Looking Back: Kirby Road and E.E. Kirby Road: Two Generations in Jackson County

by Marcia Napier Grain Valley Historical Society

Several descendants of the Kirby family settled in Jackson County during the mid-1800s. They immigrated here from Warren County Kentucky. William Robert Kirby (May 6, 1831-January 7, 1907) left Kentucky in 1854 and spent three years in Texas before coming to Fort Osage Township in 1857.

He remained for a few years before gold fever enticed him to spend three years in California from 1865 to 1868. He returned to Pink Hill and on October 7, 1868 he married Susan Rebecca Capelle (April 29, 1841-January 25, 1918).

The Kirby family lived on a 120-acre farm on Kirby Road which runs north and south and crosses Pink Hill Road 2 ½ miles northeast of Grain Valley. Mr. Kirby was a successful farmer and for many years a school board director, presumably for the Pink Hill School. William and Susan raised four children; Durwood Britton, Truston, Edward Early, and Sally. They were charter members of the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church at Pink Hill.

Edward E Kirby (1870-1937) moved from Pink Hill to land acquired land from his maternal grandfather, Britton Capelle near the present-day East Kansas City Airport. When the town of Grain Valley was surveyed in 1878 his land was on the western edge, so the road in front of his home became E. E. Kirby Road.

On April 4, 1898 Eddie married Hattie Moss Smith (Smith Street is a few blocks to the east of the airport). They had two children: Lena Rue in 1901 and Charles E. in 1905. By 1920 the E. E. Kirby family had moved to Independence as E. E. Kirby was the Jackson County Clerk. Later they had had a small fruit orchard on Blue Ridge Boulevard in Brookings Township (Raytown).

Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society Front Row: William Robert Kirby, Susan Rebecca (Capelle) Kirby Second Row: E. E. Kirby, Durwood Britton Kirby, Truston Kirby, Sally Kirby (Slaughter)

The next meeting of the Grain Valley Historical Society will be held January 24th beginning at 6:00pm with a potluck dinner.

The Grain Valley Historical Society Museum, located at 510 Main Street, is open Wednesdays from 10am—3pm and by appointment. Visit the Historical Society’s website, www.grainvalleyhistory.com, and follow the Society on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@grainvalleyhistory).