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Kirkpatrick Family
Early Residents of Union City,Canadian County
JOSEPH WHITE KIRKPATRICK was born April 14, 1845 and was raised inJefferson County, TN. His parents were William Moore Kirkpatrick and NaomiWhite Kirkpatrick who lived down on Bent Creek near the county line. ThisScottish family was among the early settlers of East Tn. Joseph'sGreatgrandfather, John Kirkpatrick, was credited with cutting theWilderness Road from Virginia and bringing the first four wheel wagon overthe mountains in 1778. During the Revolutionary War, he fought for NorthCarolina and the Federal Government placed a monument at his grave site in Bent Creek Cemetery near Whitesburg, TN.
Like other families in Jefferson County, stories of the suffering and destruction experienced during the Civil War have been passed from generation to generation. Joseph Kirkpatrick enrolled in the Union Army on Aug. 13, 1864 in Dandridge, and served 100 days in the mounted infantry, TN3rd. Regiment. He was 19 years old, was 5ft. 7in., had fair skin, blue eyes and dark hair.
On Dec. 18, 1867 Joseph married Harriet Keele of the Hawkins CountyBewley/Keele pioneer families. Their first three children were born in TN.
The family sold out and were "Gone to Texas" by 1873. They settled inDenton County, TX about 17 miles south east of the town of Denton on Stewart Creek where they had a grain mill. Early in the 188O's the family moved to McGreagor, TX.
Continuing the family pioneer tradition, Joseph Kirkpatrick sold his land in TX and the family traveled by covered wagon to Oklahoma Territory and participated in the OK Land Run of 1892. Their 160 acre homestead was south west of El Reno near Union City. By 1902 it was a successful farm with a nice 8 room house. In 1904 they sold their farm and bought land near Rogers, AR, established an apple orchard and lived there into retirement.
Harriet died in 1912 and Joseph in 1915. They are buried at Rogers, AR. The surviving 8 children in 1915 were: William, a businessman in Wetumka,OK; Jesse, a bank president in McAlester, OK; Walter, a farmer in Rogers, AR; Sallie Wells of Wichita Falls, TX; Livie Naler of McGreagor, TX; Fannie Brown of Oklahoma City, OK; Susie Chappell of Minco, OK; and Hattie Kirkpatrick of McGreagor, TX. (all deceased). Today, many of theirdescendants are found living in OK, TX, AR, and CA.
Submitted by Great granddaughter-Janelle Richardson