younger sisters; only the youngest is still alive; she's 85. Aunt Rhoda died in the late '60s. She married John Murchison and gave birth to Joan, John (who died in late fall 2010), and Greg. Aunt Jean (Norma Jean) died about 2006 or so. She married Willard Harper and had one child, Jeffrey. Aunt Nell (Vernell) married Floyd Scott and had three children, a boy and two girls. All my aunts moved to Michigan in the late '40s or early '50s and lived most of the rest of their lives in the Detroit area.

1900 Census - United States 
Arkansas  Montgomery County  Center Township  SD 5  ED 127 Sheet 7a
(This is the Hurricane Grove area near the present Mt Ida Airport)
Enumerated 15 day of June 1900 
Dw#  Fm#    Name        Relation sex month year age ys m. kids alive b bf bf Occ.   
112   112  SHEFFIELD A.G.    head M Sept 1867 32     2     	MS AL SC Farmer 
"            "       Terrsa  wife F Jan  1867 33     2 1 1 	GA SC GA
	     "       Dillard dau  M Jan  1890 10                AR MS MS
             "       Robert  son  M Aug  1891  8                AR MS MS
             "       Hugh    son  M Oct  1899 7/12              AR MS AR
The census taker made an error above. Dillard was son

Pinkney F. Sheffield then married Iola Lon Burk. Their children:
10. Jeffery Rowel	 b. Sep 17 1885	 d. Sep  9 1888
11. George (Bose)	 b. Oct 1887	 d. Nov 18 1969 m. Nancy Craddock
12. Mollie		 b. Dec 1890	 d. Jan 20 1969 m. James Bates
13. Lidy		 b. Oct 9 1892	 d. Jun  6 1915 never married
14. Ross		 b. May 20 1894	 d. Dec 12 1971 m. Carra Gosset
15. Charles Pinkney	 b. Jun 29 1896	 d. Dec  2 1984 m. Oma Hill


Funeral Home Marker on Thad Sheffield's headstone. Photo taken 25 Sept. 2023
17 1925 = Dec. 6 1927

McKinney Cemetery

Down South Fork Montgomery Co. ARGenWeb Project

Down South Fork
Montgomery Co. ARGenWeb Project