Note that when Clay McGee, presumably, talked to the census taker in 1900, he named his youngest daughter as Mattie Murl.  It was during her school years that the spelling Merle or Merl first appeared, and when an initial was recorded later on, was that an M for Martha or Mattie, or was it for McGee?  She signed birthday and Christmas cards with the name Murl and that is the name on her tombstone.  Clay had lost his mother before the age of two and was raised by his mother's sister, Martha "Mattie" Pope Parker.  We tend to believe that Murl was named in honor of Martha, who took so many relatives into her home over the years, and who also probably helped Clay raise his own little ones after Harriet died.

In 1909 Murl married Otis Gipe, son of Cyrus Gipe and Mary Margaret Hyde.  Otis was born January 6, 1889, died June 28, 1952.  Otis' obituary stated he was born in McDonough County, but that does not jibe with other sources, which suggest he was born in Fulton County, Illinois.

Funeral services for Otis Gipe, Colchester RR2 farmer, were held this afternoon at the chapel of Jones Mortuary in Colchester.  The Rev. Ernest Louderman officiated, and burial was in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. [Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Macomb]

He was born aJn. [sic] 6, 1889, in McDonough county and was the son of Cyrus and Mary M. Hyde Gipe.  He lived in Hancock County until about 20 years ago, when he moved to McDonough County. He was a member of the Macomb Moose Lodge.

On Oct. 21, 1909 he married Murl McGee, who survives with a son and daughter, Marion Gipe and Mrs. Forrest Day of Galesburg; five brothers and sisters, Andrew Gipe of Colchester, Harvey Gipe of Keokuk, Ia., Mrs. J. L. Hedde of Macomb, Mrs. C. W. Robinson of Warsaw, and Mrs. Bruce Firovied, Gravis Mills, Mo.  A sister, Mrs. Anna Rohrer and a brother, Samuel Gipe are deceased.

The children of Murl McGee and Otis Gipe were:

i.

Marion O. Gipe, born March 31, 1910, in Illinois.  Marion served in the Navy during WWII.  He kept company for many years with a lady friend, Mary Ellen Mathews.  They never married.  Marion died November 1974 in Illinois.

ii.

Forrest E. Gipe, born December 28, 1911.  She married James William "Bill" Day in 1933. Bill Day was the son of James L. and Beatrice Moor Day.  He was born December 7, 1908, in or near Fountain Green, Hancock County, Illinois. He served in the Navy from 1942 to 1945. Forrest died December 14, 1972, burial location undetermined.  Bill Day died February 27, 1999, at Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois.  He is buried at Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens, Galesburg.

McGee, Henry Clay, head, white, male, Apr 1863, 37, widower, born IL, both parents born IL, farm hand, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, rented his home
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Beryl G, daughter, white, female, Oct 1887, 12, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English
James Chellis, son, white, male, Feb 1890, 10, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English
Mattie Murl, daughter, white, female, May 1893, 7, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Gipe, Cyrus, head, white, male, Mar 1855, 45, married for 23 years, born PA, both parents born PA, farmer, months not employed 0, could read, write and speak English, owned his farm home, farm schedule 117
Mary M, wife, white, female, Mar 1859, 41, married for 23 years; mother of 10 children, 8 living; born PA, both parents born PA, could read, write and speak English
Samuel H, son, white, male, Sept 1879, 20, single, born IL, both parents born PA, laborer day, monts not employed - 3, could read, write and speak English
Andrew J, son, white, male, Dec 1880 [year hard to read], 19, single, born IL, both parents born PA, laborer day, months not employed - 3, could read, write and speak English
Fanny A, daughter, white, female, Jan 1882, 18, single, born IL, both parents born PA, could read, write and speak English
Sarah E, daughter, white, female, June 1883, 16, single, born IL, both parents born PA, could read, write and speak English
Dollie M, daughter, white, female, June 1886, 13, single, born IL, both parents born PA, attended school for 2 months, could read, write and speak English
Cyrus O, son, white, male, Jan 1889, 11, single, born IL, both parents born PA, attended school for 2 months, could read, write and speak English
Careline, daughter, white, female, Dec 1894, 5, single, born IL, both parents born PA, spoke English
Harvey, son, white, male, Feb 1897, 3, single, born IL, both parents born PA

Gipe, Otis, head, male, white, 21, married (1st) [no entry for years married], born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, laborer, private foundry ?, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909, rented his home

Merle, wife, female, white, 17, married (1st) for 7 months, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Symon [sic], son, white, male, 1/12, born IL, both parents born IL

Gipe, Otis S, head, paying on a mortgage, male, white, 30, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born PA, spoke English, farmer, general farm, working on own account, farm schedule 55

Merl M, wife, female, white, 27, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Marion O, son, male, white, 9, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, born IL, both parents born IL

Forest E, daughter, female, white, 7, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, born IL, both parents born IL

Gipe, Otis, head, renter, owned a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, married, age at first marriage - 20, could read and write, born IL, both parents born PA, spoke English, farmer, general farm, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no, farm schedule 76

Murl, wife, female, white, 37, married, age at first marriage - 17, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Marion AB*, son, male, white, 20, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English [*AB - absent?]

Forrest, daughter, female, white, 18, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English