Warren County IN Archives Obituaries.....KEYS., JAMES H.  November 3, 1898
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Michael Devlin mmcmaster75@yahoo.com November 29, 2022, 12:09 am

The Warren Republican 10 November 1898
The Warren Republican, Williamsport, Indiana, Thursday, November 10, 1898

JAMES H. KEYS.

Was the second son of Samuel and Mary Champ Keys and was born in Franklin 
county, Ohio, January 9th, 1823, and died at his country home in Pine township 
this county November 3d, 1898, in his seventy-sixth year. When "Uncle Harvey," 
as he was familiarly known by his friends and acquaintances, was 16 years old, 
he removed from Ohio with his parents and located near what is now Green Hill in 
this county, but was then known as Poolesville. 
     On June 1st, 1843, he was married to Letitia D. Stone and located near the 
present site of Templeton, in Benton county, where he resided until the spring 
of 1849 when he located on Pine creek in Pine township this county, where he 
continued to reside until his death. There were eight children by the first 
marriage, four of whom survive him, viz: Mrs. Isalemah Mullen, wife of LaFayette 
Mullen; Mrs. Anna Coffelt, wife of Jonathan A. Coffelt of Walnut Grove, this 
county; Mrs. Margaret Pearce, wife of Fernandes Pearce, of Boswell, and Mrs. 
Belle Day, wife of George W. Day, of Talbot.  A daughter, Mrs. Sarah Canutt, 
wife of Henry Canutt, formerly of the REPUBLICAN, of this place, died leaving 
the following children: Grace, James H. and Mayme Canutt, who now reside at 
Rosedale, Kansas. 
     His first wife died May 22d, 1863, and on October 23d, 1864, he was married 
to Mary M. Crosley, who survives him and to them were born five children, two of 
whom survive him, being Mrs. Alice VanReed, wife of Levi VanReed, of this place, 
and his only son, Charles Keys, who has always lived at home. In addition to his 
children and widow, thirteen grand-children survive him, also two brothers, W. 
T. Keys, of Boswell, and Isaac Keys, of Wisconsin.
     for the last few years the cares of his extensive business interests and 
advancing old age have been making gradual inroads upon his unusually robust 
constitution, and to his closer friends it has for some months been noticeable 
that the end was approaching. Although he was but seldom confined to his room, 
it was apparent that the debt we shall all pay would soon be due from him, and 
although anticipated the collapse came with such suddenness, that the sorrow and 
sting on account thereof was no less acute though long foreseen, but still hoped 
to be deferred that his usefulness to his family and friends might continue. His 
illness was of a few days' duration, the immediate cause of death being 
progressive paralysis. 
     The obsequies were held at the palatial country home on Saturday last, the 
5th instant, and were conducted by Rev. Wm. Wilmer of the Presbyterian church.  
The body was borne to its last abode by the following friends and business 
associates: Judge Rabb, A. H. Haun, P. W. Fleming, Thomas Lamb, A. B. McAdams 
and C. V. McAdams.  Interment was made in the family lot in Briscoe cemetery on 
the banks of Pine Creek, surrounded by lands owned by Mr. Keys when in life, and 
will repose amid the scenes of his early struggles and later successes 
surrounded by the evidences of his thrift and abiding in the keeping of his 
friends and the community where he was known so well. 
     Mr. Keys, although penniless when a boy, has amassed a princely fortune, 
being the owner of about three thousand acres of valuable real estate in this 
and Benton counties, and being possessed of the largest amount of tangible 
personal property of any resident of the county, in addition to various valuable 
corporate stocks.  
     The study of Mr. Keys' character and his success in life is an inspiring 
lesson for all young men of brawn and integrity, who are so fortunate as he in 
being born to toil, and possessed of only strong hands and oneness of purpose.  
His successes are attributable to his integrity, his ability to think well and 
work well, and a self sacrificing economy, not that he deprived himself or his 
family of a single comfort of life suitable to the situation of a prosperous 
country gentleman, but his life and that of his family have been devoid of 
flourish or useless worldly expense indulged in for the purposes of show or 
ostentation, sentiments which were wholly absent from his life and character.  
He was a man of very strong will power and of many close friends. In those whom 
he confided he had the utmost confidence and friendships by him once formed were 
seldom broken, and it can be truthfully said, that his business relations with 
those with whom he dealt were never interrupted or broken off with regrets that 
they had been undertaken, for he was scrupulously honest and exactly fair in all 
his dealings and extraordinarily liberal with all whom he had in his service, 
probably more so than any man in the county doing as extensive a business as he 
conducted to the time of his death.
     As a giver to charity he was as liberal as most men of his means, having 
always contributed liberally to the construction and support of the churches in 
his neighborhood and the county. In politics he was an uncompromising republican 
and his counsel was always sought and his assistance always preferred in the 
interests of his party.
     As a public spirited citizen he was without a peer in the county.  He is 
the father of our magnificient gravel road system. The first road built in the 
county had its inception in his practical thought and was carried to successful 
completion through his influence, he having advanced the money to a very large 
extent, which was expended in its construction and as a just reward the road 
bears his name by order of the Board of commissioners and the "Keys' Gravel 
Road" will be a monument to his memory, his judgment and public spirit long 
after all others shall have decayed. 
     it was largely through his influence that the Court-house was removed from 
the old town to the present desireable and beautiful location, and soon after 
its removal he began to have faith in the prosperity of the town and became a 
firm believer in the future success of Williamsport, and from that time became a 
Williamsport man, and has since done more for the town than any country resident 
of the county. 
     Some ten years ago he, with others, organized the Warren County Bank, 
becoming one of its principal stockholders and its Vice President and continued 
in such positions until his death. The success of this well established and 
substantial institution is in a very large degree due to the thought and 
encouragement of Mr. Keys, and the confidence instilled in the business public 
on account of his well known integrity and business ability.
     He was also one of the organizers and President of the Roller Mill Company 
of Keys, Porch & Co., and also a part owner in the elevator companies of R. W. 
Claypool & Co., and later and at the time of his death VanReed & Co. These 
institutions, which are so necessary and valuable to our town, owe their 
existence and success very largely to the well known foresight and business 
ability of Mr. Keys. Many years will pass before our town has a more firm 
friend, better able and willing to assist and advise, and all people interested 
in the well being of onr (our)home town have good reason to sincerely regret the 
demise of James Harvey Keys and may well mourn, as they do, with his family and 
friends, the results which flow from his having, before us, paid the last debt 
and discharged the last obligation due to physical law, to which we must all in 
the end yield. 


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