For more than fifty years Edson McKee has been identified with Santa
Clara County, being one of the pioneer horticulturists and ranchers of
Cupertino, Cal. He was born in Calhoun County, Ill., September 28,
1855, the son of James McKee, born October 22, 1818, in Ohio. He came
out to Illinois, where he was reared, and in young manhood married
Abbie Rice, who was born in Michigan, May 15, 1826. They were farmers
in Illinois until they migrated across the plains to Sonoma County,
Cal., crossing the plains in 1858 in wagons drawn by horses. From
Sonoma County they went to San Luis Obispo, where they resided until
1870, when they located in Santa Clara County. In 1872 James McKee
purchased a ranch of 75 acres on the Doyle Road, and on this fertile
farm he and his wife spent their remaining days. He died May 12, 1895,
his widow surviving him until March 12, 1921. This worthy couple were
the parents of four sons: James Frank is a resident of this county;
William W. of Los Angeles; Charles died October 30, 1855, aged four
years; Edson, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the
public schools of California, meanwhile assisting his father on the
farm. When sixteen years of age he started out for himself, spending a
year at Roseburg, Ore., and thence making his way to Spokane, where he
was employed until he had saved some money. He purchased 142 ares of
railroad land, which he improved, engaging in general farming.
In Spokane Mr. McKee was married April 2, 1893, to Miss Dora Fine, a
native of Missouri, a daughter of J. J. and Frances (Hopkins) Fine,
farmers in Missouri until they removed with their family to Spokane,
Wash., where they were pioneers and improved a farm. They now reside in
Tekoa, Wash. Mrs. McKee was the fifth oldest of their eight children.
In March, 1894, Mr. McKee brought his family to Santa Clara County and
took up farming on his father's place, running the place for his father
until his death, and since then he has set out some orchard and reset
some of the trees, and installed a pumping plant not only sufficient
for irrigating his orchards, but those of some of his neighbors as
well. Mr. McKee now owns and operates about twenty-seven acres located
on the Doyle Road, a part of the old McKee homestead. It is very choice
land and is set to peaches, cherries, apricots, and prunes, all in full
bearing and is bringing in a splendid income. He also owned a place in
the St. Thomas district, which he improved and sold at a satisfactory
profit.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. McKee has been blessed with nine children:
Ora L. is Mrs. Sargent, residing in Oakland; Dollie M.; Alfred served
in the Forty-sixth U. S. Field Artillery, being stationed at Camp
Kearney until after the armistice, when he was discharged; Jayd, Ralph,
Edmond, Floyd, Oliver, and Amos. All of them, with the exception of
Mrs. Sargent, are under the parental roof and assisting the parents in
their horticultural enterprise. Mr. and Mrs. McKee are liberal and
enterprising, aiding as far as they are able movements for the
improvement and betterment of the community. In national politics, Mr.
McKee is a stanch supporter of the Republican party.
From Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1437