Benjamin Franklin Keifer

As printed in 1908

BENJAMIN F. KEIFER, who up to his death on December 5th, 1907, was one of Mad River Township's most respected citizens, was a life-long resident of Clark County, where he was born April 22, 1821. His parents were Joseph and Mary (Smith) Keifer.

Joseph Keifer was born near Sharpsburg, Washington County, Maryland, in 1784. He came to Ohio in 1812 and shortly afterward was married, in Clark County, to Mary Smith, who was born near the site of the present city of Cincinnati. Joseph Keifer secured a farm in Bethel

Township, on which he resided until his death, which took place when he was sixty-six years old. His widow subsequently removed to Yellow Springs, where she died at the age of seventy-nine. Their children who attained maturity were Margaret, Sarah, Benjamin Franklin, Elizabeth, Lucretia Minerva, J. Warren, and Cordelia.

Benjamin Franklin Keifer grew to manhood on the home farm and obtained a district school education in the old log schoolhouse near his father's farm. He resided on the parental homestead until several years after his marriage, and then removed to a farm on the National Road, where he remained two years. In 1852 he bought one hundred acres of the present family homestead from Joseph Sipe, and to this he later added until he had accumulated almost four hundred acres, which he placed under careful cultivation. His attention was confined almost entirely to agricultural interests, in which line of industry he was very successful. The estate which he thus built up is now one of the most valuable in Mad River Township, and comprises three hundred and ninety-five acres of well improved land.

On March 22, 1846, Mr. Keifer was united in marriage with Amelia F. Henkle, who died May 1, 1873. Though she herself was a native of Clark County, Ohio, her family came to this state from Virginia. She bore her husband eight children, namely: Silas, born March 27, 1847; Joseph, born March 3, 1850, who died January 27, 1852; Mary C, bom August 15, 3852; Erwin, born November 15, 1855; Montgomery, born October 11, 1858; Benjamin, born August 3, 1861, who married Ethel Christ; Sarah A., born April

17, 1865, who married William Drake; and lone, born July 10, 1868. Mr. Keifer had the following grandchildren — Wilbur, Harold and Ruth Ag-nes Keifer and Marie lone and Warren Keifer Drake.

Mr. Keifer 's political affiliations were with the Republican party. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a great reader and kept in touch with the general topics of the country.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.