Never forget

Chester Reynald Keele 1897-1977

 One of the wonders of the internet and doing family history research in the modern age is finding hidden treasures.  I recently came across this wonderful photo of Chester Reynald Keele (on the left) and his brother Lester Englestead Keele shared by a distant cousin of the Keele family.  What a treasure!  He is so young! None of us would ever have known him this way. 

Chester was the eleventh of twelve children born to Thomas Henry Keele and Margaret Ann Englestead. 

"After Lester, the last son was born, their father Thomas Henry Keele went out into the hills to get a big load of wood for his family as it was winter time and very cold. And while he was doing this a voice said, “This is the last wood you will ever haul.” He took the wood to his wife and family who were living in town to escape smallpox and returned back to his farm where his oldest son, Thomas, was very ill with the disease. Henry took the disease and died without ever seeing his wife and family again."* 

Thomas Henry died of smallpox in 1900.  He was 43 and young Chester was only three years old. So essentially Chester grew up without knowing his father. 

Another photo found of Chester and five of his siblings. From left to right back row: Jennie, Alice, Chastie, Sylvia. Front row Chester and Lester.  

Many of the Chester's grandchildren grew up knowing "Grandpa Keele" and worked and played on his farm near Rock Island, Washington.  I would encourage each of you to share a memory that you have and give "life" to his story.  Help your grandchildren to know their great-great-grandpa.  

What do you remember? 

Chester Reynald Keele

father of: 

Cleo K. Keele

Chester Gale Keele

Alice Fern Keele

     mother to:

           Janice

Elizabeth Keele

Ramona Mae Keele

Velva Jean Keele

      mother to: 

            Donna

            Nancy

            Bill Jr.

            Ron

            Russ

            Wayne

Lawanna Pauline Keele

     mother to:

             John

             Candy

             Randy

             Jerry

*"The Jolley Family Book" published by Brigham Young University Press 1966, written by Bryant Manning Jolley and his committee."

George Andrew Brooks 1846-1919

From the Civil War pension record of George Andrew Brooks we learn some marvelous information. "At only 5'8 inches tall he was of average height for his era. He had a fair complexion, dark hair and blue eyes."  He was born in Ohio in 1846 and was of the prime age to serve in the Civil War. We also learn that George enlisted in the Union, Ohio Infantry at Camp Chase, Ohio. The history of his regiment is available from  the National Park Service Civil War it reads:

UNION OHIO VOLUNTEERS

136th Regiment, Ohio Infantry (National Guard)

Organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, and mustered in May 18, 1864. Left State for Washington, D. C., May 13. Assigned to garrison duty at Forts Ellsworth.  Repulse of General Jubal Early's attack on Washington D. C. (Fort Stevens) July 11-12. Mustered out August 30, 1864. Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 23 Enlisted men by disease. Total 25.

Fort Stevens was part of the extensive fortifications built around Washington, D.C., during the American Civil War.

This battle is well known because Abraham Lincoln was at the fort, being the only sitting president ever to be at a battle. 

President Lincoln was inside the fort under enemy fire. During the heat of the battle a Union surgeon standing only inches away from the president was shot and wounded. There is a Legend that the future Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes saw Lincoln stand up on the fort to get a better view of the battle and made himself a target, Holmes is said to have yelled to him “Get down, you damn fool!” 

The Confederates lost the battle, losing around 500 of their 10,000 men. Early's force withdrew that evening, and headed back across the Potomac River into Virginia, bringing back supplies they got from Maryland. General Early remarked to one of his officers after the battle, "Major, we didn't take Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like hell."

It is hard to imagine marching from Ohio to Washington D.C. to fight in a war.  The  soldiers exhibited profound dedication and determination to the cause of freedom and liberty leaving behind family and loved ones. After the war George returned to Ohio and married Josephine Barrett (1868) They had three sons. He is shown here with his wife during their senior years living in Henry County, Missouri. It is a great honor to have an ancestor numbered among those that fought to preserve our freedom. 

George Andrew Brooks

father of 

Charles Daniel Brooks

father of 

Carl McKinley Brooks

father of 

  Alvin D. Brooks

  George Marvin Brooks

  Loren William Brooks

  Gerald Clarence Brooks

  Carl Brooks Jr.

  Leonard Herschel Brooks

  Herbert Delano Brooks

  Shirley Alene Brooks

  Donald Lee Brooks

Reunion!

As we are quickly approaching summer I am reminded by this fun article of all of the great family reunions that we have had in the past.  Here's hoping that we get together again soon!

From New Castle News, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, July 1905

"One of the pleasant events of the month of July was the Latimer reunion on the old homestead near Ellwood City.  Mr. and Mrs. George Latimer are the parents of eleven children who with one exception, are all living.  The grandparents of twenty-five, and the great grandparents of two.  The relatives in attendance were Mr. & Mrs. George. Latimer and son Isaac, who resides at the homestead; Mr. and Mrs. L. Keller and children, Darrison and Margaretta, Emmel Latimer of Allegheny, Mr. and Mrs. R. Trelber of Beaver, Mrs. Florence Fosnaut and children, Alice and Pearl, of Chewton, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Walker and Miss Blanche Law of Ellwood City, Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Walker, Ruth Britain, George Latimer, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Martin and children, Ida, Ray and Margarite, of Hazel Dell: Mr and Mrs. J. A. Brown and children, May, Minnie, Clara and James; Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Latimer and children Chester, Leah, Ethel, Glenn, Lyle and Elizabeth: William Latimer and George Mallory of Wayne township, and Miss Clarn Stubb of Allegheny."

Sarah Emily Potter

    

     Of the ten children born to Elijah John Potter and Sarah Eliza Jolly, Sarah Emily Potter was the oldest surviving child. Four other siblings passed away while under two years old. Her mother passed a couple of months after giving birth to the youngest Pearl Melvina Potter. Pearl died just ten months later.

     From the history of Elijah John Potter we read, “Sarah Eliza died 14 Dec 1891 and is buried on a high hill overlooking Asay Creek, Garfield, Utah. It was a sad thing for this Potter family of small children to have their mother taken from them. After this Elijah was never satisfied to stay in one place for long. He never remarried and was both father and mother to his children. Elijah kept the boys with him as they traveled around from place to place.”

     This may have been one of the reasons that Sarah Emily married so young. Just days before her 14th birthday she married William Greenhalgh. In 1892 he was 31 years old, 17 years her senior. Together they had ten children. Her first was born when she was just 15 years. All but two children lived to adulthood, Sarah, Mary, Alice, Myrtle, Elizabeth (married to Chester Reynald Keele), William Wallace, George (died as an infant), Eva (died as an infant), Elijah John and Wanda Greenhalgh.

     In 1910 William and Sarah lived in Heber Valley described as, “one of several back valleys in the Wasatch Mountains, that was often called Utah's Switzerland because of the rugged beauty of Mount Timpanogos located to the west, its climate, and a large population of Swiss that settled in the area."

     In Williams obituary he is said to have raised sheep and cattle in this area. William and Sarah toiled on the farm raising children through the dust bowl, the great depression and through two world wars. They saw the invention of phones, electricity and automobiles.

     Life was hard for families in the these early days. Often as my husband and I go for drives in the country we longingly look at the lovely county homes in the midst of rolling hills and remember raising our children in such a place. We can hope and imagine that during Sarah's life there were periods of peace and joy and watching her children grow. 

Sarah Emily Potter/Greenhalgh/Slack
" .Grandma Slack Wanda and John her daughter and son"

Breast Cancer Awareness

     Important note! Sarah Emily Potter/Greenhalgh died of Bilateral Breast Carcinoma at just 58 years old if you are a descendant of this family line be aware and be diligent.

Sarah Emily Potter/ Greenhalgh
mother of 
Elizabeth Ruth Greenhalgh/Keele
mother of
  Cleo K. Keele
        Chester Gale
        Alice Fern Keele
        Elizabeth Keele 
        Ramona Mae Keele
        Velva Jean Keele/Latimer
        Lawanna Pauline Keele