"The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a history of the Northwest--history of Illinois--history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc. .." "KEITH E. H. physician and surgeon, 12074 S. Adams street, was born in Switzerland county, Indiana, September 16, 1826. Is the son of Nicholas and Betsey (Hinman) Keith. His father was a native of Maryland, and came to Indiana while it was yet a territory. His mother was a native of New York. Dr. Keith was reared and received his primary education in his native county. In 1858. he purchased a drug store in LeRoy, Illinois, and conducted it until 1861, when he disposed of it, and enlisted in September, in Co. I, 39th I. V. I., and took part with it in the battles of Bath, Hancock and Winchester. At Falmouth he was taken sick and sent to Mount Pleasant General Hospital, at Washington, and on recovery was detailed to dispensary of that hospital until September, 1862. and received instructions in surgery from Surgeon E. E. Fryer, U. S. A. In that month he was discharged from the service by special order, and received an appointment in the Medical Department of the Regular Army. After the battle of Antietam he was sent to Frederick, Maryland, to help care for those wounded in that battle, and remained till February, 1863, still pursuing the study of medicine, under the instructions of Assistant Surgeon Buntin. After leaving there for St. Louis, on orders from Assistant Surgeon-General Wood, he was sent to Johnson's Island, in Lake Erie, where a prison had been established for Rebel officer: Here he remained nearly two years and continued to study, under Surgeon T. Woodbridge, of Youngstown, Ohio. In October, 1864. he resigned, and went to Memphis. Tennessee, and commenced to practice, coming in the Summer of 1865 to Peoria county, where he has since resided. He married. December 24, 1848. in his native county, Miss R. J. Adkinson, daughter of William and Melinda A. (lightfoot) Adkinson, natives of Kentucky, by whom he has had seven children, four now alive— Edwin E., Alvin M., Marietta, Martha, and Melinda Letitia. His youngest child, Hetty Curtis Keith, was born in Henry, Marshall county, Illinois, March, 1861, and died in Peoria, September 8, 1878. The doctor enjoyed a large general practice in Peoria. He resides on corner of Cedar and Lower Madison Streets.