Champaign Co, ILGenWeb, The USGenWeb Project - Biography

Samuel McKee

SOURCE: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois," Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887

SURNAMES: BUSH, GRIFFIN, MCKEE

SAMUEL MCKEE, one of the most extensive farmers and stock-raisers of Hensley Township, is finely located on section 32, where he has one of the most attractive estates in Champaign county. His land, which he has brought to a fine state of cultivation, is admirably adapted to his present business, and his stock consists mainly of high-grade Short-horns and Hereford cattle. The residence of our subject and his family is a handsome and substantial modern structure, finely finished and furnished, and its surroundings display on every hand the cultivation and prosperity of the proprietor. A view of the residence is shown on another page.

Mr. McKee is a native of tippecanoe County, Ind., where his birth took place Jan. 27, 1838. His father, ely C. MCKEE, was a native of Hamilton County, Ohio, and his grandfather, Samuel, was born in Ireland, of excellent Scottish parentage. He emigrated to America when a young man, and is believed to have settled for a short time in Pennsylvania, whence he afterward removed to Ohio, and was one of the pioneers of Hamilton County. He purchased a tract of timber land seven miles from Cincinnati, where he cleared a farm and built a comfortable home, and there spent the remainder of his days. Among the members of his family was Ely C., the father of our subject.

Ely C. McKee was reared to manhood in his native county, and after his marriage remained there until 1833. He then removed to Indiana and located among the pioneer settlers of Tippecanoe County. He purchased a tract of timber land fourteen miles south of Lafayette, and put up a house, which he weatherboarded, giving it the appearance of a frame structure. In this dwelling the subject of our sketch was born. The father cleared from the wilderness a fine farm of 315 acres, and remained there until his death, which occurred Jan. 19, 1877. The mother of our subject, formerly Miss Nancy GRIFFIN, was born in kentucky, and was the daughter of Ebenezer GRIFFIN, a native of the same State. Late in life he became a resident of Rush County, Ind. Mrs. Nancy G. McKee departed this life at the old homestead in Tippecanoe County, in August, 1876. The parental household included ten children.

Samuel McKee was the fifth child and fourth son of his parents, and passed his childhood and youth in the manner common to the sons of pioneers. He assisted his father in tilling the soil, and attended the subscription school as opportunity offered, mostly in the winter season. He remained under the home roof until his marriage, and afterward cultivated rented land until 1869, when he came to the Prairie State and purchased the farm in Hensley Township which he now owns and occupies. At the time he took possession 100 acres were broken, and the only buyildings were a small frame house and a stable with a straw roof, but he immediately set about its cultivation and in due time the first dwelling and the excuse for a stable were replaced by modern and substantial buildings, as we have indicated.

Mr. McKee was married, Oct. 21, 1862, to Miss Alma BUSH, a native of Tippecanoe County, Ind., and the daughter of Jared and Charlotte BUSH. Of this marriage there were brn five children: Harry, who died in Infancy; Willie E., Raymond, Ely and Lottie. Mr. McKee, politically, is a stanch Republican, and cast his first presidential vote for abraham Lincoln.