Alexander Klee – Klee family history

Photo: Young Alexander Klee – unconfirmed (Source: Klee family album)

Early Days

Alexander Klee was Victor and Emelie’s fourth and youngest surviving son born in New Zealand at Waitati on 9 November 1881. Around 1905, he was working in Invercargill as a clerk in the Magistrates Court, living in McMaster Street.

Whangamomona and Marriages

He then moved to Whangamomona where he continued to work as a clerk, this time at McCluggages Store. One of his responsibilities was as the part-time postmaster.

Mail facilities were provided very early in the history of the settlement, the post office being opened in McCluggage Bros.’ and Dean’s Store in 1895… The post office remained in the store until 1912, when it was transferred to the present post office building, which had been erected the previous year. Mr. A. Klee, now of Napier, accountant at the store, who had ably carried out the duties of postmaster, was succeeded by permanent officials.

(Source: Jas. Garcia; History of Whangamomona County. Published by the Whangamomona Celebrations Centennial Committee as a centennial memorial and dedicated to the pioneers of the district; 1940, pp. 35-36.)

Staff of McCluggage’s Store in Whangamomona, taken circa 1910

Back row: ___, Dan Sutherland, **Alex Klee**, Bert Hess, ___
Middle row: ___, Bill Reynolds, Mr Taunt, Agnew McCluggage, Archie Brodie, Bob McCluggage, Bert Archer, Jack Galvin
Front row (sitting): Ted McCluggage, Joe McCluggage, Jack McCluggage
Front row (lying): Billy the Bosun, Harry Blair, ___, ___
(Source: Batt album, names supplied by Margaret Gladys Batt in mid 1970s)

Alex Klee was also a founder member of the Whangamomona Medical Association, begun in 1912, which worked in conjunction with the Stratford Hospital Board to attract doctors and district nurses to the area; (Source: Jas. Garcia; History of Whangamomona County. pp. 123-124).

Also living in Whangamomona were Louis Klee employed as a barber and billiard saloon keeper and Victor Klee working as a storeman.

McCluggages Store is on the right, along from the Whangamomona Hotel. Athalinda Dean, later married to Louis Klee, ran the hotel for 10 months, and lived in the house with a verandah on the left. This photo is taken about 1905 or 1906.
(Source: Batt album, copy of Alexander Turnbull Library photo; ref. 388511/2.)

Marriages

On 30 August 1911, Alexander married his first wife Eva Ellen “Nel” Mantle in Hawera and they had a son James “Jim” George Klee.

For some reason, this marriage did not last.

In 1915, he married his second wife Ellen Moffat.

Return to Dunedin

He worked in a bank in Dunstan (confirm this).

Alexander then returned to Dunedin (apparently in the early 1930’s), living at 49 Bowen Street. He worked for as an auctioneer for John Reids – land agents.

Family

Alexander and Ellen had two children, Marion Klee and Robert “Bob” Louis Klee. Marion married Bill Henaghan, who worked as a dentist in Dunedin. Robert married Shirley Chambers, and they lived in Dunedin.

Later Years

Alexander died in Dunedin on 5 November 1960, and is buried in the Andersons Bay cemetery.