William McKee

Biography of William D. McKee

“William D. McKee was born on June 1, 1796 in Abbeville County, South Carolina.

      In the approximate year 1815, he married Nancy Jane Bowie.  They were parents of ten children.  These children as listed in the family bible were: S. W. born July 16, 1816; M. A. born June 24, 1818; Matilda Ann born May 28, 1821; John born May 13, 1822; J. C. born 1828; Cornelius born June 17, 1830; Frances born May 24, 1833; and William Logan born July 24, 1837.

S. W. was a male and died on July 28, 1829.

      In the Census of 1850, the family was living in Abbeville County where William was listed as a hireling, indicating he was not a landowner but farmed for wages.  In the following Census of 1860, he had fifty acres of land.

      Records show that at least three of his sons served during the Civil War.  Cornelius served in Moore’s Regiment, Company A, Abbeville District, and died on April 4, 1862 as a result of Civil War Action.  William Logan served in Company F, Holcombe Legion and was captured on April 5, 1865 and released on June 6, 1865 at Point Lookout, Maryland.  Frances died of typhoid fever while on duty.

      William died on May 18, 1881 at the age of eighty-four years, seven months, and twenty-three days old.  Nancy Jane died on January 23, 1874, at the age of seventy-seven years and twenty-three days old.  Family sources believe that they were buried at Gilgal Methodist Church near Due West.  No markers were found but it is likely that this was their final resting place since the family lived in the area.”

When Michael and the rest of the family moved to Missouri William and his family, stayed because Nancy was expecting. The rest of the family must not have wanted to wait. Isabella and Matilda gave their birthplace as MO in the 1880 census records.  There is the possibility that William and Nancy later went to Missouri, didn’t like it and returned to SC.  There is a family lore that someone in the family did this.

Obituary: Mr. William McKee, after having lived an invalid for about forty years died at his home near Due West last Thursday week.