James & Martha (Anderson) McGee & Family

ANDERSON, MCGEE

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 3/13/2020 at 11:14:30

James McGee was born in County Armagh, Ireland in 1808. He came to America in 1831. He migrated to Iowa in 1832. When he came to Dubuque there was a mining camp and one house. It was said that Julien Dubuque had built it.

Eventfully McGee came to the area known as North Farley on land entered from the government. (Settled north of Farley in Section 15 in 1839, later buying a farming Section 31). He married Martha Anderson, who was born near the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.

Martha Anderson was an educated person. She came to Sherrill with her family. She was married to James McGee on august 7, 1844. To this union nine children were born. The oldest child died infancy.

Perhaps the most famous of the McGee family was David McGee. He was an expert in physics. David along with his brother, W. J., invented and patented an improved adjustable corn cultivator (patent June 9, 1874). These were manufactured for a time, but the enterprise was not financially successful. David remained a bachelor. He lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana and had a rice plantation and orange grove.

Isaac, the third son, lived on the farm for a time and eventually moved to Farley to educate his two youngest children, William Isaac and Mary Jo,

Milo, one of the older children, was a teacher, George one of the older children, lost an eye early in life.

Emma was the only girl and never married. She lived on the old home farm. She was the author of several books, among them, the "Life of W. J. McGee" from which this information was obtained.

Emma revealed a very interesting bit of history about her father in her book. He lived through the BlackHawk War. He was present at the capture and death of the famous chief of the Sac and Fox Indians and he saw the sword that was presented to Blackhawk by Andrew Johnson.

John McGee was a cousin and helped in inventing the cultivator. His father was Jesse McGee, and great grandfather of Steven and John Georgen.

James McGee lived in the old house in North Farley until his death on November 13, 1893 at the age of 85 years.