David McKee, Jr.

by his father's will he had four children:

and to my son Davids children I allow five pounds to each and they are but four viz, to James, Sarah, John, and David

THE EARLY HISTORY of McKEESPORT by Walter L. Riggs

DAVID McKEE, JR., son of DAVID McKEE, settled on a tract of land, which he called “Reed Manor,” located across the Monongahela River from the mouth of the Youghiogheny.His cabin was located on the brow of the hill, from where he could view the farms of virtually all of the early settlers of McKeesport.Shortly after the McKEES arrived in McKeesport,

JOHN CUNNINGHAM and his family came across the mountains from Virginia, and with him came his wife, MARY, his son, SAMUEL, and four daughters, ELIZABETH, MARGARET, JEAN and MARY.The CUNNINGHAM family settled in Dravosburg. The CUNNINGHAM is reported to have been closely related to the family of Robert Dinwiddie, Governor of the Colony of Virginia

DAVID and JAMES McKEE courted the CUNNINGHAM girls....

DAVID McKEE, JR. and his wife, MARGARET, raised a family of five children,

1. DAVID,
2. JAMES,
3. JOHN,
4. SARAH and
5. MARY. SARAH McKEE married THOMAS WHIGHAM, and among their children were WILLIAM WHIGHAM, first President of The First National Bank of McKeesport and grandfather of the late GEORGE H. LYSLE, and JOHN WHIGHAM, grandfather of WALTER L. RIGGS

Geni has listed Father of

1. David McKee, Jr.;
2. James Mckee
3. John McKee;
4. Sarah Mckee;

• Jean McKee
• Alexander McKee;
• Jane McKee;
• Allen McKee;

=========================================

Early History of McKeesport: Part 2
Category: History || By Walter L. Riggs

Excerpted from "The Early History of McKeesport," published in 1960 as part of the city's Old Home Week celebration.

When David McKee came to present-day McKeesport in 1768, he brought his wife, Margaret, his five sons, Robert, James, Thomas, David Jr. and John, and his two daughters, Mary and Margaret.

There is an unconfirmed tradition that David McKee was by descent Baron of Lairg, Scotland, but, as he cared little for pomp and ceremony, he never claimed the title.

Shortly after the McKees settled at the junction of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers, John Cunningham and his family came across the mountains from Virginia, and with him came his wife, Mary, his son, Samuel, and four daughters, Elizabeth, Margaret, Jean and Mary.

The Cunningham family settled in present-day Dravosburg. Mrs. Cunningham is reported to have been closely related to the family of Robert Dinwiddie, Governor of the Colony of Virginia, and therefore quite aristocratic.

Her daughters were not only aristocratic, but also fair to look upon --- quite fair. John Cunningham from Dravosburg was a passenger one day on David McKee's ferry, which at the time was only a skiff, and they became acquainted. David McKee and his wife visited John Cunningham and his wife, and the Cunninghams politely repaid the visit.

One day at the dinner table, Mrs. McKee casually dropped the remark, in the presence of her sons, David and James, that the Cunningham girls were "quite beautiful," and thereafter when the McKees visited the Cunninghams, sons James and David found that their mother had been extremely conservative in estimating the beauty of the young ladies.

But while David and James McKee were courting the Cunningham girls, matters of a more serious nature were taking place. The American War for Independence, in so far as Western Pennsylvania was concerned, was not a conflict between Colonial troops and English Red Coats, but a fight between pioneer settlers and natives.

When Sir Henry Hamilton, in charge of the English forces at Detroit, offered to native warriors a cash bounty for scalps of men, women and children, the war was brought to the very doors of the colonists in Western Pennsylvania. Immediately the sturdy pioneers joined the colors, and assembled at Fort Pitt. Among them were John, David and James McKee.

Samuel Cunningham formed a company of volunteers, of which he was the captain, David McKee a lieutenant and James McKee a private. They were called frontier rangers. John McKee enlisted in Captain Munn's company as a private.

David McKee Jr. and James McKee did not permit their duties as frontier rangers to interfere with their campaign for the hearts of the Cunningham girls, and soon David Jr. had married Margaret Cunningham, while lovely Jean Cunningham wed James McKee.

David and Margaret McKee settled on a tract of land, which he called "Reed Manor," located across the Monongahela River from the mouth of the Youghiogheny. His cabin was located on the brow of the hill, from where he could view the farms of virtually all of the early settlers of McKeesport.

Together, they raised five children, David, James, John, Sarah and Mary. Sarah McKee married Thomas Whigham, whose children including William Whigham, first president of The First National Bank of McKeesport and grandfather of longtime McKeesport Mayor George H. Lysle, and John Whigham, grandfather of the writer, Walter Riggs.

James McKee built his cabin at the site of the present City of Duquesne. However, little is known about him.

Robert McKee was drowned while crossing the Monongahela River on horse back at Braddock's Upper Crossing --- near the site of the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge --- on April 5th, 1782. He left behind his widow and four children.

(It may be interesting to note that Sinclair Street takes its name from this family of Sinclairs, the members of which family pronounced their name as though it were spelled "Sinkler.")

. . .

The passing years took their toll as David McKee traveled along life's highway, and at the age of 71 he was ready to transfer the cares of the plantation to the broad shoulders of his son, John McKee, who alone remained at home with his aging parents.

On December 10, 1781, David McKee executed a deed conveying his entire plantation of 306 acres to John McKee, and took back a bond, providing his son's family with "one-half of the profits of the east side of the Youghiogheny ferry, and one-half of the south side of the Monongahela ferry" and "one-half of the grain and fodder" raised on the farm.

David McKee died Oct. 11, 1795, at age 85, and was respectfully and lovingly laid away in the old Ninth Avenue cemetery, which he had dedicated many years before to the public for burial purposes.

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@R1103364057@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

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