Capt. John Owings McKee

He was in campaign of Vincennes, 1812; Capt. Of Militia; Justice of Peace 18 years; and high sheriff. Res. Farmdale, Franklin, Ky

KENTUCKY IN THE WAR OF 1812 Anderson Chenault Quisenberry Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1969 Pogue's Regiment, Kentucky Militia. 6th Company--Capt., John McKee; Lieut., Jasper Morris; Ensign, David Bryant.

THE TRI-WEEKLY YEOMAN March 4, 1875

DEATH OF JOHN McKEE, ESQ.

With pain and regret, we made brief record, in the usual obituary column of our last issue, of the death of one of our oldest and most esteemed citizens, John McKee, Esq., of this county. The deceased was born in the county of Rockbridge, Virginia, on the 21st day of October, 1787, and was, therefore, in the 88th year of his age. He was brought to Kentucky by his fa ther (who was of Scotch descent) in 1790, and settled in Woodford county, where he remained u ntil he reached the years of maturity. He removed to this county in 1808, and settled in the southern part of it, on the farm where 67 years later, he died. In 1812, he married Miss Elizabeth Crockett, daughter of the late Col. Anthony Crockett, by whom he had eight children, most of whom are now living, and performing worthy parts as active, useful, and esteemed citizens.

In his younger days, Mr. McKee was one of our most enterprising and efficient citizens. At the beginning of the war of 1812 with Great Britain, which has been well named our second war of independence, he was one of the Kentucky volunteers who marched to the relief of Vincennes and the Wabash River country. He was an active and enthusiastic friend of Public Schools, and served as one of the Franklin County Commissioners for a number of years when the Public School System was first adopted in Kentucky. He also served as a Magistrate in this county for nearly twenty years under the old Constitution. In a word, he was, through the whole of a long and active life, one of those solid, substantial, and indispensably useful citizens, who, by their intelligence, their position, their high character for integrity and practical common sense, naturally take a leading part in the affairs of their country and neighborhood, and constitute the true, granite pillars that uphold the State.

In conclusion, it is no stereotyped praise, but rather his crowning eulogy to say of John Mc Kee, as we can with entire truth say, that he was one of the kindest of neighbors and truest of friends, a model citizen in all the relations of life; and, being himself a tiller of the soil, he was a life-long friend and subscriber to THE KENTUCKY YEOMAN.

Will of John McKee

Be it remembered that I, John McKee of the County of Franklin and State of Kentucky, being now in the Eighty Seventh year of my age since the twenty first of October last and being much afflicted and believing the uncertainty of this Mortal life and being desirous of dividing and distributing such Worldly Estate after my death as it hath pleased providence to bless me with, do hereby make and publish this as my last Will and Testament first taking into consideration the gifts and advancements I have before made to some of my children and being desirous to make my gifts to them as equal as I can make it taking all into consideration First. I give and bequeath to my two sons Robert B McKee and Joseph H D McKee all that part of my tract of land I live on East of the Road leading from Frankfort to Laynse Mill through my Land and I hereby divide said land between them as follows, by a line Beginning on the Roa d leading from Frankfort to Laynse Mill and adjoining Bagit Carlisle on my Northern Boundary , thence Eastward with our line passing his corner continuing the same course twenty six pol e to a stake thence Southward crossing the deep branch and crossing the big field to a fenc e between a Cherry tree and sink hole thence Eastward with the Big field fence or where it wa s to the corner to near the River clift thence Southward with the fence from the corner of th e Big field to the corner of the little meadow or where it was thence East with the fence to Mrs Lattys corner on my line to the River and I do hereby divide said Boundary of land Bet ween my two sons Robert B McKee and Joseph H D McKee according to the division line I hereb y make between them. I give and bequeath to my son Robert all that part of my land South of that diving line to the Road leading from Frankfort to Laynes Mill except one acre I will to all the family where his Mother Elizabeth was buried and his Sister Mary and Brother John D Mc Kee John Latty Senor and his daughter Elizabeth and others and where I wish to be buried myself I give and bequeath to my son Joseph H D McKee all that part of my land all North East o f that dividing line to the Kentucky River also including two and a half acres on the East side of the Kentucky River I bought of William Mitchel for a ferry landing and ware house. I give to my Grand daughter Margaret all my house hold and Kitchen furniture. she is at the Deaf and Dumb Asylum in order to distribute my Estate as Equally as I can amongst my childre n I direct my Executor to sell my land on the West side of the Road leading from Laynes Mill to Frankfort and adjoining Hawkins together with all my personal Estate except what I have willed to my grand Daughter Mag and first after paying all my Just Debts and funeral Expens es of Administration and two hundred Dollars to James O McKee, and One hundred Dollars to put tomb stones at the head of your Mothers grave and your Sister Mary and John D McKee and one at mine, the balance to divide out equally between Robert B McKee Anthony C McKee, Josep h H D McKee James O. McKee and your Sister Margaret Wood. I here constitute my two sons R B McKee and Joseph H D McKee Executors to this my last Will and Testament and request the County Court will not require security of them. In testimony hereof I have hereunto set my hand November 1873 Attest John McKee seal

Codicil to this my last Will and Testament

I desire to change my above will so that instead of the advance of two hundred dollars to my son James O McKee out of the proceeds of the sale of the farm on the West side of the road the proceeds of said farm shall be divided equally among my said children. This 22d day of February 1875. Attest John McKee

• S D McKee
• W W Wright
• J D Vantee
• Franklin County Court
• Monday March 1st 1875

A writing purporting to be the last will and testament of John McKee deceased was produced in Court and said will being wholly in the hand writing of the said decedent the hand writing and the signature thereto were proven by the oath of S. D. McKee and W. W. Wright to be in the hand writing of said decedent and a codicil was duly proven by the oath of S. D. McKee, W. W. Wright, J. D. Vantee the subscribing witnesses thereto.

Wherefore it was ordered that said will and codicil be recorded.

Which is done. Jas. G. Crockett

Kentucky Franklin Circuit Court Feruary 22nd 1875

• Residence: 1850 - Fleming county, Fleming, Kentucky, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jun 13 2017, 0:33:18 UTC