My Genealogy Hound

Elijah Keith, son of William B. and Sarah (May) Keith, was born March 19, 1836, in Benton County. Ark. He received a limited education on account of the scarcity of schools, and at the age of ten began on the farm with his parents, where he continued until reaching manhood. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he enlisted in Company G, Third Arkansas, but remained in that company for only a short time. He then enlisted in Company A, First Cherokee Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate service, and was in active duty until the close of the war. During that time he participated in numerous battles and skirmishes, the most important being at Springfield. When the news was received at his station that Lee had surrendered he went to Ft. Smith and was there paroled. He was in Texas a short time, and then returned to his home in Benton County, and began working on the farm. Two years later he married Miss Prudy Anderson, daughter of Arch C. and Emily Anderson, who were formerly from Texas. Mrs. Keith was born in the last named State, and came to Arkansas after the close of the war (1867). To Mr. and Mrs. Keith were born ten children, eight now living: Alma, Lemuel H., Ora, Katie, Minnie, Grace, Stella and Blanche. The two children deceased were named Arthur and Bernice. After marriage Mr. Keith lived on the farm with his parents a short time, and then moved to a piece of timber land one and a fourth miles from where he has since lived, began homesteading a farm of eighty acres, and there remained for five years. He then moved to his present farm, which consists of fifty-eight acres of cleared land and eighty acres of timber land. Mr. Keith is a Democrat in politics, casting his first presidential vote for Hancock. He is a member of the Christian Union Church.