Capt. William Henry Keating

KEATING, MONTEITH, VANDERWILT

Posted By: Kate Jackson (email)
Date: 1/31/2004 at 14:44:41

Capt. William Henry KEATING, 87 year old dean of the Mahaska county bar, long time member of the First Presbyterian church, prominent in the Masonic orders, and veteran of the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection, died at his home at 912 C avenue east, at 11 o'clock this morning after an extended illness.
Capt. KEATING was born at Boston, Mass., August 3, 1855, son of Mr. and Mrs. William KEATING, and came to a farm in the northeast part of Poweshiek County, Iowa with his parents in 1863 and spent his boyhoood on the farm. Although he attended the district school for a number of years he was forced to assist with the farming after he became 10 years of age and received little public shcool training.

But his quest for knowledge caused him to pursue his education in the home by the light of the open fireplace, the tallow candle and the kerosene nights after his farm work was finished. By perserverance he was able to qualify for entrance in the Drake university law school in 1884, graduating in the spring of the following spring and he was admitted to law practice in May, 1886.

Four years later he came to Oskaloosa to make his home and set up his own law and abstract office. He was married to Christine A. MONTEITH of Albany, Ore., at Albany on Nov. 30, 1892. When the Spanish American War broke out, Captain KEATING commanded Oskaloosa's Company F of the 51st Iowa Infantry during 19 months of service, ten of which were in the Philippines with the regiment fighting the insurrectionists in 17 engagements.

Surviving are the wife, one daughter, Mrs. John VANDERWILT of Denver, Colo.

Funeral services will be held at the First Presbyterian church at 2 p.m. Friday with Rev. J. Stewart Brown, assisted by Dr. George G. Bruce. Burial will be in Forest cemetery.

From Mrs. J.C. (Bessie) Beach's scrapbook.