When John Alexander
McKellar decided to invest in the railroad system in Kaufman County
in 1872, he moved to the new Brooklyn. In 1873, McKellar built one of
the first houses in the area, located near the intersection of S. Center
and E. Main Streets not far from the railroad tracks. The McKellars
had been investing in railroads in other towns and had become very affluent.
John A. McKellar's
son, Yancy, replaced the original 1-story house around 1901-1902 with
an elaborate 2-story victorian at the same location. Yancy McKellar
was a businessman like his father, with a profitable hay company. He
was also involved in the building of the Daily
& McKellar Opera House, the second brick building in Forney.
The house was used
in 1988 as the location for filming of the made-for-TV movie "Pancho
Barnes," starring Valerie Bertinelli.
