during the American Civil War he had assisted in recruiting troops for the Union, but was never a soldier himself.
Clemmons Magee was born in May 1829 in North Carolina, the ninth known and youngest child of Nancy Marshall and Hartwell Barham Magee. His mother died during or shortly after his birth.
Rebecca Barham was born around 1831 in Greene County, Tennessee, the ninth of fourteen children born to Martha Thomasson and Harbard Barham.
Sometime before 1849, young Clem traveled to Tennessee to visit or live near his father's cousin, Harbard. At the age of 19, Clem married his second cousin, Rebecca Barham, on January 25, 1849 in Greene County, Tennessee. Their first child, Valarie Annette, was born that year, but she does not appear in any further records, so it is not known how long the child survived.
Their second child, Mary M., was born in 1852 in Tennessee.
Their third child, Harbard Franklin, known as "Frank," was born on October 22, 1855 in Tennessee.
Their fourth child, Charles Lafayette Magee, was born April 05, 1857 in Greene County, Tennessee.
Their fifth child, Edward C. Magee, was born in 1860 in Tennessee. No further records appear for this child. He may have died in early infancy, as the next child was born the following year.
Their sixth child, Joseph W. Magee, was born around 1861 in Tennessee.
According to his confederate service records, Clemmons was drafted into the 61st Regiment Tennessee Infantry, Company A, at Rheatown, Greene County, TN, on September 18, 1862. He had dark hair, dark eyes, and a dark complexion, and was 5'10" tall.
Clem was taken prisoner at Vicksburg July 4, 1863 and was paroled.
He apparently was at home on leave in June of 1864, as the Magees' seventh child, James Alexander, was born on March 20, 1865 in Tennessee.
Five days later, Clem officially deserted the Convederate army at Greeneville, Tennessee, on March 25, 1865. He was taken prisoner at Chatanooga, Tennessee, April 14, 1865, as a rebel deserter, and took an oath of allegiance to the US at Louisville, Kentucky, on April 15, 1865. Clem was discharged April 28, 1865, and ordered to remain north of the Ohio river for the duration of the war.
The Magees' eighth child, William McCeig, was born in April 1870 in McLean County, Illinois.
Their ninth and youngest known child, Cora L. Magee, was born on March 05, 1872 in McLean County, Illinois.
On Dec. 5, 1874, Clemmons sent a letter from Livingston County, Illinois to his brother-in-law Jesse Gower, who was probably living in Missouri.
Another letter to Jesse was dated October 7, 1876 from Ray County, MO, "30 miles of Kansas". Son Frank wrote in the same letter to cousin Hutch that they had traveled from "Lancaster to Queen city to Groer Green to Sunderland to Pikesville to Einjoes Point to Sticklersville to Ottasco to Enterprise to Linneus to Chillicothe to Utica to Richmond to Alleany Malina 5 miles West of Alleany".
On Feb. 7 1878, Clem wrote to Jesse from [Cloud County?] Kansas, saying that they were "going to make our homes in Pawnee County after this year Me or Frank will Break prairie on our claims this summer it is about 140 miles southwest of where we are now we are going to farm on the Solomon River... Our claims is on the frontier things is pretty high out there we expect to hall our feed and provisions out there this spring to do one of us through Breaking season."
On Feb. 8, 1878 [? probably 1879], a letter was written from Lanark PO Pawnee County Kan. Mary was at Malta in Cloud County. A letter from Harmony [Pawnee County] dated Jan 15 1879, describes the homestead as Pawnee County town 20 Range 19 west 24 miles north west of Larned. "...get off the train at Pawnee Rock 13 miles east of Larned and Travel due west on the Township line 18 miles then you can inquire for me"
The 1880 Federal Census, Pawnee County, KS, Grant Township, Household #123, lists Clem, 51, Rebecca, 48, Mary 27, Frank, 25, Joseph, 19, James A., 15, William, 9, and Cora L., 8.
On June 22 1880, Charles wrote to Newsom that Frank, Joe, and Father were in Republic County at work on the railroad. Frank made $3.00 a day, and Joe made $1.50.
Frank married Lucy Davidson around 1883 in Kansas.
On November 5, 1884, Clemmons and Harbard (Frank) were each granted homesteads in Pawnee County, Kansas: Clemmons Magee, Homestead Certificate # 2976, application 7607, North West quarter of section Eight in township Twenty south of Range Nineteen West of the Sixth Principal Meridian in Kansas containing one hundred and sixty acres. Harbard F. Magee, Homestead Certificate # 3005, application 2211, North East quarter of Section Eight in township twenty south of Range nineteen. West of the Sixth Principal Meridian in Kansas containing one hundred and sixty acres.
Mary married a Mr. Staley.
On the 1885 Kansas State Census, Pawnee County, KS, Walnut Township, #47, are listed: C., 53, Frank, 30, Charles, 28, James 19, Will 16, Cora 12, Effie, 6, Maude, 2, Lucy, 21, James, 5, and Mary Staley, 32. Lucy was Frank's wife. Effie, James, and Maude must have been Clem's grandchildren. It is not known why Rebecca was not listed with the family.
Rebecca died 1886 in Pawnee County, Kansas.
Mary married married her second husband, Joseph L. Malosh, on June 13, 1887.
Sixteen-year-old Cora married thirty-three-year-old A. P. Latas on January 01, 1889 in Larned, Pawnee County, Kansas.
Joseph moved to California before 1892.
William married sixteen-year-old Myrtle Madona Ballinger on December 14, 1892.
James married A. P.'s sister, Louisa Latas, on August 22, 1897 in Larned, Pawnee County, Kansas, at the home of his brother, William.
James was granted a tree claim for North East quarter of section eighteen in township twenty south of range nineteen west of the sixth principal meridian in Kansas containing one hundred and sixty acres, 25 July 1898, Certificate # 1686, application 6959, Patent book B page 338.
William was granted a tree claim for North East quarter of section nine in Township Twenty South of Range Twenty west of the Sixth Principal Meridian in Kansas containing one hundred and sixty acres, 1 Dec. 1898, certificate # 5044, application 11247, Patent Book B, page 365.
Clemmons Magee died of congestive heart failure at the age of 81 on Saturday, February 7, 1910, at the home of his son, James, north of Burdett. He had been very ill for his last few months, and his last days were filled with pain. At his deathbead were sons James and Will of Burdett and Frank of Topeka, and his daughter, Cora, who lived near Rozel. His daughter Mary and sons Charles and Edward may have already been dead.
Clemmons and Rebecca are buried in Brown's Grove Cemetery, Burdett, Kansas.
There are no probate records for Clemmons Magee in Pawnee County.
