McLean County History by Bicycle: William McGhee or Gee: Revolutionary War Gravesites in McLean County

William McGhee Gravestone

10/6/1756 - 10/6/1873

Diamond Grove Cem., Downs Twp.

Photo by Grave Hunter, Find-a-grave

~Revolutionary War Gravesites in McLean County~

Introduction - Ebenezer Barnes - Joseph Bartholomew - Samuel Beeler - David Haggard - Frances Hodge - Moses Hougham - John Karr - William Lee - John Maxwell - Thomas McClure - William McGhee or Gee - William McCullough - John Toliday - Jacob Williamson - Other Gravesites*

*Blog article that will be published later

McGhee was born in Louisa County, VA. He served in the American Revolution for two and a half years with troops from North Carolina. His wife, Rebecca Satterfield, is buried in the same cemetery. Both William and Rebecca were married before. Nothing is known about William's first wife. A daughter named Mary McGee Tovrea is associated with William, although I do not know if that was with his first or second wife. Mary could have also been a step-daughter.

After the war, McGhee lived in North Carolina until about 1805. He then moved to Tennessee and then Kentucky. In 1815, McGhee moved to White County, IL to be with his daughter/step-daughter and her husband, Thomas Tovrea. The Tovreas and William moved to Diamond Grove around 1828.

William's second wife, Rebecca, was previously married to William Downs. The village of Downs is named after their son, Lawson Downs.

William Gee, McGee, & McGhee

William Gee is listed in 1899 and 1901 reports of Revolutionary soldiers buried in McLean County. After 1901, however, William Gee disappears and a William Lee begins to appear on lists of veterans. Gee and Lee both appear on some lists, including a 1901 Daughters of the American Revolution report and 1898 Pantagraph article. He listed as being buried in Downs Cemetery, sec. 7, Downs Township. A 1913 D.A.R. report lists William McGhee as "William McGee or Gee" as buried in Downs. William Gee and McGhee never appear on the same list, so one can assume that William Gee is William McGhee. There is a William Gee (? - 6/8/1863) buried in Blooming Grove cemetery, but I do not know if there is any connection between the two.