It is not every man who succeeds in giving his name to a town, but this
distinction fell to Peter Keith, who emigrated from Pennsylvania during the
first half of the last century and found his way to Noble county, Ohio. He
there entered a section of land from the government and by hard work
eventually whipped it into the condition of a fairly productive farm.
Gradual increase of population in the neighborhood led to the demand for a
town, which was eventually established on Peter Keith's land and named in
his honor. He continued to reside there until his death in 1865. He left a
son, P. C. Keith, who was born on the Noble county homestead, became a
merchant later in life and still resides the town which bears his family
name. He married Susan Coffey, whose parents emigrated from Scotland to
America in 1826 and settled near Caldwell. Ohio, where they spent the
remainder of their days, the father dying in 1872, and his wife in 1876. Mr.
and Mrs. P. C. Keith had ten children, whose births are thus recorded: Clara
Frances, deceased; L. W., deceased; L. B. subject of this sketch; Mary Eliza
Groves, of Caldwell, Ohio; Charles, of Keith, Ohio; Asa, of Waterford, Ohio;
Edward, of Greeley, Iowa; O. W., a merchant at Waterford, Ohio; W. O., of
Detroit, Michigan; Raymond C., of Phoenix, Arizona.
L. B. Keith, who
is number three in the above list, was born in Noble county, Ohio, October
12, 1862. He attended school at Keith, and in 1888 he removed to Illinois,
locating at Reinard in the county of Wayne. He engaged at once in the
mercantile business, which he prosecuted diligently until his removal to
Flora in 1900. At this point he resumed in the same line and so continued
for two years. Being appointed City Marshal, he devoted two years of his
time to the duties of this office and then accepted the position of
lieutenant of police in the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. This
he held for one year and in 1904 engaged in the seed and implement business
under the firm name of Borders & Keith. In politics he is a red hot Democrat
and always at the front when a campaign is in progress. His fraternal
relations are with the Odd Fellows, Rebekahs, Red Men, Modern Woodmen and
Maccabees.
In 1892 Mr. Keith married Miss Julia A. Neff, a native of
Reinard, and they have three children; Harry, born in 1893, Marie born in
1896, and Eddie Fay, born in 1898. Mrs. Keith departed this life January 9,
1907, and was mourned as a good wife and mother.
Extracted 27 Apr 2017 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay & Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 285-286.
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