Julia Ann (Forker) McKee (abt. 1829 - 1887)

Born about 1829 in Harrisville, Butler, Pennsylvania, United States [uncertain]

Wife of Samuel Irwin McKee — married 5 Jun 1850 in Harrisville, Butler, Pennsylvania, United States

Died 6 Mar 1887 at about age 58 in Bolivar, Allegany, New York, United States

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Biography

Julia Ann Forker was born in 1829,^[1] the exact date is unknown. She was the daughter of James Forker and Maria (Harris) Forker.^[2] Julia grew up in Butler County, Pennsylvania in the town founded by her grandfather, Harrisville.

On June 5, 1850, Julia married, Samuel Irwin McKee, the son of William Parker McKee and Frances (Irwin) McKee.^[3] Her father-in-law was her Uncle James Agnew Harris's brother-in-law. James Agnew Harris was the brother of Julia's mother, Maria (Harris) Forker. James Agnew Harris married William Parker McKee's sister, Mary Ann (Harris) McKee. Another way of stating it would be that, although Samuel and Julia were not blood relatives, they shared an Aunt and Uncle, Mary Ann (McKee) Harris and James Agnew Harris.

Julia and Samuel had nine children:

• William James (1851-1939), m. Abby Porter Ketchum;
• John Irwin (1852-?), m. 1st Edith Eria Folsom, m. 2nd Catherine Alice Fay;
• Maria Frances (1854-1923), unmarried;
• Samuel Harris (1857-?), m. Martha Sylva;
• Clara (1859-1944), m. William E. Smith;
• Ella Julia (1862-1948), m. Frank Adrian Robinson;
• Clinton (1867-1919), m. Katherine Fuhes;
• A. Dwight (1869-1940); m. Minnie Webster; and
• Mary Forker (1873-1956), m. Joseph P. Gray.

Julia and her family seem to have moved frequently. Their first child was born in Harrisville, Butler County; their second child was born in Brookville, Jefferson County; their third child was born in Clintonville, Venango County, Pennsylvania. By the time their fourth child was born in 1857, the family was living in Farmington, Van Buren County, Iowa.^[4][5]

The family was in Iowa when war erupted. According to Samuel McKee's Find a Grave memorial, Samuel served in the Civil War. However, the FAG contributor indicates that Samuel's records are filed under Samuel J.^[6] The records indicate a Pennsylvania native, 31 years old, serving in Iowa. Those parameters fit with Samuel Irwin McKee (and the gap in the births of his children might be considered further confirmation), but I cannot conclusively confirm that the military records of Samuel J. are those of Samuel I. It is poignant to consider that if Samuel was away at war, Julia was left alone to raise six young children and, presumably, run a farm or rely on others for sustenance.

By 1869 and the birth of their eighth child, the family had returned to Samuel's hometown, Clintonville, Venango, Pennsylvania.^[7] In 1870, they lived in Cornplanter Township,^[8] but when their last child was born in 1873, they were living in Rouseville, Venango, Pennsylvania.^[9] In 1880, the family was back in Butler County in a town called Millerstown or Chicora.^[10]

Samuel's fortunes also seem to have declined over the years. He began married life as a farmer, and farming remained his occupation until after the Civil War. In 1870, his occupation was that of butcher. In 1880, he is recorded as a laborer.^[11]

Samuel was killed in a railroad accident near Bradford, McKean County, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1883.^[12] He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Bradford.

According to S.D. Irwin's The Irwin Family, p.14, Julia died, at only 58 years old, on March 6, 1887 in Bolivar, New York. Five of her children, Franny (Maria Frances), Ella, Clinton, Dwight, and Mary, relocated to New York, so it is likely that Julia was living with one of them when she died. Both Julia and her husband are buried Oak Hill Cemetery in Bradford, Pennsylvania.

Sources

1. ↑ United States Census, 1860, 1870, 1880. See below.
2. ↑ Irwin, S.D. The Irwin Family: Sketch of Richard Irwin of Chester County, PA, and His Descendants. Franklin, PA: The Evening News Print, 1893. Page 14.
3. ↑ Irwin, S.D. The Irwin Family: Sketch of Richard Irwin of Chester County, PA, and His Descendants. Franklin, PA: The Evening News Print, 1893. Page 14.
4. ↑ United States Census, 1860. See below.
5. ↑ Irwin, S.D. The Irwin Family: Sketch of Richard Irwin of Chester County, PA, and His Descendants. Franklin, PA: The Evening News Print, 1893. Page 14.
6. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial ID 134161435. See link below.
7. ↑ Irwin, S.D. The Irwin Family: Sketch of Richard Irwin of Chester County, PA, and His Descendants. Franklin, PA: The Evening News Print, 1893. Page 14.
8. ↑ United States Census, 1870. See below.
9. ↑ Irwin, S.D. The Irwin Family: Sketch of Richard Irwin of Chester County, PA, and His Descendants. Franklin, PA: The Evening News Print, 1893. Page 14.
10. ↑ United States Census, 1880. See below.
11. ↑ United States Census, 1860, 1870, 1880. See below.
12. ↑ Irwin, S.D. The Irwin Family: Sketch of Richard Irwin of Chester County, PA, and His Descendants. Franklin, PA: The Evening News Print, 1893. Page 14.

• Irwin, S.D. The Irwin Family: Sketch of Richard Irwin of Chester County, PA, and His Descendants. Franklin, PA: The Evening News Print, 1893. Pages 14, 15.

1860 - Census, 31 years old, old, living in Farmington Township, Van Buren, Iowa with husband, Samuel (28) [sb 30], and children, William J (9), John J (7), Mariah (5), Samuel H (3), and Clarice (infant):

• "United States Census, 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M82B-ZPK : 18 February 2021), Julia Mc Kee in entry for Samuel Mc Kee, 1860.

1870 - Census, 41 years old, living in Cornplanter Township, Venango, Pennsylvania with husband, Samuel I (40), children, John (17), Maria (15), Harry (13), Clara (10), Ella (8), Clinton (3), and Dwight (1), plus two others, Robert Bond (28) and Frederic Angle (40):

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ2J-53W : 29 May 2021), Julia McKee in entry for Samuel I McKee, 1870.

1880 - Census, 51 years old, living in Millerstown (Chicora), Butler County, Pennsylvania with husband, Samuel I. (50), children, Maria F. (25), Elley J. (18), Clinton (12), Dwight A. (10), and Mary F. (7), father-in-law, Wm. P. McKee (79), and mother-in-law, Frances McKee (80):

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWX6-KZ7 : 28 November 2021), Julia A. McRee in household of Samuel I. McRee, Chicora, Butler, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C. : National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .

1944 - cited in the death record of daughter, Clara Smith, in Chicago, Cook, Illinois on 14 Jun 1944. However, the person filing out Clara's death record did not understand that Julia was a Forker, not an Irwin:

• "Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2MD-DD2C : 18 March 2018), Julia A. Irwin in entry for Clara Smith, 14 Jun 1944; citing Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, source reference , record number , Cook County Courthouse, Chicago, FHL microfilm .