Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Keiser, Jacob R. And Henry 1845 - living in 1899

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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 30, 2005, 12:09 pm



Author: Biographical Publishing Co.



JACOB R. KEISER, one or the most prominent pioneers of Northumberland County,

Pa., retired from active business in 1893 after an unusually successful career,

beginning to earn his livelihood as a teamster, subsequently engaging in the

grocery business and finally winning profitable success as a coal operator. He

is a member of a very prominent family and is looked upon as a self-made man who

is an honor to his family, to himself and to Shamokin where he has long resided.

Our subject is a son of Henry and Catherine (Reaker) Keiser, and was born in

Coal township, Northumberland County, Pa., May 1, 1845.



  The grandfather of our subject, Henry Keiser, was of German origin and was

born June 25, 1784. He came into Northumberland County from Union, to which he

migrated from Berks County, and finally settled in the Irish Valley, spending

the remainder of his days as a farmer until his demise, November 13, 1864. His

wife, grandmother of our subject, was born August 5, 1781, and passed to her

rest October 11, 1852.



  Henry Keiser, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1811 and

resided all his lifetime in Northumberland County, being a resident of Shamokin

at his demise in 1873. He located in Shamokin some time before the birth of

Jacob R., and for years was engaged in business as a general merchant.

Religiously he was a member of the Evangelical Church. He married Catherine

Reaker and their union was blessed by six children.



  Our subject was able to obtain but limited primary education and early in life

started out to win his way by engaging in teaming, which business he followed

for several years. He then engaged in coal operating in Coal township, his first

operations being at the Lancaster Colliery with William C. Smith as copartner

under the firm name, Smith & Keiser. This colliery subsequently was named the

Colbert Colliery and it was operated continuously by Smith & Keiser until the

latter retired from active business in 1893, a period of twenty-three years of

successful and profitable operation. Prior to entering the field as a coal

operator Mr. Keiser engaged in the grocery business with his brother, Henry H.,

in which he yet retains his interest. On September 7, 1866, our subject married

Emma E. Smith, daughter of William C. Smith, his copartner in the coal business.

To them have been born five children as follows: William H., who is an engineer

by occupation; Frank M., also an engineer, residing in Michigan; Warren M., who

is at the family home in Shamokin; and Malcolm and Ray, who died when quite

young. In politics our subject is a Republican, but has never sought office. 



  Henry H. Keiser, brother of the subject written of above and one of the

leading business men of Shamokin, was born in Coal township, Northumberland

County, Pa., September 30, 1849. He obtained such common school education as he

could by attending school three months in each year and when about seventeen

years of age he, as had his brother Jacob, began to earn a living as a teamster.

He was in the employ of Charles D. Hammer and Daniel Weaver of Shamokin as a

driver for about two years. In 1868 Henry branched out for himself, engaging in

the green grocery business in Shamokin, which business he has continued until

the present time and has developed until it has become large, prosperous and the

longest-established of its kind in the town. Politically Mr. Keiser is a

Republican and has served creditably two terms as a member of the borough

council. He is a member of Shamokin Lodge, No. 255, F. & A. M., and also of

Independence Fire Company of which he is treasurer. When our subject abandoned

"single blessedness" he took as his life-partner Elizabeth Gilger, daughter of

Jonas L. Gilger, one of the pioneers of Northumberland County. Five children

have been the fruit of their union: Katie, Harry, Claude, Howard and Rena.





Additional Comments:

Extracted from:



Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District

Published by 

Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)



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