Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Vol. 3.
Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 276.

CLINTON TRACY

     One of the energetic and successful farmers of Marion county is Clinton
Tracy, who by persistent and well directed efforts has gained a high standing
among the agriculturists of this locality. Mr. Tracy was born in Noble county,
Ohio, on the 28th of September, 1849, and is a son of Bazzle and Elizabeth
(McCann) Tracy, also natives of the Buckeye state. In 1851 the family moved to
Missouri, where the father bought a ranch, on which they lived five years, and
in 1857 they went to Iowa, where they lived until 1864. In that year they
crossed the plains, with ox teams and covered wagons, reaching Oregon in October
and spent their first winter in Grand Round valley. In June, 1865, they came to
Marion county, where the father rented a farm near Gervais, on which they lived
one year and then came to West Stayton, where he leased the George Neal ranch
for one year. During the two following years he leased the Calvin Neal ranch,
and in 1869 bought two hundred acres of land near Independence, Polk county,
where he lived about five years. Selling that place, he bought a band of sheep,
which he drove to eastern Oregon, and there spent most of his remaining years,
coming back to Marion county shortly prior to his death, which occurred in 1898.
The mother died in 1874. They were the parents of five children, namely: Benton
and Clinton, twins, the former now deceased; Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Edgar, who was
born in Ohio and now lives in eastern Oregon; James, who was born in Missouri
and now owns a ranch at Marion, Oregon; and Thomas, who was born in Iowa.

     Clinton Tracy received his education in the public schools of Iowa and
Oregon, and remained at home, assisting his father, until his marriage, after
which he engaged in farming on leased land for several years. In 1909 he bought
one hundred and fourteen acres of land, three miles southeast of Turner, Marion
county, on which he planted a large orchard of prunes and walnuts. However these
did not do well, so he dug them up and has since devoted the land to general
farming. He is now farming one hundred and sixty acres of land, of which he has
thirty-five acres in corn, and also raises other grains and hay. He keeps a
number of hogs, and cultivates the land with both horses and tractor. He is
methodical and progressive in his operations and has met with well deserved
success.

     In 1895 Mr. Tracy was united in marriage to Miss Alice N. McKinney, who was
born near what is now Turner, this county, and is a daughter of William
Wilkinson and Matilda (Darby) McKinney, the former born in Boone county,
Missouri, in August, 1820, and the latter in Kentucky in 1831. Mr. McKinney came
to Oregon in 1847, crossing the plains with the typical ox team and covered
wagon outfit of that day, his father, John McKinney, being captain of the train
of between forty and fifty wagons. They arrived at The Dalles, Oregon, in the
fall of 1847, being there at the time of the Whitman massacre. John McKinney was
surrounded by thirteen Indians, but gave them some tobacco, though they asked
for "fire water." They then wanted to see his powder horn, and finally asked to
see his gun, whereupon Mr. McKinney informed them if they saw his gun "I see
dead Indian." He thus bluffed them out and he and his party got on their ponies
and left, glad to get away. William W. McKinney went on to Oregon City,
accompanied by his wife, and proceeded to the John Minto place, two miles
southeast of Salem, where they wintered. John McKinney, who was a Methodist
preacher, or circuit rider, took up a donation claim of six hundred and forty
acres at Brownsville in 1847. In 1849 Mr. McKinney went to California, where he
made a good stake in the gold mines, and on his return to Oregon took up a
donation claim of six hundred and forty acres of fine timber land near Marion,
on which he built the first sawmill in that part of the county. Later he also
built a gristmill on his farm. In 1858 Mr. McKinney returned east, by the way of
Cape Horn, to purchase supplies, farm machinery and other things, and reached
New York city, where he bought most of his supplies, including a seed drill, a
fanning mill and a carding machine, for carding wool. He then returned to his
old home in Missouri for a short visit, after which he came back to Oregon, by
way of the isthmus of Panama. In the fall of 1860 he bought the right to six
hundred and forty acres of land four miles southeast of Turner, all of which was
prairie land excepting forty acres of fir timber. Here he built a good frame
house, which was later replaced by a finer brick house. He sawed part of the
lumber for the old Oregon Institute in Salem and for the old Pleasant Grove
church, near his farm, which was built in 1856 and is still in regular use. He
was a liberal subscriber to the funds for building Oregon Institute and was one
of the first stockholders in the Brownsville Woolen Mills. In fact he evinced an
interest in everything that promised to advance the development and progress of
the community. He died in October, 1875, and his wife passed away in August,
1923. Of the eleven children who blessed their union, seven are living, the
children in order of birth being as follows: E. E., deceased; Mrs. Martha Ellen
Adams, a widow, who lives in Portland; Ann Eliza; Mrs. Henrietta Vivian Downing,
deceased; J. W.; Mrs. Mary E. Bower, deceased; Mrs. Fannie Ball; Mrs. Alice N.
Tracy; Mayro; Mrs. Elva Popham, deceased; and Mrs. Onietta Longsworth, of
Portland. To Mr. and Mrs. Tracy have been born two children, Robert R.,
deceased, and Comyn C., who remains at home and is operating his father's ranch.
Keenness of perception, honesty of purpose and every-day common sense have been
among Mr. Tracy's most prominent characteristics, which, combined with a kindly
and genial manner, have gained him the sincere friendship of all who know him.

     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2016 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.