Future Families Mixing (1900)

From The Walnut Valley Times (El Dorado, Kansas), February 27, 1900, Tuesday, Page 4 --

A pleasant surprise was given by the members of the Walnut Valley Sunday School on Mrs. James Knox at the home of her brothers In Rosalia township Monday evening, February 19.  Alex Surplus in behalf of the Sunday school presented Mrs. Knox with a lovely parlor table.  The evening was pleasantly spent and refreshments formed a part.  The company dispersed at a late hour with a cordial invitation to visit Mr. and Mrs. Knox in their new home on the Purdy farm a mile south of Harmony church.  Those present, Mr. and Mrs. J Knox, Mr. and Mrs. George Hall, Mr. Bonnel, Mary Bonnel, Miss McKee, Carrie Young, Elsie Hall, Agnes Long, Arthur Young, Alex Surplus, George Clark, Will and John Long.

Have you ever sat in a crowded and room and just people watch?  It is a beautiful thing!  We are enlightened beings that puts us above the beasts, but at our base, we are still animals, and every thing we do, we say, we gesture, has a meaning to communicate.  And for those of us who enjoy people watching, the above get-together would have been pure, almost choreographed, theater.

Mr. and Mrs. George and Miriam Hall are my 2xg-grandparents.  I am assuming "Miss McKee" is Candace McKee, my2xg-grandaunt and Miriam Hall's sister.  Elsie Rue Hall is George and Miriam's daughter, she would shortly marry Alex Surpluss, and they would become my g-grandparents.  The John Long mentioned would marry Elsie's older sister Jennie.  

Copyright © 2021 by Kevin W. Walker

Tombstone Tuesday: Jennie Mariam Long (nee. Hall, 1879-1968)

Jennie Mariam (Hall) Long

Born: 24 Mar 1879, Gibson City, Ford County, Illinois, USA

Died: 3 Aug 1968 (aged 89), El Dorado, Butler County, Kansas, USA

Buried: Sunset Lawns Cemetery (El Dorado, Butler County, Kansas, USA), 

    Section: B Lot: 210 Space: E3

I have been doing genealogy and family history for about two decades now.  One thing I have noticed is how easy it is to find the fingerprints (metaphorically speaking) of my ancestors who were also family historians.  Here is my favorite example.  I was searching the holdings at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and I discovered a picture of my 3xg-grandparents William (1810-1873) and Sarah (Moore) McKee (1817-1895).  And who donated it?  Jennie (Hall) Long.  

Another?  I found a published family history on the descendants of my 5xg-grandfather Guian McKee (1750-1827), and whose research does the the author include?  Jennie (Hall) Long.  Jennie was even able to identify the location of the grave of my 4xg-grandmother Martha Moore (nee. Cunningham, 1773-1853), no marker in a forgotten overgrown cemetery.  

Jennie was remarkable, and she did all this before the digital age -- paper research, and lots of correspondence.  It took lots of time, lots of patience, and lots of dedication.  You will not be surprised to know she was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.   Thank you Jennie.

Jennie Mariam (Hall) Long was my great-grandaunt, on my mother's maternal side.

Copyright © 2021 by Kevin W. Walker

When Genealogy Records become Family Treasures

So much of my public genealogy is done as "cousin bait."  This very blog included!  I have documented how it has rewarded me, as both genealogists and non-genealogists find my blog with search engines, connections are made, research is sent to me, family records, some in my ancestor's own handwriting.

One of the cousins I discovered by continually crossing paths researching the same family lines, is Tony from Arizona.  Tony introduced me to the records of his grandmother Jennie (Hall) Long (1879-1968) who was my great-grandaunt and a family historian in her own right!

And so here is where we cross the line.

I emailed Tony to find out what great-aunt Jennie had on on her great-grandfather Joseph Hall of New Hampshire?  There are a few and I am trying isolate specifically which one is our ancestor.  He sent me this --

-- A copy of aunt Jennie's notes in her own writing.  Now keep in mind my great-grandaunt was born in 1879 and died in 1968.  How old is this?  At least fifty years.  Maybe a hundred.  And look at the words on the page.  She called her granduncle Israel "Uncle Billy."  My 3xgreat-granduncle Israel Woodbury Hall was nicknamed "Billy."  How would I have known that if it wasn't for this genealogy record?

We have crossed the line where a family history document has become a family treasure.

Copyright © 2015 by Kevin W. Walker

Amanuensis Monday: From Family Researcher to Family Researcher -- "Cousins"

This is the transcription of a letter from my g-grand aunt Jennie (Hill) Long to her cousin and fellow McKee family researcher James O. McKee, Jr. (click to enlarge) -- 

El Dorado, Kansas
May 23, 1966 

Dear Cousin:
I was so glad to hear form you.  I am almost the youngest of 27 grand children of William McKee and wife Sarah Moore of Eureka, Illinois (Woodford, County) and the line is Guian McKee, Snr., (1).,Guian McKee, Jnr.,(2).,William (Billy) McKee.,(3).,and Miriam (McKee) Hall,.(4).,of El Dorado, Ks., and I am the only one of the 27 of the 5th generation who ever joined the D.A.R. or S.A.R., organizations.  I joined on the Charles Moore and Sarah (Moore) McKee who was a real daughter of Charles Moore Revolutionary Soldier of North Carolina who was only 18 years old in the battle of Kings Mountain which turned the cause for the Colonists.  I'm chuck full of History and my youngest grandson finished Boot training on Friday last, the 20th.  Is home for a week but I don't know where to next.  He didn't enlist for Combat.  He's a Hi School grad, a grad of Drury College of Springfield, Missouri, and has one year of Law at Washburn at Topeka, Kansas, said he wouldn't be drafted.  He passed the mental test for the Pentagon.  So we are waiting. 

Guian McKee was born in Scotland, I'd like all data on Abigail Lane, his wife, so as to complete my supplemental lines.  Guian's son William married an Adams of Kentucky and came to Danville, Illinois, and Guian's son, Guian, Jnr., and wife Mary Hays of Bowling Green, Kentucky, his parents.  At death of his father, came to his uncle William of Danville, got to Eureka, Illinois, was in the Black Hawk War with Abraham Lincoln, and in Jefferson Davis Company.  And Abraham Lincoln spent Sunday at their home whenever in the vicinity.  I'll be glad to exchange data.  There have been many events in their lives.  I've consulted the Genealogical Shelf in the Wichita Kansas Library plus magazines etc,., and have many places vacant to fill. 

I see you are located on the Miss-River.  My father of Yankee extraction, served 4 years in the Civil War, was wounded at Jackson, Miss., the Federal Hospital at Keokuk, Iowa had him for 3 months.  He later joined his Company and in all served 4 years.  I was raised on History.  I hope to hear from you again.  Guian was in the 8th Pennsylvania to fight the Indians in Western Pennsylvania and was needed so bad he was moved to Valley Forge. 

very sincerely,
Jennie M. Long

Added by J.O.M. -- Jennie M. (Hall) Long was descended from Guian McKee, Jnr., and his wife Mary (Hays) McKee of Fleming County, Kentucky

I don't know where to begin.  My great-grand aunt Jennie was eighty-seven years old when she wrote this.  She took her family history seriously, everything she has reported as factual, that I have been able to check out, has proven to be factual.  But I am unable to yet concur on some of her assertions in this letter.  My research so far says William McKee of McLean County was in the Fifth Regiment, Captain Covell's Company;  Abraham Lincoln commanded a company in the Fourth Regiment, and Jefferson Davis was in the First Regiment and was on leave through most all of the Black Hawk War.  The comment about Guian McKee and Valley Forge does not make any sense yet.  And how could I ever document Abraham Lincoln being tight with the McKees?!

But I wouldn't put it past Jennie to have it all documented.  I am seeking out her descendants looking for copies of her research.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

DESCENDANTS OF GUIAN MCKEE, SR. & ABIGAIL LANE, by James O. McKee, Jr. (1979)

The Descendants of Guian McKee, Snr., & Abigail Lane and allied families was self-published by James Oscar McKee, Jr., in Avon, Illinois in 1979.  The "book" is really nothing more than the following introduction, then copies of his family group sheets, then copies of all his primary sources and correspondence with other McKee descendants.  I don't mean to sound like I am demeaning it, I am not!  Just the opposite!  If only all the genealogy books were so research focussed.  "Here are the facts as I found them, now you make up your mind."  Wow.  I am seriously, seriously indebted.  It is worth noting that some of the correspondence he reproduces are that with my great-grand aunt Jennie (Hall) Long, whom we are all here on this blog quickly becoming more and more acquainted with as we research her related lines.  Here is the introduction --

The undersigned and compiler of the McKee Genealogy started his search for his Ancestry in the year 1963, and in 1979 is still finding new evidence and Descendants.  The search goes on and on.  The past 17 years of research has been most interesting and at the same time most difficult due to the fact that every shred of evidence obtained has been ferreted out of County Court House Records, Military Records, Census Records, School Records, Cemetery Records, Death Records, Wills, Deeds, Probate, Tax, and Marriage Records.  Obtaining family data from living descendants of Guian McKee, Snr., in the State of Kentucky (Fleming and Lewis Co) has been an impossible and disappointing experience since they have been reluctant to talk about their family or branch of the McKee-Line.  Whenever they do, the common phrase is spoken. “Quote:  We know nothing about our McKee-Line, all the old folks are gone, anyway we are from a different branch than you”, Unquote.

Guian McKee, Snr., came to the Colony (Pennsylvania) when he was a small laddie of ten.  The first trace of him was found in the Court House at Carlisle in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.  He was apprented out to James Moore to learn the trade and mystery of a Miller.  In James Moores Will of Sept 18th, 1767, he gives and bequeaths various items and money to his children.  To Guian McKee he makes the following statement:  I give and bequeath to Gaven McKee, the sum of five pounds (Current Money), also his freedom dues provided he stays with my sons until he arrives at the age of twenty-one years.

In 1776 he entered the Army and served in the Revolution for a period of three years in the 8th Regiment, Pennsylvania Line.  He must have been discharged in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, since he patented 133 acres of land in that County on June 15th, 1787, in Plum Township, later Allegheny County, where the present city of Pittsburgh stands.  His first child was born while he was in service.  All of his children were born in Pennsylvania, except for the youngest son, David, he was born in Fleming County, Ky (then Mason Co) in 1791.

From the early Tax Records for Westmoreland/Alleghany Counties, Pennsylvania and for Mason County, Kentucky, Guian McKee, Snr., migrated to Kentucky circa 1788/89.  It is believed that the migration took place via the Ohio River on Broadhorns which landed on Limestone Creek where present city of Maysville stands.

Guian McKee, Snr., was married to Abigail Lane.  She was the mother of his children.  The compiler searched all available church and court house records for their marriage but did not find any record.  The early marriage must have been lost.  Very few remain available from that early period.

Available records indicate that he lived for a short time near Washington, Ky before removing to Fleming County where he lived the remainder of his years on Fleming Creek, Fox Creek, Pea Ridge, Park Lake, Anderson Branch, and on Brushy Fork where he died in 1827.  He was born in Scotland in the year 1750.  Abigail Lane, his wife was born in England in 1754, and died in Fleming County, Kentucky in 1830.  Some Folklore and traditions indicated they are buried on Anderson Branch.  They had the following children:               

Sarah McKee,  John O. McKee,  David McKee,  Margait McKee *,  William McKee,  Mary (Polly) McKee,  Guian McKee, Jnr.,  Robert McKee,  Abigail McKee                

The compiler has proven from available records that the above are his children of Guian McKee, Snr., and his wife Abigail Lane with the exception of Margait McKee.  Additional research must be conducted to determine if Margait was their daughter.  It is believed that she was since her husband was listed as witness on several marriage bonds for the above when they married.

Researching and tracing Guian McKee, Snr. Has been most difficult because others spelled his name in various ways, such as Guien, Gyon, Guion, Guyon, Guyian, Garven, Gavin, Guyan, Guyann, and Guian.  Since most of his records show his name as Guian, that is the one we chose to use.  The Complier found only one record believed to have been signed by the old pioneer.  It was signed in a shaken manner and was definitely signed as Gavin McKee.

In his application for a pension, Guian McKee, Snr., stated that he enlisted at Peters Creek, Pennsylvania in August 1776.  He served as a private in Capt. James Montgomery’s Company, under Colonels McCoy, Broadhead and Bayard, in the 8th Regiment Pennsylvania Line, for a period of three years.  He was honorably discharged by Colonel Bayard.

In 1818, thirty seven years after the surrender of the British at Yorktown, Congress enacted the law authorizing the payment of an $8 monthly pension to indigent Revolutionary Soldiers who had faithfully served the full term of their enlistment.  The documents which he (and others) executed to establish his pension eligibility constituted almost all we know about him, except for the research performed by the compiler.

These pension documents unfortunately do not disclose Guians place of birth in Scotland.  I made it a primary objective of my trip to Scotland in 1963 to find the birthplace of the old pioneer.  I did not succeed.  From bits and pieces that I did find indicate that he might have been born in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland.

While I did not find the birthplace of Guian McKee, Snr., I am content.  I found that the Scots are the most charming people I have ever encountered.  There is a complete absence of what we call “Hurry Sickness” in their Country.  I never asked directions of a Scot who was not courteous.  All were willing to take the time to give me the directions I sought.  Their sense of humor is always evident.  I frequently noticed a characteristic I had been told in advance to expect – the tendency to carry a point to its logical conclusion even though that point may be considerably past to its point of absurdity.  Their country is beautiful beyond description.  Guian must have been very much like the people I met. 

(signed) 

James O. McKee, Jnr., Avon, IL 

* - Margait McKee (page 1), and Abigail McKee turned out to be one and the same.  Additional research into old marriage Bonds in Fleming County, KY Court House revealed one record had her name spelled Margait while all the others showed her name as Abigail.  She married John Williams on April 4th, 1810.  Her marriage Bond Shows her name as Abigail.  The marriage register showed her name as Magait. 

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker