John Wesley MCGHEE, Jr.

Notes:

CENSUS RECORDS

1870 Census
Name: John Mc Gee [McGhee]
Age in 1870: 3
Birth Year: abt 1867
Birthplace: Wt
Home in 1870: Waitsburg, Walla Walla, Washington Territory
Race: White
Gender: Male
Post Office: Waitsburg
Household Members:
J W McGhee 49
Rachel McGhee 43
Wm McGhee 2
Frank McGhee 7
John McGhee 3

1880 Census
Name: John Mc Ghee
Age: 13
Birth Year: abt 1867
Birthplace: Washington Territory
Home in 1880: Waitsburgh, Walla Walla, Washington
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Son
Marital Status: Single
Father's name: John W. Mc Ghee
Father's Birthplace: Virginia
Mother's name: Rachel Mc Ghee
Mother's Birthplace: Virginia
Occupation: At Home
Household Members:
John W. Mc Ghee 59
Rachel Mc Ghee 52
Frank Mc Ghee 16
John Mc Ghee 13

1900 Census
Name: John W McGhee [John W Mcghee Jr.]
Age: 33
Birth Date: Feb 1867
Birthplace: Washington
Home in 1900: Walla Walla Ward 2, Walla Walla, Washington
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Son (Child)
Marital Status: Single
Father's name: John W Mc Ghee
Father's Birthplace: Virginia
Mother's name: Rachael Mc Ghee
Mother's Birthplace: Virginia
Household Members:
John W Mc Ghee 79
Rachael Mc Ghee 71
John W Mc Ghee 33


HISTORICAL INFORMATION

Source: Lyman William Denison,Lyman's History of Old Walla Walla County (1918)Chicago, Ill., S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, Vol 1 Page 292

JOHN W. McGHEE, Jr. -- A son of Walla Walla county, and one whose career has been such as to reflect credit upon the valley in which he was born, the subject of this brief biographical review is especially deserving of representation in a work of this character. His parents, John W. and Rachel (Whiteaker) McGhee, were old pioneers of the valley, residing on the Coppei three miles south of Waitsburg, and on the parental farm our subject was born, the date being February 11, 1867.

He acquired his education in the local public schools, in Waitsburg Academy, in Whitman College and in the Empire Business College of Walla Walla. Upon retiring from the last named institution he entered the office of the Fidelity Abstract Company, by which he was engaged for a short time, after which he entered the employ of the Washington Loan and Trust Company, of whose bookkeeping he had charge for about three years thereafter. He resigned in 1892 to accept a position as deputy county treasurer, under H. H. Hungate.

In the Democratic convention of 1894 Mr. McGhee was one of the candidates for nomination for the office of county treasurer, and he proved to be the choice of his party, but was defeated in the Republican landslide which followed, his opponent, however, receiving a majority of only ninety-seven votes. The ensuing year he was appointed receiver of the Walla Walla Savings bank, and he continued to discharge his duties as such until the affairs of the bank were settled. In the campaign of 1898 he was again the nominee of his party for the county treasurership, and this time his candidacy was successful.

The Republicans were almost universally victorious in that election, but the fact that Mr. McGhee ran two hundred votes ahead of his ticket speaks volumes for the esteem and confidence in which he is held among the people of his native valley. He has given his entire energies to the faithful discharge of the duties of his office ever since the county's books were first placed in his hands, proving true to this, as he had to every other trust reposed in him by the people.

Mr. McGhee was also treasurer of the city of Walla Walla from 1896 to 1898. Our subject is a prominent Odd Fellow, his membership being in Washington Lodge, No. 19, of which he is recording secretary, and in Walla Walla Encampment, No. 3. He also belongs to the Royal Arcanum.


Buried:
Grave location, biography, and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=McGhee&GSiman=1&GScid=76953&GRid=70812168&
Plot: WALLA-OF-9-14-6

Grave location, biography, and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=McGhee&GSiman=1&GScid=76953&GRid=70812168&
Plot: WALLA-OF-9-14-6