Tombstone Tuesday

Florence Gertrude Grace Florence Gertrude "Gert" Grace was born to Thomas Mathew McKee and Amelia Hewitson in Birmingham, England. Although several family stories tell of the family traveling back and forth between the U.S. and Great Brittan several times, we've only found documentation on one trip so far: When Gert was five years old, she was a steerage passenger on the SS Peruvian. The Allan Line steamship departed from Liverpool and docked in Baltimore, MD on 20 Sep 1872. The family settled in Memphis, Tennessee, where her father Thomas worked as a clerk. Six years later, when Gert was only 11, tragedy struck in the form of a devastating yellow fever epidemic. Family legend has it that young Gertrude was "sent to share the bed of a black woman to escape the pestilence" (Patrick D. Grace). Although the black population of Memphis was not untouched by the plague, it did fare far better than the white population. According to The American Plague, "During the 1878 epidemic in Memphis, the morality among whites was 70 percent and among blacks 8 percent." Whatever the cause, the trick worked. Miraculously, the entire McKee family survived. When she was 23, Gert married Edward F. Grace and immediately began a family; their first child was born barely one month after their first anniversary. Although they went on to have four more children, Gert and Edward's relationship crumbled and he eventually abandoned them (they never officially divorced). Ever the survivor, Gert pressed on, running her household with staunch efficiency. In addition to scheduled chores, her own tool kit, and an unshakable Catholic faith, many of her grandchildren remember the warning rap of Gert's heavy gold wedding band banging against the window to snap rowdy children to attention. When she wasn't tending to her home, her children, or her siblings (who all fondly called her "Sister" or "Sis"), Gert could be found crocheting, embroidering, or brewing her own recipe of homemade beer. Gertrude passed away in 1947 at the age of 80. She was carried to her final resting place by six of her adoring grandsons.

Photo from the collection of Maggie Grace Murphy Sources: The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic That Shaped Our History, Molly Caldwell Crosby, 2006. A Pushy Dame, by Patrick D. Grace National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, DC; Records of the US Customs Service, RG36; Series: M255; Roll: 20.

Personal Data		Tombstone Data
Birth:	16 May 1867	City:	Memphis, TN
Marriage:	5 Nov 1890 to Edward F. Grace	Cemetery:	Calvary
Death:	17 May 1947	Section:
		GPS:

The Case of the Prisoner Produce

Brother:  Granny told me there was a prison right down the street from her house. Sister: What?! No there wasn’t. Brother: Yes there was! The prisoners used to give her vegetables through the fence! Sister: You’re making this up! All that was near Granny’s house was other houses! I remember! Brother: You are dumber than a stick. Sound familiar? There’s nothing better than a randomly sparked family history memory. When they’re verified by other members of the same generation, it’s easy – a few quick checks and you can publish the story as fact. But when family members disagree, the real fun begins. Fact checking is upgraded to full-on research. Interviews are conducted with neutral cousins. Maps are consulted. So it was for the Case of the Prisoner Produce. Gary Mariencheck claimed that his grandmother, Agnes Grace Ferrer, lived near a prison and used to get produce through the fence from the inmates. His sister, Joyce Mariencheck Klinck, disagreed. ... And the winner is: Gary! Prior to 1929, the County Workhouse was located on Jackson Avenue. The property backed up to Holmes, where several of our ancestors built homes in about 1922. The workhouse itself was in the vicinity of the southwest corner of Jackson and Macon in one map. In another (shown), it faces the northwest corner of Homes and Guernsey Ave. The property included an old County Hospital and Insane Asylum. As the years went by and more and more county land was absorbed into the city limits, the facility moved and the existing land was parceled out into the regular neighborhood that exists in the 1950-born memory of Joyce. Also, according to Vincent Clark, archive specialist at the spectacular Shelby County Archives, the workhouse did indeed grow their own food. “Though they ate what they produced, the excess was sold off and went toward the support of the prisoners.” … and according to family lore, to the support of Agnes Grace Ferrer!

Produce crates outside the prison. Photograph courtesy of Shelby County Archives. Thanks to Vincent and everyone at Shelby County Archives for their help with this and countless other family mysteries!

In this 1938 map, the prison is labeled both as "Shelby County Hospital and Poor Farm" and as "Workhouse."
The three red perimeters on Holmes street show three adjacent family properties: 1028 (bottom) was the home of Edwin Booth Grace (et al), 1034 (center) was the home of Harry Doyle and Bertha McKee (et al), and 1038 (top) was the home of Gertrude Grace and her daughter Agnes (et al). The red perimeter of 3307 Lamphier shows the home of  Tom R. McKee (Gertrude's brother).

 

What's Your Name?

These two photographs came from the collection of Agnes Grace Ferrer. Based on the inscriptions, we presume these to be pictures of her great grandmother, Emma Jane Taylor McKee. What the inscriptions tell us: The front of the photo says Our Dear Mother, TMM and God bless her forever is my prayer. Because this inscription seems to be signed with TMM, the assumption is that the front inscription was written by Thomas M. McKee. Thus “our mother” is Emma McKee. The back reads To Thomas McKee, Memphis Tenn, US and Left Vallejo July 15, 1870. The “To Thomas McKee” line seems to have been written by one person (perhaps the sender) while the other inscriptions appear to have been written by a second (perhaps Thomas himself). What the photographer’s stamp tells us: This photograph was taken by Monsieur & Madame Barat. George and Mrs. Barat operated two photography studios in Banbury, Oxfordshire (South Bar / The Green) from 1863 to 1870. The town of Banbury lies on the River Cherwell about 38 miles southeast of Birmingham where Emma McKee lived. The image on their stamp is the locally-famous Banbury Cross, located at the cross-roads of South Bar and Horsefair. Present day Banbury Cross. Photo courtesy Cotswald. What we know about Emma and Thomas McKee: The following is published with great uncertainty: Emma Jane Taylor was born in about 1820 and married John McKee in about 1842. They had two children, Thomas and Dennis, before John presumably passed away. In 1851, Emma married Alfred Smith; they had four children. Throughout this time, Emma appears to have lived in or around Birmingham. Thomas McKee moved from the U.K. to the U.S. in about 1868. Family lore says both he and his wife, Amelia, traveled back and forth between the continents several times before finally settling in Memphis, TN and starting a family. But Thomas did not stay put for long. He seems to have traveled to the West Coast a few times before finally abandoning his family for good and taking up permanent residence in California where he lived until his death in 1921. Shaky Solutions: In an 1870 Memphis city directory, Thomas McKee is listed as a clerk for the wholesale clothing company Seessel & Son. Keeping in mind that city directories reflect the status of the year before publication date, Thomas could easily be in Memphis in 1869, travel to Vallejo, CA (in the San Francisco Bay area) in 1870, and then be back in Memphis for the 1880 census. It’s unknown how many times he traveled back and forth in the ensuing decade. If Emma was born in 1820, she’d be between 43 and 50 during the 1863-1870 window of operation for the photography studio. That seems to match the age of the subject. Do you know who this is? If you have additional information about the McKees – or photographs of this woman that we can compare to – we’d love to hear from you! Sources: photoLondon From Daguerreotype to Dry Plate: The Grown of Professional Photography in Banbury, 1850-1920, by Sarah Gosling, 1984. Published in Cake and Cockhorse: The Magazine of The Banbury Historical Society Cotswolds	Front of photo presumably inscribed by Thomas M. McKee
	Back of photo with inscriptions from possibly two people
	Another photo presumed to be of Emma. Photo taken by W. Hart who operated in the mid 1800s at 125 Livery St, Constitution Hill, Birmingham

Tombstone Tuesday

Woodmen of the World Tombstones

Both Louie McKee and his mother, Louise Richardson McKee are buried in Elmwood Cemetery (Memphis, TN) in intricately carved Woodmen of the World plots. Woodmen of the World was founded in 1890 in Omaha, NE as a fraternal benefit society by Joseph Cullen Root. Included in the insurance policy offered to members was a $100 rider to cover headstone expenses. Those who participated received specially designed Woodmen of the World monuments. The society’s motto, Dum Tracet Clamet (Though silent, he speaks), was included on most, but additional symbols like axes, wedges, or doves varied based on the wishes of the interred or the whimsy of the stone carver.

Louise Richardson McKee

Louise Richardson McKee

Personal Data		Tombstone Data
Birth:	10March1859	City:	Memphis, TN
Marriage:	Unknown date to Joe Wilson 7Dec1899 to Arthur McKee	Cemetery:	Elmwood
Death:	14Nov1918	Section:	Turley
		GPS:

Of particular note, 4-5’ tree trunk monuments sometimes included branches that could be removed each time a family member was buried. Sawed branches could also represent a life “cut short.” Louie McKee’s monument features three such braches. In his case, his cut branches could represent his father (assumed to have died before 1899 but unproven), his sister Nettie who died tragically in 1903, and himself. When Louie passed away, he was only 32 years old.

Louie Wilson

Louie Wilson

Personal Data		Tombstone Data
Birth:	1Jan1883	City:	Memphis, TN
Marriage:	Single	Cemetery:	Elmwood
Death:	23Feb1915	Section:	Turley
		GPS:

Personal Information Closeup

"Though silent, he speaks"

For more information on Woodmen of the World tombstones, visit A Grave Interest.
Photos of Louis Wilson's grave courtesy of findagrave.com.

Marrying McKee

Last week, I heard a family story that sparked a whirl-wind week of research! Clues are still rolling in for the mystery that instigated the search; watch for a twin-related story soon (teaser alert!). Meanwhile, an entire branch of the family that was little more than a dotted line previously has come into much sharper relief.

A previously unknown family member was found buried in the “Wilson/McKee” plot at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, TN. McKee is a familiar name, of course. Amelia Egan Huetson McKee is my 3x great grandmother; we visited her headstone during our family reunion cemetery crawl last May. But who is Wilson? To answer that, an introduction must be made to the well-married Arthur McKee.

To begin, the image below illustrates who Arthur M. McKee is to the family:

Before last week, Arthur was no more than a sibling on the family tree. And, before last week, it looked like Amelia’s headstone was alone at Elmwood. She is definitely Not alone in her final resting place. Interred in the plot are:

• Nettie Wilson Couch (buried 1903)
• Louis J. Wilson (buried 1913)
• Louis Wilson (buried 1915)
• Amelia E. McKee (buried 1918)
• Louise McKee (buried 1918)
• Arthur M. McKee (buried 1927)
• Mrs. Minni Holloway (buried 1939)
• Mrs. Helen E. Spalding (buried 1942)

The plot was purchased by J.M. Couch and Arthur McKee. Written in faded lettering, the Elmwood map says to contact Mrs. A.M. McKee of 885 Cox Ave for permission to be buried in this plot. Wilson. Couch. Who are these people? Several days with death certificates, burial records, and census documents all lead to one source: Arthur McKee himself.

Arthur married not once, not twice, but three times! Two of those wives had been married previously themselves, so each added their own children to the tree – in this case, Wilsons and Parks. Next the female children married, changing their names – here, adding the name Couch to the mix. The image below shows Arthur’s family; Edward McKee appears to be his only direct descendant. All dotted-line individuals are step-children.

It seems that Nettie Wilson was the impetus for the purchase of the plot. On 8 Sep 1903, she married J.M. Couch. Sadly, she died only 17 days later on 25 Sep 1903. She was only 18 years old. She was followed in death by her brother, Louie, in 1915. His headstone is a very tall Woodmen of the World monument that I’m sure I saw in previous Elmwood visits; I just never knew it was connected to our family.

Headstone of Amelia McKee (1843-1918)

Headstone of Louie Wilson (1883-1915)

Special thanks to Elmwood historian Dale Schaefer for his thorough research of their records and to cousin Madeleine Donovan for her endless patience as sounding-board and editor!

Solved! My name is Thomas M. McKee

We're starting the year off with a bang by solving three photo mysteries in one!

Mystery 1: Telephone Man	New Evidence
Mystery 2: Man with Dog
Mystery 3: Man with Top Hat

Mel Ferrer recently discovered the photo at right, which not only features the same man, but also the signature of the sitter! In addition, we've discovered that actor-ancestor, Thomas Edward ("Tuck") Grace had the same "Man with Dog" photograph (currently owned by Cousin Maggie Grace Murphy). This photograph  features the inscription, "my great-grandfather." Since Thomas McKee was indeed Tuck's great grandfather, we can safely say, "Mystery solved!"

Now … if only we only knew more about Thomas himself. Here’s what is currently known:

Thomas Matthew McKee is my 3x great grandfather. He was born in about 1846 in England and in the 1870s came to America with his wife, Amelia Huetson. Sometime in the late 1880s he abandoned his family and moved to California. Although he never remarried, when he died in 1921 he tried to cut his family out of his will by leaving all of his sizable estate to his two half-sisters (names unknown).

According to family lore, his daughter (and my 2x great grandmother) Gertrude Grace, obtained power-of-attorney from her siblings, traveled to California, contested the will, won, and returned to Memphis with enough money to build side-by-side homes for herself and her sister Bertha.

What's Your Name?!

What I know: This is another from cousin Mel Ferrer's collection. It came from the photo album of Agnes Grace Ferrer, which featured mainly her Grace relatives from out West.  This photo is clearly the same mustached man from the previously posted images. Only this one is stamped "Pueblo, Colorado." Do you know who this is?

What's Your Name?!

What I know: Photo stamped with "Superior ??, 362  Main Street, Bridgeport, Conn." This is definitely the same fellow from Stranger Danger, 5Sep2012. But that's all I know. The photo is from my cousin Mel Ferrer's collection, so it's likely a McKee or Grace. Do you know who this is?

What's Your Name?!

What I know: Photo stamped with "Rembrant Studios, Old Marsten Bldg, San Diego" I did some research on the phone. Here's what antique telephone expert Tom Adams had to say:  "I wish I had that telephone! I have never seen this one before but it is somewhat similar to a Standard of Madison, WI rope shaft, but not exactly like any Standard I have ever seen. Even the earliest Standard rope shaft upright from 1896 had a watch case receiver and was mounted on the same round wooden base as the later model in 1897-98 that had a long pole receiver. And the rope shaft was fatter. This switch hook is very unique to me as well. I am also guessing that this telephone was in service 1896-1899 based on the hook and the long pole receiver." Do you know who this is?