Mary L. Keck

KECK, CLARK, GREEN, CARPENTER, DRAKE, WEBSTER, GORDON, CRAIG, MCELHINNEY, MILLER, FLEMING, SMITH, KING, EDMONSON, LANDES, ROWLEY, EATSER

Posted By: Chuck and Joy Hanson (email)
Date: 12/13/2006 at 22:41:28

Some years ago, in a conversation with the late Sam Clark, where the talk ran along the line of personality as to Van Buren county people, the name of Mrs. Mary L. Keck, wife of Peter R. Keck, of Bentonsport, with whom we were both acquainted, came up and Mr. Clark remarked, “That woman has one of the best minds I have ever met and she is just as good as she is intelligent. She would adorn any sphere in life.” We replied to Mr. Clark that she is now adorning the greatest sphere in a woman’s life, that of queen of a home – a wife and mother in their completeness. Mr. Clark’s answer was, “You are right.” And what that wise man said of Mary Keck was true. She was our schoolmate and she was always our friend. We knew her when a girl in Bentonsport before she became the wife of Peter R. Keck, the now bereaved husband, and the mother of the children she adored, part of whom are living and part dead. And the people of Bentonsport who knew her during her long residence there, knew too the greatness of her worth as a woman, friend and neighbor, and mourn for her almost as they would a loved relative. Forty-six years of her life were passed at Bentonsport, where she came with her parents in 1851 from Chillicothe, Ohio, which was her birth place, Aug. 19, 1847, her parents being Thomas and Malinda Green. In 1863 she united with the Presbyterian church in Bentonsport, and remained an active member all her life. September 5, 1867 she was untied with Peter R. Keck. To them seven children were born, three of whom survive and were at the funeral. They are Hugh of Chicago and Misses Edna and Bertha who are still at the parental home in Des Moines, to which place Mr. and Mrs. Keck moved Sept. 5, 1899, where death came to the mother at 11:15 p.m., Sunday, June 8, 1902, of consumption. The body was brought to Bentonsport Tuesday of this week and laid to rest by the side of the children who preceded her in death. The remains and the remnant of the bereaved family were accompanied to Bentonsport by Estella Carpenter of Des Moines, Mrs. Lillie Drake of Ottumwa, Mrs. Percy Webster and Nellie Gordon of Chicago. Mrs. John H. Craig and son Hugh of Keokuk were also present at the funeral. Services were held at the Presbyterian church at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, the house being filled by friends and relatives with a very appropriate discourse by an old friend of the family, Rev. McElhinney of Fairfield. The song service was excellent and was rendered by C. K. Miller, W.B. Fleming, Mrs. C. K Miller and Miss Ethel Fleming, with Miss Irene Smith as organist, the songs, “Abide with Me” and “Lead Kindly Light,” having been selected by the deceased. The pall bearers, named also by her were, Hon. Joseph A. and Henry Keck, of near Utica, George King of Farmington, H. B. Edmonson of Bentonsport and J.H Landes and J.W. Rowley of Keosauqua, the assistant pall bearers being, Charles Easter, Taylor Easter and Elmer Keck of Harrisburg township. Many and beautiful were the floral contributions.

From the Mason Scrapbook owned by H.K. Redhead