Group 7

Lewis Mifflin Keepers[1]

Rank:  Private, Company I, 12^th Wisconsin Infantry

Born/died: January 14, 1819 – August 9, 1864

Cause of death: Shrapnel wounds – received July 21, 1864 

Residence at death: Dayton Township, Richland County, Wisconsin

Served: October 28, 1861 – August 9, 1864

Age at enlistment: 42

Claim filed: January 12, 1865

Remarks:

Lewis’ widow, Theodotia (McMillen) Keepers, filed a pension claim on January 12, 1865.  The company commander, Captain Van S. Bennett, supported her claim. He reported that Lewis “… was wounded in action near Atlanta Ga. on July 21, 1864, and that he died from the effects of said wound in [the] Gen. Field Hospital at Marietta Ga. …”  He is buried in the Union army cemetery at Marietta.

He reenlisted in Hebron, Mississippi, for an additional three years and was sworn in at Natchez on January 5,1864. His son, Hayes, was also sworn in at Natchez at the same time.  “The roll reports him as present until May and June 1864 when he was on special duty as provost guard at Headquarters 1^st Brigade. He was again present in July 1864 until he was wounded in action on July 21,1864. Civil War books show that the 12th Wisconsin was engaged in an assault on 'Leggett's or Bald' hill on that date.”[2]

Lewis was a farmer.  “L. M. Keepers is included among several names of settlers arr­iving in Dayton Township between 1852 and 1856.  L. M. Keepers came from Ohio and entered the west half of the northeast quarter and the east half of the northwest quarter of section 32. He cleared a portion of the place and erected a small log house. When the war broke out he enlisted and died in the service. His widow afterwards married a man named Marsh. She is now dead and most of the children live in Nebraska.”[3]  At the time the historian was writing, many of the children did live in Nebraska.  Lewis and Theodotia had eleven children; one died at birth.  Seven of the ten children were in eastern Nebraska during the 1880’s.  Three of the five sons eventually returned to Wisconsin and are buried there.[4]

One of the letters in support of Theodotia’s application was from her sister-in-law, Anna (Hart) Keepers.  Anna resided in Meigs County, Ohio, and wrote “… that on the 10^th day of March, 1851, she [Anna] was in attendance at the accouchement of Mrs. Theodotia Keepers then the wife of Lewis M. Keepers, deceased, …, and that she [Theodotia] was on that day delivered of a female child, afterwards named Almira Keepers, …”  The child’s name appears as “Elmira” (Keepers) Robinson in the 1870 census.[5]

A copy of their marriage certificate has “Mifflin L. G.” Keepers married to “Theodocia McMillan” on March 25, 1841 in Muskingum County, Ohio.  The names appear twice in the document.

Theodotia filed a claim for an increase to her widow’s pension, supplemental to her original claim of April 6, 1865.  She cited five children living with her:  Almira, George W., Maria J., John, and Harriet.  She was awarded $8/mo. plus $2 additional for each child named.  The claim was approved October 4, 1867.  She was remarried in 1870, and formally awarded guardianship of the three youngest, Maria J., John, and Harriett, since they were still minors in 1870.