Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 959
WILLIS B. KEITH

Willis B. KEITH, one of the representative farmers of Clay Township, residing on section 9, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1866, and purchased a sawmill in Clay Township, which he operated for about three years, and then bought a partly improved farm on sections 16 and 21, which he cultivated for one year, and then exchanged his place for four hundred and forty acres of land near Mondamin, in which his brother, Henry N., owned a half interest. This was an unimproved tract, which they at once commenced to improve, but were thwarted in their plans by the great floods of the Missouri River, which destroyed much of their property. In the spring of 1871, our subject rented a farm in Morgan Township, and in the spring of 1872, he built the first livery and feed stable at Mondamin, operating the same for three years, at the end of which time he sold out and followed other business in the place for two years, and then moved to River Sioux and engaged in the grocery business, being the first to engaged in business at that point. After one year he sold his business and took a trip to Colorado with a view of locating, but after looking at the Western world for four months, he returned to Harrison County and purchased one hundred and twenty acres, where he now lives on section 9. There was a small house upon the place with a few acres of breaking, but from year to year he has made substantial improvements, and has just completed a tasty farm house. One hundred acres of his place are under the plow, while the balance is in pasture land.

Mr. KEITH was born in Quincy, Ill., December 30, 1845. The year following his father died, and in 1858 he was bereft of his mother. After his father's death the mother and our subject, who was but an infant, visited New York where they remained for two years, and then returned to Illinois. After the death of his mother in 1858, our subject lived with an uncle in New York State for a year, and in the autumn of 1859, he went to live with another uncle in Terre Haute, Ind., where he lived until May, 1861, and then went into camp with the Thirty-first Indiana Regiment, and remained there two weeks, but was too young to be mustered into service, being a little past fourteen years of age. Being defeated in his plans of becoming a soldier, he engaged in a woolen mill, where he remained until October of that year, when he succeeded in enlisting in Company B, thirty-fifth Indiana Infantry, at Indianapolis and went South. He saw the following service: was at Gallatin, Tenn., and was under Buel after Gen. Bragg through Kentucky. Our subject was taken prisoner at Bardstown, Ky., and was paroled there and sent to Indianapolis, where he remained eight months and was then exchanged. He then joined his regiment at McMinnville, Tenn., and was at the battle of Chichamauga, which took place Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, 1863. During those two eventful days his company lost twenty-eight men. From there his command went to Chattanooga, where they were surrounded by Bragg's army, and nearly starved to death, for the period of forty days. He also participated in the battle of Lookout Mountains, November 24, 1863, and took part in the struggle at Mission Ridge, and then followed Bragg to Ringgold, Ga., where they had an engagement with him, and fell back to Shell Mound, Tenn., where on the 16th of December, 1863, our subject re-enlisted "for three years or during the war." He took a thirty days' furlough in Indiana, after which he returned to Cleveland, Tenn., where he remained in camp until May 1, 1864, and then started on the Atlanta campaign with Gen. William T. Sherman, and was one who participated in the following engagements: Resaca, Ga., Dalton, Kingston, Marietta, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station. From the last named place they went back to Atlanta and started after Hood, on his raid North. They overtook him at Columbia, Tenn., had a hard fight, was also at Franklin, Tenn., and at the battle of Nashville, December 12 and 13, 1864. They then followed Hood to Huntsville, Ala., and from that point they went to Knoxville, Tenn., and from there to Bulls' Gap, N.C. We next find them at Nashville, Tenn., and then via. New Orleans crossed the Gulf of Mexico, to Indianola, Tex., from which point they marched fifty miles to Victoria, at which point they were mustered out September 25, 1865. Our subject received his final discharge at Indianapolis, Ind., October 23, 1865. He then returned to his uncles' at Terre Haute, remained until December of that year, and then came to Mills County, Iowa, coming the following spring to Harrison County. Our subject has an army record with but few parallels. being in the service as he was, four years and eight days, every day of which he was with his regiment, except the eight months that he was a paroled prisoner.

He was united in marriage in Harrison County, Iowa, January 8, 1867, to Miss Sarah E. YOAKUM, the daughter of Moab and Druzilla (MORGAN) YOAKUM. By this marriage union the following eight children were born: George, Mary, John W., Fannie, Anna and Edward (twins), Alice, Irvy. George, Anna and Edward are deceased.

Sarah E. (YOAKUM) KEITH, was born in Ohio, October 21, 1846, and came with her parents to Harrison County, in 1864. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Our subject's father, Madison KEITH, was a native of New York, as was also his wife, Mary (PECK) KEITH. They both died in Illinois.

Willis B., of whom we write this sketch, in his political belief is a stanch Republican. He has held numerous local offices, including that of Justice of the Peace and Constable. He also took the census of his township in 1890. He is Post Commander of Barnes Post, Grand Army of the Republic, No. 103, at Mondamin, and is also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being an honored member of Lodge No. 392, at Mondamin.

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