I appreciate the consistency of visits I get at my website. Most of the time I am asked to look for someones kin. I am given their parents, sometimes their grandparents. Truely, most times, it is just in passing- and without any research effort at all. So is the reason for this posting, January 2008.

This website and its contents were and continue to be my effort to share information I have received and to provide some suggestions on how to find your kin. My sincere hope is you find your answers within these pages.

First, there are definately those of you who are in the cold with alot of work under your belts. Those of you who have writen to me with a good amount of information, it was easy to see your efforts. Some of you hope that in this busy world, you might just click the mouse on a website and have all the answers by the time you log off, or wake up. I assure you, even with the advent of the computer it will take a little more effort.

I do have some research materials and thirty years of writing, calling, buying, and in some cases the new age- e mails, but I can tell you- we are a prolific bunch. We came to this country and others with more than a pocketful of kin. Given this, eleven brothers and numerous sisters in one family, if they have the usual urges, could give us all a good start in relatives. This was the normal numbers of the day, give or take the numbers of brothers and sisters. Then, there were many other entry points of the time. Canada, New Zealand, Australia, England, not to mention the many periods of time the ships carried the hundreds of McKees to their new worlds. Lets not forget who stayed in the homelands of Scotland and England.

Exciting enough, was to find out my Dad was born in Kansas, and it was discussed and known, about the father and uncles escapades in that kneck of the woods - . Contacting local historical societies and discovering those that were responsible for the trip into the new west, and in literature learning their north america beginnings was exciting to say the least. I got so much information from the historical society, I was able to receive books, pamphlets, letters, and information from a man who actually grew up across from where my grandfather lived. By the way, he remembered my grandfather and his father. He recalled my grandfathers uncles, and led me to church records- with stories of my families adventures and strife of the day.

I took the root information and went to census records, which indicate where parents were from. In the 1880 census of Kansas, parents were Canadian born, some grandparents Ireland born. What a find. When I learned the Canadian information, I set out to find where that could be. An area of Peterborough, Ontario was mentioned in one of the stories I was able to obtain from Marshall County Historical Society (Kansas) Biographies of one of the uncles. I bought two more books, made numerous contacts and hired a genealogist to mop up details in Canada. This was truley a large vault of information for me.

The Irish contection was the most difficult. I trusted that Donegal was the answer in my family. Once again, there was evidence of Donegal in some material, and only speculation of other areas. I hired Donegal Ancestry Ltd in Ireland, for a 100.00 at the time, as I recall, and many moons later received a complete bound package. It was not all the information I was hoping for, yet it provided proof of where my ancestors were before setting out for the new world. It verified the lead or elder McKees were there, showed some things I did not know for sure, like that some of the names that showed up in North America were at infancy in Donegal. I had church marriage records from the research, land - birth records, and other information.

When I set out to seek my own roots, I did it with letters, phone calls, reading materials, hiring and directing two professional researchers and being patient. I have five or six publications on various McKee families from pamphlets to bound publications. I have letters from McKees both directly related and some not. I have spoken to, and met many of my kin as a result of the website. I have attended two reunions in my life given the chance to meet folks I never met, having only heard or seen there names in the census or pictures from old albums. I have my families immigration documents and citizeship papers. I have a copy of the original will of my immigrant ancestor.

Today, we have computer technology. Not all is available yet online, but the genealogy sites have become numerous, and with some effort, go after the items I mention. Beginning with your Father or Grandfather, seek out the census records, church (marriage/death/baptism etc) records, stories or biographies that are in libraries or historical societies, books, land records etc. The items provided on census records, like mother and fathers birthplace, individual birthplace, dates and members of the family, ages, religion, occupation and area of residence offer up great answers.

As I get older and my time is more limited, especially where the upkeep of my site is concerned, my hompepage continues to be the number one McKee Surname website on the net. I continue to get e mails from all over the planet from McKees saying hello, and giving me credit for the work I put in. One day I hope to complete and to be able to keep the homepage updated. Thanks to all for passing through, good luck in your research. Teach your children and childrens children that there is something to their heritage and there is history in your families background. Go after it. It is well worth it for many reasons.