KECK BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== KECK, Constantine - b: 1835 Germany source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 680 residence: Fields Creek Twp Constantine Keck, farmer, section 28, owes his nativity to Germany, where he was born July 4, 1835, his parents being M. J. and Margaret Keck, nee Kerns, also originally of Germany. The latter died, leaving a family seven children: Michael, Catharine, Constantine, Herman, Carl, Margaret and Kilean. The senior Keck, subsequently married Miss E. C. Lefler, of Germany. By this union there were two children, Anna and Isabel. When sixteen years of age, Constantine Keck emigrated to America, landing at New Orleans, going thence to St. Louis, Missouri, and finally he located at Boonville. In 1863 he came to Henry County, and during the late war was engaged in carrying passengers and the United States mail from Clinton to Sedalia. January 21, 1864, he was married to Miss Emaline Holly, of Montgomery County, Ohio, born October 9, 1843, and a daughter of Daniel and Catherine Holly, both natives of Germany, who came to America, and finally settled in St. Clair County, Missouri. Mrs. Holly died in 1863, at the age of fifty- three years, but Mr. H. is now a resident of Sedalia, and is seventy-nine years old. They had eight children, besides Emaline, viz: Barbara, Phoebe, Elizabeth, Rudolph, Daniel, Kennel, Lou and Catharine. In 1866 Mr. Keck located where he at present resides, and now has a well improved farm of 160 acres, upon which is a fine brick house of eight rooms, costing $3,000. His other buildings are among the best in the township. He and his wife have five children: Joseph F., Katie, Herman, John and Fred. ==================================================================== KECK, Frank - b: 1865 Clinton, Henry Co, MO source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 739 residence: Fields Creek Twp Frank Keck, one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Fields Creek township, is a native son of Henry County. He was born in Clinton, February 5, 1865, a son of Constantine and Amelia (Holly) Keck. The former a native of Germany and the latter of Ohio. Constantine Keck came to Missouri in 1836 when he was sixteen years of age and settled in Cooper County. In 1862 he came to Henry County and for a time carried mail between Clinton and Sedalia, before the railroad was built. Afterwards he purchased one hundred twenty acres of land to which he added one hundred sixty acres, which now is a part of the Keck homestead. He built one of the first brick residences in Henry County, in the early days. This is now the home of Fred Keck, and is one of the most substantial residences in the county today. To Constantine and Amelia (Holly) Keck were born the following children, Frank, the subject of this sketch; Mrs. George Russell; Herman; John; Fred; who reside on the old home place; and Arthur. Frank Keck was reared and educated in Henry County, and has made farming and stock raising his life work. He has succeeded in his well-directed efforts and today is one of the well-to-do and substantial citizens of Fields Creek township. His farm is located three miles northwest of Clinton, and was known as the Waddell place. Since purchasing this place Mr. Keck has rebuilt the residence and also erected a large barn and made other improvements, which places his farm in a class among the well-improved and valuable places of Henry County. He is extensively engaged in stock raising and general farming, making a specialty of registered Shorthorn cattle. On March 20, 1895, Frank Keck was united in marriage with Miss Hattie Smith, a native of Iowa, and a daughter of George and Cathryn (McVay) Smith; the father died in Iowa in 1866, and the same year the mother came to Henry County, Missouri, where they had purchased a place prior to Mr. Smith's death. Mrs. Smith spent the remainder of her life in this county, and died September, 1910, and her remains are interred in the Englewood Cemetery. Mrs. Keck is the oldest of a family of three children, the others being James J., and Edgar, who reside on the old homestead. To Frank Keck and wife have been born the following children Anna Belle, George C., James H., and Robert H., all residing at home with their parents. The Keck residence is one of the modern homes of Henry County. It is equipped with an acetelyne lighting system and he has installed a water system and other conveniences which furnish all the conveniences of a city with the freedom of the country. ==================================================================== KECK, Fred - b: 1872 Fields Creek Twp, Henry Co, MO source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 772 residence: Fields Creek Twp Fred Keck, a well known farmer and stockman of Fields Creek township, was born on the old Keck homestead in the township where he now lives December 24, 1872. He is a son of Constantine Keck, who is a pioneer settler of Fields Creek township. He built one of the first brick residences of the county. It is a two story, eight room structure and is still standing, is occupied and in a good state of preservation. It was built in 1877 and the brick were manufactured on the Keck homestead. Fred Keck was reared on the home farm in Fields Creek township and attended the district schools of his neighborhood. He has followed farming and stock raising in Fields Creek township all his life and has met with well merited success. Mr. Keck is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He specializes in Durham and Jersey cattle and Poland China hogs. The Keck homestead consists of two hundred eighty acres of land and is owned by the Keck estate, there being six children in all. January 18, 1897, Fred Keck was united in marriage with Miss Emma Dehn, a native of Henry County, born in Honey Creek township April 3, 1875. She is a daughter of Peter and Susan (Nace) Dehn, and is one of the following children born to her parents: Katie, resides in Clinton; John, Clinton township; Lizzie, married John Duerr, Clinton, Missouri; Daniel, lives in Fields Creek township; Anna, deceased; Mary, married Henry Myers, Ash Grove, Missouri; Susan, married W. D. Lloyd; George, lives near Clinton, Missouri; Rosa, married Godfrey Batschlett, La Due, Missouri; and Emma, married Fred Keck, the subject of this sketch. Peter Dehn was born in Germany April 26, 1824, and immigrated to America in 1851, settling at Galena, Illinois. He came to Henry County in 1867 and settled in Honey Creek township, where he died April 27, 1910. His wife was born in Germany in 1839 and died December 24, 1910. The Keck family are well known and highly respected in Henry County and Fred Keck is one of the substantial men of the community. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections. ====================================================================