John Keith

As printed in 1910

JOHN KEITH.

Specific mention is made of many of the worthy citizens of Lafayette county within the pages of this book, citizens who have figured in the growth and development of this favored locality and whose interests are identified with its every phase of progress, each contributing in his sphere of action to the well being of the community in which he resides and to the advancement of its normal and legitimate growth. Among the number is he whose name appears above, peculiar interest attaching to his career from the fact that he is the representative of an excellent old family whose honored name he has ever sought to keep untarnished.

John Keith, the gentleman referred to in the preceding paragraph, is a Canadian, his birth having occurred in Ontario, Canada, of Scotch descent, December 9, 1866. He is the son of William P. Keith, of Mayview, this county, who was born in Scotland and who came to Canada where he lived some time, then moved to this county. For full history of the subject's parents the reader is directed to the sketch of William P. Keith appearing on another page of this work.

John Keith moved to Mayview, Missouri, with his parents when a child and he received a good common school education at Mayview. Early in life he went to work in the fields and has made farming his vocation, being rewarded by a fair measure of success, and he has spent his mature years all in Washington township, where he has become well established and is regarded as one of the most progressive of the younger agriculturists. He lived nine years, from 1899 to 1908, in Odessa, and he purchased his present farm in 1908. He has the old Sam Bell place, which consists of three hundred and two acres, which is well improved in every respect and is one of the most desirable farms in the township. Mr. and Mrs. Keith together have four hundred and two acres. They have a beautifully located home and such substantial outbuildings and modern farming machinery as their needs require. Mr. Keith carries on general farming and buys and sells stock. He is a good manager and a persistent worker and therefore has succeeded.

Mr. Keith was married on October 12, 1898, to Jennie O. White, daughter of Col. J. S. and Mary F. White, an old and prominent family of this county. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Keith, two of whom died in infancy; the two living are, Anna White, age four, and Mary Ester, age one.

Mr. and Mrs. Keith are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and in politics he is a Democrat and a member of the Knights of Pythias.

As printed in Young's history of Lafayette County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.