My Genealogy Hound

THOMAS W. KEYS, physician and surgeon, Le Roy; born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, Jan. 18, 1838; he emigrated to America when 10 years of age, and landed in New York, July 12, 1849; coming West, he, with his parents, located in Fond du Lac Co., Wis., where his father located 160 acres of land upon which he settled, and where he still lives. The subject of this sketch remained with his father and attended the common school until 18 years of age, when he engaged in teaching in the common school during the fall and winter for five years, during which period he devoted all his spare time to his studies to further advance his education. At the age of 21 he was elected Superintendent of Schools; at the age of 23, he taught in graded schools, as Principal, at Taycheedah; in 1862, he was Principal of the High School at Mattoon, for one year, and in 1863, he attended Rush Medical College, at Chicago; in 1864, he was chosen Principal of the Public School at Lexington, and in the spring of 1865, commenced the practice of medicine at Rapp, Woodford Co., until the fall of 1868, when he was appointed Principal of the school at Atlanta, one year, and in 1869, he located in Le Roy, where he has continued the practice of medicine; he is a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa, from which college he has his diploma, and also holds a diploma from the State Board of Health of Illinois; he was elected to deliver the valedictory address at the time of graduating from the college at Keokuk. His marriage with Jennie McGill was celebrated Oct. 8, 1865; she was born in Erie City, Penn., March 28, 1848; her parents emigrated West, and located in Lexington, Ill., in 1853, where they still live; the children of Thomas W. and Jennie (McGill) Keys are three in number — William M., born Oct. 28, 1866; Minnie F., born Feb. 1, 1870, and Carrie D., born June 1, 1873.