Mathew McKee (bef. 1780 - abt. 1836)

always, PLEASE USE THIS AS A GUIDELINE and not as absolute fact until you verify it youself.

Much of this material was received from other researchers, and I thank them for their contribution as I would not have been able to plot my family line as seen below. (applause) I try to note what I know is documented, what was received from other researchers.

Mathew McKee, is believed, but not confirmed, to be the son of Elias D. Mackey of Tenn. Researchers found evidence of Mathew in several Tennessee counties between 1791 and 1800. He obtained a marriage bond there with Mary "Polly" Clarke in 1800, but no license was found. They appear to have moved to Knox Co., Ky. as they married (again????) in 1819.

1810 Census reported as: Knox County: Mathew McKee: 3 males 0-10; 1 m 10-16; 1 male 45 & over; 3 females 0-10; 1 female 45 & over which indicates he had children before his 1819 Knox Co. marriage to Mary Clarke. They apparently divorced, as Mathew later went to Casey County and married Susanna Rouse.

Mathew was the father of Baptist and James McKee from second marriage, as mentioned in his final will. Also thought to be the father of William, Hawkins, Lodicea (or Dicey?), and Thomas. Some or all of the latter by Mary McKee. The evidence for the relationship lies in William's will, where several of the individuals are mentioned using family terms (brother, mother). William died October 1839, (will recorded in Whitley Co). Mary sold land to Pleasant and Lodicea McKee Meadors, and Hawkins was administrator in Pleasant’s estate.

Mathew McKee – Will dated January 16, 1836. To Susanna – household estate and use of mountain (?) house until his child James McKee comes to age as well as cows and hogs to use in raising James. To Baptist and James – Farm on which Mathew then lived on, to be divided when James comes to age, by disinterested men, according to quantity and quality, and that Baptist and James work the farm together dividing the proceeds. All moveable estate in the above legacy to sold at public sale and proceeds equally divided between James and Baptist. To Susanna – one tract of land in Casey County to have and hold forever and dispose as she pleases. Thomas E Jones is executor, and empowered to convey a certain tract of land that was sold to Thomas Wesley.

(Kimberli's note: the fact that Mathew left out his children from a previous relationship/ marriage doesn't surprise me. We have another example of this in our family).

Lodicea/Dicey married Pleasant Winkler Meadors on April 20, 1826 (Cornelius' Book of Early Marriages). They may have had several children.

James McKee appears on the 1850 census along with a Helen McKee. I don't know who she is and have not seen the census myself (lazy, lazy, lazy....)

A researcher reports Thomas moved to Tennessee and married Martha (Patsey) White. Cornelius’ book list the marriage date as October 27, 1836. The researcher reports they had several children, one of which was also Hawkins, who may have served in the Civil War. Thomas appears on the 1850 and 1860 Census in Hardin Co., Tenn as follows:

1850 Census – McKee, Thomas 33, (which places Thomas’ birth two years before Mathew and Mary’s Ky marriage) Wm. Garner 2 Martha 33 George 13 Drusilla 11 Mary 9 Hawkins 7 Eliza 5

1860 Census – McKee, Thomas 36 (I haven’t seen the census, so I can’t explain this) Hawkins, 17 Margarett 10 Marion C. 9 Eliza A. 14 Dunda B 5 (m)

Baptist (also Babtest) married Betsy Criscillis, daughter of Isaac Criscillis. Two dates given in Cornelius’ book: 9-8-1825 and 10-4-1828 (date bond given to LNF).

Hawkins McKee, report to have been born on February 17, 1822. (This date may be on his headstone). Married Mary C. Prewitt, 1860 Whitley census shows the following: Hawkins McKee 38 Mary 32 Simantha (Samantha?) 14 Gabriel 13 Catherine 12 William 11 Marion 11 (also Frances Marion) Susanah 7 July A. 4 (possibly Julian or Julia, born July 20, 1855 to Hawkins and Mary. according to Cornelius. d. May 7, 1866) Sarah. 1

1870 census – Lower region, Prct #7 #129: Hawkins MacKey, 50, M, Ky, Farmer Marey (Prewitt), 47, F. Ky Catherine, 22, F. Ky William, 20, M Susan, 15, F Sarah, 12, F Mary, 7, F (Married John Halloway?)

1. 132

Gabriel McKee, 24, M. Ky. Farmer Poley, 27, F. Ky (Permelia Morgan)

Mary died November 14, 1880. Hawkins and Mary are buried on a tract of their land referred to as McKee cemetery.

Hawkins' son Marion married Rhoda Owens. They married March 14, 1878 in Pulaski Co. They moved to Whitley Co and had 4 children. Marion died July 14, 1912. He and Rhoda, who died October 29, 1927 are buried in Highland Cemetery in Whitley County.

Sarah McKee married VanBurren Owens on March 22, 1883 in Pulaski County and had two children, Oscar and Mary Elizabeth. VanBurren killed his brother in 1888 and was sentenced to a term in the "Lunatic Asylum" in Lexington after being found to be of an insane mind. Sarah moved back to Whitley Co and died May 4, 1947. She may have remarried (see note below. I have a lot of questions on this and have to confirm the information) but is listed as Sarah Owen on her headstone. She’s buried in Highland Cemetery in Whitley Co.

Gabriel, 22, married Permelia "Polly" Morgan, 23, on May 14, 1868 according to Cornelius. 1900 Census show the following children:

Sarah J. William H. Matison Martha E. Zora White, niece (I have a deed from March of 1908 that shows a Sarah mentioned as wife to "Melt" White. Since Zora is mentioned as a niece of Gabriel's, I'm assuming it was Gabriel's sister Sarah and that she married again after VanBurren died.)

Gabriel died June 17, 1905 and is reportedly buried in McKee Cemetery along with his parents.

More later.

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