John H. McKeever Biography


	This biography appears on pages 390-391 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JOHN H. McKEEVER. 

	The newspaper is both the mirror and the molder of public 
opinion. "It holds, as 'twere, a mirror up to nature" and at the same 
time its clear, cogent reasoning or its trenchant utterances may 
constitute a guiding spirit in shaping public opinion and promoting 
public progress. In journalistic circles of South Dakota the name of 
John H. McKeever is well known, for he is one of the owners and editor 
of the Aberdeen Daily American, his partner being E. P. Neill, who is 
an equal owner and business manager. 

	Iowa numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred 
at Clinton, his parents being E. B. and Laura (Holmes) McKeever, who 
were natives of Ohio and became pioneer settlers of Iowa, taking up 
their abode in the latter state when the work of progress and 
development seemed scarcely begun. In the late '70s the family removed 
from Clinton to Moline, Illinois, and there John H. McKeever pursued 
his education in the public schools. It has been said that the 
newspaper office is the poor man's college. At all events, it proved 
the training school for Mr. McKeever's business career. As a boy he 
carried papers for the Journal and rose from the humble station of 
newsboy to ownership of the paper whereon he got his first taste of 
newspaper work. He became in turn an employee in the business office 
and then reporter. He was graduated from the high school and after a 
couple of years of school and work in Denison, Iowa, he returned to 
Moline and began reporting on the Mail. This position he relinquished 
to spend the summer of 1900 in Europe, doing special correspondence at 
the Paris exposition and traveling throughout the continent. Returning 
he bought an interest in the Mail and later absorbed the Journal. 
Publication of the combined papers was continued for several years. 
Selling out, he removed to Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 1910, and 
purchased an interest in the American with A A. Pickler and W. K. 
Kutnewsky, both of whom later retired. Mr. McKeever is a member of the 
Associated Press. The American is the only morning and Sunday paper in 
the whole northern half of South Dakota. The Aberdeen Daily American 
was established in 1904. The weekly issue had succeeded the Dakota 
Pioneer, which was the first paper printed in Aberdeen. 

	Mr. McKeever has ever maintained the highest standard in 
newspaper publication and has made the Daily American a most readable, 
influential and attractive paper. Its patronage has steadily increased, 
so that it is now an excellent advertising medium and liberal support 
is given it in this direction. 

	In 1911 Mr. McKeever was united in marriage to Miss Maude 
Bradfield, of Ohio, a daughter of T. S. Bradfield of Barnesville, Ohio. 
In 1913 Mrs. McKeever passed away, leaving a little daughter, Sarah. In 
his political views Mr. McKeever is a republican and makes his paper an 
advocate of progressive principles. He follows the best methods of 
journalism and his success is well merited.