The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 406
A portrait of Alexander E. McGee appears in this publication.

ALEXANDER E. McGEE.

Alexander E. McGee, living retired in Yakima after devoting considerable time
and attention to farming interests, is still the owner of valuable property
holdings and is well known as a sheepman of the northwest. He was born in
Scotland, October 11, 1861, a son of Robert and Jennie (Holland) McGee, who came
to the United States in later life. The father was a stockman of Wigtownshire,
Scotland and is now engaged in farming in the state of New York.

The son, Alexander E. McGee, attended the public schools of his native country
and in 1886, when a young man of twenty-fire years, bade adieu to the land of
hills and heather and sailed for the new world. After reaching New York he
followed the blacksmith's trade for four years and in 1989 sought the
opportunities of the Pacific northwest, making his way to Seattle. In 1890 he
arrived in Yakima, where he continued blacksmithing for a year. He next
undertook work at the sawmill of Charles Longmeyer, with whom he remained for a
brief period. He afterward worked for John Cowan in connection with sheep
raising for three years and on the expiration of that period invested his
sayings in ranch property on the Wenas, where he resided for six years. Then
came the hard times of the Cleveland administration and Mr. McGee was obliged to
herd sheep for three years at a wage of thirty dollars per month. In 1898 he
made his way to the Klondyke, where he remained for two years, and after his
return to the state again located on his farm on the Wenas until he sold that
property. He afterward bought another ranch on the Naches river and improved it,
having there forty acres of good land. Later he bought forty acres from Jack
Kaufman for thirty-eight hundred dollars, which property he afterward sold at a
very substantial advance, securing seventy-five hundred dollars therefore.
During the winter months he devoted his attention to sheep raising. In the fall
of 1906 he sold the farm and purchased a small band of sheep. Since then he has
increased his stock until he now has twenty-four hundred sheep on the range on
the Indian reservation. He also has a fine ranch of four hundred and forty
acres, well improved. His fine home in Yakima he sold, its maintenance and care
being too burdensome for Mrs. McGee.

On the 1st of June, 1885, Mr. McGee was united in marriage to Mary McBride
Coulter, a native of Scotland. At the time of his marriage he was serving as
oiler on a steamboat and was thus employed for two years. To Mr. and Mrs. McGee
have been born three children: Margaret, who married R. J. McKinley, a druggist
of Ellensburg; William, a member of the Thirteenth Infantry at Camp Mills, Long
Island, New York; and Genevieve, at home.

Mr. McGee has membership with the Commercial Travelers and is well known in
Masonic circles, belonging to Yakima Lodge No. 24, F. & A. M., and he is a
Scottish Rite Mason, having attained the thirty-second degree. He is likewise a
life member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His political views are
in accord with the teachings and principles of the republican party and his
religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church. He is deserving of much
credit for what he has accomplished in that he started out in business life
empty-handed and by persistent effort has gradually worked his way upward. He
has never allowed obstacles and difficulties to discourage or deter him, but has
regarded them as an impetus for renewed effort on his part and as the years have
passed his progress has been continuous, bringing him to a creditable and
enviable position among the sheepmen of the northwest.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.