Robert married Dorothy Alice HAMILTON on 29 Sep 1926. Dorothy (daughter of William S HAMILTON and Minnie E MCVEETY) was born on 30 Oct 1909 in Bear Valley, Parry Sound District, Ontario; died in 1999; was buried in Restoule, Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alt. Death: 5 Jan 1954

Robert married Merion Elizabeth TENNANT in 1885 in Magnetawan, Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada. Merion (daughter of George TENNANT and Lily Ann HAMILTON) was born on 13 Jun 1866 in Wilberforce Twp., Renfrew, Ontario, Canada; died on 25 Apr 1946 in Restoule, Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada; was buried in North Bay, Nipissing, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Minnie E MCVEETY in 1901. Minnie was born in 1882; died in 1964; was buried in Restoule Cemetery, Parry Sound District, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Cause of Death (Facts Pg): Pneumonia From Falling Through The Ice In Winter
• Occupation: Shoemaker
• Emigration: 1832; listed in 1901 census
• Census: 1851, Con 13 Lot 17 Wilberforce Twp., Renfrew Co., Ontario
• Census: 1861, Con 13 Lot 16 Wilberforce Twp., Renfrew Co., Ontario
• Census: 1891, Patterson Twp., Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada; by self on same census page as sons Thomas & Wm; next to Thomas Smith bro in law
• Census: 1901, Patterson Twp., Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada; with son Wm

Notes:

!SOURCE: 1. SMITH FAMILY TREE
2. REFLECTIONS OF RESTOULE 1850-1990
3. PIONEER REMINISCENSES OF THE UPPER OTTAWA VALLEY
4. 1851 CENSUS-WILBERFORCE
5. THE MARRIAGE REGISTER OF UPPER CANADA VOL 5 BATHURST DISTRICT
!MARRIAGE: 7 APR 1851 BY REV. THOMAS HANNA; WIT: OZIAS BENNING & RALPH LETT(5)
!OCCUPATION: SHOEMAKER BY TRADE, SAILOR BY CHOICE, FARMER FOR A SHORT TIME, ADVENTURER(2)
!DEATH: BILLY HAD MOVED TO A CABIN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF COMMANDA LAKE AND IN FEB 1904, WHILE CROSSING THE LAKE TO VISIT HIS FRIENDS JIM A ND CARRIE MCVEETY HE FELL THROUGH THE ICE WITHIN SIGHT OF THEIR HOME. J IM RAN TO HIS RESCUE, BUT BY THE TIME JIM GOT HIM TO THE HOUSE, BILLY'S LO NG WHITE BEARD WAS FROZEN STIFF. THE ORDEAL PROVED TO BE TOO MUCH FOR BIL LY WHO CONTRACTED PNEUMONIA AND DEPARTED FROM THIS LIFE A FEW DAYS LATER AT AGE 96(2)
!HOME: WILLIAM ADN CHRISTIANNA LIVED IN A LOG HOUSE BUILT IN WILBERFORCE TWP. IN 1854 AND HAD 3 CHILDREN BY 1861(3( SHORTLY AFTER HE AND SPOUSE SEPARATED HE AND THE CHILDREN CAME TO RESTOULE, ABT. 1868. A MIDDLE AGED MAN WITH FIVE YOUNG CHILDREN WM. JR. 14; MARY 12; ROBERT 10; TOM 8; ELLEN ALMOST 5 STARTIN O UT ON AN ADVENTURE WITH NO MAP, ONLY VERBAL DIRECTIONS TO GUIDE THEM TO TH EIR DESTINATION; A SPOT SOUTH OF LAKE NIPISSING. BILLY AN IRISH IMMIGRAN T, FROM THE PEMBROKE AREA THEY CAME BY STEAMER TO CHALK RIVER, THEN LOAD ED THEIR BELONGINGS INTO TWO INDIAN WAR CANOES, PICKED UP THEIR PADDLES A ND HEADED UP THE OTTAWA RIVER. THE THRILL AND EXCITEMENT OF PREPARATION SO ON GAVE WAY TO REALITY AS MUSCLES ACHED FROM LONG HOURS OF PADDLING AND CA RRYING THEIR BELONGINGS ACROSS PORTAGES, BUT THE JOURNEY HAD BEGUN ADN THE RE WAS NO TURNING BACK. THEYU FOLLOWED THE VOYAGEURS' HIGHWAY UP THE OTTA WA RIVER, MATTAWA RIVER, TROUT LAKE, AND LAVASSE RIVER, THEN ACROSS LAKE N IPISSIN TO THE MOUTH OF SOUTH RIVER, A JOURNEY OF SEVERAL WEEKS. NO LI FE JACKETS PROTECTED THOSE YOUNSTERS AS THEY BUFFETTED THE TREACHEROUS WAV ES OF LAKE NIPISSING. ONLY THE DETERMINATION AND RELENTLESS URGING OF BIL LY ENCOURAGED THE BOYS AS THEY PLIED THEIR PADDLES AND STRUGGLED FORWAR D. AT THE TINY SETTLEMENT OF NIPISSING, THEY RESTED BEFORE STRIKING O UT ON FOOT FOR THE HEAD WATERS OF RESTOULE RIVER, FOLLOWING BLAZES ON T HE TREES. APPARENTLY, ANOTHER MAN WALKED WITH THEM AS A GUIDE. EDITH(TENN ANT) STACEY TELLS OF HER MOTHER, THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE MCKEE FAMI LY , DESCRIBING THE JOURNEY TO HER MANY TIMES AND RECALLING HOW WEARY S HE WAS. ELLEN ALSO TOLD OF HEARING "THE MAN" SAY "WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRAI L, THERE'S THE BLAZE", LITTLE ELLEN WAS PERPLEXED AS OLDER MEMBERS OF T HE FAMILY WATCHED FOR BLAZES. TO HER BLAZES MEANT FIRE AND SHE KEPT ASKI NG HER DAD TO SHOW HER THE BLAZE. AT THE DINNERING PLACE (HOTHAM), THEY C OOKED A MEAL BEFORE CONTINUING. THE YEAR WAS 1868. NO DOUBT THEY WERE EXH AUSTED, BUT THEIR ENTHUSIASM WAS UNDAUNTED. RETOULE'S *FIRST* SETTLERS H AD ARRIVED SAFELY! WITH THE HELP OF FRIENDLY INDIANS, THE MCKEES BUILT TH EIR LOG CABIN ON THE WEST BANK OF RESTOULD RIVER. THE MEN MADE A TRIP BA CK TO PEMBROKE FOR MORE SUPPLIES BEFORE WINTER SET IN AND BILLY MCKEE'S T WO YOUNG DAUGHTERS WERE TAKEN TO STAY WITH FRIENDS UNTIL LIVING CONDITIO NS HERE COULD BE IMPROVED(2)
!DOB:1908? ; AGE 34 MAR 15 IN 1851(4)

1871 - Living in Matawan West Township, Nipissing District, Ontario. Willi am, 52, born in Ireland, Church of England, Irish, Farmer; Christien, 3 5, born in Ontario, Church of England, Scotch; children: William, 16, Robe rt, 14, Thomas, 10, Mary, 7, Ellen, 5. All the children were born in Onta rio. William owns 50 acres of land with 5 acres improved. The family li ve in a shanty.(from Sharon Weller) 1861 Wm 43; christianna 25, wm 7, robert 5, thomas 1

WM McKee suspected of killing his wife prior to going north. He claimed s he ran away. There was never a trace of her. He was also suspected of killing a man while up north.

William married Christianne A SMITH on 7 Apr 1851 in Wilberforce Twp., Renfrew, Ontario, Canada. Christianne was born on 29 Feb 1836 in Bromley Twp., Renfrew, Ontario, Canada; died before 1881. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

George married Lily Ann HAMILTON on 14 Jun 1851 in Wesleyan Methodist, Pembroke, Renfrew Co., Ontario. Lily (daughter of Andrew T. HAMILTON and Isabella MCBAIN) was born on 3 Nov 1832 in McNab Twp., Renfrew, Ontario, Canada; died on 22 Feb 1910 in Locksley, Renfrew, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Restoule Cemetery, Parry Sound District, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Janet STEWART on 23 Nov 1868 in , Renfrew Co., Ontario, Canada. Janet (daughter of John STEWART and Eliza DEWAR) was born in 1834 in , , , Scotland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]