Thomas Freeman McKinney

McKinney was a rancher, trader, businessman and early settler in Texas. He was born in Kentucky in 1801. He worked as a farmer and trader in various placed before receiving a league of land in Austin’s Colony. He entered in various business ventures in Texas, opening a rading post near Nacogdoches, partnered with the Groce family in San Felipe, and partnered with Samuel May Williams and formed McKinney and Williams. Their firm fronted almost $100,000 supporting the Texas fight against Mexico. He also used his ship, the San Felipe, to capture the Mexican vessel Correo de Mexico. McKinney was one of the founders of the Galveston City Company and moved his company to the island. He left the company in 1842 and spent the decade working as a rancher and trader. He also represented Galveston as a representative and senator. By 1850, he moved his ranching and trading business, mostly cotton, to Travis County. He died in 1873, and his Travis County ranch is now the McKinney Falls State Park.