Love on the Rocks

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 Could YOU resist?

 The Hamilton Farmer's Advocate, Hamilton, Missouri, Thursday 21 November 1912, page 1, column , "CALDWELL CIRCUIT COURT: November Term Adjourned Friday Afternoon--Proceedings Since Last Issue," Jennie vs David McBee divorce judgement; Newspapers.com : accessed 13 February 2026.

 While cleaning up some McBee profiles in my Ancestry.com tree (with the aid of ProTools), a Newspapers.com link to this news article popped up as a hint for a different David McBee. I was unable to resist researching this couple, although I was almost sure that they were not "my" McBees. 

But I went to bed that night baffled, having had little success in finding either of them. In fact, I intended to drop it, if nothing more turned up. However, I woke up wondering how Jennie and the children survived. $2000 isn't nothing, but even in 1912 it could not have sustained them for long. 

Ancestry came through for me Valentines Day morning with a hint to the 1900 Census, which I had been unable to find the night before. 

Here are David and Jennie in 1900, in a screen shot from Ancestry.com: Grape Grove, Ray County, Missouri. Their oldest daughter is two, and a housekeeper and farm laborer live with them. This record eventually led to more information, including obituaries for both David McBee and Jennie Proctor's father and one daughter. She remarried before 1930 and her headstone says "Jennie P. Settle, Beloved Wife."
 
David McBee had a long life, married twice more, and has a long obituary, below. 
 
My McBee list has helped me so much over the years, that I felt impelled to share this information about the family there, because the Braymer McBees have been discussed for many years. I'm hoping that my research helps some other researchers, even if they won't make it into my McBee book. 
 
Transcript, and post about this family to the McBee genealogy list.
 
Have fun researching!
 
 
Valorie Zimmerman

 

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Send your stories to m.strickland@skcgs.org


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