Vermilion county Illinois, THOMAS D. McKEE ==================================================================== Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Joy Fisher ==================================================================== p. 201, 207 THOMAS D. McKEE, of Oakwood Township, has for years been prominent in business circles, operating as lawyer, banker and farmer. His home is located on section 15, and the farm is chiefly devoted to stock- raising, an industry which has always proved profitable in this section. Mr. McKee was born in New York State June 9, 1833, at the old homestead of his parents, John C. and Jeanette (Stewart) McKee, the former of whom was a native also of the Empire State, and the mother of Scotland. John C. McKee was born in 1809, and died at the age of seventy-six years. The paternal grandfather, Thomas McKee, was born about 1784 in Dryden, Tompkins Co., N. Y., where he spent his entire life, dying at the age of sixty-two years. The great-grandfather, James McKee, was born in the North of Ireland, and died at the age of ninety-six years. Grandfather John Stewart married a Miss McIntosh and emigrated to America, settling near Dryden. N. Y., where he engaged in farming and died at the age of sixty-two years. Thomas D. had the privilege of seeing all three of the old veterans. The parents of our subject were married in New York State, and afterwards lived upon the same farm which still remains in the family, and which is located on the old State Road four and one-half miles from Cortland, between the latter place and Ithica. The mother passed away in 1877, and the father in 1885. Their family consisted of eleven children, all of whom grew to mature years, and of whom our subject is the eldest. Thomas D., like his brothers and sisters, attended the village school at McLean, and later was a student in Cortland Academy at Homer, N. Y. He prosecuted his law studies in the State and National Law School at Poughkeepsie under the presidency of J. W. Fowler, from which he was graduated and then set out for the West. Mr. McKee left his home in New York State in 1855, and going to Maysville, Wis., taught school there six months. Prior to this before leaving his native State he had been similarly occupied at South Cortland. In 1857 he went to Faribault, Minn., and platted Morristown together with several other towns, he then migrated to St. Louis, Mo., and from there to Leavenworth, Kan., during the days of the troubles in the latter State and witneesed many scenes of violence, enacted on the soil of "bleeding Kansas." In that State he operated as a surveyor, and taught the first school established at Atchison. After a two-year's sojourn in that region he returned home, completed his law course in Poughkeepsie, and, in 1861, returning to Illinois, established himself at Homer, Champaign County, and began the practice of his chosen profession. The next important event in the life of our subject was his marriage with Miss Mary Groenendyke, and six or seven years afterwards the newly wedded pair established themselves at their present home stead. While at Homer Mr. McKee, in company with D. S. Pratt, established the bank at Homer, and later our subject purchased the interest of his partner therein. That same year through the speculation of his clerk the bank was obliged to close its doors. This individual had been trusted implicitly without bonds, and had made away with $23,000 in cash. Subsequently Mr. McKee became interested in farming pursuits and began operations on 240 acres of land, which amount has been augmented so that the farm now embraces 080 acres all in one body. It is all in productive condition, but largely devoted to stock-raising—forty to fifty cattle in a year, about 200 head of swine and numbers of very fine imported Belgium horses. To Mr. and Mrs. McKee there were born five children, four of whom are living: Samuel G., Stewart T., Mallie and John, all at home with their parents. Our subject has been for many years the School Director in his district, and has served on the School Board in Homer for six years. He was President of the Town Board (here for several terms, and it was largely through his influence that sidewalks were laid and shade trees were planted. He also labored assiduously in suppressing the liquor traffic. He votes the straight Republican ticket, and is uniformly in favor of those measures tending to elevate society and advance the interests of the people. Mrs. McKee is a very capable and estimable lady, with a good talent for business and is a member in good standing of the Presbyterian Church. Samuel Groenendyke, the father of Mrs. McKee, was born in Seneca County, N. Y., in 1803, and married Miss Lacy Thompson, of Cumberland County, Pa. In 1821 he removed with his family to the vicinity of Terre Haute, Ind., and thence to Vermillion County, Ind., where he established his permanent home. He finally became the owner of nearly 2,000 acres of land. Later he established himself as a general merchant at Eugene, and also had a branch store at Homer, Ill. He was very industrious and enterprising, and was the first pork-packer in his locality. He aided largely in encouraging the various industries of the new country, and was prominent in his community, being especially well known by the old settlers. The parental family included three children, two daughters and a son, Samuel, who is now a resident of Eugene.