BIO: James W. McGEE, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 571 & 572.
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  JAMES W. McGEE, proprietor of the McGee lumber mill in Bell township, was born 
on the old McGee homestead in this township, May 6, 1846, son of Thomas A. and 
Mary (Holmes) McGee.  He is a grandson of the Rev. James McGee, who with his 
wife, whose name in maidenhood was Mary Barnhart, came to this section from 
Center county in 1826.  James McGee was the first postmaster at McGee's Mills, 
when the first mail route was established between Curwensville and Indiana in 
1833 and the postoffice has been conducted by one member of the family or 
another ever since.  The first grist mill in this locality was built by Thomas 
A. McGee, and the McGees were charter members in 1860 of the pioneer M. E. 
church in Bell township.  When Troutdale Grange, No. 677, was organized in 1876, 
H. McGee was its first secretary, all of which shows that the family have taken 
an active and leading part in local affairs ever since their first settlement 
here in the first half of the 19th century.
  Thomas A. McGee, father of our subject, was born in Center county, Pa.  His 
wife, Mary, was the daughter of John and Mary (Atkinson) Holmes.  Their family 
included three other children besides James, namely:  William, who is engaged in 
the lumber business in California; Henry H., who is a farmer and lumberman 
residing in Bell township; and Susannah, who is the wife of W. T. Mahaffey, of 
Clearfield, Pa.
  James W. McGee, after his school studies were over, became connected with the 
lumber industry, working for his father, and he has since continued in the 
business, operating timber lands in this section.  For the past fifteen years 
also he has been interested in timber lands in the South.  He has enjoyed a 
gratifying degree of prosperity and is numbered among the prosperous citizens of 
his township.  He is well advanced in the Masonic order, belonging to the lodge 
at Curwensville, the Chapter at Clearfield, Bellfonte Commandery, and the Shrine 
at Pittsburg.
  He is married to Esther E. McGee, of Indiana county, Pa., who was born 
February 2, 1850, at Homer City, that county, daughter of Robert McGee.  Mr. and 
Mrs. McGee are the parents of children as follows:  Isabella, is the wife of 
Charles Sprenkle of Kane, Pa., and has five children; William is a bookkeeper 
residing in Philadelphia and is married; Margaret is the wife of Z. McFarland, 
of Clearfield county, and has two children; Roger K., is a civil engineer 
residing in Pittsburg; Helen S. is a school teacher at Hastings, Pa.; Ruth is 
attending the normal school at Indiana, Pa.; Walter resides at home.
  Mr. McGee is a Democrat politically and an active worker for his party.  He 
has served on the school board and in other offices.  When a young man he had 
some experience on the river and on one occasion conducted a raft down the river 
to Lock Haven without assistance, he being the entire crew.  He has always shown 
himself a man of activity and resource and is universally recognized as one of 
the useful citizens of the township.