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Submitted: 11/13/13 • Approved: 11/13/13 • Last Updated: 1/19/18 • R952668-G951490-S3
WM
December 29, 1835 - October 12, 1919
*Obituary
Rogers Democrat
Thursday, October 16, 1919
KEITH, William Marion - Capt. William Marion Keith died Sunday morning at his home in the south part of Rogers after a long illness in which he had been steadily declining until his death had been hourly expected for several days. he was 83 years, 9 months and 13 days old. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 2:30 at the Baptist church and were conducted by the pastor, Rev. C.C. Cunningham, assisted by Rev. J. Wade Sikes, 91 years old, and a comrade in arms of Capt. Keith. This was a special request of the deceased. The local I.O.O.F. lodge had charge of the services at the cemetery. William Marion Keith comes from Scotch ancestors and the Keith family was for many years one of the best known families in Buncombe county, N.C. and while he himself was born in Washington county, that state, December 29, 1835, the family moved back to Buncombe county when he was fifteen years old and he grew to manhood there. Living in the hills and far from schools he received no educational advantages whatever and when at the age of 23 years he entered Morris Hill College, he was as yet unable to read or write. He remained in this school until April 1861 when he left to join the Confederate army. He entered the service as a lieutenant of Co. B, Sixth North Carolina Volunteers and was a captain when the war ended. He operated chiefly in Virginia and participated in the battles of the Wilderness, Seven Days Fight at Richmond, Cedar Mountain, the second battle of Manassas {where he was dangerously wounded}, Harper's Ferry, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Seminary Hill, siege of Petersburg and Appomattox court house. He was with Gen. Stonewall Jackson, who was accidentally killed by the men of Capt. Keith's brigade, ten minutes after he received his death wound. He was married in 1862 to Miss Harriet McMahan and after the close of the war they moved to Benton county, Ark. in 1866 where his wife died two years later. To them were born two children, A.H., who died in 1887, and a daughter, who became the wife of James L. Craig, and is also dead. In 1869, he married Mrs. Sarah M. Powell, a native of Benton county, and whose father, Thomas Carl, was one of the earliest settlers of the county. To this marriage was born five children, two of whom are now living, Mrs. Ray Daily and R.E. Keith of North 6th, both of Rogers. Mrs. Keith died in August 1918. He is also survived by a step-son, Dr. Powell of Maysville. Until some fourteen years ago Capt. Keith resided on the west edge of the county near Cherokee City where he farmed, taught school and engaged in politics. Then he moved to Rogers where he for a time engaged in the grocery business with his son-in-law, Ray Dailey. But his health grew poorer and he devoted his time to his work as justice of the peace of this township and still engaged in politics on the side. A political history of Benton county would have much to say of Capt. Keith and no man save Hon. P.A. Rodgers has served this county in as many various sessions of the legislature. Capt. Keith served five terms in the lower house, being elected first to the 22nd general assembly when he defeated Mr. Rodgers in the latter's first race. He was later elected to the 30th general assembly in 1894; to the 31st in 1896; to the 35th in 1910; a total of five terms in all. Add to these campaigns several in which he was defeated and you find that his political career covers quite a stretch of years. Old residents of the county who have followed the political debates of the thirty years he was on the stump recall with joy some of the sharp rejoinders that have enlivened his fights with old Uncle Zack Baker, Bill Anderson, P.A. Rodgers, Harry Patton and others. Only the candidate who was spoiling for a real fight ever tackled Capt. Keith on the stump, for he had a caustic tongue and a keen sarcasm that blistered. Capt. Keith's strength with the voters was in his unquestioned integrity and in his ability to hold his own in any kind of a verbal debate. He had as large an acquaintance as any man in Benton county and was a man who stood by his friends at all times.
SM
May 15, 1843 - March 7, 1918
Contributed on 11/13/13 by judyfrog
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Record #: 952668