How can I proceed in researching this Kansas brick wall?

Question

James McKim has been a brick wall for me this years. Earlier this year, I scoured newspapers.com for a month, tracking down every mention of a McKim in Kansas between 1870 and 1905, the years I believe his family lived there (James left in 1901 for a job in Arkansas). In his profile, I wrote out mentions of his family that directly relate to him in the newspaper, but in my efforts to track down those people, it almost seemed like they were from a different family - his brother John seemed to have a separate brother named James, and that James came from a McKim family with an uncle who may have adopted sons. Maybe that's him? Maybe he wasn't a McKim by birth?

I'm just wondering if anyone can give me advice about what to do next. A couple times a year I revisit my McKim research; this time it was because he died 84 years ago yesterday, as I realized from my Wikitree list of anniversaries. Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Comments

In 1860 census Rapides Louisiana in the household of Benjamin and Sarah Craft

John, Susan and Mary McKim ages under 6 years old

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Washington Territorial census 1887

William McKim born 1829 in Ireland

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Eddie - this spring I came across the same record in Washington for William McKim. I agree that there's a strong possibility that that could be him! The Louisiana record I had not seen, but there is no record of any of my McKim family in LA before the 20th century. He gave different birth locations for his parents in nearly every census and record, but he gave his own birth place as Illinois over and over, and the fact that his mother was living in Wisconsin in the 1880s would suggest a family origin in that general region of the country. Something to look into though.

This spring I tried getting in touch with the sexton for the church in Weir, Kansas to see if any McKims purchased burial plots around the 1890s but they didn't return my call. I probably need to call and bug them again

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If James born 1863, possible his father served in the Civil War 1861-1865. Any McKims enlisting or drafted from Illinois in the military records?

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William J. McKim enlisted 1861 in Illinois - surgical , Illinois 15th Infantry

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Edward McKim enlisted 1862, 78th Illinois Infantry

Killed in action 1865

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No other McKim/McKimm listed out of Illinois on Ancestry

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Wow!! If his father was killed in the civil war, it would make sense with the possible timeline of him going to Kansas with his older brother in 1870! I will definitely have to study those civil war records. It still leaves the question of a father coming to live with him in Kansas in 1889, but perhaps an adopted father? Thank you, Eddie! I'll take a look at these for sure.

Answer 1

Sarah, I have access to the book, "Book 'B' Record of Affidavit of Death", Cherokee County Genealogy Society of SE Kansas, Columbus, Kansas, compiled and indexed by Jeanna Zahm, Elinor Makings, and Clione Bieber, no date.

It transcribes the affidavits of death along with the known heirs.  On page 7 of the affidavit book, it states:

page 7

MC KELLOP, Helen d 14 May 1912

MC KIM, Maggie, dau  age 44

PHELPS, Nellie, " age 42

STAIB, Agnes, " age 39

MC KELLOP, Alexander, son " 32

BERSE, Ethel, g-chld " 25

MC KELLOP, May, "  " 22

DUNN, James, " " 15

", Agnes, " " 13

     recorded 20 May 1912

Of the more than a dozen books we have here on Cherokee County, this is the only mention of McKims or McKellops. Hope this helps.

Michelle

Comments

Thank you for your help! Yes, that is Helen McKillop, his mother-in-law. James McKim married Maggie McKillop. Those are all of Helen's children's names. I very much appreciate you looking! It's very good to know that that's the only mention of them in the book.

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Maybe I should get in touch with the Cherokee genealogical society, though! I see on their genweb page they have "Death Records 1896-1905, Indexed."

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That would be a great idea.  Some local communities kept death records pre-1910 when the state took them over.  You may find additional family members!

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Michelle, I wondered if you have access to Labette County, KS records?? Specifically, Oswego?? 1907??

Answer 2

Sadly Kansas was late on reporting BMD records,abt 1910.

Some were reported when persons involved voluntarily reported it in earlier dates.

Comments

Right - most of my birth and marriage data came from the newspaper. The family was well-known in the area and so most every birth, illness, family outing and sneeze was written about in the local small-town paper, haha. I tried looking around for 1890s funeral records online but to no avail.

Answer 3

Any help?

Martin Mckim Head Widowed Male 53 1887 Arkansas

John W Mckim Father Widowed Male 77 1863 Indiana

Maxine Mckim Daughter Single Female 20 1920 Arkansas

Maudine Mckim Daughter Single Female 18 1922 Arkansas

Savannah Mckim Daughter Single Female 16 1924 Arkansas

First name(s) John W

Last name Mckim

Relationship Father

Marital Status Widowed

Gender Male

Age 77

Birth year 1863

Birth place Indiana

Ethnicity American

Race White

City/township Damascus, Martinville

County Faulkner

State Arkansas

Previous residence date 1935

Previous residence city Same House

Previous residence county -

NARA series T627

NARA roll 135

Record set Us Census 1940

Category Census, land & surveys

Subcategory Census

Collections from Americas, United States

https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=USC%2F1940%2F1496428118

Comments

Hi Marion! I have him tracked from the 1870s to his death in 1935 in Texas. I am primarily looking for his parents and/or siblings. Thank you for looking, though! :)