Life History

Notes

• 1860 Federal Census, Whitfield County, Georgia, 3 August, District 10, PO Rural Vale, page 178 (scan 691), Hse #1266, Fam #1262
  R R Keith 37 M Farmer $3000 Real Estate $3800 Personal Estate born SC
  - page 179 -
  Mary A Keith 27 F born SC
  Freeman L Keith 5 M b GA
  
  At age 16, we find Freeman Lafayette Keith is at home with his widowed mother Mary in Murray County, Georgia.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia, 25 July, 1013th Militia District, PO Spring Place, page 10, Hse/Fam #71
  Keith, Mary A 42 F W Keeping House $3000 Real Estate $750 Personal  born Georgia [b abt 1828]
  Keith, Clinton C 20 M W Farm Laborer born Georgia [b abt 1850]
  Keith, John H 18 M W Farm Laborer born Georgia [b abt 1852]
  Keith, Freeman 16 M W Farm Laborer born Georgia [b abt 1854]
  
  Richard Bates, who has so much good information about the Keiths and related Terrys and others, records no wife for Freeman Lafayette Keith before we find him in the 1880 census.  But I found he is reported in 1880 as a single boarder working as a merchant in Catoosa County, Georgia, as a widow with no children.  There were apparently no children from Freeman's first marriage, and I have found no information on the first wife.  Richard reports his marriage to Mollie Cain in 1883.  Freeman is living just a few houses down from his cousin Martin Lafayette Keith and his wife Deanna (Terry).
  
  1880 Federal Census, Catoosa County, Georgia, 12 June, Militia District Number 1104, Enumeration District 13, page 15, Hse #139, Fam #145
  Keith, Freeman L   W M 25 Boarder Widowed Merchant GA SC SC
  
  Mollie, as we would expect, turns out to be the nickname for Mary.  We find Freeman and his wife Mary L in the 1900 census, now in Alabama.  In that 1900 census, Freeman's birth date is reported as June 1854.  This corresponds with the report in 1880 that he was 25 years old then.  However, Richard Bates reports his birth date as 21 March 1854, 3 months earlier.
  
  1900 Federal Census, Madison County, Alabama, 12 June, Huntsville Ward 2, District 101, page 11A, East Holmes St, Hse #192, Fam #232
  Keith, Freeman L Head W M June 1854  45  Married 17 years GA GA GA Bartender  Rents Home
  Keith, Mary L Wife W F May 1863  37  Married 17 years  8 children/4 living  GA GA GA [mar abt 1883]
  Keith, Georgia B Dau W F May 1885  15  TN GA GA At School
  Keith, Hilary Dau W F Apr 1890  10  TN GA GA At School
  Keith, Norma C Dau W F Apr 1893  7  TN GA GA At School
  Keith, Mary A Dau W F Dec 1895  4  TN GA GA
  
  Here we see Freeman's parents are also both now reported to have been born in Georgia, as he was, rather than South Carolina as in 1800.  Note also that their children were all born in Tennessee.  We know there were other Keiths living in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  It would seem likely that Freeman and Mary (Mollie) married in Tennessee.  But since she was born in Georgia, they could have met there and moved on to Tennessee due to his work as a merchant.  We do find that in the 1910 census he is back in Chattanooga and again a merchant
  
  1910 Federal Census, Hamilton County, Tennessee, 19 April, Chattanooga Ward 7, First Civil District, District 65, page 24A, 108 Magnolia St, Hse #143, Fam #144
  Keith, Freeman L  Head M W 56 2nd Marriage Married 25 yrs GA SC SC Merchant, Retail  Rents
  Keith, Mary L  Wife F W 43 2nd Marriage Married 25 yrs  5 children/5 living GA SC SC
  Keith, Georgia B  Dau F W 23 Single TN GA GA Clerk, Express Office
  Keith, Norma C  Dau F W 17 Single TN GA GA No Occupation
  Keith, Mary  Dau F W 14 Single TN GA GA No Occupation
  Keith, Dacus  Son M W 8 Single AL GA GA No Occupation
  Lewis, James R  Boarder M W 24 Single TN US US
  
  Another (anonymous) genealogy reports some additional facts:  The name of Mary L (Mollie) Cain is reported as Mary Louise.  Also they have her birth date and place:  4 May 1863 in Whitfield County, Georgia.  this source also provides the death date (but still no location) for Freeman Lafayette Keith, missing from other sources.  These sources are cited in reference to those facts for Freeman and Lafayette.
  

Sources

• 1. 1870 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 25 July, Militia District 1013, PO Spring Place, page 10, Hse/Fam #71
• 2. 1860 Federal Census, Whitfield County, Georgia
  • 3 August, District 10, PO Rural Vale, page 178 (scan 691), Hse #1266, Fam #1262
• 3. Ancestry Trees
  • Richard Bates, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=rbbates1302004&id=I02955
• 4. 1910 Federal Census, Hamilton County, Tennessee
  • 19 April, District 65, Chattanooga Ward 7, page 24A, 108 Magnolia St, Hse #143, Fam #144
• 5. Ancestry Trees
  • http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=*v36t0862&id=I04
• 6. 1900 Federal Census, Madison County, Alabama
  • 12 June, Huntsville Ward 2, District 101, page 11A, East Holmes St, Hse #192, Fam #232
• 7. 1880 Federal Census, Catoosa County, Georgia
  • 12 June, Militia District Number 1104, Enumeration District 13, page 15, Hse #139, Fam #145
• 8. Ancestry Trees
  • http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=*v36t0862&id=I05