My Genealogy Hound

KEELEY, JESSE, retired farmer, Carrollton, Ill. Born within thirty-five miles of Philadelphia, May 20, 1808. His father, Coonrad Keeley, married Miss Anna M. Essick, by whom he had nine children; Jesse was the fifth. When seven years of age his parents moved to Somerset, Pa. When Jesse was thirteen he moved to Westmoreland, Pa., where he hired out as a barkeeper, remaining five years. Removing to Somerset he was apprenticed to a blacksmith; on account of his employer’s drunken habits he did not remain long before he proceeded to Bedford, Pa., where he served his apprenticeship under Daniel Shuck, whom he remembers with feelings of gratitude to this day. He was married April 17, 1832, to Miss Mary C. Whittaker. In 1836 Mr. Keeley located at Alton, Madison County, remaining one year; he then moved to Scarritt’s Prairie; here he opened shop. He remained here two years, and then moved to String Prairie, near Dover, between Carrollton and Greenfield and while residing here his wife died, Sept. 11, 1842, leaving to the care of her husband three children: Daniel S. (a major during the late war), Cyrus H. and Charles W. Jan. 24, 1843, Mr. Keeley was married to Cecilia Curry, by whom he had ten children, three living, Jesse Jr., Jacob and Nancy E. Mr. Keeley took up his residence at Greenfield, where his wife died Oct. 10, 1870. November 1, 1876, Mr. Keeley was married to Mrs. Violetta E. Goodrich, daughter of Ansil Hubbard and relict of Heman Goodrich. We have thus related in a brief manner the life career of one who has won his way to a competence through his own exertions.