Keeter Family Papers,, PC.2048

[Identification of item] in PC.2048, Keeter Family Papers, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C., U.S.A.

Papers of the Keeter Family of Rutherford County, 1843-1942, reflect the family's land, financial, estate and family matters. Consists of three letters; deeds; indentures; a land grant and will; promissory notes and receipts; a day book; cash book; two all-purpose ledgers containing recipes and inspirational poems; a copy of a photograph, and miscellaneous materials.

Many of the papers shed light on the family's land, financial, estate matters; its few letters hint of political involvements and suggest ongoing contact with Keeter family who had migrated to Arkansas. Account books, apparently maintained by John Calvin Keeter and his son Charles Frank, provide more than a glimpse of a segment of the community in north central Rutherford County. John's work as a wheelright, blacksmith, postmaster, and merchant supported the community's day-to-day life, and the records tell part of the story. Two journals from the early 20th century hold southern recipes and spiritual poems written down perhaps by Emeline, wife of J.C. Keeter, and by Linette, wife of Frank Keeter.

Arranged by subjects, and therein chronilogically where possible.

James Keeter (circa 1791-1834) was a son of Mary Elizabeth Cookesy (ca.1762-1845) and Henry Keeter (ca. 1764-1848). The exact year of Henry's death is uncertain, but his will was probabted in the fall term of superior court, 1848, and eventually filed in the State Archives. Additional documents now also in the State Archives include a land grant entered and issued 1799, 1801, to James Keeter (whose 1802 probabated will in the State Archives places him as the father of Henry and grandfather of James).

Many of the papers reflect the family's land, financial, estate matters; its few letters hint of political involvements and suggest ongoing contact with Keeter family who had migrated to Arkansas. Account books, apparently maintained by John Calvin Keeter and his son Charles Frank, provide more than a glimpse of a segment of the community in north central Rutherford County. John's work as a wheelright, blacksmith, postmaster, and merchant supported the community's day-to-day life, and the records tell part of the story. Two journals from the early 20th century hold southern recipes and spiritual poems written down perhaps by Emeline, wife of J.C. Keeter, and by Linette, wife of Frank Keeter.The James Keeter land grant of 1799, 1801 was on Catheys Creek in the north central part of Rutherford County. For decades the land along both Catheys and Mountain Creeks was the site of homes and farm land of the extended Keeter family. (Catheys and Mountain Creeks flowed into the Second Broad and the Broad River respectively.)James Keeter (circa 1791-1834) married Eliza (Elizabeth) Flack on the 16th of December 1871. Their children included Sarah (Sally Lee )(b. circa 1818); Andrew Jackson (b. circa 1821); Mary C. (b. ca. 1823); John Calvin (b. 11 March 1825); and Henry K. (b. circa 1827). The eldest child, Sarah, married a cousin, another James Keeter, on the 2nd of August 1837, and migrated to Union County Arkansas, apparently with various other extended family members.Elizabeth Flack Keeter's will was probated in November 1879 (State Archives, Rutherford County wills), and included a bequest of her tract of land lying on the waters of Cathey's Creek to her sons, Andrew and John Calvin Keeter. Family sources indicate that John Calvin Keeter (1825-1906) was married around 1853 to Louisa Emaline (aka Mialine) Moore (circa 1833-1913). John Calvin (J.C.) was a wheelright, blacksmith, was also a merchant, and served as postmaster for the community of Cuba (post office discontinued in 1906). On the 1900 U.S. Federal census J.C.'s occupation was listed as that of wheelwright. He was also said to have served as mayor of Union Mills, a community in northern Rutherford County established in 1892. Never far from the family farm land, J.C. and Emaline moved to Union Mills around the turn of the century. Tragedy would strike later in 1906 when John Calvin Keeter was struck by lightening while standing in the doorway of the family home.The children born to Emaline and John Calvin Keeter numbered around eleven. The one offspring represented in these papers is Charles Franklin (Frank) Keeter (1864-1945). He was married to Linnette (Linnie) Oak Boswell (b. 1870 in Charleston, South Carolina, d. 1956 in Raleigh, N.C.). The couple raised a family, and Charles farmed and continued as a merchant in Rutherford County. The children of Charles and Linnie included Jack Keeter, who moved to Raleigh and was a fire chief in the city for a number of years.Branson's Business Directory for the year 1872 listed J.C. Keeton [Keeter] as one of the county's two wheelwrights and as a proprietor located in the community of Cuba. The account books in these sets of papers do not name a store, except for the listing a business named G.W. Crawford & Hawkins, 1870-1872. While this might pose some unanswered questions, this book, labelled by the account keeper, as both Cash Book and Ledger, coupled with account book dated 1869-1871 do provide insight into the life and people of the surrounding community, as well as the family and "colored" customers.

1. Keeter Personal and Financial Papers, 1834-1942

2. Account Books and Journals

Keeter, Andrew J.

Keeter, Elizabeth Flack

Keeter, James

Keeter, John Calvin

Keeter, Linnette Oaks Boswell

Flack family

Keeter Family

Keeter, Linnette Oaks Boswell

Louisa Emiline Keeter

G.W. Crawford and Hawkins General Store.

J. C. Keeter, Wheelright, Proprietor.

Blacksmiths--North Carolina--History--19th century

Cooking, American--Southern style.

Land grants

Southern States

Spiritual life--Poetry.

Wives

Women--19th century.

Women--20th century.

Manners and customs

Wives

Wheelwrights

Merchants

Catheys Creek (Rutherford County, N.C.)

Cuba (Rutherford County, N.C.)

Rutherford County (N.C.)

Arkansas

Account books

Indentures

Recipes

Gift of W. R. Williams, Wake Forest, N.C., 2012.

Processed by Fran Tracy-Walls

Finding Aid by Fran Tracy-Walls