John and Lena McKamy

Eloise Lane

John McKamy, born February 24, 1884, and Lena Yeager, born December 7, 1885, were married at Lebanon, Collin County, Texas, October 18, 1911. In October 1912 they moved to Pampa and lived on a farm four and one-half miles northeast of Pampa. A map (ca 1928) shows John McKamy on Section 75 and east half of Section 74, Block 9, I. & G. N. Survey. The McKamy farm was across the road west of the L. H. Greene farm. Lena McKamy and Lula Greene were sisters. John came to Pampa in a boxcar filled with mules, household goods and fence posts made from bois d'arc (pronounced "bow-dark") trees. Some of these fence posts are still standing on land that was farmed by John McKamy and L. H. Greene. Jim and Kathleen Greene now live on the McKamy farm. In early days it was the custom for men of the community to meet at Fair- view Cemetery to dig graves for deceased persons. John was one of the men who helped to dig the grave for Rube Curtis who was killed in a shooting incident at Hoover. It was in the dead of winter and the ground was frozen hard. Fairview Cemetery has a record for the burial of ______ Curtis on December 31, 1918. The McKamy family lived in town for a few years but returned to the farm. Lena, who was known for her cooking, died July 25, 1954. Her wedding dress is on display at the White Deer Land Museum. John, who was known for his pastime of raising big mules, died on January 1, 1977. John and Lena had three children. Mary Elizabeth McKamy was born October 2, 1913. Helen Maureen McKamy, who was born February 2, 1915, died of pneumonia March 6, 1922. A third daughter died at birth on February 10, 1920. J. R. Mitchell, who was born May 15, 1923, came to live with the John McKamy family when he was four days old and was raised by them. J. P. was the son of P. M. Mitchell and Ara Maggie Reasor, a cousin of Lena McKamy and Lula Greene. After Mary McKamy graduated from Pampa High School in 1931, she received the Bachelor of Science degree from West Texas State University in Canyon and a master's degree from Colorado State Teachers College at Greeley. After she received her master's degree, she began teaching third grade at Baker Elementary School in Pampa. Her home at 314 North Wynne was filled with African violets. She was be- ginning her 34th year as teacher when she had a heart attack and was admitted to the hospital immediately. She died on September 19, 1968.

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