A History of the McKee Family

By Helen McKee Kreymborg

For some time I’ve wanted to have some of the stories of my parents and grandparents in a form that my grandchildren and nieces and nephews could refer to. As we get older we seem to have more of an empathy with our parents. And there is a degree of comfort in the knowing someone has been here before me.

Our parents had the unique experience of helping to develop a community out of the now extinct “new country.” My father Herbert Earl McKee was born in Schrette County Pennsylvania on September 12, 1878. This was a coal mining area and his father Harvey McKee (September 8, 1900) and Mother Mary Laird (October 10, 1859-September 10, 1916) felt they wanted more for their children (Nora, Herbert, Getha) than coal mining would give them. In 1884 they joined other families (Woods, Logans, Lewis) and came to Keya Paha County Nebraska. The train took them as far as Stuart, Nebraska. From there they went by wagon into Keya Paha County to a community known as Lutes. They “proved up” on a claim by erecting a claim shack, planting trees and cultivating the land. The spot on the map that is nearest this area would be Burton. Springview is the county seat and this was some 15 miles away. In 1892 they moved to Gregory County South Dakota. This was a part of the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Here they gave up farming and went into the hotel business—at least Grandma McKee ran the hotel. Grandfather Harvey McKee died of appendicitis in 1900.

My father worked as a cowboy from the time he was 12 years old. He tells that his first boss was Mr. Homer Soper. There are still Sopers in the area. One of his early boyhood experiences was in the Burton area when the Vigilantes were active. The man had Grandma McKee do his washing and it was customary for Dad to return the clothing and stay overnight. The particular day the laundry was ready but Dad’s parents wouldn’t allow him to make the delivery. The next day when they returned the clothes, they found the fellow dead—the Vigilantes had called during the night. It’s not too hard to imagine cattle rustling. Mother tells about the time when some rustlers picked up their cattle and her brothers took after them and caught them up at the State Line.

Gregory County opened for settlement in two separate sections—the East part before 1900 and the west part in 1904. Then in 1908 the area known as Tripp County opened for settlement. This entire area west of the Missouri River was known as the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Dad also helped build the first building at St. Francis on the Reservation.

The Amspokers (Mother’s family) came from Ohio by way of a stop in Atlantic Iowa—then a homestead in Boone County near St. Edward. Samuel Amspoker lived from May 16, 1837—May 30, 1915, and Mary Jane Caldwell lived from May 16, 1842—November 10, 1930. With the prospect of free land in Keya Paha County and boys (Ed and John) old enough to homestead, Grandpa Amspoker moved the family to a place near the South Dakota State Line in the fall of 1884. Mother (born June 16, 1882) was two years old, Frank 4 years, Alta 6 years, Fred 10 years, Ross 12, and there were two older girls--Anna and Wilmetta. Grandpa went back to Boone County to help the older boys pick corn. If you want to find the place, follow Highway 183 out of Springview and just before you reach the South Dakota Line it is the quarter section on the west side of the road. When I was growing up I was sure I knew where the house was by the lane of trees.

I am quoting a story that appeared in the 75th edition of the Springview Herald--we had a reunion at Paul’s in Platte, SD that year and I read this:

 Samuel and Mary Jane Amspoker arrived in the Enterprise area in 1884, rather late in the fall which necessitated Sam’s leaving the older boys Fred and Ross to assist with the younger children while he went back to southeastern Nebraska to pick the corn crop. As it was late, he knew the holidays would find him away from his family. Mary Jane squared her shoulders for lonely days ahead as chill November days moved in and December snows blanketed the little sod house. Christmas eve found the little family sitting in the warm circle of lamplight (at this point Mother interjected “It wasn’t so darned hot”) when a pounding sounded at the door. Mary Jane laid her qualms aside with here mending and pulled the door open a space expecting a stranger lost in the new country and seeking refuge from the storm. A moment’s silence then a shout of laughter from Sam at the look of unbelief on his family’s faces. He pulled them close to him with everyone talking and laughing, allowed the younger children to explore his pockets for treasured gags of candy to add to the Merry Christmas.

Imagine hitchhiking via lumber wagon and walking approximately 130 miles to spend Christmas with your family.

There are many tales of hardships but when I lived with Grandmother Amspoker in her 88th year she didn’t dwell on that part of her life. She did smoke a corn cop pipe, which no grandchild was ever to know about. If you visited her she did her smoking in the pantry. She loved her hard coal heating stove and hated city water that came through “those dirty pipes.” As long as she could she got her drinking water from the windmill just a few steps from the back door. And if the weather permitted she preferred using the “outhouse.”

By comparison my parents had a life of ease. Dad put up the second building in Gregory, and with his partner opened a hardware store. This was a branch of the Bonesteel store. The county opened for settlement in two different dates: the east half in _________ and the west half (St. Charles west to Tripp County line) in 1904. The folks were married at the Amspoker home place now 7 miles east of Springview on November 1, 1905. As was the custom, I arrived on September 10, 1906. The house they went to housekeeping in was a 4 room affair, and whey Lloyd was born 2 years later they moved to a larger place—a “T-style” with 3 bedrooms upstairs, 1 bedroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen down (heated with a “base burner” and a cook stove). One of the major remodeling events was a bathroom when Harry was a baby. Up until that time Sunday night was major bath night because Dad was home on Sunday to pump the water, carry it in and out, and help with the bath. Dad kept the hardware store open from 7 am until everyone gave up and went home at night—usually 8:00 in winter and 9:00 in summer. About the same time as the bathroom we got electric lights—one bulb hanging down in the middle of the room. But I can remember my mother’s relief of not having kerosene lamps to fill and wash—and so much safer with the children. The lumen count wasn’t too great. We didn’t abandon the lamps—they continued to sit upon a shelf in the kitchen, as the electric power was erratic to say the least. The power came on in the evening and went off at 7:00 am. Dad being in the hardware business tried out new household equipment at home—possibly because it made his life easier, as well as Mother’s. They use to joke about the “Armstrong” washing machines. This method required someone to stand and supply the power for the dolly in the washer. One “modern” convenience we acquired after Clarence put his hand into wringer clogs and turned the crank. You will recall he had one finger damaged at the end. The improvement was a cover over the clogs so inquisitive kids couldn’t put their fingers in.

By the time Beth cam along we had a double tub Dexter electric washer. In the process you put rainwater in the first tub, boiling water in the second, and two rinses. And we washed at night because that is when we had power. The night Beth was born I taught the new hired girls how to do the washing. And I got to see Beth as soon as Mrs. Foote (the nurse) had her washed and dressed. Harry had already announced he would take his coaster wagon and get a sister baby—and he named her Maxine.

When Beth was two, the family financed had improved. Dad had expanded into the implement business and the bank. We moved to the house 2 blocks west of Main Street. This was a really big deal for me as I got to go to Omaha with the folks to help pick out the rugs and curtains.

I was allowed to have a Birdseye Maple dresser for my room. Aunt Alta and Uncle Charlie moved to Gregory and lived in our old house. The new house was 9 blocks from school so Harry, a first grader, ate lunch at Aunt Alta’s. The rest of us were big enough to make the 18 blocks to and from school during the noon hour. (And we walked.)

Paul arrived in 1923—two days before Mother’s 41st birthday. This was quite an event. Of course Mother was born when her Mother was 40. I was 16 and ran things at home, including learning to drive a car—a Dodge business sedan. I felt that if I could run the washing machine I could also run the car, and Mother upheld me in all my arguments. I realize now that I was probably woman’s libbing, but then Dad had some very definite ideas for me. I was to go to college—I really thought nursing should be my field, but Dad said there was too much manual labor. Eventually Home Economics was decided on—I guess maybe I’d had so much practical experience at home I felt I knew something to begin with. I did a lot of home work, like my senior year I bathed Paul in the morning before I went to school. I did most of the grocery buying if it wasn’t done by phone. By phone had some advantages—the groceries were delivered.  One time there was a large order of canned foods delivered. Later Paul announced he’d “unwrapped the cans.” So while those cans lasted we never knew until we opened the can what the vegetables would be for the meal. Because of the size of the family it always took two cans.

On July 10, 1925 Al arrived. I was home from college so took over the running of the house for the summer. Aunt Alta always said I worked my way through college before I got there—but you can see how I developed into the bossy oldest sister.

I’ve wished many times that I’d kept Mother’s letters when I was in college. They were a series of tales of the exploits of Paul and Al. It would have been a best seller—or maybe serve as a text for child-development specialists. Al always got us up early and Paul stayed up late. When they wandered down the street, Paul would walk 4-6 feet ahead of Al—and they did things. Mother used to say “Go see what the little boys are into and get them out of it.”

I was about grown up before I realize my parents had some differences of opinions. As far as we kids were concerned they presented a united front. If we hesitated Dad merely said, “You heard your mother.” And we had!

Dad was a self made man. His schooling ended at the 4th grade, but he read a great deal. He regretted not having more formal education, but he learned to understand people. One tribute paid him was told to me by Mrs.___________ (wife of the president of the Sioux Falls Bank). She was present at the farewell reception honoring Dad, and this rather ordinary farmer said to her: “He helped my folks and he helps me.” I suppose he felt his greatest honor was being elected president of the South Dakota Bankers Association.

He could be tough as a banker has to be when you’re asking for money, but he was thinking of the needs of people—both the depositors and the borrowers. No boy or girl who really wanted to go to college was refused a loan.

Mother carried her share of the load, and during the depression it was a load. The bridge club they enjoyed was one of the ways Dad could relax. The food was on the table and ready to eat at 7:00 AM, 12:00 noon, and 6 P.M, and you’d better be there. I was required to do a great deal of work as I was growing up, but never did Mother leave the lunch dishes for me to do after school. Mother was a worker and an excellent manager. She could always work circles around me and cope with situations. She kept her kerosene stove working beautifully—the wicks were trimmed every Thursday morning. She scheduled herself Thursday afternoon off, so she could go to the Ladies Aid. When she got to be Ladies Aid president they paid on the principal of the church mortgage instead of interest. Probably one of my dearest early memories is that after we got the boys to bed Mother would read to me. I wept through Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but she still read to me at my pleading.

Most of you remember best later years—she was always interested in what was going on. She loved to go to the movies. Then as TV came she had on of the first sets. And how she loved to play bridge. Senility never got to her even if arthritis did. She loved jokes.

We have precious memories—so much to relate to the grandchildren it seems like an impossible situation but the movies Beth and Brink have will make it more real to you.