Gilbert, Frank T.  "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and
Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon." Portland,
OR: Print & Lithographing House of A.  G.  Walling, 1882.  p. a21.

Mrs. ROXCIA KEISER

	the widow of William M.  Keiser, was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, May 22,
1828.  Her parents lived on a farm, her father's name being Israel Ingalls.
While a mere infant, her parents moved near to Greenville, Bond Co., Illinois,
and from there to Pittsfield in Pike Co.  of the same state in about 1837.
During the cholera season of 1835, Mr. Ingalls died of that scourge and his
family, of nine children and the widow, were left to make their own way in the
world.  They rented farms and worked them for a number of years, but continued
to reside in the vicinity of Pittsfield.  On the 4th of April, 1849, Miss Roxcia
was married to Wm.  M.  Keiser of Pittsfield, Illinois, by James D., father of
Hon.  Thos.  H. Brents, now representing Washington Territory in the U.  S.
Congress. Immediately, the newly married couple started for Oregon, across the
plains, three of the bride's brothers and one sister being of the party.  Mr.
Keiser after visiting several places, finally purchased a lot and moved his
family to the primitive fir forest on the banks of the Willamette, now known to
the world as Portland the metropolis of Oregon.  There were not to exceed a
dozen families there at that time, and he helped to build the first mill at that
place.  In the fall of 1851, Mr. Keiser changed his residence to Clackamas Co.
in that territory, where he took up a donation claim of 640 acres.  In 1872, he
came to Walla Walla Co., after selling his Oregon property, and purchasing,
settled on the farm now occupied by his widow, the subject of his sketch.  In
1877, June 21, Mr. Keiser died at his residence in Spring Valley, twelve miles
north east of Walla Walla, on the road to Waitsburg.
	He left six living children whose names and dates of birth are as follows :
Jerome L., July 12, 1850; Millard H., May 19, 1854 ; Frank T., September 3,
1856; R.  Grace, June 2, 1867, died June 28, 1881; Elmer E.  and Nellie E.,
April 24, 1870.  The twins died of diphtheria in 1878, Elmer E., on the
twenty-eighth of August, and the little sister following him out into the dark
unknown within a week.  This leaves the widow and three eldest children, all of
whom, except Frank T., occupy the home left them by the deceased.  The farm
consists of 440 acres all inclosed and 350 of which are under cultivation.
There is an orchard with apples, peaches, pears and various berries, more than
enough for home use. Spring branch runs through the land; the district school
house of that name is on this farm; and the post office address of the family is
Waitsburg, W.  T.


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Submitted to the WA.  Bios Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith.

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project.  Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.