"Gillis G. Keener -- The subject of this sketch, one of early settlers of Chetops Township, Wilson Co. [Kansas], was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania July 15, 1839, and is a son of George and Mary (Marsh) Keener, both of whom were also natives of Pennsylvania, coming of old Pennsylvania Dutch Stock. Our subject's grandfather, William Keener, served in the early French and Indian Wars on the Pennsylvania frontier, his antecedents belonging to the plain, substantial people of the country, possessing only moderate means, but industrious, law abiding, good citizens. They were of that number who helped to subdue the Indians, fell the forest, lay out the public highways, open the farms and in similar ways lay the foundation of the great industries which have grown up in the Keystone State.
William (sic) [Gillis] G. Keener was reared, as he says, in the backwoods country of Western Pennsylvania where educational advantages were very poor, the only schooling which he received being what he could get during the two or three months attendance at the local schools in winter. He entered the Union Army April 17, 1861, in response to the first call for volunteers, enlisting in Company C, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves. His regiment became part of the Army of the Potomac and participated in battles at Drainsville, Virginia, the seven days fight aroung Richmond, the Second Bull Run, Antietam, South Mountain, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Gains Mill. Mr. Keener was with it and saw active service on all these hard fought fields except when prevented from doing so by reason of wounds. He was wounded June 27, 1862, at Gaine's Mill and was out of service till October following. Rejoining his command he was with it till the battle at Spottsylvania where May 12, 1864, he was again wounded by a minnie ball from a sharp shooter in the right hip and was disabled till February, 1865, when he was transferred to the invalid corps. He was captured during the Peninsular campaign and held by the enemy thirty-four days when he was exchanged. He was mustered out with the remainder of his regiment July 30, 1865.
For three years after the close of the war Mr. Keener resided in Pennsylvania when, in the company with a younger brother, William B. and two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, he came to Kansas landing at Humboldt July 1, 1869. The brothers and sisters settled for a few days later in the vicinity of Three Mounds in Wilson county where they took claims filing on government land at the same time our subject filed on a quarter section for another sister Martha who remained back in Pennsylvania but who was expected to follow later and who did come out in December of the same year and took up her residence in the county. Mr. Keener has been a resident of that locality for more than a generation, being in the strictest sense one of the old timers and is the last of his family left in the state. His brother William B. Keener went to Colorado in 1876 and is still living at Cripple Creek, that state. The sister Martha was married to Abraham Van Meter, moved to California where she still lives. Elizabeth was married to Oliver Wright, now deceased, and lives in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Mary was never married and died at Eureka Springs, Arkansas July 14, 1901. Mr. Keener's mother died in Pennsylvania before the family's removal west; his father died at Washburn, Missouri, while on his way to Eureka Springs, Arkansas whither he was going for his health. Mr. Keener has never married. He regarded his duty of looking after his parents and providing for his unmarried sisters as paramount and before he was aware of it the age had slipped by at which men usually take unto themselves companions; and thus he passed into bachelorhood. No one who knows him, however, will doubt that had he seen fit to marry he would have made a good husband; for he is kind, considerate of the feeling of others and conscientious in the discharge of his duties of every kind and character. He has held the usual number of local offices in the township where he settled and always showed a proper interest in matters pertaining to the general welfare. A Republican in politics, he cast his first vote for president for Lincoln in 1860 and has maintained an unwavering allegiance to the principles of that party since."
"History of Neosho and Wilson Counties Kansas"
Published by L. Wallace Duncan,Fort Scott Kansas. Printed by the Monitor Printing Company, 1902
The 1900 Federal Census, Anaconda, Teller Co., Colorado has an entry for W. B. Keener and his brother George Keener. Both were born in Pennsylvania as was their parents. The occupation for both men was gold miner.
The 1910 Federal Census, Thayer City, Chetopa Township, Neosho, Kansas has an entry for George G. Keener and his brother William B. Keener. No occupation was shown for George and the occupation of William was miner in silver mines.
William (sic) [Gillis] G. Keener was reared, as he says, in the backwoods country of Western Pennsylvania where educational advantages were very poor, the only schooling which he received being what he could get during the two or three months attendance at the local schools in winter. He entered the Union Army April 17, 1861, in response to the first call for volunteers, enlisting in Company C, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves. His regiment became part of the Army of the Potomac and participated in battles at Drainsville, Virginia, the seven days fight aroung Richmond, the Second Bull Run, Antietam, South Mountain, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Gains Mill. Mr. Keener was with it and saw active service on all these hard fought fields except when prevented from doing so by reason of wounds. He was wounded June 27, 1862, at Gaine's Mill and was out of service till October following. Rejoining his command he was with it till the battle at Spottsylvania where May 12, 1864, he was again wounded by a minnie ball from a sharp shooter in the right hip and was disabled till February, 1865, when he was transferred to the invalid corps. He was captured during the Peninsular campaign and held by the enemy thirty-four days when he was exchanged. He was mustered out with the remainder of his regiment July 30, 1865.
For three years after the close of the war Mr. Keener resided in Pennsylvania when, in the company with a younger brother, William B. and two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, he came to Kansas landing at Humboldt July 1, 1869. The brothers and sisters settled for a few days later in the vicinity of Three Mounds in Wilson county where they took claims filing on government land at the same time our subject filed on a quarter section for another sister Martha who remained back in Pennsylvania but who was expected to follow later and who did come out in December of the same year and took up her residence in the county. Mr. Keener has been a resident of that locality for more than a generation, being in the strictest sense one of the old timers and is the last of his family left in the state. His brother William B. Keener went to Colorado in 1876 and is still living at Cripple Creek, that state. The sister Martha was married to Abraham Van Meter, moved to California where she still lives. Elizabeth was married to Oliver Wright, now deceased, and lives in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Mary was never married and died at Eureka Springs, Arkansas July 14, 1901. Mr. Keener's mother died in Pennsylvania before the family's removal west; his father died at Washburn, Missouri, while on his way to Eureka Springs, Arkansas whither he was going for his health. Mr. Keener has never married. He regarded his duty of looking after his parents and providing for his unmarried sisters as paramount and before he was aware of it the age had slipped by at which men usually take unto themselves companions; and thus he passed into bachelorhood. No one who knows him, however, will doubt that had he seen fit to marry he would have made a good husband; for he is kind, considerate of the feeling of others and conscientious in the discharge of his duties of every kind and character. He has held the usual number of local offices in the township where he settled and always showed a proper interest in matters pertaining to the general welfare. A Republican in politics, he cast his first vote for president for Lincoln in 1860 and has maintained an unwavering allegiance to the principles of that party since."
"History of Neosho and Wilson Counties Kansas"
Published by L. Wallace Duncan,Fort Scott Kansas. Printed by the Monitor Printing Company, 1902
The 1900 Federal Census, Anaconda, Teller Co., Colorado has an entry for W. B. Keener and his brother George Keener. Both were born in Pennsylvania as was their parents. The occupation for both men was gold miner.
The 1910 Federal Census, Thayer City, Chetopa Township, Neosho, Kansas has an entry for George G. Keener and his brother William B. Keener. No occupation was shown for George and the occupation of William was miner in silver mines.
"Gillis G. Keener -- The subject of this sketch, one of early settlers of Chetops Township, Wilson Co. [Kansas], was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania July 15, 1839, and is a son of George and Mary (Marsh) Keener, both of whom were also natives of Pennsylvania, coming of old Pennsylvania Dutch Stock. Our subject's grandfather, William Keener, served in the early French and Indian Wars on the Pennsylvania frontier, his antecedents belonging to the plain, substantial people of the country, possessing only moderate means, but industrious, law abiding, good citizens. They were of that number who helped to subdue the Indians, fell the forest, lay out the public highways, open the farms and in similar ways lay the foundation of the great industries which have grown up in the Keystone State.
William (sic) [Gillis] G. Keener was reared, as he says, in the backwoods country of Western Pennsylvania where educational advantages were very poor, the only schooling which he received being what he could get during the two or three months attendance at the local schools in winter. He entered the Union Army April 17, 1861, in response to the first call for volunteers, enlisting in Company C, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves. His regiment became part of the Army of the Potomac and participated in battles at Drainsville, Virginia, the seven days fight aroung Richmond, the Second Bull Run, Antietam, South Mountain, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Gains Mill. Mr. Keener was with it and saw active service on all these hard fought fields except when prevented from doing so by reason of wounds. He was wounded June 27, 1862, at Gaine's Mill and was out of service till October following. Rejoining his command he was with it till the battle at Spottsylvania where May 12, 1864, he was again wounded by a minnie ball from a sharp shooter in the right hip and was disabled till February, 1865, when he was transferred to the invalid corps. He was captured during the Peninsular campaign and held by the enemy thirty-four days when he was exchanged. He was mustered out with the remainder of his regiment July 30, 1865.
For three years after the close of the war Mr. Keener resided in Pennsylvania when, in the company with a younger brother, William B. and two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, he came to Kansas landing at Humboldt July 1, 1869. The brothers and sisters settled for a few days later in the vicinity of Three Mounds in Wilson county where they took claims filing on government land at the same time our subject filed on a quarter section for another sister Martha who remained back in Pennsylvania but who was expected to follow later and who did come out in December of the same year and took up her residence in the county. Mr. Keener has been a resident of that locality for more than a generation, being in the strictest sense one of the old timers and is the last of his family left in the state. His brother William B. Keener went to Colorado in 1876 and is still living at Cripple Creek, that state. The sister Martha was married to Abraham Van Meter, moved to California where she still lives. Elizabeth was married to Oliver Wright, now deceased, and lives in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Mary was never married and died at Eureka Springs, Arkansas July 14, 1901. Mr. Keener's mother died in Pennsylvania before the family's removal west; his father died at Washburn, Missouri, while on his way to Eureka Springs, Arkansas whither he was going for his health. Mr. Keener has never married. He regarded his duty of looking after his parents and providing for his unmarried sisters as paramount and before he was aware of it the age had slipped by at which men usually take unto themselves companions; and thus he passed into bachelorhood. No one who knows him, however, will doubt that had he seen fit to marry he would have made a good husband; for he is kind, considerate of the feeling of others and conscientious in the discharge of his duties of every kind and character. He has held the usual number of local offices in the township where he settled and always showed a proper interest in matters pertaining to the general welfare. A Republican in politics, he cast his first vote for president for Lincoln in 1860 and has maintained an unwavering allegiance to the principles of that party since."
"History of Neosho and Wilson Counties Kansas"
Published by L. Wallace Duncan,Fort Scott Kansas. Printed by the Monitor Printing Company, 1902
The 1900 Federal Census, Anaconda, Teller Co., Colorado has an entry for W. B. Keener and his brother George Keener. Both were born in Pennsylvania as was their parents. The occupation for both men was gold miner.
The 1910 Federal Census, Thayer City, Chetopa Township, Neosho, Kansas has an entry for George G. Keener and his brother William B. Keener. No occupation was shown for George and the occupation of William was miner in silver mines.
William (sic) [Gillis] G. Keener was reared, as he says, in the backwoods country of Western Pennsylvania where educational advantages were very poor, the only schooling which he received being what he could get during the two or three months attendance at the local schools in winter. He entered the Union Army April 17, 1861, in response to the first call for volunteers, enlisting in Company C, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves. His regiment became part of the Army of the Potomac and participated in battles at Drainsville, Virginia, the seven days fight aroung Richmond, the Second Bull Run, Antietam, South Mountain, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Gains Mill. Mr. Keener was with it and saw active service on all these hard fought fields except when prevented from doing so by reason of wounds. He was wounded June 27, 1862, at Gaine's Mill and was out of service till October following. Rejoining his command he was with it till the battle at Spottsylvania where May 12, 1864, he was again wounded by a minnie ball from a sharp shooter in the right hip and was disabled till February, 1865, when he was transferred to the invalid corps. He was captured during the Peninsular campaign and held by the enemy thirty-four days when he was exchanged. He was mustered out with the remainder of his regiment July 30, 1865.
For three years after the close of the war Mr. Keener resided in Pennsylvania when, in the company with a younger brother, William B. and two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, he came to Kansas landing at Humboldt July 1, 1869. The brothers and sisters settled for a few days later in the vicinity of Three Mounds in Wilson county where they took claims filing on government land at the same time our subject filed on a quarter section for another sister Martha who remained back in Pennsylvania but who was expected to follow later and who did come out in December of the same year and took up her residence in the county. Mr. Keener has been a resident of that locality for more than a generation, being in the strictest sense one of the old timers and is the last of his family left in the state. His brother William B. Keener went to Colorado in 1876 and is still living at Cripple Creek, that state. The sister Martha was married to Abraham Van Meter, moved to California where she still lives. Elizabeth was married to Oliver Wright, now deceased, and lives in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Mary was never married and died at Eureka Springs, Arkansas July 14, 1901. Mr. Keener's mother died in Pennsylvania before the family's removal west; his father died at Washburn, Missouri, while on his way to Eureka Springs, Arkansas whither he was going for his health. Mr. Keener has never married. He regarded his duty of looking after his parents and providing for his unmarried sisters as paramount and before he was aware of it the age had slipped by at which men usually take unto themselves companions; and thus he passed into bachelorhood. No one who knows him, however, will doubt that had he seen fit to marry he would have made a good husband; for he is kind, considerate of the feeling of others and conscientious in the discharge of his duties of every kind and character. He has held the usual number of local offices in the township where he settled and always showed a proper interest in matters pertaining to the general welfare. A Republican in politics, he cast his first vote for president for Lincoln in 1860 and has maintained an unwavering allegiance to the principles of that party since."
"History of Neosho and Wilson Counties Kansas"
Published by L. Wallace Duncan,Fort Scott Kansas. Printed by the Monitor Printing Company, 1902
The 1900 Federal Census, Anaconda, Teller Co., Colorado has an entry for W. B. Keener and his brother George Keener. Both were born in Pennsylvania as was their parents. The occupation for both men was gold miner.
The 1910 Federal Census, Thayer City, Chetopa Township, Neosho, Kansas has an entry for George G. Keener and his brother William B. Keener. No occupation was shown for George and the occupation of William was miner in silver mines.
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