| Name |
Harry Keith [1] |
| Born |
5 Sep 1841
Cecil, Maryland, USA  [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
|
| Gender |
Male |
| Military |
– Regiment or vessel 8 Colored Inf Company B |
| Residence |
1870
District 8, Cecil, Maryland, USA [ 9]
– Residence Post Office: Rowland Ville |
| Residence |
1880
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 4]
– Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Self |
| Residence |
1884
Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA [ 11]
|
| Henry C Keith Appointed Policeman |
6 Apr 1885
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 12]
– William Williams Resigned |
| Police Officer Dismissed |
31 Aug 1888
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 13]
|
| Residence |
Jun 1890
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 10]
|
| Residence |
1900
337 Muench, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 5]
– Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Head |
| Afro-American League |
19 Nov 1900
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 14]
– Voted 2nd Vice President of the 6th Ward Afro American League. |
| Harrisburg's Centennial Police Force |
13 Aug 1902
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 15]
– Describes a photograph with 2 Black police officers who were part of the Administration of the Late Mayor S. Cameron Wilson |
| Residence |
1910
337 Muench, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 1]
– Age: 69; Occupation: Laborer; CanRead: Y; CanWrite: Y; EnumerationDistrict: 0089; HomeMortgaged: Free; HomeOwnership: Own; Industry: Laundry; LiveOnFarm: House; NativeLanguageCode: English; OutOfWork: N; WeeksOutOfWork: 0; YearsMarried: 33; Married MaritalStatus: Married; Head RelationToHead: Head |
| Band Elects Officers |
7 Jan 1915
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 16]
– Elected Vice-President of the Perseverance Band. |
| Ethnicity |
American [1] |
| Race |
Black [1] |
| Veteran |
Civil War: Private Co. B 8th USCT [7, 10] |
| Name |
Henry C. Keath [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 17, 18] |
| Name |
Henry Keath [7] |
| Name |
Henry Keth [9] |
| Residence |
1920
1318 Williams Street, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 6]
– Marital Status: Widowed; Relation to Head: Head |
| Residence |
1921
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 8]
|
| Job |
Employer: Wage Earner [1] |
| Died |
27 Mar 1921
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 2, 3, 8, 19, 20]
|
| Buried |
201 South 30th, Penbrook, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 3, 19, 20, 21, 22]
|
|
|
| Notes |
- Bio From My Microhistory Template
**Title: "Henry C. Keith: A Tapestry of Resilience and Valor"**
**Introduction:**
In the intricate tapestry of American history, each thread represents a life, a story that contributes to the nation's rich narrative. The story of Henry C. Keith, stretching from the antebellum era into the Roaring Twenties, is a vivid strand in this tapestry, embodying courage, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to community. This blog post on LincolnCemetery.org/soalblog aims to weave together the colorful threads of Henry's life, presenting a picture of a man who navigated and shaped his world with remarkable fortitude.
**Cecil County Before the War: A Glimpse of the Past:**
Born on September 5, 1841, in Cecil County, Maryland, Henry C. Keith grew up in a landscape marked by rolling hills and fertile farmlands, where the Susquehanna River met the Chesapeake Bay. This picturesque county, however, was not immune to the tensions brewing across the nation. As the whispers of war grew into roars, young Henry's life in this rural, agrarian community was about to intersect with the tumultuous course of American history.
**Valor in the Shadows of Conflict: The 8th USCT:**
In 1863, as the Civil War raged, Henry enlisted in the 8th United States Colored Troops (USCT), Company B. The 8th USCT, formed in Philadelphia, was a beacon of hope and defiance, a unit where African American soldiers fought not only for the Union but for their very right to freedom and equality. The 8th USCT saw significant action, notably in the Battle of Olustee in Florida, a fiercely contested and bloody engagement. As muskets fired and cannons roared, Henry and his comrades faced not just the Confederates but the harsh realities of a nation grappling with its soul.
**Love and Life in a Reunited Nation:**
After the war's end, the nation, scarred yet whole, embarked on a path of reconstruction. It was during this period of rebuilding that Henry, at the age of 42, found love with Rachel J. Smith in 1884. Their union, set against the backdrop of a healing nation, was a testament to hope and renewal. Together, they welcomed their daughter, Sadie Lavena Keith, into a world vastly different from the one Henry had known in his youth.
**A Badge of Honor: Policing in Harrisburg:**
In 1885, Henry's journey led him to don the badge of a policeman in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His role as a law enforcement officer in a bustling, industrializing city was a far cry from his rural beginnings in Cecil County. In the streets of Harrisburg, he navigated the complexities of race, governance, and societal change, his uniform representing both progress and the challenges that lay ahead.
**Community Pillar: The Afro-American League and Beyond:**
Henry's involvement with the Afro-American League in 1900 and his vice-presidency in the Perseverance Band in 1915 were not mere footnotes in his life; they were reflections of his deep commitment to community upliftment and empowerment. Through these roles, he championed the cause of African Americans, striving for equality and justice in a world still marked by prejudice.
**Twilight Years: Reflections of a Life Well-Lived:**
As Henry's life approached its twilight, his story became one of quiet reflection and enduring legacy. Passing away on March 27, 1921, in Harrisburg, he left behind a legacy rich in lessons of resilience and the pursuit of justice. Buried in Lincoln Cemetery, his final resting place is a silent testament to a life that witnessed and contributed to some of the most transformative periods in American history.
**Conclusion:**
Henry C. Keith's life, now immortalized on LincolnCemetery.org/soalblog, serves as a powerful reminder of the individual stories that make up our collective past. His journey through times of war and peace, struggle and progress, encapsulates the enduring spirit of the American experience.
**Epilogue:**
The legacy of Henry C. Keith, carried forward by descendants like his daughter Sadie Lavena Keith, continues to inspire. His story, interwoven with the broader narrative of American history, remains a beacon of hope and perseverance for future generations.
Person Notes
Henry C. Keath was born on 5 Sep 1841 in Cecil, Maryland, USA as the first child of Frank Keith. He died on 27 Mar 1921 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA. When he was 42, he married Rachel J Smith,daughter of Stephen Smith and Abagail Smith, in 1884.
Yes: Policeman, Veteran, Musician, Mason, Odd Fellow
5'4 and one half inches. "Colored" complexion with black hair and eyes. He was a laborer. He enlisted at West Chester county, PA as a substitute september 5, 1863.
Of note: a photo may exist of him at the in relationship to the time he served on the police force.
Henry C. Keath served in the military in 1863 (Regiment or vessel 8 Colored Inf Company B). He lived in District 8, Cecil, Maryland, USA in 1870 (Residence Post Office: Rowland Ville). He lived in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA in 1880 (Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Self). He lived in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA in 1884. Henry C Keith Appointed Policeman: 6 Apr 1885 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA (William Williams Resigned) Police Officer Dismissed: 31 Aug 1888 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA He lived in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA in Jun 1890. He lived in 337 Muench, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA in 1900 (Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Head). Afro-American League: 19 Nov 1900 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA (-Sixth Ward Colored Voters Join the State Organization) Harrisburg's Centennial Police Force: 13 Aug 1902 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA (Describes a photograph with 2 Black police officers who were part of the Administration of the Late Mayor S. Cameron Wilson) Band Elects Officers: 7 Jan 1915 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA (Elected Vice-President of the Perseverance Band.) He lived in 1318 Williams Street, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA in 1920 (Marital Status: Widowed; Relation to Head: Head). He lived in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA in 1921. Veteran: (Civil War: Co. B 8th USCT) He was buried in 201 South 30th Street, Penbrook, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA (Lincoln Cemetery ).
Henry C. Keath and Rachel J Smith had the following children:
Sadie Lavena Keith was born on 27 Jan 1885 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 20 Apr 1935 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA. She married John D Smith about 1909.
|
| Person ID |
I9367
|
