_ UNKNOWN ___________
_Alfred Augustus MCKETHAN ____|
| |_Christian MCKETHAN _
|
|--Alfred Augustus "Gus" MCKETHAN
|
| _Hector MCALLISTER __
|_Loveday Campbell MCALLISTER _|
|_Isabella MCNEILL ___
He was Clerk of the Superior Court of Cumberland Co. NC. from 1899 until his death in 1915.
X Gus
Entries in the A. A. McKethan family Bible, currently (1997) in the possession of Mrs. Dorothy McKethan Mason of Brooksville, Florida: A A McKethan Jr Born 27 Feby 1847 A. A. McKethan Jr. Died Jan. 17th 1915 Kate McLaurin McKethan Born Dec. 31, 1848 Died Jan. 4, 1881
NC Troops: Augustus A Mckethan Jr enlisted from Cumberland Co. in 1864. In e-mail to Alice Mason, May 11, 1997, Edwin R. MacKethan III wrote that A. A. Jr. enlisted in the 51st NC regiment as a private in 1864, and was subsequently promoted to Second Lieutenant.
1910 Cumberland Co. NC Census (Soundex): McKathan, Alfred A 63 b. NC Celia 61 Katie D 40 Augusta 36 Jane 30 Joseph U 24 Hector 22
From the index for Cumberland Co. NC death certificates: Alfred A McKethan age 68 d. Jan 17, 1915 From the Fayetteville Observer (probably 19 Jan. 1915):
DEATH OF MAJ. A. A. McKETHAN A prominent Citizen and Official, A Good Man ond One Who Will Be Greatly Missed, Passes Away
"Major A. A. McKethan, Clerk of the Superior Court of Cumberland County, and a leading and higly esteemed citizen of Fayetteville and the State, died in Highsmith Hospital Sunday night about 11 o'clock, from an acute attack of Bright's disease... "Maj. McKethan, who was the third son of the late Alfred A. and L. McAlister McKethan, was born in February 1847, and was, therefore, at the time of his death, nearly 68 years of age. He was a noble son of a noble sire, for like his father he was a grand man, true and loyal to friends, faithful in the discharge of the many onerous duties heaped on him during his busy life, and diligent in service to God, his country and his fellowman. "He was a man absolutely honest and clean from all hypocrisy, deceit or false pretense. To friend and foe alike he was truthful, and no man doubted the truth of a statement made by him. No higher meed of praise can be bestowed on any mortal. He was generous and charitable, and though a rugged, virile man ov vigorous action, he was filled with the milk of human kindness. No appeal for help or succor was ever made to him in vain, and no man has died in the Upper Cape Fear section for many years whose death is more universally lamented, by white and black alike, then the death of Major McKethan. "The life of Major McKethan was one of public service. At the age of 16 years, about 1863, he enlisted as a private in the Confederate Army, joining Co. H. of the 51st Regiment, Hoke's Bridage (sic), N. C. Troops. His brother, the late Hector McKethan, was Colonel of the 51st Regiment, and his brother, the late E. T. McKethan, was a lieutenant of Co. H. Deceased was later promoted to a lieutenancy. He received a flesh wound in the trenches before Richmond, which necessitated his absence from duty for a few weeks, but as soon as he became convalescent he returned to his post, where he served gallantly until Lee's surrender. "Major McKethan held many positions of honor and trust. For some years he was Major of the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry Company of Fayetteville, and at the time of his death was Clerk of the Superior Court of Cumberland County, a director of the Fourth National Bank and of the Cumberland Savings and Trust Company of Fayetteville, chairman of the Board of Deacons of First Presbyterian Church, and was prminent in all public affairs. "Major McKethan, at the time of his death had been clerk of the Superior Court for 16 years, and if he had lived to serve out the term for which he was elected last fall he would have been clerk for 20 years of contiunous service. In all those years he was the same courteous, kindly public servant, treating the highest and the lowest with consideration and doing much, in his capacity of clerk, which was not required of him... "Major McKethan was twice married, first in 1869 to Kate McLaurin of Fayetteville, who bore him five children, and second by Celia Utley of Fayetteville, who bore him two sons, and who preceded him to the grave a few years ago. He is survived by his seven children, as follows: Miss Kae (sic) D. McKethan, Mrs. T. J. Purdie and Miss Augusta McKethan of Fayetteville, Mr. W. M. McKethan of Brooksville, Fla., Mrs. Clifton Rankin of Fayetteville, Mr. J. U. McKethan of Brooksville, Fla., and Mr. Hector McKethan of Fayetteville; also by four nephews - Maj. E. R. McKethan, Lieutenant A. A. McKethan, Dr. J. A. McKethan and Dr. D. G. McKethan, all of this city. "The funeral services will be held tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon at 3:00 o'clock from First Presbyterian Church."
From a newspaper account of his funeral: "The funerl of Major A. A. McKethan...was held in First Presbyterain Church Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 o'clock. It was one of the largest funerals ever held in Fayetteville, hundreds of citizens, white and colored, assembing (sic) to pay the last tribute of esteem and sorrow to the memory of a leader leader (sic) among men, a loyal citizen a Christian gentleman, a loving father and a true friend... "The two military companies, the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry (of which deceased was once Major commanding) and Co. F, N. C. N. G., attended in ranks and marched at the head of the procession, followed by Camp 852 of the Confederate Veterans, after which came the Cumberland County Bar and the county officials. The J. E. B. Stuart Chapter, U. D. C., also attended in a body. "The unusual attendance of colored attested in high degree to the fact that Major McKethan was a true friend to all the people and one who was strictly just in his dealings. To the left of the pulpit many seats, reserved for them, were occupied by esll known colred men of the town, among them being Jack Campbell, and aged blacksmith and former slave of the family, who worked for years in the cKethan Carriage Manufactory here, and who was one of the colored men who bore to the grave the father of the deceased, the Late Alfred A. McKethan. "By request of Mayor mcNeill all business houses were closed fromt three to four o'clock in honor of Major McKethan's memory. "The burial was in the family plot in Cross Creek Cemetery... "The military companies fired salutes over the grave of one who fought faithfully and bravely in peace and in war... "Following were the pall-bearers: "Active - Major N. H. McGeachy, Fulton R. Hall, w. G. Holmes, Hon. Chas. G. Rose, Hon. N. A. Sinclair, W. H. Marsh, A. W. Peace. "Honorary - Col C. W. Broadfoot, Capt. W. E. Kyle, Maj. Chas. Haigh, Capt. T. J. Powers, A. E. Rankin, W. L. Hawley, Dr. J. W. McNeill, Dr. J. F. Highsmith, Dr. R. L. Pittman, Capt. D. H. Ray. "The relatives of the family from out of town who attended the funeral were: Mr. Alex. McAllister, Mr. Willis McAllister and Mrs. H. M. McAllister of Lumberton; Miss Cornelia McMillan, of Red Springs; Hon. D. H. McLean and his son, Mr. Alfred M. Mclean, of Lillington; Mrs. William Whitted and son, Mr. John Whitted, of Elizabethtown; Mr. J. W. Purdie and Miss Sallie Purdie of Dunn."