Pulaski-Dallas-Hempstead County ArArchives Biographies.....McKee, Charles 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 July 15, 2009, 12:08 am

Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

CHARLES McKEE.
    Charles McKee, recently appointed state bank commissioner of Arkansas and
long actively identified with banking history of the state, makes his home in
Little Rock. He was born in Cynthiana, Harrison county, Kentucky, February 17,
1864, and is a son of James W. and Jane (Turney) McKee. The father, born in
Bourbon county, Kentucky. in 184S, resided for many years in Cynthiana,
Kentucky, and devoted his life to the occupation of farming. His
great-grandfather, John McKee, was killed at the battle of Kings Mountain in the
Revolutionary war. James W. McKee was married in November, 1859, to Jane
McClelland Turney, whose birth occurred in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in October,
1839. They became parents of the following named: William. Eliza, Charles,
Julia, Elizabeth, Allie, George, Frank Turney, Jesse and Louise. The wife and
mother passed away in 1880. The father survived for thirty-one years, his death
occurring in April, 1911.

    Charles McKee, whose name introduces this review, pursued his early
education in the public schools of his native city, passing through consecutive
grades to his graduation from the high school with the class of 1883. Later he
studied in Central University, then located at Richmond, Kentucky, but now at
Danville, Kentucky, and was graduated in 1885 with the degree of Bachelor of
Science. His life has largely been devoted to banking interests. For eleven
years he occupied the position of cashier in the Bank of Fordyce at Fordyce,
Arkansas, and in 1902 he became one of the organizers of the Citizens Bank of
Hope, Arkansas. The following year he was elected secretary of the Mercantile
Trust Company of Little Rock and continued to act in that capacity until 1906,
when he became vice president of the State National Bank of Little Rock and held
that position until 1910. In 1909 he organized, the State Bank Building Company
and built the State National Bank building, now the Boyle building, in 1910. He
has recently been appointed bank commissioner by Governor McRea, the appointment
being made on the 1st of September, 1921. Aside from his connection with
financial interests, Mr. McKee has become well known by reason of his activity
in other fields. He was principal of the Hope high school in 1887 and president
of the Hope Female Institute from 1889 until 1891. He is now the president of
the Home Telephone Company of Fordyce, was president of the State Building &
Loan Association of Little Rock and president of the North Arkansas Townsite
Company of Marianna. He is likewise treasurer of the Arkansas College at
Batesville and was president of the Lee County National Bank at Marianna,
Arkansas. His activities are thus broad and varied and have been a potent
element in the growth and development of the state for a number of years.

    On the 4th of January, 1887, Mr. McKee was married to Miss Mary Anna Lydick,
who was born in Cynthiana, Harrison county, Kentucky, in September, 18S64. and
is a daughter of Andrew Lydick, who made his home for a considerable period in
Cynthiana. Mrs. McKee was a graduate of the high school at Cynthiana with the
class of 1883. By her marriage she became the mother of a son, George Taylor
McKee, a missionary of the Presbyterian church to Africa, being stationed in the
Congo Beige. On the 4th of March, 1905, Mr. McKee was married to Mrs. Levitte
(Lawrence) McSwine, a widow, and they now have one daughter, Martha.

     During the World war Mr. McKee generously gave of his time and means to
further the bond drives, being county chairman for Lee county. He has always
been a democrat in politics, but never an officeseeker, although he is now
filling the position of bank commissioner through appointment of Governor McRea.
His religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church and he was made a
commissioner to the general assembly of the church and is a ruling elder. He is
connected with the Knights of Pythias, the Elks and the Woodmen of the World,
and his many friends in these and other organizations speak of him in terms of
high regard. He early became cognizant of the fact that those qualities which
get the individual anywhere are the qualities which inspire confidence and
respect. Industry has enabled him to overcome obstacles, sound judgment has
enabled him to triumph over difficulties, and step by step he has advanced until
he is today a leading figure in commercial circles of his adopted city.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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