THE MCBEE FAMILY

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 532-533
Monongalia

THE MCBEE FAMILY, originally Macbees, are of Scotch
Highland extraction. The history of the family in West
Virginia begins in the days of the Revolution in which some
members were engaged. Sometime previous to 1790, a sister
and five brothers crossed the Blue Ridge from Virginia,
one of the boys stopping in Baltimore. The other four
settled at Cheat Neck, and on the property now owned by
John Pringle. They built a block house for defense against
the Indians, remains of which may still be seen. One of
the four, William, started back to Virginia after the com-
pletion of this fort, and was never heard of afterward.
Another of them, Philip, later moved to Grant County, Ken-
tucky. The two who remained here were Alexander, nick-
named "Sonny" and Zadok. To their sister's husband,
Joseph Pope, Jr., Governor Robert Brooke granted a patent
bearing the date October 6, 1788, for 400 acres of land
on Booth's Creek. This tract is now owned in part by
Sanford and Zadoc Thomas, great-grandsons of Zadok, who
died in 1819.

Alexander died in 1828, leaving four children, Mary,
who married John England, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
William, Walter and Zadoc Thomas. It is with son Zadoc
Thomas and his descendants that this history is chiefly con-
cerned. He was born at Clinton Furnace, May 16, 1814,
and died there March 23, 1895. His wife was Sarah Steel,
daughter of Thomas and Eleanor (Thorn) Steel. She was
born at Steele Farm, now owned by Brice De Vault,
October 12, 1809, and died December 23, 1858. Thomas
McBee was a man of most exemplary character. He put
into daily practice his belief that everyone should be honest
and industrious, and he was faithful in carrying out every
obligation he ever assumed. He was a stanch democrat, and
was for years a deacon in the Goshen Baptist Church. Of
his four children the oldest was Thomas H. The second,
Cordelia A., born January 1, 1842, was married to Eugene
Lanham March 13, 1866, and she died December 20, 1913,
leaving five children, named Flora, Thomas, Frank, Harvey
and George. Caleb Nelson, the third of the family, born
September 17, 1843, was a Union soldier in Company C
of the Fourteenth West Virginia Infantry, and died Novem-
ber 14, 1864, from wounds received at the battle of Carter's
Farm in Virginia July 24, 1864. He died at Clayersville,
Maryland, and was buried in the McBee family cemetery
at Ridgedale. The youngest of the children of Thomas
McBee was Elizabeth, who was born June 15, 1847, was
married December 31, 1868, to Thomas Price, and died
May 15, 1902, being survived by children Darius, William,
Fleming, Marshall, Walter and Tana.

Thomas H. McBee was born at Clinton Furnace June 14,
1838, and in many ways his life was typical of the sturdy
example set him by his father. He was reared on the
farm, had a subscription school education and in 1861 en-
listed to help preserve the Union. He served with Company
A of the Third West Virginia Infantry, later being trans-
ferred to the Second West Virginia Cavalry, and while in
the army he participated in the battles of McDowell's Bluff,
Cross Keys, Rappahannock, Bull Run, Hedgesville, Rocky
Gap and Drop Mountain. December 27, 1864, he married
Amelia Cartwright, daughter of Jacob and Rebecca Cart-
wright, of English ancestry. Amelia was born April 4, 1841,
at Rosedale, across the Monongahela River from Point
Marion, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Following his
marriage Thomas H. McBee moved to a farm at Halleck in
Clinton District of Monongalia County, where he became one
of the most prosperous farmers and business men in that
section, always a man of influence in his community. Phys-
ically he was a magnificent specimen of manhood, standing
six feet, 2% inches, weighing 250 pounds. His inexhaustible
energy he applied to farming and business in a way to
return success, and out of his prosperity he was able to
assist his neighbors and to give all his children who de-
sired it a college education. A stanch republican, he was
proud of the fact that he had helped preserve the union
of states and delighted in the companionship of his old
army comrades. He was a member of the Baptist Church.
He died December 13, 1900, and on January 9, 1909, his
wife Amelia, passed away at Morgantown. Of their ten
children five reached mature years. The oldest of these,
Charles L., is a resident of Morgantown and by his mar-
riage to Allie Dorsey has three children, Maude, Bobert
and Mazie. The second. Perry Caleb, who graduated in
1896 from the University of West Virginia, spent twenty
years of his life as a city school superintendent in this
state, earning a high place in educational affairs.  He
served one term in the State Legislature as representative
from Monongalia County, and at the time of his death,
May 5, 1918, was actively engaged in the coal business,
owning and operating the Mile Ground Coal Mine Com-
pany. He married Ethel Carle, who survives him. The
third child, Repta, lives with her brother Doctor McBee.
Claude studied in West Virginia University, graduated from
Delaware, Ohio, Business College, was for several years
connected with the public schools and is now in the coal
business at Morgantown. He married Lena Griffin of Ken-
tucky.

Thomas Judson McBee the youngest of the family, passed
his earlier years on his father's farm near Halleck, West
Virginia. He attended public school there, was a student
in the University of West Virginia during 1900-01, and in
1905 received his M. D. degree from the College of Physi-
cians and Surgeons at Baltimore.  Following this his
hospital experience was in the Mercy Hospital at Baltimore,
and from 1906 to 1911 he practiced his profession at
Elkins. For the past ten years his home and professional
headquarters have been at Morgantown.

At the time America joined the allies in the war against
Germany Doctor McBee was appointed by the Governor as
medical member of the Monongalia County Draft Board.
He resigned in August, 1917, to become a casual officer
in the Medical Corps of the Army, and was soon assigned
to the British Royal Army Medical Corps.  With the
British he saw service in England, Ireland and Italy, and
later was recalled to the American Army and assigned to
the New York Post-Graduate Unit at Base Hospital No. 8
at Savenay, Prance. One incident of his service was super-
vising as medical officer the transport of a shipload of
wounded soldiers back to the United States. He received
his honorable discharge at Camp Dix on March 6, 1919, and
at once returned to Morgantown and resumed his profes-
sional work.

Doctor McBee is a member of the County, State and Amer-
ican Medical Associations. He is a past commander of Gen-
eral Daniel Morgan Post No. 548 Veterans of Foreign Wars,
department surgeon of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of
West Virginia, and is affiliated with Morgantown Union
Lodge No. 4, A. F. and A. M., and Morgantown Lodge No.
411, B. P. O. E. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club.
His career as a professional man and as a medical officer
in the World war is highly creditable to the McBee family,
which is one of the oldest and most honored in Monon-
galia County. 


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