A McGuinnis Family Plot

There is a McGuinnis family plot at the southwest corner of the church and just outside the graveyard fence. Two monuments have inscriptions, but the five graves do not except that two are labeled Father and Mother respectively.

The smaller monument is for the apparent patriarch, J. C. McGuinnis (1852-1891). No other names are on that monument.

The obelisk has William McGuinnis (1846-1876) on the east face and three McGuinnises on the north face: John M. (1855-1859), Charles (1857-1859), and Agnes (no dates or ages). The two young boys, at least, were sons of Dennis & Mary A. McGuinnis. Probably Agnes was their infant daughter.

Since J. C., William, John M., and Charles were all born mid 19th century within eleven years of each other, the family relationships of the five and of Dennis and Mary are puzzles to be solved.

Below are the inscriptions as recorded in 1936 by the WPA. So, we know that J. C. had a beloved wife but don’t know her name.

A Different McGuinnis Family?

Also, the tallest monument in the graveyard is in memory of a William McGuinnis and his wife Catherine Stack McGuinnis. Note that the WPA workers used an incorrect spelling of McGuinnis when they copied his inscription but not when they copied hers. There is no inscription on the other two sides of this monument.

Note that William McGuinnis in the family above died in 1876, age 30, while this one died in 1874, age 68.

Some investigation would be required to understand the relationships if any.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is some information about the McGuinnis name here.