Marin-San Francisco-Sonoma County CA Archives Biographies.....Keys, John 1824 - 1873
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. Publishers (1880)

  John Keys. Born in county Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1824. When but seventeen
years old, or in 1841, he emigrated from Ireland, settling in St. Louis,
Missouri, where he had an uncle residing, and under him was educated in the
mercantile trade. In 1849, in company with a Mr. Agnew, he bought a quantity of
dry goods, took them to San Francisco, where they were disposed of, and the
subject of this memoir went to the mines. There he remained for a time and then
returned to San Francisco and established a commission trade. This business he
followed till the Spring of 1850, when he moved to Smith's ranch, Bodega
township, Sonoma county. Here, in company with Alexander Noble, he put in a crop
of potatoes, the first of the kind ever grown in that section. They were raised
on the head-land known as Bodega Point. After the crop was matured they had to
get a vessel to take it to market. A small schooner of about fifteen tons burden
was purchased by Mr. Keys. It was called the "Spray." From the circumstances it
is presumable that Mr. Keys had, on his way up to Smith's ranch from San
Francisco, discovered his future home at Tomales, for, in the Fall of the year,
1850, Smith informed him that parties were about to jump his claim. He
therefore, in company with Alexander Noble, sailed from Bodega, entered the
Tomales bay, and before the jumping party arrived, had a tent erected on the
east bank of the creek which now bears his name. His shanty, built near the same
place, was the first building ever erected in Tomales. Tomales owes much to the
energy and perseverance of John Keys. Not only was he interested in the welfare
of the settlers of the township, fighting with vigor for over fifteen years for
their rights (and was successful) against a bogus land grant, but he at once
engaged in business, and not only brought goods to this market and sold them,
but took the produce of settlers to San Francisco. He disposed of his mercantile
trade in 1871, but continued the shipping business till his death, which
occurred in August 14, 1873. He married a daughter of James and Mary Miller,
February 14, 1860.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA;
INCLUDING ITS
Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography;
TOGETHER WITH
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish
and American Pioneers;

A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a
Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County;

Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San
Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships;

Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent
Settlers and Representative Men;
ALSO
An Historical Sketch of the State of California,
In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag

ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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