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My family has always been able to fully trace its ancestry back a dozen generations to New England, except for the McKee side, which was from Pennsylvania. That side seems to disappear in the area of New Alexandria, Westmoreland County PA in the 1830's. The name of my great-great grandfather was Andrew McKee (b. circa. 1800) who married Elizabeth Tittle (b. 1803 Beatty, Unity Twp, Westmoreland County, PA - d. 1877 Stockton, CA). Andrew had five brothers: John, who went to Falmouth, KY (we have a complete record of his descendants), James, Joseph and Samuel who went to Ohio and David who may have gone to California.
Andrew's father was William McKee whose wife was named Belle Hendricks. William was probably somehow related to a James McKee who sold 331 acres in Salem Twp to Dickie in 1809. William may have joined a copper expedition in northern Michigan in the early 1840's, and may have started a second family. Not much else is known for certain.
Our family ancestors first arrived in Northern California in 1849, followed by others in the early 1850's. Thus, family reunions in the 1970's and 80's were significant gatherings.
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