Keele Cousins

Chester & Lester Keele                                          William Chester Latimer & Edward Keele

      It is always fun to meet new cousins in person or online, growing our family tree. Some are found through DNA, some through research websites, others through social media. I have met dozens of people through family history and now enjoy some rich and rewarding relationships.  We have met many Keeles and Greenhalghs through church membership in our area. Most are distant cousins of four or five generations and some are many miles away, but we still have that common bond.
    This last year I met Edward Keele while working at the Temple.  I was instantly intrigued.  My husband mother's maiden name is Keele.  I mentioned this to Edward and to Bill at different times.  They both looked at me almost embarrassed while rolling their eyes.  I am sure that they were thinking that I am that, "crazy genealogy lady." After a few weeks I decided it was time to figure out exactly how they might be related. When Edward gave me his grandfather's name it immediately sounded familiar but needed further investigation to verify my instinct. I quickly discovered that Edward and Bill's grandfathers Chester and Lester Keele were brothers!  A lot closer than I imagined.  Bill and Edward are second cousins!  Now our greetings are filled with hello cousins, fist bumps, stories, and finding similarities within our families.  Edward is tall, as is Bill. His sons are also tall and were very active in sports as were our sons. I think they even kind of look a like. I gifted the above picture of Chester and Lester to Edward.  He was thrilled.  He had never seen it before.  I believe this is a sampling of the way it will be in eternity. We will greet all those family members that have lived before us with open arms and joy. 
    


Common Ancestor:  Thomas Henry Keele father of 

• Chester Reynald Keele father of 
• Velva Jean Keele mother of 
• William Chester Latimer 
• 
  
• Lester Englestead Keele brother of 
• Chester Reynald Keele and father of 
• Donald Henry Keele father of 
• Edward Keele

Although this blog post goes against my previous ideal of writing about deceased persons only. It shares names only with no other personal details, with their permission. I hope you enjoy!  Teri

William Greenhalgh 1861-1943

William Greenhalgh was born on 18 March 1861, in Whalley, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom. His mother Mary Moorcroft was 34 years old when William was born. His father was Thomas Greenhalgh and was 40. William was the seventh child of ten children. 

From the autobiography of his sister, Mary Greenhalgh Mace we read, "In April 29, 1865, our family of nine children with Father and Mother, left Liverpool for America on a sailing vessel called the Belle Wood. This ship was in the charge of Captain Freeman, a large red-headed Yankee, who said he had crossed the ocean six times. Our trip on the ocean lasted five weeks and two days. The captain said it was the nicest trip he had ever taken across the Atlantic Ocean."

"We landed at Castle Gardens, New York, June 2, 1865, and found the country in deep mourning over the tragic death of Abraham Lincoln. Everywhere we saw soldiers who were returning home from the Civil War. I remember one troop carrying what remained of a huge American Flag. The center had been taken out by a cannon ball, and soldiers were carrying it down the street by its corners. They looked ragged, tired and sick as they dragged themselves down the street to their quarters amid the shout of cheers and martial music." What a sight this must have been for 4 year old William after traveling so far on a difficult journey."

"My baby brother, (Francis Moorecroft Greenhalgh) who had been sick on voyage, died one month after we landed in New York and was buried in the Green Wood Cemetery."

"Our family stayed in New York City until the middle of September, where my sister Sarah and I obtained work in a silk factory. We were dissatisfied here because Father could not find work and we did not like living in a city either, but we were obliged to stay until we could do better. In a short time we heard of a manufacturing town called Co hoes, ("Spindle City" )which was eleven miles from Albany, so we moved there. Here we obtained a comfortable house in which to live, and secured work for us all. . ." We lived here until July 10th or 12th, 1866, when Father decided to move west to Utah."

Thomas and his family were called to the Cotton Mission, 1867

"We arrived in the little town of Washington, Utah on November 7, 1867," recalled his daughter Mary Ann. "Here we found a factory operating Mendenhall hand looms. Father now started to set up power looms immediately, and I began to weave cloth as soon as he got the first loom set up." These were the first power looms in the state of Utah.

William Marries Sarah Emily Potter, 1892

William Greenhalgh married Sarah Emily Potter from Kanab, Utah
2 November 1892. She was just fourteen years of age and he was thirty one.

Sarah's mother had passed away in December of 1891 after the birth of her ninth baby. "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. . . Elijah kept the boys with him as they traveled around from place to place. " *

Keele Family Move, 1938

During the Great Depression in about 1938 the family of Chester R. Keele and Elizabeth Ruth Greenhalgh Keele moved to Twisp, Washington. They probably moved to find employment and join Elizabeth’s sister Sarah Melissa Workman that moved to the Wenatchee sometime before 1930.

It appears that William arrived in Wenatchee Washington only eighteen months before his death in June 1941. This may be one reason that most family members did not know of his gravesite. He lived with his daughter Elizabeth Greenhalgh Keele on Springwater Avenue.  William died when he was 81 years old in Wenatchee, Chelan County, Washington and is buried at the Wenatchee City Cemetery. Please share his story so that he will not be forgotten!

William Greenhalgh saw a lot of changes in his lifetime, from a small boy born in England traveling with his family across the Atlantic, to a covered wagon train crossing the mountains to Utah. He may have saw the passing of his baby brother. His family settled in Southern Utah as pioneers. They established and worked in textile mills and at farming.

He had married a girl young enough to be his daughter and began his own family. He toiled on his farm raising children through dust bowl and depression through two world wars and the invention of phones, electricity and automobiles. Three of his children and his wife died before his passing in 1943. We can only imagine the life he led and the things he experienced, his personality, his work ethic and his love as a father.

His life and legacy lives on in each descendant that remembers and looks forward to a glorious reunion in the eternities.

Children of William Greenhalgh and Sarah Emily Potter:

• Sarah Melissa Greenhalgh 1893–1948, married Lindsay Nathaniel Workman 
• Elizabeth Ruth Greenhalgh 1900-1971, married Chester Reynald 

             Parents of Cleo, Chester, Fern, Beth, Ramona, Velva Jean and Lawanna. 

• Mary Emily Greenhalgh married Dumont Arbuckle 
• Alice Fern Greenhalgh married Denzil Rex Gardner 
• Myrtle Nellie Greenhalgh married Keith Warby 
• William Wallace Greenhalgh married Anne Sevella Wilson 
• George Greenhalgh born and died in 1907
• Eva Greenhalgh born and died 1908
• Elijah John Greenhalgh married Fern Marie Lamb 
• Wanda Greenhalgh married Charles Ambrose Potter 

*From the bio of Elijah John Potter, Familysearch.org

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.

Independence Day a time to honor our veterans!

William C. Latimer - U.S. Army 4 years Germany

William H. Latimer - Air Force

Chester Gale Keele - WWII U.S. Navy

Robert Wilbur Latimer - WWII European Theater - Bronze Star

James Lyle Latimer - Air Force

Leslie Wayne Hayes - U.S. Navy

George Fisher Hayden - Civil War 

John Long - Civil War

Alvin D. Brooks

George Marvin Brooks

Gerald Clarence Brooks

Loren William Brooks - Wounded aboard ship.  Spent 6 hours floating in  the sea awaiting rescue. 

Donald Lee Brooks

Herbert Delano Brooks

James W. Hunt - Civil War

George Andrew Brooks - Civil War Defended Fort Stevens - Washington D.C.

Ernest R. Brooks - Died active duty - 1932

Victor D. Brecht - Died WWII France - 1944

Joseph Hennon - Revolutionary Solider Pennsylvania

Captain Alexander Bushnell - Revolutionary Solider

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."

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

John Eugene Adams 1956-2006

 John Eugene Adams 

I see the pain and sorrow in your faces

I feel the deep love in your hearts

Do not look upon me with sadness or pity

Do not see my life as a tragedy

My purpose has been fulfilled

Many see the hardship and pain of my life

But sit, very very still, 

still your mind and listen, 

listen for the truth.

My life was no tragedy

If I have brought out in you tender feelings

Of mercy, of compassions, or bonds of love

My purpose is fulfilled

You may see great sorrow

But listen quietly, there is so much more!

Inside John was a heart that was good.

You find no evil there!

Inside was a tender heart 

Of kindness, of meekness, of love.

A life of sacrifice,

that you and I might sit and listen 
and know

John’s purpose in life has been fulfilled

Not all are given the same roles in life

John’s gift to me now is as fresh as spring.

John loved; John’s flesh may have been weak

But if you listen closely you will know

John’s heart was so good.

John is a man that has taught us

That love knows no bounds.

Because we love John that way!

The truth stands.

God’s love and goodness are manifest,

in mercy, in love, in humility, in sacrifice.

Now with John it is manifest, in peace, 

and a heart filled with joy.

A love of God open wide!  

A great reunion with dearest family.

Tragedy Never! 

In the arms of God?  Yes!

In a place of love and peace to his weary soul? Yes!

A resounding, Yes!

If you listen carefully,  
you will  know these things are true. 

For the love and mercy of God is manifest

in the life of. . . John Eugene Adams

Grandson of 

Chester Reynald Keele and Elizabeth Greenhalgh

Son of

Lawanna Keele Adams and Owen Adams

Brother and Cousin to many.

Dearest John,

This is a hard post to share and very personal.  I can't speak for others but I feel a tribute is so appropriate.  You left us so young but you left an impression that will last forever and you are never forgotten.   Till we meet again. Your Cousins, Bill & Teri