JAMES KEEN. farmer,
stockman and merchant, P.O. Six Mile, was born February 16, 1839,
in Keenville, Wayne Co, IL.
His father, John Keen, Sr. was
a native of Sumner Co, TN, born in 1814, and yet living in this
county. His history will appear more complete in another part of
this work.
The grandfather of our subject, Ford
Keen, was born in Virginia. Catherine (Book) Keen was the mother
of eleven of eleven children, of whom eight are now living. She
died in November 1857.
Our subject attended the old-fashioned sbuscription schools, only going
about twelve months, and is therefore mainly self-educated. In
early life, he farmed onhis father's farm, and stayed with him until he
was thirty-one years old. In 1866, at the age of twenty-give, he
commenced to deal in stock in partnership with his father and brother,
but since 1871 he has only been in partnership with his brother, Samuel Keen, which partnership is
still existing. They also keep a general store, which is
conducted by Harvey M. Maxey.
Mr. Keen owns a fine farm of 360 acres. He has been School
Trustee, Highway Commissioner, and in the fall of 1880 was elected to
the General Assembly of Illinois, which position he filled with ability.
Mr. Keen was joined in
matrimony twice. His first wife, Sarah
J. Ellis, born March 10, 1849, in Wayne County, IL, died July
15, 1876. His present wife, Rispah
J. Whitney, born in 1846, in Ripley County, IN. She
is a daughter of Nathan and Mary J.
(Moore) Whitney. He is a native of Maine, and she of
Hamilton County, Ohio. One child, now living, came to bless this
union, Raab D., born September
15, 1882. Mrs. Keen is connected with the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Mr. Keen is a Democrat and hoping to live and die in the
old party.