McBee Family History
Graves County, Kentucky
The first record of a McBee family in Graves County is from the federal census of 10 Sep 1850. A family consisting of Levi McBee, his wife Sarah, and five others living in residence 662 in South Graves County. No records have been found to indicate where Levi and Sarah were living before coming to Graves County, nor have any been found to show where they went after the 1850 census. The transcriber apparently copied the name Levi as Louis as other records show his correct name to be Levi. From the chart below, the number 120, indicates his approximate wealth at the time of the census. All members were born in Tennessee, except for Sarah, who was born in North Carolina. The true relationship between the members of the household is unknown except for Martha, age 28 and Levi, age 12. Normally, children are listed in birth-order but because of special circumstances this might not be the case. The child McManus L., age 3, could have been from a previous marriage or just adopted. The last McBee listed was probably a relative, staying with Levi and Sarah to help with the farm.
1850 U.S. Census McBee Louis 56 M Farmer 120 Te McBee Sarah 46 F NC McBee Martha 28 F Te McBee Levi 12 M Te McBee John 8 M Te McManus L. 3 M Te McBee W. 23 M Farmer Te
The boy, Levi, age 12, is the direct ancestor of all McBee's in Graves County. His life story was related by his daughter, Margaret, to Vonda Davis , the wife of Margaret's son, Connie Lamb. This story, as told, is the only source for the information. It seems that Martha McBee had a child with a member of a local native tribe. This child, Levi, born out of wedlock, was apparently named Levi McBee to conceal the true nature of his birth.
The 1860 census for Graves County shows Martha McBee and Levi to be living by themselves with no record of the remaining McBee's from the 1850 census. It is assumed that because of the circumstances of Levi's birth, Martha left home and took the child with her.
1860 U.S. Census McBee, Martha 37 McBee, Dennis 14
By 1870, Martha McBee and Levi had moved to Weakley County, Tennessee, as shown by the federal census for that year.
1870 U.S. Census McBee, Martha 41 McBee, Levi D. 23
On 16 Jul 1874, Levi married Algie Nora Florence Harris in Dresden, Weakley County, Tennessee and moved back to South Graves County. Considering the circumstances of Levi's birth, the Harris families were not pleased over the marriage of Florence and Levi. Levi's daughter, Margaret, indicated that there was little contact between the Harris and McBee families after this wedding.
From the 1880 census for Graves County, Levi McBee and Florence still lived in South Graves County and had with them the first two of their children, William Thomas and James Henry.
1880 U.S. Census L. D. MC BEE Self M Male W 32 TN Farming TN TN Florence MC BEE Wife M Female W 20 TN Housekeeper TN TN Willie MC BEE Other S Male W 4 KY TN TN Henry MC BEE Other S Male W 6M KY TN TN
Note: The status of ‘other' is assumed to have been a mistake by the census taker. The map segment below represents the location of L.D. McBee's farm when surveyed for the 1880 Graves County Atlas. It was located in Township 1, Range 1, East, Section 36. The approximate location is shown below.
Key locations from South Graves County are shown on the map below.
South Graves County Route 1382
Note: Most all census records for 1890 were destroyed by fire and are not available for research.
From the 1900 federal census for Graves County, the family of Levi McBee had expanded to included five additional children. William Thomas and James Henry had already married by this time and moved away from home. William Thomas married Mary Frank Haynes and James Henry married Jennie Gertrude Caldwell.
Also, this census shows Levi with a new wife, named Fannie. Marriage records show Levi and Fannie B. Newton, getting married on 3 Jan 1898 in Weakley Co. Tennessee. Levi's first wife, Florence, was supposed to have died on 21 May 1898, so there may have been a divorce from his first wife.
1900 U.S. Census MCBEE, LEVI D. (DENNIS) MAY 1851 49 MCBEE, FANNIE NOV 1859 40 MCBEE, LESSIE L. JAN 1885 15 MCBEE, EMILY J. NOV 1886 13 MCBEE, LUDENE D. MAY 1888 12 MCBEE, MARGARET APR 1892 8 MCBEE, CHARLES B. APR 1894 6
By the 1910 census, Fannie had died/left, leaving Levi with the remaining three children in the household.
1910 U.S. Census MCBEE, LEE D. 1853 57 (NO WIFE LISTED) MCCBEE, EMILY J. 1889 21 MCBEE, LESSIE L. 1892 18 MCBEE, CHARLES B. 1894 16
No records have been found to indicate the life of Levi McBee up until his death in 1931 at the home of his daughter, Margaret McBee Lamb, in Mayfield Kentucky. Levi's death certificate lists his mother's maiden name as Watts, instead of McBee as it should have been. The information for the death certificate was provided by John D. McBee, one of Levi's sons. As with most census data there are many inconsistencies in the data, especially ages at the time the census was taken. This accounts for the differences shown above for members of the McBee family when compared with other records.
The 1910 census for Graves County shows James Henry McBee and family living on Austin Springs Road with the following family members.
1910 U.S. Census MCBEE, HENRY J. 1880 30 M MCBEE, JENNIE G. 1881 29 F HAYNES, ALMA 1901 9 F MCBEE, CHES L. 1903 6 M MCBEE, LILA 1906 4 F MCBEE, ZULA 1908 2 F
Note: Alma Haynes was the only child from the marriage of Jennie Caldwell to William Thomas Haynes. Also, the name Henry J. McBee was a mistake by the census taker, as his true name was James Henry.
By 1920 James Henry McBee and Jennie Gertrude had expanded their family to include all members except for Carl Maxie McBee, born in 1920. They still lived on Austin Springs Road.
1910 U.S. Census MCBEE, JAMES H. 1880 40 M MCBEE, JENNIE 1880 40 F MCBEE, CHESTER LEE 1903 16 M MCBEE, LELA 1906 14 F MCBEE, ZULA MAE 1909 11 F MCBEE, ALGIE 1911 9 F MCBEE, JIM D. 1914 6 M MCBEE, GRACIE 1916 4 F MCBEE, GLADYS 1916 4 F
Note: Another child was born to James Henry McBee and Jennie Gertrude in Dec 1918, named Sunshine Fannie McBee but she only lived about 6 months before she died of influenza. Her grave was once evident at Rhodes Chapel Cemetery but since then no trace can be found of the original location.
The following is a list of McBee's buried at Rhodes Chapel Cemetery, located on Highway 1382, Southwest of Lynnville.
MCBEE, Lena 3 Jan 1888-29 Aug 1963 (Lena Maude Wiggins) MCBEE, John D. 27 Jan 1882 -Mar 1953 (Brother to James Henry) MCBEE, Albert Elzo 24 Apr 1909-10 Jul 1933 (Son of John D. McBee) MCBEE, Ollie Lee 22 Feb 1906-Feb 1965 (Son of John D. McBee) MCBEE, M.F. 1 Sep 1880-25 Jan 1923 (Mary Frank Haynes) MCBEE, W.T. 25 Oct 1876-6 Apr 1920 (William Thomas) MCBEE, Zula 19 Feb 1908-20 Feb 1950 (Daughter of Henry and Jennie) MCBEE, Jennie 1 Nov 1879-14 Feb 1954 (Jennie Caldwell) MCBEE, Henry 28 Dec 1879-3 Nov 1967 (James Henry) MCBEE, Noble R. 24 Apr 1922-4 Apr 1922 (Son of Chester and Lena McBee) MCBEE, L.D. 1851 1931 (Levi Dennis)
Interesting note. The wife of Levi McBee, Algie Nora Florence Harris, is not buried at Rhodes Chapel Cemetery. Levi's granddaughter, Lela McBee, told family members that Florence was buried at Workman Graveyard in Weakley Co. Tennessee, but no trace remains of the grave. At the time of her death, Workman's was the site being used as it was close to where Levi McBee and Florence lived. In later years, burials were being make at Rhodes Chapel. Workman's is located deep in the woods of South Graves County, just South of the Kentucky state line and is no longer being used.
McBee burials in Highland Park Cemetery, Mayfield, Kentucky
MCBEE, Betty Mae Trailridge Rd, Mayfield 72 November 16, 1995 (Betty Mae Herbert) MCBEE, Carl M. 694 Trailridge Rd. 77 July 11, 1997 MCBEE, Hobert M. Oak Ridge, TN 91 May 15, 1998 MCBEE, Lellie I. Oak Ridge, TN 89 October 9, 1995 (Lellie Ivona McGuire) MCBEE, Jim Forrest 112 Sunset Dr. 84 September 7, 1994 MCBEE, Cleva Memphis, TN 88 November 25, 2001 (Cleva Canter) MCBEE, C.L. Farmington, Route 2 64 January 25, 1968 MCBEE, Lena Mae Green Acres 83 February 18, 1989 (Lena Mae Lamb) MCBEE, Leon 2056 St. Rt. 464 68 May 13, 1996 MCBEE, Lillie Louise 2056 St. Rt. 464 72 August 31, 2000 (Lillie Louise Casey) MCBEE, Donna Gail Chattanoga, TN 43 November 25, 1996 MCBEE, James D. "Jimmie" 73 October 25, 1986 MCBEE, Mozelle M. 1147 St. Rt. 1382 79 August 15, 1996 (Mozelle M. Meadows) MCBEE, W.L. 409 Macedonia 74 January 10, 1979 (William Levi "Pete" McBee) MCBEE, Elsie 409 Macedonia 83 October 14, 1990 (Elsie Turner)
McBee buried at Maplewood Cemetery, Mayfield.
Lamb, T.E. Evansville, Ind. m 83 September 21, 1967 (Thomas Eldridge "Jack" Lamb) Lamb, Margaret McBee Holiday, Fla. September 22, 1979 (Daughter of Levi and Florence)
Descendants of Levi Dennis McBee and Algie Nora Florence Harris (3 generations)
1. Levi Dennis McBee (b.1844;d.1931)
sp: Algie Nora Florence Harris (b.1859;m.1874;d.1898)
2. William Thomas McBee (b.1876;d.1920)
sp: Mary Frank Haynes (b.1880;m.1896;d.1923)
3. Hattie Mae McBee (b.1897;d.1917)
sp: W. Merchie Harris (b.1895;m.1913;d.1971)
3. Pearl B. McBee (b.1899;d.1922)
sp: Jimmy Louis Harris (b.1891;m.1915;d.1956)
3. William Levi McBee "Pete" (b.1903;d.1979)
sp: Elsie Turner (b.1906;m.1924;d.1990)
3. Hobert McKinsey McBee (b.1906;d.1998)
sp: Lillie Ivona McGuire (b.1906;m.1923;d.1995)
3. Jim Forrest McBee (b.1909;d.1994)
sp: Cleva Canter (b.1913;m.1932;d.2001)
2. James Henry McBee (b.1879;d.1967)
sp: Jennie Gertrude Caldwell (b.1879;m.1902;d.1954)
3. Chester Leon McBee (b.1903;d.1968)
sp: Lena May Lamb (b.1905;m.1924;d.1989)
3. Lela Pearl McBee (b.1906;d.1999)
sp: Roy Owen Vincent (b.1900;m.1923;d.1992)
3. Zula Mae McBee (b.1908;d.1950)
3. Algie Nora McBee (b.1910;d.1960)
sp: Dorse Bennett
3. James D McBee (b.1913;d.1986)
sp: Mozelle M. Meadows (b.1916;m.1933;d.1996)
3. Gracie May McBee (b.1915)
sp: Mason Loy Copeland (m.1932)
3. Gladys Day McBee (b.1915;d.1993)
sp: Robert Cooper (m.1931;d.1995)
sp: Tilton Burnett (b.1915;d.1994)
3. Sunshine Fannie McBee (b.1918;d.1919)
3. Carl Maxie McBee (b.1920;d.1997)
sp: Betty Mae Herbert (b.1923;m.1945;d.1995)
2. John D. McBee (b.1881;d.1953)
sp: Lena Maude Wiggins (b.1888;m.1904;d.1963)
3. Allie May McBee (b.1906)
3. Ollie Lee McBee (b.1908;d.1965)
3. Albert Elzo McBee (b.1909;d.1933)
3. Infant McBee (b.1911)
3. Hollie Pearl McBee (b.1911)
sp: Huron Carmack Mansfield
sp: Preston Gray
3. Noah E. McBee (b.1915)
sp: Katherine
3. Orie D. McBee (b.1919)
sp: Virginia Dick (b.1925;m.1939)
3. Joe McBee (b.1922)
2. Lessie L. McBee (b.1885)
sp: Herman Ballard (m.1909)
2. Emily Jane McBee (b.1885;d.1958)
sp: Bud "John Boy" Watts (b.1895;m.1914;d.1961)
2. Ludene D. McBee (b.1886;d.1977)
sp: Earnest Lamb (b.1886;d.1975)
3. Mary L. Lamb (b.1906)
3. Bonnie Edward Lamb (b.1908;d.1990)
3. Noble Benton Lamb (b.1911)
sp: UNKNOWN
3. Gaylene Lamb
3. Nellie M. Lamb (b.1914)
2. Margaret Lillie McBee (b.1891;d.1979)
sp: Thomas Eldridge "Jack" Lamb (b.1886;m.1911;d.1967)
3. Clara Angeline Lamb (b.1913;d.1915)
3. Lola Mae Lamb (b.1915;d.2000)
sp: Nelson Boyd Johnson
3. Lorena Pearl Lamb (b.1918;d.1983)
sp: James Brent Darnell (b.1913;m.1935;d.1979)
3. Connie Odell Lamb (b.1920;d.1988)
sp: Vonda Lou Davis (b.1930;m.1945(Div))
sp: Mary Jane Jester
3. William C. "Willis" Lamb (b.1927;d.1980)
sp: Charlene Stoker
sp: Ethel
sp: Frances Faulkner
3. Gaynell Lamb (b.1929;d.1983)
sp: William Campbell
sp: Oscar Tibbs
2. Charles B. McBee (b.1894;d.1927)
sp: Cora Lovie Rhodes (m.1920;d.1969)
3. Jewel Minnie McBee (b.1915)
3. Volena McBee (b.1918)
3. Lillian Lucille McBee (b.1918)
3. Richard C. McBee Sr. (b.1922)
sp: UNKNOWN
3. Dorothy McBee (b.1925)
3. Charles McBee (b.1927)
The following is the grocery bill listing from the store at Austin Springs and records the purchases make by James Henry McBee and Jennie Gertrude Caldwell during the period 9/3/1907 through 2/13/1909.
9/3/07 Coffee 0.25 9/6/07 Corn Meal 0.80 9/14/07 Chill Cure 0.35 9/14/07 Matches 0.05 9/14/07 Soda 0.05 9/14/07 Thread 0.05 9/27/07 1/2 Set Plates @ .65 0.33 9/27/07 1/2 Set Cups & Saucers 0.33 10/4/07 Soda 0.10 10/4/07 10 Yrds Domestic @ .07 0.70 10/31/07 Balance Up To Date ? 1.70 11/9/07 2 Undershirts @ .50 1.00 11/9/07 2 Yrds Cotton Flannel 0.20 11/9/07 Sugar 0.25 11/14/07 Difference Between Flannel 0.30 11/14/07 Soda 0.05 11/14/07 Axe Handle 0.25 12/31/07 Paid Up To Date 1907 2/1/08 Oil 0.15 2/1/08 Chamber Pot 0.25 2/1/08 Lap Links 0.15 2/1/08 Sugar 0.50 2/1/08 Prints 5 Yrds @ .06 0.30 2/1/08 Thread 0.05 2/22/08 6 Gallons Molasses @ .40 2.40 2/22/08 Castor Oil 0.10 2/22/08 Matches 0.05 2/28/08 Paid Up To Date 4/2/08 Overall Pants 1.00 4/2/08 Thread .05 Suspenders .25 0.30 4/8/08 Oil 0.15 4/8/08 Soda 0.10 4/15/08 3 Yrds Lawn @ .10 0.30 4/15/08 4 1/2 Yrds Hamburg (Lace) 0.45 4/15/08 Thread .05 Nails .05 0.10 4/15/08 2 Hats 0.45 One .50 Item And Soda .10 0.60 Note On Ledger Saying Moved To New Book 5/7/08 Balance From Old Book 5/7/08 1 Suit Clothes 12.00 5/7/08 1 Shirt 0.50 5/7/08 Undershirt 0.25 5/7/08 1 Hat 1.50 5/7/08 Prints 0.60 5/7/08 Collar 0.10 5/7/08 Oil 0.15 6/10/08 Oil 0.15 6/10/08 Coffee 0.50 7/9/08 Balance Up To Date 19.15 10/27/08 Shoes 1.50 10/27/08 Shoes 1.25 10/27/08 Shoes 0.80 10/27/08 Overshoes 1.50 10/27/08 Overshoes 1.25 10/27/08 3 Caps @ .50 1.50 10/27/08 26 Yrds Domestics @ .05 1.30 10/27/08 14 Yrds Cotton Cloth @.05 0.70 10/27/08 3 1/2 Yrds Dress Flounce 1.75 10/27/08 1 1/2 Yrds ? @ .50 0.75 10/27/08 Lawn 0.25 10/27/08 13 Yrds Print @ .05 0.65 10/27/08 Thread 0.05 2/13/09 Paid Up To Date
