urn:taro:utexas.cah.02557 A Guide to the George C. McKee, 1865-1883 Original EAD encoding by Ryder Kouba according to TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. April 2011 Finding aid written in English. Descriptive Summary McKee, George Colin, 1837-1890 -- Archives McKee, George C., Papers 1865-1883 Materials are written in English. 89-206 1/2 in. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin The George C. McKee Papers, 1865-1883, primarily comprise of correspondence and speeches which document debates over Reconstruction, black suffrage, and other issues in the post-war recovery of Mississippi. Biographical Note

Born in Joliet, Illinois, George C. McKee (1837-1890) studied law Knox College and Lombard College before practicing in Centralia, Illinois. He served in the Civil War with the 11th Regiment of the Illinois Infantry, fighting at both Shiloh and the Siege of Vicksburg. Following the war, McKee resumed his law practice in Vicksburg, Mississippi as well as planting cotton in Hinds County. He held local offices until being elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican in 1869 and serving until 1875. McKee then served as postmaster in Jackson, Mississippi from 1881 to 1885.

Scope and Contents

The George C. McKee Papers, 1865-1883, comprise correspondence, speeches in Congress, a financial report, checks, and a certificate recognizing McKee’s appointment as a trustee to the Deaf and Dumb Asylum of Mississippi. The letters document the cotton trade in the vicinity of Vicksburg during the Civil War, Reconstruction and black suffrage along with other issues in the post-war recovery of Mississippi. Additionally, the collection contains speeches by McKee in Congress on amnesty for Southerners and the enforcement of the Fourteenth amendment.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

 Index Terms Subjects (Persons) McKee, George Colin, 1837-1890 -- Archives Subjects Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877) Cotton trade -- United States -- History Places United States. Army. Illinois Infantry Regiment, 11th United States. Congress. House of Representatives -- History Vicksburg (Miss.) -- History -- 19th century United States -- Politics and government -- 1865-1900 United States -- Race relations -- History -- 19th century Preferred Citation

George C. McKee Papers, 1865-1883 , Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

 Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project, 2009-2011.

 Detailed Description of the Papers Contact repository for inventory.