Benjamin Franklin KEEF
Margaret KIRKPATRICK
Husband: Benjamin Franklin KEEF
Birth: 13 Mar 1825, McCracken Co., Kentucky
Death: Abt 1868, Pope Co., Illinois
Burial:
Father: Jesse E. KIEF
Mother: Urshula C. ANDERSON
Marriage: 28 Jan 1848, Pope Co., Illinois
Wife: Margaret KIRKPATRICK
Birth: Aug 1832, Alabama
Death: Aft 1900, Pope Co., Illinois
Burial:
Father:
Mother:
Children:
1. James Oliver KEEF, b: 12 Nov 1849, Pope Co., Illinois
2. John Thomas KEEF, b: 10 Jun 1855, Pope Co., Illinois
d: 24 Mar 1931, Anna, Union Co., Illinois
3. A. Jackson KEEF, b: 1856, Pope Co., Illinois
d: Aft 1920
4. William L. KEEF, b: 25 Jan 1858, Pope Co., Illinois
5. Benjamin Franklin KEEF Jr.,
b: Sep 1863, Pope Co., Illinois
__________
Notes:
The spelling of the surname changed with this family from Kief to Keef.
1850 Federal Census Data
(M432_0125, Page 283), Not Stated, Pope Co., Illinois,
Enumeration Date: 9-Oct-1850, Family #527
|
NAME |
Age |
Sex |
Occupation |
Real Estate |
POB |
In Sch. |
Marr. |
D, D, B, I, I, P, or C |
|
KUTH, Benjamin |
25 |
M |
|
$50 |
IL |
|
|
|
|
Margret |
15 |
F |
|
|
AL |
|
|
|
|
James |
10m |
M |
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
The 1860
census has John & Jackson's info combined (Name of Jackson & age of John).
1860 Federal Census Data
(M653_0220, Page 327), Twp. 14S / Range 6E, Pope Co., Illinois,
Enumeration Date: 26-Sep-1860, Family #321
|
NAME |
Age |
Sex |
Occupation |
Real Estate |
Pers. Estate |
POB |
In Sch. |
Marr |
D, D, B, I, I, P, C |
|
KEATH, Benj |
33 |
M |
Miller |
$800 |
$175 |
IL |
|
|
|
|
Margret |
24 |
F |
|
|
|
AL |
|
|
|
|
James |
11 |
M |
|
|
|
IL |
X |
|
|
|
John |
5 |
M |
|
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
|
Jackson |
3 |
M |
|
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
|
William |
2 |
M |
|
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
Benjamin served
with the Union forces in the Civil War. His Service Record shows:
Name:
Benjamin Keef
Residence: Golconda, Illinois
Enlistment Date: 24 September 1861
State Served: Illinois
Service Record: Enlisted as a private on 24 September 1861.
Enlisted in Company G, 6th Calvary Regiment
Illinois on 19 November 1861.
Discharged from Company G, 6th Calvary Regiment
Illinois on 3 September 1862.
After he
died, Margaret received a widow’s pension for his service and later a dependent
child’s pension for Benjamin Jr. with her new husband as guardian. The Pension
Records shows:
Name:
Benjamin F. Keef
Widow: Margaret Keef
Guardian: Joseph R. Pitt
State of Application: Illinois
Service: G 6 ILL Cav; Mexican War
Pension Type: Widow Dependent
Date Filed: 29 Mar 1869 15 Mar 1871
Application #: 143,534 194,624
Certificate #: 141,893
151,735
1870 Federal Census Data
(M693_0270, Page 494B), Twp. 14S / Range 6E, Pope Co., Illinois,
Enumeration Date: 1-Aug-1870, Family #173
|
NAME |
Age |
Sex |
Col |
Occupation or Trade |
Real Estate |
Per. Estate |
POB |
In |
Marr |
D, D, B, I, I, P, or C |
|
KOFF, Margaret |
37 |
F |
W |
Keeps House |
$8000 |
$300 |
AL |
|
|
|
|
James O |
21 |
M |
W |
|
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
|
John T |
14 |
M |
W |
|
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
|
William L |
11 |
M |
W |
|
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
|
Benj F |
6 |
M |
W |
|
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
It looks as though
Margaret remarried in 1871 but by 1900, she was a widow and using the Keef
surname again.
1880 Federal Census Data (T9_0243, Page 98C), Jefferson Twp., Pope Co.,
Illinois,
Enumeration Dist: 85, Enumeration Date: 21-Jun-1880, Family #55
|
NAME |
Age |
Sex |
Relation |
M/S W/D |
Occupation |
POB |
Fa |
Mo POB |
In Sch |
|
PITT, Joseph R |
52 |
M |
Self |
M |
Practicing Physician |
TN |
NC |
TN |
|
|
Margretta |
47 |
F |
Wife |
M |
Keeping House |
AL |
Unk |
AL |
|
|
BERSHEARS, Josephine |
38 |
F |
Sister L |
S |
Keeping House |
IL |
Unk |
AL |
|
|
(PITT), Arthur |
1 |
M |
Nephew |
S |
|
IL |
Unk |
IL |
|
|
KEEF, John |
24 |
M |
Brother L (S Son) |
S |
Farmer |
IL |
Unk |
AL |
|
|
Benjamin |
16 |
M |
Brother L (S Son) |
S |
|
IL |
Unk |
AL |
|
1900 Federal Census Data
(T623_0336, Page 320B), Logan Twp., Pope Co., Illinois,
Enumeration District: 63, Enumeration Date: 19-Jun-1900, Family #140
|
NAME |
Relation |
Sex |
Birth Mo. |
Birth Yr |
Age |
M/S W/D |
# Yr Mar |
# C Bn |
# C Liv |
POB |
Fa. POB |
Mo. POB |
Occupation |
In Sch |
|
KEEF, Benj F |
Head |
M |
Sep |
1865 |
34 |
S |
|
|
|
IL |
IL |
AL |
Farmer |
|
|
Margret |
Mother |
F |
Aug |
1832 |
67 |
W |
|
8 |
4 |
AL |
SC |
AL |
|
|
|
PITT, Arthur |
Cousin |
M |
Feb |
1879 |
21 |
S |
|
|
|
IL |
Unk |
IL |
Farm Laborer |
|
|
BESHEARS, Josephine |
Aunt |
F |
Feb |
1841 |
59 |
W |
|
3 |
1 |
IL |
SC |
AL |
|
|
John married in 1887 but was soon divorced. He later was institutionalized
at Anna where he died.
1900 Federal Census Data
(T623_0336, Page 318B), Logan Twp., Pope Co., Illinois,
Enumeration District: 63, Enumeration Date: 13-Jun-1900, Family #102
|
NAME |
Relation |
Sex |
Birth Mo. |
Birth Yr |
Age |
M/S W/D |
# Yr Mar |
# C Bn |
# C Liv |
POB |
Fa. POB |
Mo. POB |
Occupation |
In Sch |
|
KEEF, John T |
Servant |
M |
May |
1852 |
48 |
D |
|
|
|
IL |
IL |
AL |
Farm Laborer |
|
__________
Sources:
1) Marriage: Pope County Illinois Vital
Statistics - Marriages, Vol. A, Page 403
2) Death - Child #2: Union County Illinois Vital Statistics - Deaths,
Cert. #0910129