Fry and Mobillion McGee worked to change the trajectory of our history

By Diane Euston

  Rambunctious. Self-driven. Passionate. Enterprising. Pro-slavery. These are just a selection of words that could be easily used to describe the temperaments of the McGee boys, sons of James H. McGee and his wife, Eleanor, that were present when the City of Kansas was yet established and were instrumental in various ways in the growth of a city.

  In the last two issues of the Telegraph, we explored pioneers James Hyatt McGee and his wife, Eleanor Fry, some of the earliest white settlers in what would become Kansas City and their oldest son, Allen Burr Harrison McGee (1815-1903)

  Through thousands of pages of documents, there was a complicated yet fascinating historical drama unfolding in front of my very eyes. The stories just kept coming, and they deserved a closer look.

  Born just after Allen Burr Harrison McGee in Kentucky were two younger brothers with two very unique names.  Fry P. McGee, given the surname of his mother as a first name, was born in May 1816. Following on Christmas Day in 1817 was another son named Mobillion. 

  There is no indication of where this name came from, but its uniqueness matches the enterprising spirit of the McGees in Kansas City.

  Let’s examine the lives of these early Kansas Citians, Fry and Mobillion McGee.

Fry P. McGee in Future Kansas City

  Out of all of the McGee boys, no man’s character is more debated than that of Fry McGee. Labeled as vicious by some and kind by others, Fry seemed to have two different personalities, most likely due to his extreme political views and his willingness to sacrifice everything for them.

  Bearing his mother’s surname as a first name, Fry McGee was born in Nelson Co., Ky. on May 27, 1816 and moved to Missouri with his family in 1827. In July 1838, at the age of 21, Fry was present at the first sale of what would be the future site of Kansas City. When that sale fell through and new sale was “cried” on November 14th, 1838, Fry joined thirteen other historic figures of Kansas City history to form the Town Company in order to purchase this valuable riverfront land and bank on its ability to hold a booming city.

  He was there for the founding of the Town of Kansas.

  At the cabin of One-Eyed Ellis, 20 to 30 men gathered under the cover of hand-hewn logs to witness an extraordinary event that was just another cold day to these early Jackson County pioneers. As John C. McCoy reported, “We retired for warmth to the log house of One-Eyed Ellis and gathered before a fireplace of blazing hickory logs and christened the yet unborn baby of a city that was to be there.”

  After the purchase of the land was complete, Fry McGee passed a motion that lots yet to be platted would be sold on credit for six or 12 months- without requiring security of the purchasers. Setting the terms so loosely would likely help the lots sell quicker – especially considering there was a large bluff blocking the new town from the site of Westport Landing.

  Lots were taken up quickly as the levee below along the Missouri River’s banks was established to encourage commerce and trade in the foundling settlement. And Fry P. McGee was a pivotal proponent of this early birth of a city.

  Less than a year later, Fry married Martha E. Boothe and purchased 160 acres of land that included the area around 19th and Main. He burned brick on his own land, a trade learned from his father who had established the first brick house in the area.

  In 1844, a flood had wiped out buildings on the south bank of the Missouri River. In 1848, he established his homestead at what would become 513 E. 4th Street. This red brick house was one of the first to be built on land safely above any future flooding. The home was of sturdy construction; the interior and exterior walls were of brick, and originally, the home had a carefully carved staircase made of walnut.

  With his wife Martha, the couple welcomed three girls who lived to adulthood: America, b. 1841, Sophia Mary b. 1843, and Annie b. 1846.

  For several years, farming seemed to be the focus of Fry McGee. The draw of the western-bound wagon trains captivated him, so he packed up and headed out for greener pastures. Although his time in Oregon was short-lived and he did return to Jackson County, Fry’s willingness to settle into the wilderness was something that was repeated.

Mobillion W. McGee’s Early Life

  Mobillion, a name often spelled Mabillion, had an education that matches his lack of consistency with name spellings. Just like his brothers, he came to the area as a child and married Mary E. Ward in April 1844.

  After inheriting some land from his father’s estate in 1840, Mobillion married his wife, Mary E. Ward (b. 1825) in 1844. Mobillion followed his younger brother Milt and joined the Seminole wars in Florida in 1847. He was most likely drawn to this because of his knowledge of the Native American languages.

  Just like his older brother, Mobillion always was looking for greener pastures and a way to make a quick dollar. 

  By 1850, Fry held five people in bondage, and his younger brother, Mobillion held one person. As more and more people looked west for new opportunities, the McGee brothers couldn’t help but to think they could expand their wallets out west. 

  Their older brother, Allen, made plenty of money trading with Native Americans in Westport when the United States essentially ended at the western border of Missouri. But those Native Americans relocated into what would become the state of Kansas were about to be removed yet again.

Setting up at 110-Mile Creek

  On a return trip from the west, Fry could see the opportunity that existed not too far from Jackson County. In August 1854, just months after Kansas was opened up to white settlement, Fry and his Mobillion purchased property at a crossing on the Santa Fe Trail. 

  Known as 110-Mile Creek, their new land was named for its distance of 110 miles from Fort Osage, Mo.

  Fry built a horse and mule barn with walls two feet thick. He then built a tavern, aptly known as McGee’s Tavern, on the site near current-day US 75 and US 76 highways in Osage County, Kan. 

  A four-room home featured two large fireplaces on each side. The east room was supposedly used to house travelers looking for quick drink and a warm place to stay. Another room was used for Fry’s three daughters, America, Sophia and Annie. The room on the west side was reserved for Fry and his wife.

  When they chose this location, there were very few white settlers- just a few white men who had married Shawnee women. They were literally on the edge of the frontier and fashioned to, if Fry could have his way, form a new town called Washington on this land.

  Building a bridge over 110-Mile Creek made sense for the enterprising McGees. Instead of risking losing a wagon wheel or flooding after the rains, travelers on the Santa Fe Trail could pay for access to “McGee’s Crossing.” According to records, Fry charged 25 cents at McGee’s Crossing toll bridge and would clear during high months around $30 per day.

  Of course, Fry knew his tavern and toll bridge would also be benefitted from a general merchandise store to help these travelers with any goods they may need. He also was known to sell whiskey to thirsty Native Americans that remained nearby.

  Fry’s reputation at 110-Mile Creek was infamous. Historian CR Green described him as “a rough exterior, a slave owner, and quite partisan in politics, the early settlers found him to be kind-hearted, honest, and never known to shed blood.” 

  Others weren’t so kind to the McGees.  James W. Winchell wrote at the time that the McGees were “intemperate, quarrelsome, and abusive. Fry McGee was the most drunken, profane and honest of the lot, having come to Kansas to live and liberally cursing and feeding all Yankees who were unfortunate enough to enter his presence.”

  There were two main reasons that Mobillion and Fry set up shop at 110 Mile Creek. They were there to make money and they were there to expand slavery to the west.

Establishing Legal Voters in Kansas Territory

  One infamous account of this turbulent time period comes from Capt. James R. McClure. He was appointed by Gov. Reeder to take the census of all those residing in Kansas Territory in 1855 after a fraudulent election where pro-slavery men (many friends of the McGees) from Missouri stormed over the border to vote illegally.

  Another election set for March 1855 had to establish ahead of time what eligible voters there were in each precinct. McClure was employed to count the legal (white) voters in the territory.

  McClure stopped at McGee’s Tavern knowing he was the leader of the pro-slavery movement in this area of the territory. McClure wrote, “I determined to make myself as agreeable as possible and to avoid any trouble with these men and especially with McGee, who had presented to me as a very desperate and quarrelsome man.”

  McClure entered McGee’s Tavern to witness a group of about 10 grumbling men. To keep the peace, McClure quickly ordered a round of drinks to whet the appetites of these speculators.

  Immediately, Fry accused McClure of being an abolitionist and a spy after he announced his business. Fry said he’d give the man a list of voters, and McClure said he’d have time to visit everyone.

  Amidst smoke and whiskey, Fry screamed, “No damn Yankee will snoop around this place!”

  McClure did his best to gather the names of all the legal voters of the area after spending the remainder of his visit “in dread of our lives.”

  In the midst of a snowstorm, Capt. McClure left McGee’s Tavern in fear and was able to conduct the census without losing his life.

Fraudulent Elections Lead to Mobillion to the Legislature

  The election March 30, 1855 was not much better than the election of 1854- even though the census had been taken. The day of the election, there was one family (the McGees) living at 110 Mile Creek and about 10 others living around Switzer’s Creek. There was really no one else living in the entire county.

  Despite this, citizens of Jackson County and friends of the McGees spent the night at McGee’s Tavern, drank whiskey the night before the election and voted illegally the next day with Fry’s blessing. Some of the pro-slavery voters of note that came to vote at 110-Mile Creek Ezra Hickman, Upton Hays and John Calvin McCoy.

  One old man from Jackson County stated he had been paid $1 per day for going to 110-Mile Creek, and he went along with it because “it was better than staying home and doing nothing.”

  Mobillion was present at this election, and he watched as his friends voted illegally to get him elected into the Kansas Territorial Legislature.

  Out of 597 votes cast that day in this precinct, only 13 were said to be from legal voters.

  And just like that, the McGees became part of what would become known as the “Bogus Legislature,” a group of 38 men who mostly lived in Missouri that were “elected” to formulate the laws of this newly-formed territory.

  There once was a McGee County in Kansas Territory named for Mobillion – this member of the Bogus Legislature who was elected by his Missouri-resident friends. In 1860, the Free State Legislature who took over voted to change the name to Cherokee County. This county on this southeastern edge of Kansas still holds this name.

A Plan to Overtake Kansas with Pro-Slavery Settlers

  Mobillion was a part of an interesting proposition that today boggles the mind. With help from his friend Robert Van Horn (1824-1916), owner of the Kansas City Enterprise, they attempted to annex a large chunk of western Missouri to Kansas Territory.

  Van Horn and Mobillion fought to move the western border of Missouri to the Blue River, meaning that all property to the west, including Westport and Kansas City, would be part of Kansas Territory. Even land that now includes Martin City would have been included in this proposition.

  Mobillion’s rationale was simple. This specific area west of the Blue River was heavily saturated with pro-slavery sentiments. When the elections decided by popular sovereignty were held, it would mean that this “new” boundary of Kansas Territory would include hundreds, if not thousands, of pro-slavery men. 

  Needless to state, his plan did not succeed.

Fry’s Death and Legacy

  Fry died September 17, 1861 at his home on 110-Mile Creek and was buried at the family cemetery until reinterred in 1881 at Elmwood Cemetery. The cause of his death is unknown.  

  The property was for a time settled by a daughter and her husband, but the old tavern slowly fell into disrepair. Some said that his old tavern was haunted, but most of it today doesn’t exist.
  The remnants of the thick walls remain on a private farm, only leaving us to the imagination of what this small parcel of Kansas history still holds under the earth.

  Fry’s homestead in Kansas City at 512 E. 4th Street, built in 1848, stood for decades. Its sturdy construction stood for 107 years until it was in danger of being destroyed to make way for an entryway to the ASB Bridge.

  The Native Sons stepped in along with councilman Robert J. Benson to try to save this property from the bulldozers. He recognized the city was busy destroying old landmarks with no consideration of preservation. He wanted to move these landmarks to a central location where they could be maintained as an early museum of Kansas City history.

  The Native Sons needed $10,000 to move the home and wanted to make it into an information center. They claimed at the time (1955) that it was the oldest standing structure in Kansas City. The highway commission looked at the building and decided “the mortar and brick work was so expert it could be moved without hazard.”

  At the time, the home had been altered and made into a duplex. Besides some settlement causing sinking spots in the wood floors and the front door being difficult to open, the house was in sturdy shape. The walnut staircase had been removed prior when the home had been converted.

  But efforts were short lived. Even though the windows had been boarded up, vandals had shimmied their way in, taking pieces of the building as personal relics for themselves. Windows, door frames, doors and woodwork had been stripped from her home forever.

  Two fires set by vandals damaged the walls and left what was the prominent home of Fry McGee a shell of its former glory.

  The final nail in the coffin was when demolition of an adjoining building by construction crews endangered what was once deemed sound.

  The damage was irreversible. The Native Sons returned the $6,000 they were able to raise in order to save Fry McGee’s home and walked away with their heads hung low.

  To think that those bricks- those mantels, door knobs, doors and windows disappeared into the hands of trespassers unable to decipher the true meaning of preservation makes me sick. And today, we still have landmarks being torn down to make room for what is labeled “progress.”

Mobillion’s Move to a Warmer Climate

  After settling down with his wife, he bought 60 acres that would eventually become the subdivision, platted by the subject, known as McGee’s Summit in 1871. Located near Westport and including Broadway, McGee’s Summit would later become the heart of Midtown.

  Mobillion and his wife never had their own children, but they certainly built a home for entertaining extended family and friends. This 14-room home sat at the northeast corner of 33rd and Broadway, and a bulk of his land makes up Penn Valley Park and the Metropolitan Community College’s campus.

  Mobillion left Kansas Territory for Kansas City, Mo. during the Civil War. In 1883, he traveled to Los Angeles Co., Calif. and purchased an orange grove. He then took part of this new land and platted what would be known later as Pasadena.

  He had kept part of this land and built an impressive home on Marengo Avenue that entertained the Kansas City elite looking for palm trees, sun and a needed vacation. He called it Glendale.

  A member of the Knights Templar in Pasadena, Mobillion died June 11, 1888 and was loaded onto a railroad car back to the east to Kansas City. One week later, Mobillion was buried at Elmwood Cemetery next to his reinterred family members.

  Although it appears he never had his own children, he did adopt a daughter named Josephine Angelo Brown. A small leather-bound photo album belonging to Mobillion passed to her.

   It stayed with her descendants virtually forgotten until an interested family member brought this album back into the light.

  Today, this album of early Kansas City pioneers is a treasure, full of photos of some of the most prominent families of the era. It has been donated to the Jackson County Historical Society.

The Remains of the Past

  These two characters of our early history, Fry and Mobillion, certainly had a large impact on the landscape of our city and region. Their efforts to open Kansas Territory as a slave state was thankfully unsuccessful, but their tenacity in capitalizing on the settlement of the area directly affected the future of our city.

  This family is more than a street name that graces hundreds of blocks of our cityscape; they tilled the earth before others would dare to take the chance on western Missouri, and they were rewarded handsomely for their efforts in developing Kansas City as it is today.

In the next issue, we will explore the incredible life of Allen, Fry and Mobillion’s younger brother, Elijah “Milt” McGee.