McKeever, Reuben 1799-1879

HUMPHREYS, CARPENTER, MILLER, HARMON, MCKINNEY

Posted By: Janice Young (email)
Date: 7/27/2003 at 04:58:18

Reuben McKeever
Reuben McKeever was born in Norfolk, Virginia, June 6, 1799. He was married to Polly Humphreys January 13, 1832, in Pocahontas County, Virginia, now West Virginia. Their first son, William Henry, was born November 5, 1832. They travelled to Eden Township, LaGrange County, Indiana, where he purchased 80 acres in Section 27 on November 11, 1833. His wife, Polly, died in 1842 leaving him with nine children, the oldest only ten years old. They were: William Henry, George, John, Morris B., Anthony, Sid, Thomas, Sarah Jane, and James C.

On February 2, 1843, he married Elizabeth Carpenter in LaGrange County, Indiana. He sold his property there in 1850 and accompanied by his oldest son, William Henry and his family, they came to Jasper County. On July 18, 1852, he again was left a widower when his wife, Elizabeth, died at the age of thirty-six years. Their children were: Jasper, Jacob, Eliza, Amanda E., and Margaret H. The two latter girls died less than a week before their mother. All lie buried in the McKeever Cemetery.

William Henry was married in 1851 to Juliana Miller. Her birth had occurred January 15, 1833, in Athens County, Ohio. They were the parents of eight children: Mary E., (who died ten days after her Grandmother McKeever in 1852), Benjamin Asbury, David Amos, Amanda Jane, William Henry, Elijah Levi, Nancy Ellen, and Emma Elsie.

When the Civil War broke out, six of Reuben's sons answered the call. Morris joined Company A, 100th Pennsylvania Infantry; William Henry, Anthony, and Thomas signed up for Company C, 22nd Iowa Volunteer Infantry; and George and Jacob joined Company B, 13th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Only two of the six remained after the war: Morris and Thomas. William Henry was severly injured at the Battle of Vicksburg and died of his wounds June 14, 1863. George and Sid were killed at the Battle of Shilow Mountain, Tennessee. Jacob was reported as Missing in Action and never heard of again.

After the war was over, Reuben, accompanied by several neighbors (including one who had helped bury the soldiers' bodies), took wagons to Memphis and Pittsburg to bring his three sons back home to the family plot in McKeever Cemetery. William Henry's widow, Juliana (Miller) KcKeever, left with five little children, married again on October 12, 1865, in Polk County, Iowa, to William Harmon. They were the parents of six children: Leander T., Alamander N., John A., Middleton Jethia, William Sherman, and Julia Ann. Mr. Harmon died in 1887.

Juliana (Miller) McKeever Harmon was married July 31, 1893, at Adel to Henry McKinney. She passed away March 30, 1901, at Adel and was brought back to McKeever Cemetery to be laid to rest by her first husband, William Henry McKeever.

Mingo Iowa Community Centennial 1884-1984 Book by The History Book Committee, Sue Cochran, editor