Life History

Notes

• John Bailey Keith's middle name is spelled Baily in some sources, including some genealogies.  Most documents spell it Baily.  He is listed in all the censuses as John B Keith.  His father Samuel had a brother referred to in censuses and genealogies also as John B.  It is likely Bailey/Baily was his middle name also.  A summary of participants in the Civil War spells it Bailey.
  
  1850 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia, 19 November, page 531-2 (262-3), Hse/Fam #1584
  Samuel Keith 25 M Farmer South Carolina
  Susan M Keith 25 F  North Carolina
  -- page 532 (263) --
  John B Keith 5 M Georgia
  Reuben J Keith 1 M Georgia
  
  1860 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia, 26 July, Militia District 1013, PO Hopler's Mills, page 91, Hse #644, Fam #615
  Samuel A Keith 35 M Farmer South Carolina
  Susan M Keith 37 F  North Carolina
  John B Keith 15 M Farm Laborer Georgia
  Reuben J Keith 11 M Georgia
  Dyre P Keith 9 M Georgia
  Olive W Keith 6 F  Georgia
  Margett C Keith 9 months F  Georgia [born abt Oct 1859]
  
  KEITH, John Bailey Co. F, 3CSA Cav
  Born May 6, 1845 in Murray Co., GA
  He married (1860) Mary Constance Terry, Oct. 20, 1866 in Murray
  Surrendered with unit in Kingston in 1865.
  Died in HC. [TWP 2650]
  --  The Chattanoogan, 25 March 2010, citing "a book by Nat Hughes and John Wilson," http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_70955.asp
  
  I note that this information reports that John Bailey died in Hamilton County, but family sources have reported he died in Whitfield County, Georgia.  Whitfield County, Georgia, is just south of Hamilton County, Tennessee.  Perhaps his residence was in Whitfield County at the time of death, but he actually died in Hamilton County, perhaps in a Chattanooga hospital.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia, 23 July, Militia District 1013, PO Spring Place, page 8 (scan p 547), Hse/Fam #57
  Keith, John B 25 M W Farm Laborer [No Real Estate] $275 Georgia  [b abt 1845]
  Keith, Mary C 18 F W Keeping House Georgia [b abt 1852]
  Keith, David V 2 M W  Georgia Keith, California 1 F W  Georgia
  Keith, Elizabeth 20 F B Domestic Servant  Virginia
  
  Note that there is a domestic servant named Elizabeth Keith in the household.  She is reported as born in Virginia.  Since she has the same last name, it would appear she is from a former slave family associated with the Keith family.  Her birth in Virginia, however, does not correlate with the previous residences of John and his parents.  His father Samuel was born in South Carolina and his mother Susan Melinda was born in North Carolina.
  
  In 1880, the Keiths live in Whitfield County.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Whitfield County, Georgia, 9 June, Fincher (Militia District 1035), District 197, page 13A, Hse #109, Fam #110
  Keith, John B  W M 35 Farmer GA GA SC
  Keith, Mary C  W F 28 Wife Keeping House GA GA SC
  Keith, David V  W M 12 Farm Laborer GA GA GA
  Keith, California W F 11 GA GA GA
  Keith, Althy W F 7  GA GA GA
  Keith, John B  W M 6  GA GA GA
  Keith, Samuel M  W M 3  GA GA GA
  Keith, William  W M 1 GA GA GA
  
  Before 1900, John moved his family to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
  
  1900 Federal Census, Hamilton County, Tennessee, 8 June, Chattanooga, District 68, page 13B, 1021 East 11th St, Hse #288, Fam #326
  Keith, John B  Head W M  May 1845  55 Married 30 yrs  GA GA GA  RR Car Inspector
  Keith, Mary  Wife W F  May 1852  48 married 30 years  GA NC NC
  Keith, Dave  Son W M  Sept 1867 32 GA GA GA Manufacturer of Soda Water
  Keith, John B   Son  W M  May 1874  26  GA GA GA Grocery Merchant
  Keith, Samuel  Son  W M  Jan 1879  21 GA GA GA Store Clerk
  Keith, William  Son  W M  Feb 1880  20 GA GA GA Store Clerk
  Keith, Lillie  Dau  W F  Oct 1881  18 TN GA GA
  Keith, Lewis  Son  W M  Aug 1883  16 TN GA GA Store Clerk
  Keith, Hershell  Son  W M  May 1888  12 GA GA GA At School
  Keith, Arnold  Son  W M  Aug 1891  8 TN GA GA At School
  Terry, Maggie Cousin  W F  May 1895  5 GA GA GA
  
  Note that in this census, John's father's birthplace now says GA, not SC.  Similarly, Mary's mother is now shown as born in North Carolina, not Georgia, and her father in North Carolina rather than South Carolina.  All the sons are single in this census report.  Callie (California), whom we expect to be about 21 now, is out of the house and apparently married with her own household.  Althy (Althia) likewise.  William is reported as born in February 1880, yet in the June census of 1880, he was already reported as 1 year old.
  
  Birth dates are interestingly different from those reported in family genealogies on some children.  The date in genealogies for Dave (David V) is 2 November 1867.  The census reports September 1867.  Samuel is reported born in January 1879, while genealogies report 12 March 1877.  Lewis (Louis C) is reported as born in  August 1883, while genealogies report 12 December 1882.  Two children appear here that I have not seen reported in genealogies:  Hershell and Arnold.  Hershell's name is spelled Herschel in 1910, as is his son Herschel Jr.
  
  Arnold was born in Tennessee, so this indicates they had moved north into Tennessee before August 1891.  Since John died in 1907, Mary appears with her son John Bailey as the head of the household.  In 1920, Mary is back in Fincher District of Whitfield County, Georgia, as head of her household with only her 36-year-old single son Louis in the home with her.  David and Louis are still single and both are living with Mary in 1930.
  
  John Bailey Keith, Sr
  Birth May 16, 1845 Murray County, Georgia
  Death Oct. 28, 1907 Whitfield County, Georgia
  Parents:
  Samuel Anderson Keith (1824 - 1889)
  Susan Malinda Miller Keith (1820 - 1914)
  Spouse Mary Constance Terry Keith (1851 - 1932)
  Children:
  David V Keith (1867 - 1949)
  Califonia "Callie" Keith Fincher (1869 - 1897)
  Althea F Keith Kistner (1872 - 1956)
  John Bailey Keith (1874 - 1952)
  Samuel Monroe Keith (1877 - 1964)
  William Terry Keith (1879 - 1925)
  Louis Cyrus Keith (1882 - 1956)
  Arnold Edison Keith (1892 - 1967)
  Burial Pine Grove Cemetery, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia
  Created by Steve Miller Nov 29, 2009
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #44917013, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=44917013

Sources

• 1. 1880 Federal Census, Whitfield County, Georgia
  • 9 June, Fincher (Militia District 1035), District 197, page 13A, Hse #109, Fam #110
• 2. The Chattanoogan, "Hamilton County Confederates" 16 August 2005
• 3. 1870 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 23 July, Militia District 1013, PO Spring Place, page 8 (scan p 547), Hse/Fam #57
• 4. Ancestry Trees
  • Steve Miller, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2131469&id=I19
• 5. 1900 Federal Census, Hamilton County, Tennessee
  • 8 June, Chattanooga, District 68, page 13B, 1021 East 11th St, Hse #288, Fam #326
• 6. 1860 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 26 July, Militia District 984, PO Hopler's Mills, page 91, Hse #644, Fam #615
• 7. 1850 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 13 November, page 31 (scan p 262), Hse/Fam #1584
• 8. Terry Family
• 9. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 10. Ancestry Trees
  • Richard Bates, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=rbates1302004&id=I13472
• 11. Ancestry Trees
  • Steve Miller, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2131469&id=I288
• 12. 1910 Federal Census, Fulton County, Georgia
  • 18 April, Atlanta Ward 9, District 139, page 8A, 1016 Avenue DeKalb, Hse#124, Fam #165
• 13. 1920 Federal Census, Fulton County, Georgia
  • 6 January, Atlanta, District 139, page 8A, Hse#124, Fam #166
• 14. 1930 Federal Census, Whitfield County, Georgia
  • 23 April, Militia District 631 (9th District), District 5, page 8A, Off Cedar Valley Rd, Hse#158, Fam #169
• 15. 1910 Federal Census, Hamilton County, Tennessee
  • 16 April, District 49, Chattanooga Ward 3, page 1B, 1279 Market Street, Hse #16, Fam #23
• 16. Ancestry Trees
  • Steve Miller, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2131469&id=I296
• 17. Ancestry Trees
  • Steve Miller, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2131469&id=I297
• 18. 1920 Federal Census, Whitfield County, Georgia
  • 8 January, Fincher, District 193, page 3A, Hse #36, Fam #39
• 19. One World Tree (sm)
• 20. Ancestry Trees
  • Richard Bates, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=rbbates1302004&id=I05511
• 21. 1930 Federal Census, Hamilton County, Tennessee
  • 10 April, Chattanooga, District 43, page 6A, 1702 E 26th St, Hse/Fam #116
• 22. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 23. 1930 Federal Census, Fulton County, Georgia
  • 15 April, East Point Burough (Atlanta), District 159, page 2A, 503 Jefferson Avenue, Hse #16, Fam #18
• 24. 1940 Federal Census, Ouachita County, Arkansas
  • 8 April, Macon, District 11-37, Page 5A, 107 Callahan St, Fam #113, Rents $25
• 25. 1920 Federal Census, Dekalb County, Georgia
  • 9 January, Atlanta, District 29, page 17A, 160 N Candler St, Hse #300, Fam #349