Biography of John Lemuel McKee, Independence Co, AR

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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. 
Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.
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page 692 

John Lemuel McKee. From this brief and incomplete review of the life
record of Mr. McKee it will be seen that his life from earliest youth up to the
present time has not been uselessly or idly spent. He is a progressive planter,
residing in Christian Township, but was born in Tennessee, in February, 1839,
and is a son of John and Barbara Ann (Smith) McKee, who were born, reared, and
married in North Carolina. The parents emigrated to Arkansas in 1848, and
located one mile west of where our subject now resides, on what is known as the
Newport and Batesville road. His land was heavily covered with timber, and
consisted of 160 acres, and during a fourteen years' residence on this place he
cleared and improved the entire tract. This property he sold in 1862, and
bought the farm on which his son, John Lemuel, is now residing, and here lived
until his death, which occurred during the war. He was followed to his long
home by his good wife in 1870. The subject of this sketch received the [p.692]
greater part of his education in Arkansas, and remained with his parents on the
farm until the breaking out of the late Rebellion, when he volunteered as a
private in Company G, First Arkansas Infantry, and served until wounded at the
battle of Chickamauga, having taken an active part in the battles of Bull Run,
Manassas Gap, Murfreesboro, Shiloh, and in various skirmishes. He was honorably
discharged in 1864, by reason of disability caused by the wound received at
Chickamauga, the ball having penetrated the left eye, and lodging just above
the left ear. He remained in the hospital at Marietta, Ga., for about seven
months after the battle, and after recovering sufficiently to travel he was
discharged, and returned home, which place he reached about the middle of May,
1864. October 28, 1866, he wedded Miss Lucy McCravy, a daughter of John and
Permelia (Newton) McCravy, the former a native of North Carolina, and the
latter of Alabama, in which State Mrs. McKee was also born. In 1860 Mrs. McKee
came to Arkansas with her married sisters. Mrs. Eliza Kennemur and Mrs. Mary
Haney, but her early education was received in her native State. Mr. and Mrs
McKee have two children. Jesse H., who was born on the 21st of September, 1867,
and died October 28, 1867, and George F., whose birth occurred on the 13th of
December, 1868, he being now the manager of the home farm. Mr. McKee has always
lived the life of a farmer, and, although he has been a life-long Democrat, he
has never held an office, or aspired to do so. Mrs. McKee and their son,
George, are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and, although Mr. McKee
has never united with a religious denomination, he has always contributed
liberally to the support of churches. His uncle, George McKee, held the
position of major in the volunteer army throughout the Merican War.