DOCTOR
FRANKLIN McKEE
Doctor Franklin McKee was born in Valle Township of Jefferson County on
March 16, 1834. He
was the youngest of the ten children and his biographical sketch in the History
of Jefferson (and other Counties) is a source of both information and
misinformation for our family tree climbers. "Doctor" was his actual
first name and not a nickname.
It may have indicated his parents aspirations for their youngest son's
career but that never materialized.
From his biographical sketch he describes being brought up on a farm and
obtaining his education in a primative log cabin.
On January 8, 1849 at the tender age of not quite fifteen Doc married
Elizabeth Wilson. Their known family began a decade later.
The Wilsons came to Missouri from Abbeville, SC as did the McKees and
there are indications that the two families association went even further back
to Kingstree, SC where Archibald McKee's second marriage was to the widow of the
Wilson family's earliest SC settler.
Elizabeth's father was David Wilson.
Together they had nine children with eight of them still alive as adults
when the bio was written.
The children were:
(
Geneva (m/Aaron Pinson; 1 child) [Jennie, 1859-1938 *]
Edward [died in Helena, Montana]
Anna (m/W.L Robertson, 2 ch) [Mary Anna 3/31/1862-1913 *]
Freeman (m/Ed Raymond & went to Helena, Mont) [c1866-aft 1888]
Brunette [Matilda B; Dec 1867-died Cape Girardeau, MO date?]
Phil S.[P.Sheridan; 7/16/1870-8/27/1944 *]
Kate [1873-1962, no mention of marriage *]
Hattie [1875-8/19/1957 - no mention of marriage *
Helena [Lema Apr 1882-c1965 - no mention of marriage *]
[* = buried in Victoria Cemetery]
During the Civil War Doc served in Company I of the 13th Missouri
infantry. He
was transferred to the 22nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry where he participated in the
battles of Ft Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, and others.
In a group picture of one of these outfits he stands out towering above
soldiers on each side but he escaped the enemy snipers and returned home to the
family farm. He
farmed until 1886 but in September of 1884 moved a few hundred yards into the
"big city" -- Victoria, Missouri that is.
Doc operated his general store and also dealt in lumber and grain,
experiencing a reasonable degree of prosperity. He was a Republican but not a
politician. Both
he and his wife were members of the Christian Church
Bill Goade and Herb Yeagley included additional information in their very
fine book "Goades and McKees of Victoria, Mo" providing a couple
pictures and telling us that Doc was honored among the prominent men in
Jefferson Co, Mo in 1918.
His store is no longer standing but appears to have been beside the
Victoria Post Office. During his period of military service he attained the rank
of sergeant Late in life it is said by descendents that Doc "had a drinking
problem" and lost heavily in gambling. He died August 8, 1913 and is buried
in Victoria Cemetery along with his wife and daughter Mary A.
Several of their other children are also buried there although not in
that same plot.
Sarah Elizabeth Wilson was a charter member of Hematite Christian Church
and took a prominent part in establishing the church in Victoria as well as in
building a church edifice at Hematite where five generations later became
members. She was born in April 1845 and died in 1925, residing her entire life
in and around Victoria