McKINLEY, Simeon Roosa (b: 1811 - d: 1887)
MCKINLEY, ROOSA, BESEMER, UPDIKE
Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 9/17/2010 at 21:07:09
McKINLEY, S. R.
Pioneer Family
Daniel McKinley’s family left Maryland in the 1700’s and settled in the area near Newburg, New York, along the Hudson River. In the late 1820’s the decendants of Daniel began a move westward that brought his grandson, S. R. McKinley, to Iowa where he founded the town of Newburg on the west side of the Cedar River in Mitchell County, Iowa.
Simeon Rose (Roosa) McKinley, born December 11, 1811, In Warwarsing, N. Y. was the son of Richard Stanley and Debra Roosa McKinley. Richard’s father, Daniel, of Scottish ancestry and Nancy Besemer, born in Germany, were married in 1765 in Ulster County, N. Y. Debra Roosa McKinley was of Dutch decent whose ancestors had settled in N. Y. state in the 1600’s. The Roosa home in New Platz, N. Y. is now a library. Richard McKinley and Debra Roosa were married in 1794 in Ulster Co., N. Y.
Simeon R. McKinley was married April 24, 1834 in Ithica, N. Y. to Eliza Updike, born May 18, 1817, in Princeton, N. J., daughter of Levi and Theodosia Grover Updike whose ancestors were early proprietors of land in that area.
In 1835, with one son, Amos, S. R. and Eliza traveled to Kane County, Illinois and settled near the town of Geneva where other members of the family had already settled. The remainders of their children were born in Kane Co., Illinois.
In 1855 S. R. McKinley came to Mitchell County, Iowa, and purchased land from the government on the west side of the Cedar River. By December of the following year his family was settled in that area that became the town of Newburg. The family traveled from Geneva to their new home with a covered wagon carrying the household furnishings driven by the three older sons who took turns driving. The rest of the family rode in a double seated light wheeled carriage purchased especially for the trip. Both vehicles were pulled by glossy black horses which were S. R.’s hobby, and pride.
S.R. purchased and operated the sawmill and in 1857 built and operated a hotel which became a stop on the stage route from Dubuque to St. Paul, Minnesota. The first church services were also held in the hotel.
From the Mitchell County Republican paper, May 13, 1858, Vol. 2 No. 19, “I have just completed the first bridge across the Cedar River at the town of Newburg. The bridge is free, substantial and easy of access being on the state road running from Dubuque to St. Paul, crossing the state line at Wilder’s and the Cedar River just at the Newburg Hotel, a new and commodious house which I have just fitted up for the accommodation of the traveling public. Remember the place to cross the Cedar River at all times and stages of water is at Newburg, Mitchell County, Iowa. S.R. McKinley Prop.”
Except for a few years spent on his farm in Worth County, S. R. and Eliza lived on the land in Mitchell County until the 1880’s when they spent much of their time visiting three of their sons who had settled in Becker County, Minnesota, and founded the town of Osage, Minnesota.
S.R. died in Becker County, October 19, 1887. Eliza returned to Mitchell County after his death and lived in their Iowa home until her death on February 25, 1900. They are both buried in the old Newburg Cemetery on the east side of the Cedar River.
Of their ten children, only Lyman G. remained in the Newburg Township. Amos (b. 1835, d. 1894) farmed in Mitchell County but left no family. Washington (b. 1837, d. 1837). Seymour J. (B 1838, d. 1908), Capt. in Civil War, held office of Supervisor, and was a commercial traveler. Squire S. (b. 1840, d. 1905) was a Civil War Veteran, sheriff of Mitchell County, and moved to Becker County, Minnesota in 1880. Cornelious (b. 1842) was also a Civil War Veteran and moved to California. Alden G. (b. 1845, d. 1858. Randolph D. (b. 1847, d. 1925) was a Civil War Veteran and moved to Oregon. Adeline E. (b. 1851, d. 1892) m. George F. McKinley. William J. (b. 1855, d. 1872). Lyman G. (b. 1853, d. 1937)
[By Marjean McKinley, MITCHELL COUNTY HISTORY, published 1989]
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Photo:
Hotel in Newburg town, one mile west of St. Ansgar, circa 1865. Sixth of left is S. R. McKinley, with dog Max. Names of other people are not known.
Mitchell Biographies maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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