KEITER, C. I. 1842-1914

KEITER, PIPER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 5/13/2015 at 09:49:02

Former Grundy Editor And Postmaster Dead

C. I. Keiter Passed To Last Reward Saturday

Published Paper In Grundy Center 20 Years

C. I. Keiter died at the home of his son Frank in this city last Saturday. During the past two years Mr. Keiter's health and vitality left him gradually. Six weeks ago as a result of a severe fall he was compelled to take to his bed and he continued to get weaker from day to day until the end came.

The major portion of Mr. Keiter's life was spent in this city. He came here forty-three years ago and remained a resident of the town continuously during all of that time. Early in the seventies he bought the Grundy County Republican from Rea & Moffett and he remained in charge of that paper for twenty years. No other Grundy county publisher before or since Mr. Keiter's time has so many years of newspaper work on one paper to his credit. Mr. Keiter was appointed postmaster of Grundy Center the year following Harrison's election, as president. Hon. Daniel Kerr represented this district in congress at that time and he recommended Mr. Keiter for the place. It was during his term as postmaster that the department at Washington asked to give a name to the post office in Melrose township and Mr. Keiter named it Ivester, which was his middle name. Mr. Keiter's term as postmaster continued for four years and the public were highly pleased with his services.

In later years Mr. Keiter occupied the position of city clerk and city assessor in both of which he discharged his duties to the best of his ability and to the general satisfaction of the public.

Among the wide acquaintance gained in this county through his long residence here there is not one among them who has other than kind words for Mr. Keiter. He was a likable man and one who thought and lived that it is better to give than to receive.

Funeral services were held at the Baptist church at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon. The large attendance at the services came from the deceased's friends from all parts of the county. Rev. J. C. Cury delivered a brief address following which the G.A.R. took charge of the funeral service.

Relatives from out of the county present at funeral were George P. Keiter from St. Paul, Raymond and Bert Gelwicks from Mt. Carroll and Walter B. Keiter from St. Paul.

Obituary
Charles Ivester Keiter was born May 25, 1842, in Phoenixville, Chester Co., Pennsylvania.

The family later moved to Pittsburg where they resided for a few years and in 1854, they moved to Mt. Carroll, Carroll Co., Ill.

He served with honor in the 142 Regiment, Illinois Vols. during the Civil War and was honorably discharged, being one of two in this county fortunate enough to receive a national vote of thanks under Abraham Lincoln's hand for his services.

About the year 1873 he located in Grundy Center where he engaged in the printing business with Moffett & Rea, later purchasing their interests.

In 1876 he was joined in marriage with Emma J. Piper of Canton, Ill. Five children were born to this union, all of whom are living.

Mrs. N. C. Rew, Grundy Center; Geo. P. Keiter, St. Paul; Frank M. Keiter, Grundy Center; Mrs. R. S. Plager, Grundy Center, and Marguerite Keiter, Grundy Center.

--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 8 January 1914, pg 1