I want to thank Tom McKee for sending me this letter.

I was glad to hear from you again and know that you don't become weary in well doing, but still keep after your ancestors.

Six weeks ago I celebrated my 80th birthday; and now heading for ninety and going strong. I sent you a book with the Irish Coat of Arms, amongst them the McKee's, of course, also a photo of the McKee monument with the McKee crest on it. The publishers of the book, Murphy and McCarthy, are now painting for me the McKee Coat-of-Arms surmounted with a helmet. I want a painting of the McKee crest so designed that it will be an attractive picture; also a design for a stamp. My great grandfather, Hugh McKee, was a linen merchant and gave his daughters and daughters-in-law when they got married a web of linen. When my father's Aunt Jane was dying I was there with my father and mother and some half dozen others. When she died my mother asked for a piece of linen to tie up her chin. After searching through drawers and closets my mother was handed a peice of linen. My father startled the whole of us by exclaiming "Show me that". He examined it and said that it was the end of the web of linen my grandfather gave Aunt Jane, when she was married and there is his stamp on it. We all looked at the stamp, a key with three links surrounded the Latin-Motto, which my father told us meant, "Turn it not against me". Forty years afterwards I wanted a stamp and got up this drawing of which I was quite proud. I sent a copy of it to my aunt Rebecca in New Zealand, who was strong on family history. The only comment she made on it was "You have spoiled our crest with your American star". I don't know whether the criticism was correct or not, but I lost conceit in my stamp and stopped using it.

I want a stamp with the family crest and it made by a McKee it would be more exquisite still. I sent you a photo of the McKee monument with the McKee crest on it, which is an exact duplicate of the stamp. The size and price I will leave to your discretion.

The Irish leaders who resisted the pretensions of Queen Elizabeth finally decided that their cause was lost, which was followed by the "Flight of the Earls", 1607. amongst them Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, generally known as The Great Earl. The O'Neills, their relatives and followers in Ireland were now left without a leader or protector. Any of them who owned lands were hunted and slaughtered like wild beasts,their lands were confiscated to the Crown, which was generally returned to the person who killed the rightful owner as a crown grant. Some of the O'Neills (McKees) fled to Connaught, where their decsendants are living, as Irish Roman Catholics. Some crossed the Channel to Scotland, which you can see from the Antrim coast. They were there during the Reformation and became Scotch Presbyterians. The descendants of these exiles from Erin were filled with stories about what a beautiful country Ireland was compared to Scotland and were longing to get back. When King William III (of Orange) sent the Duke of Schomberg to Scotland (where he was well known as the friend and protector of the Scottish martyrs and exiles in Denmark) to raise an army to conquer King James in Ireland. Amongst the volunteers were four brothers call McKee, and Robert Edgar who fought at the Battle of the Boyne and marched back again about 100 miles to get their farms on the County Down Coast; when their fathers came from and where they could see the Isle of Man and Scotland in the offing.

Hugh McKee and Robert Edgar settled in Lisban near Saintfield, where their descendants are still numerous, of which I am one.

James McKee settled in the Ards, County Down, where his descendants still live. David crossed the Lagan River and settled in County Antrim three or four miles from Belfast. The fourth brother would rather be a soldier than farmer and remained with the army. Al of this I believe as firmly as if it were Holy Writ. I was born and reared right on the spot, heard these histories, stories and traditions told and discussed all my life in Ireland, particularly at a wake

These victors at the Boyne settled on farms with a lease running 33,66,99 or 999 years at a rental of from one shilling to half-a-crown an acre. Under King William III Belfast grew very rapidly. Law and order was restored, life and property was safe. When the 33 year leases expired in 1724, scotch and English farmers and ten shillings to a pound an acre for the land on which the soldiers had settled, fenced, drained and built hopes, and they got it. This started a land war in Ireland that is not yet over. David McKee's farm near Belfast was raised enourmously, so much so that he would not pay it, but sold out his effects and went with his family to America. Ulstermen at that time and down to my time went to the United States and Canada with no other aim or purpose but to get a farm of land on the frontiers. The did not go singly, but in districts, parishes, ship loads, etc. There was a popular song in Ireland in my time and before, which said;

Our ship was loaded with passengers

from Antrim and from Down

with two full score

if not some more

from you sweet Saintfield Town.

David McKee, his family and friends must have sailed about 1724/25 and would not have to go so far west in Pennsylvania as those who came after him. He was the leader of a stream of McKees from County Down, Ireland to western Pennsylvania. The last of them settled in Beaver County, Pa. David McKee had a large family of sons and daughters, but never remember hearing the names of any of them.

Fifty years after the Battle of the Boyne, McKees came over from Scotland and settled near Ballymena, County Antrim, and are still there. They have got the name of Patrick in their family. Other McKees settled about the same time at Ballyshannon. They emigrated to Peterborough, Ontario, Canada where they still are, but in Ireland they have become extinct.

The Milesisans of Ireland peopled Scotland and spoke the Gaelic language. A prominent name amongst the Gals was Hugh, spelled "Augh". back in the time of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, in 1560 when Galic was the national language of Scotland and you will find the clan McKay spelled MacAugh. Mac is for son of and is the Scotch spelling, while Mc is Irish. We are of the same race, but they are not of the Clan O'Neill.

I would know by this rapture alone

which flows through me now like a flood

that the Irish skies are my own

and the Irish blood is my blood

Hugh McKee of the burnt house and my great grandfather Hugh McKee of Pagsburn(?) were first cousins, and grandsons of Hugh McKee who fought in the battle of the Boyne.

There were two families in our neighborhood called Carson, known as Big Willie and Wee Willie. Their descendants are there yet. Big Willies house is the nearest house to the Burnt House and from his hearth the Croppies took the five coals which set fire to Hugh McKees house in which he and his family were burnt up.

I knew Ballynchinche well and there is not a lake or river around there on which you could sail a boat. If you can give me the name and address of any Carson, who lived or lives around Ballynahinche, I can easily hunt them up for you.

I know Stanley High. We are raising 100,000.00 for him to start a Dry Daily Newspaper-January 1, 1932.

This is getting to be a long rambling letter, which I will bring to a close by extending you my kindest regards and best wishes hoping to hear from you again.

I remain yours Truly.

John McKee

113 Columbina Heights

Brooklyn, N.Y.

(John McKee sent to Ray McKee, author of Book of McKee April 25, 1931 the following letter)

"McKee is an Irish Gaelic name spelled Mac Aodh and pronounced Mac Weeh meaning son of Hugh (O'Neill) Earl of Tyrone, Anglicized into McGee, McHugh and McKee. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1558 to 1603 the O'Neills were driven out of Scotland, whose inhabitants were of the same race and spoke the same language. THey were there during the Reformation and became Scotch Presbyterians but still wanted to go back to Ireland, having heard their fathers tell what a beautiful country it was compared to Scotland; after Cromwells masacre of the Irish in 1649 and 1650, your ancestors went back to Ireland and settled around Derry; my ancestors joined the army of William III in Scotland, fought at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, and settled in Lisban, near Saintfield, County Down, Ireland".

JOHN MCKEE was born in 1851 in LISBAN, NEAR SAINTFIELD, COUNTY DOWN, IRELAND

(I will enter here that the author of Book of McKee was convinced that by far the majority of McKee lines came over from Scotland to North Ireland after the signing of the Solemn League and Covenant and the consequent persecutions.)