My Genealogy Hound

McKEE CRILLY is a native of Ireland and was born in 1846. Hugh Crilly, his father, was born in 1813, was reared a farmer, and came to America in 1877, choosing Franklin county, Nebr., as his home. He was a man of good habits, was strictly honest, and was quite prosperous. He died in 1883, a faithful member of the Presbyterian church. The father of Hugh was James Crilly. The mother of our subject, Sarah (McKee) Crilly, also a native of Ireland, was born in 1813 and was a daughter of Patrick McKee, who was born in 1775 and died in 1850. He was a lawyer by profession, having been educated at Queen’s College, Belfast, and having also graduated from a college in Scotland. The wife of Patrick McKee bore the maiden name of Hannah McIlwrath. Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Crilly were married in 1837, and to their union were born nine children, namely — Mary, now Mrs. A. M. Johnson, of Riverton, Nebr.; Mrs. Sarah Schell, of Denver, Colo.; McKee, our subject; Margaret J., James, Hugh, and Samuel, Katie and Elizabeth, the latter attending school in Denver, Colo.

McKee Crilly came to America in 1865, stopping at Joliet, Ill., whence he came to Scott county, Iowa, and for three years worked by the month on a farm; the next two years he passed on rented land. In 1872 he came to Nebraska and stopped awhile at Riverton, then a stockade. The same year he took up a homestead, on section 2, township 1, range 13 west, in Franklin county, on which he resided until l884, when he settled on his present place. In the spring of 1873 occurred one of the most memorable snow and hail storms on record, lasting three days, and during this time Mr. Crilly was safely housed at his father-in-law’s, a few miles from his own home. It was in this year Mr. Crilly married Miss Alice L. Fowler, a native of Illinois, born in 1858. Five children have been the result of this union, namely — Hugh Clark, who was born in 1876 and who died in 1879; Herbert, born in 1878; Samuel, born in 1880; Earl, born in 1884, and Glenn, born in 1887.

Mr. Crilly began life for himself when nineteen years old. When he came to America he had about $35 or $40, and when he came to Nebraska had one team and $25. There were about fifty inhabitants in Franklin when he came, and of these only six remain. Hundreds of Indians camped about his place for three or four winters and he was frequently annoyed by their depredations. What was then a barren waste is now a land of civilization and plenty, and the change has been effected by just such hardy pioneers as our subject. Mr. Crilly now owns a splendid farm of three hundred and twenty acres, well stocked and improved with every convenience.