Keith, Joseph

KEITH, SMITH, WHITE, MORGAN, DAWSON, CLYMENS, STEMPLE, CASTLE, NEFF, GALLOWAY, KEUBLER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 1/31/2003 at 02:27:04

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

JOSEPH KEITH

Joseph Keith, one of the early settlers and highly respected citizens of Berlin township, is proprietor of a fine large farm of three hundred and twenty acres on section 28, whose neat and thrifty appearance plainly indicates his careful supervision. Substantial improvements are surrounded by well-tilled fields, and all of the accessories and conveniences of a model farm are there found.

Mr. Keith was born in Licking county, Ohio, September 5, 1830, his parents being William and Martha (Smith) Keith, who were natives of Pennsylvania, and at a very early day removed to the Buckeye state, where in the midst of a heavily timbered tract the father developed a farm. There the mother died at the age of forty-four years, but the father’s death occurred in Missouri when he was seventy-seven years of age. They had ten children, of whom our subject is second in order of birth, but only three of the number are now living.

During his boyhood and youth Joseph Keith remained at the place of his birth, and in 1855 came to Clinton county, Iowa, locating north of Calamus and soon purchased land on section 28, Berlin township. He built a house upon that place and made other improvements, but later sold it, and in 1863 bought a part of his present farm on the same section. To this he has since added from time to time until he now has three hundred and twenty acres of rich and arable land under a high state of cultivation and well improved. He has followed general farming and stock raising with good success, but now leaves the operation of his farm to his son.

In 1851 Mr. Keith wedded Miss Mary White, also a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Nathan and Nancy (Morgan) White, who were born in Virginia, but spent the greater part of their lives in Ohio, where both died at an advanced age. Mr. White was a soldier of the war of 1812, and his father fought for American independence in the Revolutionary war.

Mr. and Mrs. Keith have a family of ten children: (1) Benjamin, a stock raiser of south Dakota, married Irene Dawson, and has two children, Vernon and Harrison. (2) Nathan, who resides in Berlin township, this county, and operates a threshing machine, married Lizzie Clymens, and has two children, David W. and Alice. (3) Martha is at home. (4) Nancy is the wife of William Dawson, a farmer of Taylor county, Iowa, and they have five children, Mary, Gertrude, John W., Joseph and Ray, (sic) (5) William, who owns and operates a farm of one hundred and twenty acres on section 21, Berlin township, married Effie Stemple., and they have three children, Olive M., John L., and Mary A. (6) Alfred, a blacksmith, of Berlin township, this county, married Ida Castle, and they have three children, William, John and Ella. (7) Maggie is the wife of John Neff, a son of David Neff, a farmer of Berlin township, and they have two children, Howard and Bernard. (8) Mary is the wife of Daniel Galloway, a farmer and stock raiser of the same township, and they have two children, Grace and Anna. (9) Joseph, a farmer of Calamus, married Hannah Keubler, who died in June, 1901, leaving two children, Leroy and Dolly. (10) James operates the home farm.

For many years Mr. Keith affiliated with the Democracy, but now supports the Peoples party, and at local elections votes for the men best qualified for office regardless of party lines. For twenty years he efficiently served as school director, and also filled the office of township trustee for a long period. Honest and upright in all his dealings, his course of life has been such as to win for him the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens.