Individual Details
David MCKINLEY
(1705 - 20 Sep 1760)
David "The Weaver" immigrated to the U.S. in 1743: "David McKinley, the head of the clan McKinley in America, landed at New Castle and located in (now Chanceford Township) York County, Pa., in 1743. At that time he was well along in life. He was accompanied by his wife, Esther, and three sons, John, David, and Stephen, and a daughter, Mary. There are frequent references to these sons in the county archives...David died intestate in 1757 leaving his wife and children, already named..." (Honea pg. 15) David was probably from County Antrim in Ireland. Need to check "The Scotch Ancestors of President McKinley" Gen. of President McKinley Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications; Burke's "Presidential Families of the United States of America" 1975. David married Esther before 1723 in , , , Ire. Esther was the wife of David McKinley who came to America in 1743 from Ireland with their four children. Source of information "The Stephen McKinley Family of Hamilton Co. Tx." by Patricia Honea.
From: History of York County, Pennsylvania, Volume 1, pages 948-949, By George Reeser Prowell
The McKinleys were among the pioneers of the lower end of York County. The section in shich they settled had early been called by Maryland "Solitude." The Penns called it " Lower Hallam." In 1745 Lower Hallam was divided into two townships, - Chanceford and Fawn. Two years before this David McKinley and his family, consisting of a wife, three sons and one daughter, selected for his homestead three hundred and sixteen acres on the highest land in all that wilderness. Its summit overlooks entire Chanceford and Lower Chanceford townships, with their grand succession of ridges lying east and west, jutting on the deep grooved Susquehanna Valley. The view from its crest expands into a magnificent landscape extending eastward to the far hills of the Octoraro and on the north fifty miles to the Blue Ridge mountains.
The neighbors of David McKinley called their tracts "Rippey's Park," "Morton's Fancy," "Myroch," "Perilous Adventure," "Descending Fountain," "Gwinston," "Small Gain," "Locust Spring," and "Craggy-mount." What David christened his land is not recorded, but he might well have titled its royal loftiness, " The Highland Chief." This tract in 1907 in its relation to roads and places is situated a short distance northeast from the village of Chanceford, also called Collinsville, and was the property, afterwards owned by Joseph Tosh, the present owners being John and Thomas Tosh. It extended northeastward and included, as lands of his son Stephen, all that tract known now as Thomas and Jordan McKinley land toward the river hills. David McKinley laid his foundation and erected his half-stone and half-log house in a sheltered rift near a large spring. When this homestead was planted eleven log houses had been already erected in the town of York - the homestead was twenty miles southeast of the eleven houses.
David McKinley was a weaver. Like all who came with him to the barrens of York county, he had to struggle courageously against the stern opposition of natural disadvantages. There was no cleared land. The soil was so poor that one or two seasons crops exhausted it, and another field had to be cleared. The sickel was his champion reaper; the flail his steam thresher, and the palms of his hands his patent cornsheller. There were no highways except the so-called Great Road to Yorktown and the river - there were only paths through the underbrush and woods. Deep ravines lay on all sides, through which rapid steams plunged down to the river, three miles off. Forests of chestnut, oak, sassafras, poplar, birch and dogwood overgrew the hills, with here and there a natural clearing upon which stunted cedars sapped the thin and worn out soil. Through these wind-whipped stretches only bridle paths ran, following for the most part abandoned Indian trails that made short cuts from point to point of natural advantage.
David McKinley was a man of energy and public spirit. The necessity for "big roads" at once claimed his attention. Even before the organization of York County he was engaged in this important movement. Upon its organization, 1749, he gave his best efforts to the permanent improvement of Chanceford. Petitions for roads were circulated among the inhabitants by David McKinley; and when they were signed he was back of their importance before the Court. He was a leading champion of the first highways leading away from the Susquehanna ferries, and was appointed with William Morrison who lived in what afterward became Lower Chanceford, his property being at the "Slab," among the first road-viewers of Chanceford township to lay them out. By his earnestness in public interests he, with William Morrison, was elected supervisor of Chanceford in 1750.
Although engaged in public affairs, David McKinley was generally called upon to appraise the estates of his deceased neighbors, to administer upon them, or become bondsman for other administrators or executors.
He died intestate, in the year 1757, leaving to survive him four children, John, the eldest, David, Mary, intermarried with Samuel Gordon of Fawn, and Stephen, the youngest. His estate, real and personal amounted to 570 pounds. His body is supposed to rest in Chanceford of Guinston burial grounds although, as private graveyards were common in those days, his bones may rest upon the homestead tract. His wife, Esther, and John McKinley, his son, were made administrators of the estate. The personal property was sold for 220 pounds, four shillings and eleven pence. The real property was by mutual agreement divided among the four children. John subsequently purchased the original 316 acres from the heirs. This property or rather a part of it, is one among a few in Chanceford township that for 150 years has remained in the hands of and been dwelt upon by the lineal descendants of the settler ancestor.
From: History of York County, Pennsylvania, Volume 1, pages 948-949, By George Reeser Prowell
The McKinleys were among the pioneers of the lower end of York County. The section in shich they settled had early been called by Maryland "Solitude." The Penns called it " Lower Hallam." In 1745 Lower Hallam was divided into two townships, - Chanceford and Fawn. Two years before this David McKinley and his family, consisting of a wife, three sons and one daughter, selected for his homestead three hundred and sixteen acres on the highest land in all that wilderness. Its summit overlooks entire Chanceford and Lower Chanceford townships, with their grand succession of ridges lying east and west, jutting on the deep grooved Susquehanna Valley. The view from its crest expands into a magnificent landscape extending eastward to the far hills of the Octoraro and on the north fifty miles to the Blue Ridge mountains.
The neighbors of David McKinley called their tracts "Rippey's Park," "Morton's Fancy," "Myroch," "Perilous Adventure," "Descending Fountain," "Gwinston," "Small Gain," "Locust Spring," and "Craggy-mount." What David christened his land is not recorded, but he might well have titled its royal loftiness, " The Highland Chief." This tract in 1907 in its relation to roads and places is situated a short distance northeast from the village of Chanceford, also called Collinsville, and was the property, afterwards owned by Joseph Tosh, the present owners being John and Thomas Tosh. It extended northeastward and included, as lands of his son Stephen, all that tract known now as Thomas and Jordan McKinley land toward the river hills. David McKinley laid his foundation and erected his half-stone and half-log house in a sheltered rift near a large spring. When this homestead was planted eleven log houses had been already erected in the town of York - the homestead was twenty miles southeast of the eleven houses.
David McKinley was a weaver. Like all who came with him to the barrens of York county, he had to struggle courageously against the stern opposition of natural disadvantages. There was no cleared land. The soil was so poor that one or two seasons crops exhausted it, and another field had to be cleared. The sickel was his champion reaper; the flail his steam thresher, and the palms of his hands his patent cornsheller. There were no highways except the so-called Great Road to Yorktown and the river - there were only paths through the underbrush and woods. Deep ravines lay on all sides, through which rapid steams plunged down to the river, three miles off. Forests of chestnut, oak, sassafras, poplar, birch and dogwood overgrew the hills, with here and there a natural clearing upon which stunted cedars sapped the thin and worn out soil. Through these wind-whipped stretches only bridle paths ran, following for the most part abandoned Indian trails that made short cuts from point to point of natural advantage.
David McKinley was a man of energy and public spirit. The necessity for "big roads" at once claimed his attention. Even before the organization of York County he was engaged in this important movement. Upon its organization, 1749, he gave his best efforts to the permanent improvement of Chanceford. Petitions for roads were circulated among the inhabitants by David McKinley; and when they were signed he was back of their importance before the Court. He was a leading champion of the first highways leading away from the Susquehanna ferries, and was appointed with William Morrison who lived in what afterward became Lower Chanceford, his property being at the "Slab," among the first road-viewers of Chanceford township to lay them out. By his earnestness in public interests he, with William Morrison, was elected supervisor of Chanceford in 1750.
Although engaged in public affairs, David McKinley was generally called upon to appraise the estates of his deceased neighbors, to administer upon them, or become bondsman for other administrators or executors.
He died intestate, in the year 1757, leaving to survive him four children, John, the eldest, David, Mary, intermarried with Samuel Gordon of Fawn, and Stephen, the youngest. His estate, real and personal amounted to 570 pounds. His body is supposed to rest in Chanceford of Guinston burial grounds although, as private graveyards were common in those days, his bones may rest upon the homestead tract. His wife, Esther, and John McKinley, his son, were made administrators of the estate. The personal property was sold for 220 pounds, four shillings and eleven pence. The real property was by mutual agreement divided among the four children. John subsequently purchased the original 316 acres from the heirs. This property or rather a part of it, is one among a few in Chanceford township that for 150 years has remained in the hands of and been dwelt upon by the lineal descendants of the settler ancestor.
Events
| Birth | 1705 | Diocese of Derry, Ulster, Ireland | |||
| Marriage | 1728 | Dervock, County Antrim, Ireland - Esther WILSON | |||
| Immigration | 1743 | New Castle, Delaware, British Colonial America |  |  | |
| Death | 20 Sep 1760 | Chanceford, York County, PA | |||
| Burial | Old Guinston Church Cemetery, Airville, Lower Chanceford Township, York, PA | |
Families
| Spouse | Esther WILSON (1705 - 1789) |
| Child | David MCKINLEY (1734 - 1807) |
| Father | James MACKINLAY (1671 - ) |
| Mother | Living |
Notes
Immigration
Name: David McKinley; Year: 1743; Primary immigrant - Page 46. Accompanied by wife, Esther, sons - John, David, Stephen, and daughter, Mary.Endnotes
1. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1500-1900.
2. findagrave.com.