HENRY KEISTER has a well cultivated farm on section 26, Meridian Township and holds an honorable place among the men of character and principle, who have had the making of Clinton County and are active in sustaining its reputation as one of the rich agricultural communities in a county noted for its exceptionally fine resources. He has been successful in a career in which he embarked with no fortuitous aids of wealth or name, and has gained a high position among the substantial men of his township. As such he merits the regard in which he is held.
Mr. Keister is one of the German citizens of Clinton County, who have aided so materially in the promotion of its farming interests. Born in Hanover in 1828, he is a son of Henry and Louisa (Gonn) Keister, the former a native of Hanover, and the latter of Brunswick. The father followed the occupation of a farm laborer in his native land, and during his latter years came to America, where his death occurred at the age of sixty-seven. In religious belief he was a Lutheran. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, three of whom died in childhood. The others are,
Mina and Christian are deceased.
On account of the poverty of his parents our subject had no educational advantages in childhood. At the age of eight years he was hired out by his parents to work for his board, and two years afterward began to work on levees and railroads, finally becoming "boss" of five hundred men in railroad contract work. During a disturbance in Germany war threatened, and not wishing to enter the army or become involved in internecine troubles he borrowed money and crossed the Atlantic to America. For about eight years he worked on a farm near Aurora, ILL., and about the close of the Civil War he came to Clinton County, where he operated a rented farm for one year. Buying a tract of prairie land, Mr. Keister from time to time added to his first purchase until he now owns six hundred acres. The entire amount, excepting forty acres, is under cultivation, comprising as fine a farm as is to be found in the eastern part of the county. Mr. Keister gives his attention largely to stock-raising and aims to keep on his place the best grade of horses, cattle and hogs. He owns a bull, half Jersey and half Holstein, which weighs twenty-two hundred pounds and was imported at a cost of $400. Upon his farm may also be noticed as fine a herd of mules as can be found in the state.
In this country, in 1864, Mr. Keister was united in marriage with Miss Christina Christ, and they are the parents of five children,
Christina has been afflicted for a number of years with a diseased limb and is now receiving treatment at the St. Louis Hospital, where they are very hopeful of her recovery.
During his residence in this township Mr. Keister has proved the worth of his citizenship by his liberal support of all measures in any way tending to advance the community. His standing here is of the best, as his dealings are conducted upon a strictly honorable basis, and all who come in contact with him soon learn to trust him. His capacity for intelligent and well directed labor is of a high order, and by his thrift and industry he has won a competence.
In his political relations he supports Democratic principles and projects.
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record Clinton, Washington, Marion and Jefferson Counties, Illinois"
Chapman Publishing Co, Chicago, 1894
Pages 244 & 247
Submitted by Sandy (Whalen) Bauer