McBee - William Z.
Source: Montgomery County, Indiana, Crawfordsville Daily Journal, Aug 17, 1909, Linden, August 17
The funeral of the late William Z. McBee occurred Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the home conducted by Rev. FG Howard of
the ME Church. Interment was in the Ermentrout (sic) Cemetery near
where he landed a poor boy 57 years ago and was in charge of the
Linden Masonic Lodge, Edgar Rice of Crawfordsville, acting as
master at the open grave. A large concourse of his friends and
neighbors showed their love and devotion to him and family by
their attendance. William Z. McBee was the youngest of 10
children born to Walter & Sarah McBee in Grant Co, West
Virginia and was b. March 27, 1830. He grew to manhood at the
old home but as he could not see much chance for advancement
there, and bearing of the many advantages of this then farm off
western country, he decided to leave the old home and friends
with all its pleasant associations and seek a new home in the
west. With a horse and saddle a pair of saddle bags in which
were his entire worldly possessions, one bright morning in Oct
1852 he mounted and made the start for the west, passing through
a portion of Ohio the day Franklin Pierce was elected Pres.
Coming on he later landed at the home of his uncle, John
Ermentrout, then living one mi. NW of the Silas Peterson
homestead on Potato Creek and just inside the E. line of Madison
Twp. A stranger in a strange land, he with nothing but a strong
will and body, went to work determined to win a home. After some
3 years of hard work and having become acquainted with the
people, he wooed and won on the 23rd of August, 1855, married
Mary C. Shobe, the daughter of Henry Shobe, a prominent farmer
and one well qualified to assist him in life's struggles. They
now purchased the NE half of the SW quarter of Sec 13 in Madison
Twp, built a log cabin and a new home was erected. Here, they
lived for many years, surrounded by large and more prosperous
farmers, but he plodded on in his quiet way until a little later
another 40 acre lot was added to this possession. While living
here 7 children were born to them: Walter H; Martin Z; Mary Olive
9now Mrs. James Hart) and William P, all living near the old
home; Minnie (now Mrs. Long of Swayzee); Sarah (now Mrs. Hunter
Dain of Calgary, Canada), and Frank, who was killed in the
railroad wreck in 1898. He continued to add to this small
beginning until he and family now own large faMrs. Mc McBee has
assisted in bringing Madison Twp. from its swamp and ponds up to
its present high state of cultivation. As one of the directors of
the lye Creek Ditching Assoc. he did much to reclaim that vast
territory, at one time covered by water. He for many years has
been one of the directors of our co. fair and did much towards
its present high standing. While his occupation was that of
farming, and no one worked harder at it than he did, yet he was
progressive and at all times favored improvements with careful
and judicious management. He died one among the oldest members
of Linden Lodge, F & AM. As a politician he was Democratic,
but of late years was somewhat liberal in his views. His life in
Indiana has been a busy one. Yet he was best seen in the home.
He was a lover of his family and his home. Honest, industrious
and charitable, with that Va. sort of good fellowship, he had a
host of friends and was accounted among the best citizens of the
County. Some 8 years ago he retired from the farm and moved to
Linden, where on Aug 23, 1905 he was permitted to enjoy the 50th
anniv. of his marr. Here he became a stockholder and director in
the Linden bank, and soon identified himself with the best
interests of the town. He was constitutionally strong and
sickness was almost unknown to him. Yet old age with its
infirmities could be seen encroaching upon him and only during
the last week of his life did he complain of sickness and yet
was able to be up at times. on Friday he became unconscious and
the family could see the end approaching. Acute indigestion was
doing its work. With but one exception, his children were
present with him. Sarah Dain was not present when he breathed
his last Sun. morning, Aug 15, 1909. Mr. McBee never connected
himself with the Church, yet he was morally strong, a firm
believer in the right, and endeavored to do unto others as he
would have them do unto him. Besides his family, he leaves one
brother, Charles, as the last member of this large family, now in
his 84th year and residing in Linden. His life was not in vain
and he has left to his family that choisest remembrance, a good
name.
Source: Crawfordsville Journal, Monday, Aug 16.. William Z. McBee,
aged 79, a prominent farmer of this place (Linden) died at 2
o'clock Sun morning at his home here form acute indigestion. The
funeral was held this afternoon at 2 o'clock, Edgar Rice of
Crawfordsville was in charge of the Masonic services, to which
order the deceased was a member.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Review, Nov. 26, 1881
Z. McBee, our prize
(I think the first part of this is gone, but here's what I have,
which I think is the majority of the article) - kbz
Z. McBee was born March 27, 1830 in Hardy Co, W. Va. he
emigrated to Indiana in the fall of 1852, coming all the way
alone and on horseback. Mr. McBee commanded a wealth of $8 in
money and his saddle animal. The first two winters of his life in
the west, he spent in chopping and splitting rails for which he
received 50 cents per hundred. Mr. McBee was married in 1855,
having at that time one horse and 80 dollars in money all of
which it took to buy a little house and kitchen furniture. After
living on a rented farm for 3 years, Mr. McBee bought 40 acres of
land having up to that time made money enough ahead to make a
small payment. McBee and wife, after many weary and toilsome
days, managed to pay for their small farm, where he resides up to
this date. Mr. McBee being a successful man is the owner of 175
acres of as good land as Montgomery Co. affords. He has sold this
season two car loads of cattle for $2,000 and one car load of
hogs that brought one thousand and still has on the farm, 20 head
of stalk hogs which will be fed for the June market. McBee has
raised a family of 7 children without any deaths. His children
are all living at home. If Franklin Twp. can compete with us, let
us see her figures.