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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published by John M. Gresham & Co. in 1891. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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JOHN F. KEITH, a contractor and well-driller of Mayville, was born in Thurston, Steuben county, New York, March 5, 1848, and is a son of Marius and Eliza (Hawley) Keith. Warren Keith (paternal grandfather) was of New England parentage, being born in Massachusetts, but emigrated to Steuben county where he died. His maternal grandfather, William Hawley, was also of New England birth and parentage. Marius Keith (father) was born in Massachusetts, and came to Steuben county, where he still lives. In politics he is a republican and in religion a member of the Christian church. In 1839, he married Eliza Hawley and had nine children, five sons and four daughters. One of the sons, Merrill, entered the army in the late civil war, and died at City Point, Virginia, shortly after his enlistment.
John F. Keith was educated in the common schools of his native county, and after leaving school entered the lumber business in that section, continuing in it six years. He then went to Ohio and other states and engaged in contracting and drilling wells. He afterwards went into the contracting business in Pennsylvania, and is now a resident of Mayville. In politics he is a republican.
John F. Keith was married on September 25, 1872, to Abbie J. Burr, a daughter of George W. Burr, of Steuben county, this State. Their union has been blest with six children, all sons: Burr, Arthur, Jay, Olney, Ellis and Stanley.
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This family biography is one of 658 biographies included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published in 1891.
View additional Chautauqua County, New York family biographies here: Chautauqua County, New York Biographies
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