Five brothers of this name from GC were active in Crookston, Minnesota, in pioneer times: Alexander, Allan J., Archibald (Archie), Dan and John R. Their parents were Archibald McKinnon (d. 1882 or 1884) and his wife Jeanette Gillis or Janet McGillis (d. 1864), who emigrated to Canada in 1854 from Invernessshire, Scotland, and settled in Glengarry. Allan was described in 1916 as “one of five brothers who have been eminently identified with [the] history of Crookston since its earliest days.” He was born “near Montreal,” on 29 May 1858, and came to the United States at the age of 18. He learned the trade of wagon maker during three years in Wisconsin. “In 1879 he came to Crookston where his brother Alexander McKinnon had opened a wagon and carriage shop and in the following year, John R. McKinnon joined them in their business operations. This was the first industry of the kind in the county [Polk County] and they engaged in the manufacture of a full line of wagons, carriages and sleighs, finding a ready market in the surrounding territory and building an extensive trade that kept pace with rapid settlement and development of the town and county.”

     By 1888, when Alexander (b. 1854, in GC) left the company, Archie (6 Jan. 1862-2 Feb. 1911) was also one of its members. John R. was born in Scotland, in 1850 and raised in GC. He came to Michigan when he was about 16, and remained there for 13 years, “employed as a lumberman,” but also finding time to learn the carriage-making trade. In 1880, he joined his brothers in carriage making in Crookston. John R. was interested in other business activities besides carriage-making. “In 1887 he erected the McKinnon block [in Crookston], the first good business building to mark its progress from village to city.” John R. was also associated over many years with the First National Bank, of Crookston, being one of the bank’s directors. Like his brother Allan, he was a Roman Catholic. The following brothers were mayors of Crookston: Alexander (mayor in 1890 and in 1892, also described as being in his second term as mayor in 1911), Allan J. (elected 1909 to be mayor 1910), and John R. (elected by acclamation 1895). Crookston has a population today of over 8000. Alexander evidently had a hand in getting Dr N. M. Watson to settle in the Crookston area of Minnesota.

     For another family of five brothers who were pioneering in the United States about this time, see James and John R. Wood. And for still another, there were five brothers from Williamstown of the surname McGruer who lived in the Dakotas or perhaps the Dakotas and other nearby pioneer areas. In 1885 Dan McGruer was said to be a U. S. postmaster in the Dakotas, while James and Bob McGruer owned “one of the best conducted hotels in the state.” In 1886, Dan McGruer as reported to be doing well at Hamilton, Pembina County, Dakotas (now North Dakota).

Compendium of History and Biography of Polk County, Minnesota (1916) 210-211, 224-226: lives of Allan J. and (with portrait) John R. (QF) * Crookston’s 90 Years–1879-1969 * Footprints of Yesterday: Centennial 1879-1979: Crookston Minnesota * Fraser, Gravestones, III, 64: gravestone of the parents at St. Raphael’s * private information * photocopies from press, largely relating to mayoralty elections, kindly supplied by Crookston Public Library * Glengarrian 2 May 1890, Alex. McKinnon, mayor of Crookston, and formerly of GC, mentioned * Alex. McKinnon, mayor of Crookston, who has been visiting old friends in GC, returns to Minnesota, accompanied by Dr N. M. Watson, Cornwall Standard 4 March1892, cited DTL Standard Freeholder 27 Feb. 1943 * Alex McKinnon, owner of fine business block in Crookston, mayor, Cornwall Freeholder 17 Nov. 1911, cited 20 Years Ago column, CF 18 Nov. 1931 *John R. McKinnon, “ditching contractor,” is building a new form of ditching machine, which he may patent, Red River Valley Farm Journal, 2 June 1904 * another GC-Crookston connection: the Misses Cameron, who have been operating a boarding house in Alexandria, leave for Crookston, Glengarry News 14 Feb. 1902 * McGruer brothers: CF 9 Oct. 1885 & 5 March 1886, cited DTL SFH 7 Oct. 1944 & 2 March 1946, resp.