John McKee - 1816 - ?

For those researching family in the three towns area.
Helen Shaw
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John McKee - 1816 - ?

Post by Helen Shaw »

I'm hoping someone maybe able to help me find my 3 times Great Grandfather John McKee (some Census and Children's birth records have the family name as McGhee and McKie). He was born in Donegal, Ireland (as per 1871 Census in Stevenston, Ayrshire). He married Helen Martin in Kilwinning on the 19th of February 1836, and they went on to have 11 children. In order Robert (1837 Dundonald - Nov 1907 Muirkirk), Helen (April 1841 Kilwinning - July 1857 Kilwinning), Elizabeth Robertson McKee (May 1842 Kilwinning - Feb 1919 Glasgow), Margaret (1844 Ayrshire - October 1889 Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire), William (1847 Ayrshire - July 1888 Glasgow), John (1849 Ayrshire - Feb 1859 Stevenston), Thomas (1853 Kilwinning - February 1917 Kilmacolm), Edward (1854 Stevenston - September 1925 NZ), James Strwart McKee (Jan 1857 Stevenston - April 1926 NZ), Helen (July 1859 Stevenston - June 1935 Glasgow) and John (April 1862 Stevenston - October 1871 Stevenston). John (Snr) was the informer on youngest son John's Death Certificate and this is the last trace I have of him). When Helen married in 1882 was not marked as deceased on Marriage Certificate nor on Edward's Marriage in 1873). He was marked as deceased on William's Death Certificate.
John was a Labourer on the 1841 & 1851 Census, Hedge Cutter on 1861 and a Gameskeeper on 1871 Census.
Elizabeth was 2 times Great grandmother.
I'm wondering if anyone can help me locate his death record, or a Grave for John, wife Helen, daughter Helen & sons John).
Jim McCreadie
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Re: John McKee - 1816 - ?

Post by Jim McCreadie »

Helen died Kilwinning, both Johns died Stevenston. Contact the following for free search of both Cemeteries records:
https://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/birth ... earch.aspx
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Hughie
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Re: John McKee - 1816 - ?

Post by Hughie »

Hi Helen,
Welcome to threetowners!

In 1875 the Glasgow Herald reported a Railway accident at Ibrox - The following were amongst the list of injured:-

JOHN McKEE, Gamekeeper, Kerelaw, Stevenston - who was going to 11 Roslin Place, Cowcaddens - bruised on the right side and nose cut.
THOMAS McKEE, son of the above - right leg bruised.

See the story here in Stevenston - On This Day In History
Penny Tray
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Re: John McKee - 1816 - ?

Post by Penny Tray »

Roslin Place, Cowcaddens, Glasgow, no longer exists but this photograph survives: -

https://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSE00778
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
Helen Shaw
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Re: John McKee - 1816 - ?

Post by Helen Shaw »

Thank You Hughie and Penny, this has given me a little more information. I wonder who they were going to visit. Two of the daughters lived in Glasgow at this time but not in Roslin Place. Will get on to the Council to see if they know where Helen McKee is buried just in case John was buried there too.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Heard back from Council, no Monumental Inscriptions found in High Kirk Graveyard or New Street Cemetery, Stevenston. Nor the Kilwinning Abbey Churchyard. To-date nothing has shown on the Old Parish Records.
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shaunmcneil

Re: John McKee - 1816 - ?

Post by shaunmcneil »

Hi Helen,
I hope I can post this as a guest?
I see it has been a few months until anyone posted here, but I just wanted to advise that 'your' John McKee is my wife's 3 times great grandfather too!
She is Shona McKee and her father was John McKee
He is a bit of a mystery as you say, but I have found that his mother is likely to be Helen McCordock from Donegal.
Also the surname may have been changed at some time from McGhee/McGhie to McKie/McKee-just to complicate things a bit more :D
I assume John dies before 1873 given other records that you mention related to his children with Helen Martin.
If that's true he can't be the John McKee in the train accident in 1875-but it might be him I suppose, as he did have a son Thomas (1852-1917)
He's in the 1871 census but not the 1881.
He married Helen in Dundonald in March 1836.
His sons Edward and James emigrated to New Zealand and I am in the process of finding out more about them (as I am Scottish but live in NZ now).
You can get in touch with me at shaun dot mcneil at yahoo dot com
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shaunmcneil

Re: John McKee - 1816 - ?

Post by shaunmcneil »

Helen's death certificate shows that she died in Greenhead, Stevenston, Ayrshire on January 7th 1869 and was registered by her husband John McKee.
Her father was Edward Martin a Farm Labourer and mother Helen McKinnon. I wonder if John was permitted to have a burial plot on the land on which he worked and maybe that's why the council can't find his/her burial site? Perhaps if we found out where he was a Gamekeeper, that might solve the mystery?
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Re: John McKee - 1816 - ?

Post by hahaya2004 »

This might be of some help to you:
1856 Ordnance Survey - "Greenhead - a farmhouse with outbuildings, garden etc. The property of Gavin Fullarton Esq., occupied as cottages".

Greenhead is situated north of Kerelaw/Kerila Estate. The estate also belonged to Gavin Fullarton, who died in 1876.
https://maps.nls.uk/view/75494354
It's very likely he worked as game keeper for Gavin Fullarton.
After Gavin Fullarton's death, the estate was in the hands of his trustees.

In 1875, 11 Roslin Place was owned by Dr. Joshua Paterson and occupied by 8 tenants. If you would like the names of the tenants, let me know & I'll post them.
Hope this helps.

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