Idaho County free press., 1924-07-24
John Kee Wonders What to
Do With Fortune, in
Case He Gets 1t

John Kee, of Grangeville, may be
one of the long-lost heirs to an estate
of two hundred million dollars, left
years ago by Martin Key, New
York financier. This estate, which
comprises property in the heart of
the retail district of New York City,
so the story goes, has never been dis
tributed among the heirs.
Mr.. Kee has just been advised by
his sister, who resides in Texas, that
members of the family may share in
the estate. Mr.. Kee, who is a bach
elor, and in comfortable circum-
stances, does not know what he will
do with his portion of the estate, In
case he receives it. Pending estab-
ishment of proof by members of the
Kee family to their right to inheri-
lance, Mr.. Kee is spending few
minutes each day planning on what
he will do when he becomes fabu-
lously rich, but at the same time he
is not permitting this air castle busi-
ness to get the better of him. He is
pursuing his daily work as a plumb
er in Grangeville, and merely laughs
when asked about the prospects Of
him becoming millionaire.
DIFFERENCE IN SPELLING
The Grangeville man spells his
name K-e-e, but explains that the ORR
ginal spelling of the family name is
Key, just plain old door key, but
that his father, many years ago,
adopted the new form of spelling.
Mr.. KEGS boyhood home was in
Tennessee, and he comes from an old
southern family. He plans to visit
the south this fall, and attend a fam
ily reunion, when definite plans to-
ward sharing in the estate of two
hundred millions will be discussed.
A clipping from a Shreveport, La,
newspaper, relative to the Key es-
tate follows;
"a portion of $200,000,000 estate,
even though it is a frail fraction, is
not to be sneered at, SO when several
local descendants of Martin Key,
who it is claimed are heirs to this
piece of property in the heart of the
retail district of New York City,
j valued at that amount, heard that an
effort to locate all rightful heirs was
being made, they Immediately took
/ notice, and are now doing some in
vestigating of their family trees.
MARTIN KEYS DESCENDANTS
"Many prominent men are said to
be descendants of Martin Key who,
! if he had lived to this day, would
have been fabulously rich. Several
| of those who claim to be his des'
cendants live in Shreveport, among
them being Ben johnson, president OF
/ the Commercial bank; Mrs. Lillian
Hollingswworth Barrett, widow OF
the late Thomas G. Barrett, one-time
lieutenant governor of Louisiana; s
G.. Hollingsworth, I. H. Thurmand
G. III. Thurmand, J. M. Thurmane
and T. H. Baker.
"The first inkling of their possible
claim to a portion Of the vast fortune
6 was through communication from
James B. Key, of Hurtsboro, Ala.
who is engaged in the arduous tasl
of unraveling the long line OF des
cendants Of Martin Key. He has al
ready employed an attorney to assls
in the work, and conference of sew
eral of the descendants will be hell
at Birmingham, Ala, soon.
Martin Key, of England, wh'
married Lady Jane Grey's sister
came to America, receiving LAM
grant from the king of England. Hi
greatgrandson, Martin Key, owner 0
the now valuable property, lived Il
Virginia, where he married Mis-
Nancy Bibb. They had twelve chill
dren, John, Martin, Tandy, Joshua
Continued on last page)