Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1040 - 1043

W. L. McBEE, who is engaged in the real‑estate business and loans, ranks among the reliable and enterprising business men of Wichita, and the accompanying portrait will form a valuable feature of this work. A native of Logan County, Ill., our subject was born Feb. 4, 1860, and after entering the common school, pursued his studies there until a lad of eleven years. He then came with his father, Joseph McBee, in 1871, to this county, the latter settling on a farm in Rockford Township. 

            Our subject pursued his studies until a youth of sixteen years, and subsequently engaged in teaching during the winter seasons, while the remainder of the year he employed himself on his father's farm. The family experienced all the hardships of pioneer life, which, however, were not unmixed with many pleasures. For the first few years they were obliged to dispense with luxuries, living very plainly and economically, their fare consisting largely of corn bread and buffalo meat. The settlers of that region would club together in the fall, and hunt buffaloes, thus securing a supply of meat for the winter. It was a community hospitable, warmhearted and generous, and exhibited an unselfishness which is seldom seen at this later day. Each man had a personal interest in the welfare of his neighbor, and they all sympathized with each other in both their joys and sorrows.

             Young McBee continued under the parental roof until 1882, and in the meantime had discovered the fact that he would prefer some other life than that of an agriculturist. In the spring of that year he came to Wichita, and entering the office of the Register of Deeds made a set of abstracts, and advertised himself as ready for business. This seemed just what was needed in his community, and he was successful from the start, receiving the support of the best men in the county. He soon established an office of his own, and for a time was his own clerk and office boy. At the close of his business, in 1886, he had been giving employment to seven men. He finally resolved upon a change of occupation, and selling out his abstract business to Smith, Ozane & Co., turned his attention to real estate and loans, in which he has met with like success as the other, and is now the owner of a goodly amount of choice real estate, including about thirty lots in the city and suburbs, the larger number, however, inside the corporation. 

            Our subject was married, Dec. 13, 1882, to Miss Lizzie, daughter of John Hellar, of Gypsum Township, this county, who was born June 13, 1861.The parents of Mrs. McBee were natives of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the mother in her girlhood Miss Lahana Toms; they are now residents of Gypsum Township. The only child of our subject and his wife, a son, Lyle, was born June 5, 1884. Mr. McBee, politically, votes the straight Republican ticket, and socially, belongs to the I. O. O. F.

[ Home ]