Thomas Henry Keele Jr. 1857 - 1900

Thomas Henry Keele, son of Mary Angeline Jolley and Thomas Keele, was born 10 April 1857 in Palm Town, Utah County, Utah. This town is now known as Salem. He was the third child in his parent’s family of 12 children, 7 daughters and 5 sons. He was baptized in the church. He was not a pioneer across the plains, but a son of pioneers who helped to settle the barren lands of Utah. He was very much acquainted with the pioneer life and hardships and  trials which they must have endure.

He was a very dark handsome man, black hair and dark brown eyes. He is remembered for his wit, as he was a happy sort of man. He was very kind and gentle with his family.

He lived in Long Valley where he and Margaret Annie married 14 October 1875 in Mount Carmel, Kane County, Utah.

He loved his wife and family and their home was one of peace and contentment. Music played a large part in making his home so choice and inviting. The love and tenderness of these good parents made it a heaven on earth. Twenty lovely children graced this home, which was a two-room log house located on a bench south of Emery town about 3 to 4 miles. How did a family of 14 live in so small a house? Many ticks were filled with fresh clean straw and stacked on the beds and at night were pulled onto the floor where the children slept comfortably. When company came, another tick would be filled and there was always heart room and house room. The hot biscuits, fresh butter, cottage cheese, and honey were a common appetizer in this house. After Lester, the last son was born; Henry Thomas got smallpox and died. Before he got the disease he went out into the hills to get a big load of wood for his family as it was winter time and very cold. 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. He took the disease and died without ever seeing his wife and family again. Margaret Annie now left with a large family to care for did many things to make a living, and all her children sought for jobs which would aid in feeding and clothing themselves.

She wove carpets and rugs. She was a beautiful seamstress and sewed clothing for the dead when needed. She was the switchboard operator for the telephone in Emery, which was housed in her front room. She did a lot of beautiful hand work and quilts and everything she did was perfection. She lived at Neola for a few years, then traveled but lived mostly with her daughter, Alice, in Ferron where she passed away 9 November 1939 and was buried in Emery Cemetery beside her choice companion, Henry Thomas Keele. 

Their children are:

 Mary Angeline (twin) 

Annie Margaret (twin) 

Thomas Henry

James Rasmus 

William Manning 

Chastie Luticia 

Susan Evelyn

Jennie Luella 

Sylvia Loraine 

Alice Marie 

Chester Raynal (sp)

     father of Velva Jean Keele

Lester Englestead

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