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Amendments to the 1979 Edition
We have placed Isaac M. Keepers (1830-1901) wife Lydia, born 1830 in PA, and Joseph Keepers (1823-1902), wife Elizabeth Shaw, and their descendants into Group 10.
Confusion still exists about two Americus C. Keepers persons, both born in 1848. One, in Group 10, was a prominent dentist in Latrobe, PA, who died sometime after 1911, and the other, in Group 8, turns up in 1920 as a grocery store clerk in Virginia. The former had one child, a boy, as of 1900, and the latter appears to have had a daughter born in 1874. The 1979 edition had these two mixed up. It is not impossible that the two are really one Americus C. Keepers.
Amendments to the 2004 Edition
As mentioned on the home page, I erred in placing Thomas Keepers (1753-1834+), Revolutionary War pensioner, as the husband of Tabatha Jones, New Jersey. He has now been placed in his own group, Salem Co., NJ, and a new group, Morris Co., NJ, has been created for Thomas & Tabatha (Jones) Keepers. My apologies go to the Straley family for this error. Robert Straley, a descendant of Thomas Keepers, has done extensive work on this family group.
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The books listed below are related to our family, as noted. Please let me know the names of any publications that should be added to this list.
Ancestors,
A Family History, by
William Maxwell, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1971. ISBN:
0-679-75929-8. Includes his Keepers ancestors.
Bound
by God for Merryland: The Voyage of the Constant Friendship 1671-1672, by John F. Wing, published by
Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, MD, 1999. ISBN: 0942370473. No Keepers are mentioned, but this 32-page
paperback describes the ship on which our (probable) original William Keepers arrived in
Maryland, and describes one of its voyages.
Images
of America Around Uniontown,
by Victoria Dutko Leonelli, published by Arcadia Publishing, Chicago, 2003.
ISBN: 0-7385-1199-4. No direct Keepers
connection, but there are many photos from the 1800’s and early 1900’s showing
life around Uniontown and Connellsville, PA.
LAST
SLEEP, The Battle of Droop Mountain, November 6, 1863, by Terry Lowry, published by
Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., Charleston, WV, 1996. ISBN:
1-57510-024-X. Battle description
includes movements of Captain John V. Keepers’ Battery B, West Virginia Light
Artillery. Some personal details are
also included in the narrative.
To
those interested in the Keepers family:
I would appreciate receiving any stories about the Keepers family, or
persons connected to the Keepers family.
Short family histories, reminiscences, etc., can be posted on the Keepers Family website so that all can share and
enjoy our rich heritage. Photos and
letters are especially welcome. I have
not included photos in this update, but I expect to include family photos in a
future update. Please contact me if you have
information to share. Thank you.
Updated, 2009
During research on the Keepers family, we have found references to Keepers individuals that are either previously unknown or cannot be definitively fixed in a specific family. What information we have is summarized below, in roughly alphabetical order, along with some speculation. Anyone who has information regarding these individuals is encouraged to contact me.
Alice
Keepers
Source: USGenWeb Archives File; Wills: Abstracts
1785-1795, Book E, Cumberland Co., PA, contributed by Thera Schwenk
Location: searches.rootsweb.com/...
Remarks: This website cites the 1791 will of Andrew
Allen Crocket, wife Elizabeth, and minor children James, Sarah, and
Andrew. Other children listed are
Elizabeth McGowan and Alice Keepers, and a grandson Andrew Keepers. Any connection between Alice Keepers and
Stephen and Else (Crockett) Keepers is unknown – see group 4, Cumberland Co.,
PA, for details on Stephen & Else’s family.
Henry
Keepers
Source: Maryland Herald and Hagerstown-Town
Advertiser, April 6, 1814
Location: Frederick County, MD, Historical Society
Remarks: The newspaper item merely indicates that
there are two letters at the Post Office, waiting for Henry: one from Jonathan
Jones and another from Isaac Keepers.
Henry could well be the brother of Isaac (born 1792), listed in
group 8
as unknown.
Joanna
& Louisa Keepers
Source: 1860 census, Summerhill, Cambria Co., PA,
Roll 1110, p. 467
Location: National Archives
Remarks: The census lists Joanna, age 80, born in New
Jersey, value of personal estate: $50, and Louisa, 38, born in PA. It is assumed that these women are mother
and daughter, but the true relationship between them is unknown to us at this
time. Joanna would have been born in
1780, and Louisa in 1822.
Katte
Keepers
Source:
Abstracts of Berks Co. Wills, 1752-1785, based on abstracts of Jacob Martin and
John P. Smith, p. 109.
Location: Reading Public Library, Reading, PA.
Remarks: The will of Nance Deleeth, widow, Douglass
[Township] Oct. 9, 1776 – Nov. 5, 1776, specifies various gifts to individuals,
some of whom are identified as a daughter, two granddaughters, two godchildren
and a friend. Katte Keepers was willed
7 pounds, but was not identified in any way.
She could have been a daughter, or daughter-in-law, of either William or
Joseph Keepers, brothers who were living in the general area. It seems likely, however, that she is the
daughter, Catherine, born March 23, 1759, to John and Elizabeth Keepers, as listed
in the records of the Swedish Lutheran churches at Raccoon and Penn’s Neck, N.
J. – see J. V. Hollingsworth letter. If
so, she would have been 17 in 1776 and may have worked for Mrs. Deleeth.
Laura
M. Keepers
Source: 1860 Census, Columbus, Bartholomew Co., IN
Location: National Archives
Remarks: In the 1860 census, Laura, age 11, appears
in the household of John & Emilia Hubbert, the latter both born in New
York. Laura’s birthplace is listed as
Ohio, and she would have been born about 1849.
It is possible that she is a daughter of Isaac N. Keepers – see
group 3
for details. Perhaps Emilia is a
relative ??
Margaret
Keepers
Source: History of Chester County, PA; Futhey &
Cope, 1881
Location: Fulton County Historical Society,
McConnellsburg, PA
Remarks: In 1772, in Chester county, Dick, the slave
of a mulatto, Dinah Jones, for an attempt at rape on Margaret Keepers, was
sentenced to 39 lashes, to be branded with “R” on his forehead, and be exported
out of the province within 6 months; to be imprisoned till exportation at
master’s charge and cost of prosecution.
No age for Margaret is given.
Samuel
Keepers (wife, Rachel)
Source: 1840 census, PA
Location: National Archives
Remarks:
Roll 453, Samuel, Chester Co., East Fallowfield
00000000001 m. 0000000001 f.
The
record shows that Samuel Keepers was born about 1755. Also, Samuel shows up in the tax records in 1785 in Concord
Township, Chester Co., PA.
Estate papers of Samuel Keepers were filed in 1844 in Chester
County. His wife Rachel was alive at
that time.
Thomas
Keepers
Source: 1860 Census, Tippecanoe Co., IN
Location: National Archives
Remarks: Thomas is listed as age 62, born in
Pennsylvania, with occupation: tailor.
He was born about 1798, but to whom?
And, where? This person is the
right age to be the elusive “Thomas the tavern-keeper” in Connellsville,
Fayette Co., PA, during the 1820’s. See group 10
notes under Joseph
Keepers (born 1795).
William
R. Keepers
Source: Registers of Enlistment in the U. S. Army, 1798-1914, #M233, Roll 19, 1828-1835, p. 100
Location: National Archives
Remarks: Keepers, William, age 20, hazel eyes, black
hair, dark complexion, 5 ft. 8˝ in., from Alabama, a labourer:
enlisted Oct. 20, 1830 in New York, 4th Inf., discharged Oct. 20, 1835
(Expiration of service), at Baton Rouge, LA.
William re-enlisted in 1835 and was discharged in 1842 due to a
disability. The last notation on his
record is “P. O. June 29, 1852.” From his age
at enlistment, we infer that
William was born about 1810 in Alabama.
I already have in hand a number of deeds which detail transactions our ancestors had, mainly from Pennsylvania searches. I also have some photos and ledgers from my own branch (Wisconsin), and some photos from the Frederick Co., MD, branch, courtesy of Elizabeth Garner.
There is much yet to do. The internet is full of Keepers names that will take years to organize. Please feel free to make suggestions for improvements to the website.
Many thanks to those who contributed data for this update: Shirley Hill (gp. 9), Emma Cronin (gp. 17), Pamela Cadley Simmons (gp. 10), Elizabeth Enos (gp. 10), Dennis Theriot (gp. 13), Becky Donally (gp. 14), Ruth Lenover (gp. 3), and most especially, Mary Helgevold (gp. 9). Thank you all for taking the time to contact me. If I have forgotten anyone, please forgive me - but, let me know. I have tried to do a better job of proofreading the contents before publication, but there are probably errors - be sure to check the data for accuracy. JKK
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