Young Caberd Key (1849 - 1929)

Born 16 Oct 1849 in Benton County, TN

Ancestors

Husband of Lucy F. (Walker) Key — married 23 Dec 1869 in Benton County, TN

Husband of Harriett Francis (Somersett) Key — married 13 Jul 1887 in Williamson County, Illinois

Descendants

Died 23 Nov 1929 at age 80 in Jonesboro, Craighead Co., AR

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Connie Davis [send private message]

Biography

YC Key (name also spelled as Kee) was born 16 Oct 1849^[1]into a pioneering family in Benton Co. TN. His father, Holloway Kee and his grandfather, also named Holloway Kee were among the first settlers. The background of his mother, Catherine, is less certain. Her maiden name is variably listed as Hale, Haley, Howard, and Hyard in children's death certificates. In an article published in the Camden Chronicle in celebration of her 80th birthday, her maiden name is reported to be Howard.^[2] DNA evidence may inform this situation further.

Y.C. Key is found with his parents in 1850^[3] and 1860^[4]

Y.C. Key married Lucy Francis Walker on 23 Dec 1869 in Benton County, Tennessee. ^[5]

According to family lore, there was a big revival in Benton County probably after the Civil War, and Y.C. was converted during that time and became a minister. He was a circuit preacher and rode a horse to his various congregations.^[6] Another story states that Young Caberd Key was a Union sympathizer and was unhappy that his oldest brother William Riley Kee had served in the Confederate Army, so Y.C. moved north. Other members of the family, including his brother-in-law Isaac Newton Walker and his wife, Nancy Radford Walker, moved to Williamson Co., IL in 1865. Isaac ran the store at Wolf Creek.^[7] Y.C. and family apparently did not move north until after 1877 if birthplaces of children as recording on the census are accurate, so the relocation may have been for multiple reasons including economic as well as family relationships.

By the time of the 1880 census, the Kee family had relocated to Williamson Co., Illinois.^[8]

In 1882 a three week long revival was held in the Mann School near Williamson. Two churches were formed out of these meetings, the Cottage Home Freewill Baptist Church under the direction of Mr. McMillan, and the Grassy Creek Baptist Church, under the direction of YC Key. Key was a Calvinist, and had a different theology than McMillan. The church was originally affiliated with the Northern Baptist Convention, but in 1907 the church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. YC Key was always identified as a Missionary Baptist minister. Rev. Key preached for many years in Southern Illinois and conducted religious meetings in Illinois and Missouri, being quite well known.^[9]

Y.C. Key's first wife, Lucy Walker, died in 1886.^[7] Children born to Lucy and Y.C. include:

• Mary Elizabeth
• Thomas Holloway
• Susan Isabell
• Lillie May

In 1887 Y.C. married Hattie Somersett. At that time he was living at Wolf Creek, Williamson County, Illinois.^[10] Rev. Key performed the marriages of many of his relatives, including that of his nephew, WJ Kee to Sarah Walker, a niece, the same day as he married Hattie Somersett.^[11]

The Key family is found in Metropolis, Massac County, Illinois.^[12]

By 1910, the Key family had moved back to Tennessee and were living in Carroll County. ^[13]

Y.C. and Hattie had the following children:

• Fred, born 1888
• Pearl, born ca 1890
• Wiliam Franklin (known as Frank), born 1893

Rev. Kee retired from active ministry several years before his death. At the Jonesboro Missionary Baptist Convention, at the Lorado church in Jonesboro, AR, in October 1922, YC Kee took the pulpit to preach the opening sermon, but was “physically unable to preach.” He participated in various committees and discussions, including the Foreign Missions, Orphans Home and State Missions. Rev. Kee was able to preach at the convention by the second day. Among the discussions at the convention was that of temperance. The attendees recommended that they “work and pray for the cause of temperance.”^[14] Family members related that he was a “loud preacher” and that there would sometimes be shouting at his services when the congregation disagreed with him.^[6]

One obituary^[15] contains several errors, including mistaking his grandson Lindell for a nephew. His daughter Mary Kee Walker was troubled by this omission.^[16]

Y.C. Kee is buried at Rock Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, which is about 10 miles north and east of Jonesboro, AR. The spelling of his surname on the marker is “KEE.”^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ “Death Certificate of Young Caberd Key,” 33 Nov 1929, Craighead Co., AR, No. 295.
2. ↑ “Her Eightieth Birthday,” Camden Chronicle, Camden, Benton Co., TN, 2 Jun 1905, page 3 col. 3, digital image, chronicling America.
3. ↑ “Holoway Key Jr. household, 1850 US Census,” Benton Co., TN, family number 354, page 306, 9 Oct 1850, M432, roll 870.
4. ↑ “Holloway Kee family, 1860 US Census,” Benton Co., TN, District 4, page 63, family no. 452, 3 Jul 1860, M653, roll 1240.
5. ↑ Marriage Bond KEE-WALKER,” 23 Dec 1869, Benton Co., TN.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Family stories as told to Connie Davis.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} History of Benton County, TN, unknown publisher, held in 1995 by Camden, TN library.
8. ↑ “Young Kee, dwelling #149, household #149, 1880 US Census,” Williamson Co., IL, 22 Jun 1880, SD 8, ED 164, page 17.
9. ↑ YC Key obituary, undated and unknown newspaper, 1929.
10. ↑ “Marriage Certificate of Y.C. Kee to H.F. Somersett,” 13 Jul 1887, Williamson Co., IL.
11. ↑ “W.J. Kee and Sarah E. Walker marriage certificate,” 13 Jul 1887, Crab Orchard, Williamson Co., IL.
12. ↑ “Young C. Key household, 1900 US Census,” Metropolis, Massac Co., IL, ED 54, sheet 17, 23 Jun 1900, T 623, roll 329.
13. ↑ “Young C Key 1910 US census,” Carroll Co. TN, SD 8 ED 27 Sheet 13B household 251, 10 May 1910.
14. ↑ Minutes of the 25th Annual Session of the Jonesboro Missionary Baptist Association, Lorado Church, Jonesboro, Craighead Co., AR, 13-15 Oct 1922.
15. ↑ “Rev. Y. C. Key Died Saturday at Jonesboro - Funeral Sunday,” unknown newspaper, unknown location, Nov 1929, page unknown, clipping held by Davis-50681.
16. ↑ “Letter from Mary Walker to her sister Lillie Key Johnson,” 13 Mar 1930, photocopy held by Connie Davis.