Springfield-Greene
County LibraryJOHN C. MCKOIN. This gentleman is one of the oldest settlers of Greene County, and it is but just to say that he occupies a conspicuous and honorable place among its worthy residents, for he has always been honorable, industrious and enterprising, and as a result has met with more than ordinary success. He is a man well known in agricultural circles, and is recognized as a careful, energetic farmer, who by his advanced ideas and progressive habits has done much to improve the farming interests of his section. His father, Thomas G. McKoin, was born in Virginia and came of an old Colonial family, members of which took an active part in the Revolutionary War. After reaching man's estate he settled in Barn County, Va., and later in Logan County, Ky., where he wedded Susan Barham, daughter of Thomas Barham, who was for seven years a soldier in the War of the Revolution. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. McKoin a family of thirteen children were given: Mary, James, Dorcas, Minerva, Elizabeth, Cassandra, Angeline, Martha, Eli, Catherine, Jane, John C. and Clayton. In 1838 Mr. McKoin took up his residence in Greene County, Mo., settling on Leeper Prairie, two miles from the town of Ash Grove, at which time there were very few settlers in that region, the Leepers being about the only resident family there. Mr. McKoin entered 160 acres of land but after a few years made another location at Grand Prairie, but later sold this claim of 160 acres and entered 300 acres of prairie land and 80 acres of timber. In 1850 he moved to the farm now occupied by his son, John C. McKoin, which then consisted of 160 acres. He proved himself a shrewd and practical farmer, lived well, possessed the regard of his neighbors and acquaintances, for be was upright and honorable in all his business transactions, and was at One time the owner of quite a number of slaves. He was a captain in the old State Militia, was a soldier in the War of 1812 and in his religious views was a Presbyterian. John C. McCoin, the subject of this sketch, is a product of Logan County, Ky., where he was born June 1, 1836, and consequently at the time of his parents' removal to Greene County, Mo., he was about two years of age, and thus is one of the oldest settlers of the county, although just in the prime of life and vigor of manhood. His early educational advantages were of a limited nature but he was afterward an attendant of the College of Charles Carlton, of. Springfield, Mo., where he secured a sufficiently practical education to fit him for the ordinary duties of life. On June 10, 1861, he responded to his country's call by joining the Sixth Missouri Cavalry, which was disbanded three months later, after wbich Mr.McKoin served in the commissary department of General Fremont's army and later under General Wyman, in the same ca pacity, remaining in the commissary department until the close of the war, and participating in the battle of Springfield. He was married in Johnson County, Kan., on January 3,1866, to Miss Christiana Scott, daughter of William and Isabella (McCora) Scott, the former of whom was a Scotchman and married in his native land, where one child was born. He settled in the State of New York in 1842 but later removed to Wisconsin and in 1860 to Johnson county, Kan., where he still lives at an advanced age and in the enjoyment of a comfortable competency, which he has won by successfully tilling the soil. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church and in that faith reared their five children: Isabel, Christian, James, William and Cameron. William Scott, father of Mrs. McKoin, served a term as county judge, was twenty years coroner and served in the late war as veterinary surgeon in the Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. McKoin settled on their prairie farm, called the Cold Spring Dairy Farm, to which they have added, by good management and industry, until they now have a fine 200-acre tract, the most of which has been cleared from the timber, and upon which many other valuable improvements have been made. The land is now considered very valuable. He has been largely engaged in stock dealing for about eleven years and dealt largely in mules throughout the South. His present farm is well stocked with fine animals and he conducts a large dairy. He and Mrs. McKoin have two children: William T. and John B., the former of whom died when about eighteen years of age, a well educated, honest and promising young man. The younger son first attended the public schools of Springfield, attended Drury College three years and later finished his education in a commercial college of Springfield, from which he graduated, Mr. and Mrs. McKoin are members of the. Congregational Church, and politically he is a stanch Republican and is an active member of the G. A. R., and socially a Mason.
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