Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-04-29
DEATH OF ANDREW KEESECKER.


ing, gives the particulars Of the death from
hear. disease, at his post Of duty in the Of
fee Of that paper, Of Andrew Keesecker,
the oldest printer in Iowa, and man prom
inently connected with the early history Of
the State. We extract from the Herald
short sketch of Mr.. Keesecker's life, and
also some particulars Of the manner Of his
death:
"He was born at Shepherdstown, Virgin.
ia, on the 18th day OF January, 1910, and
was therefore sixty years OF age at the
time of his death. When eight years Of
age he was apprenticed to the printing
business, becoming q jourueyman when
fourteen years old, IN the city OF Baltimore,
Md. For short time he worked in that
city at his trade, but abandoned it and
went to sea. Huving as a sailor visited
many portions Of the world, he enlisted in
the cause Of Greece, in the Greek revolu.
ton OF lS22-27. After an absence of FIVE
years Mr.. Keesecker returned to this coun.
try and again engaged himself on the priu-
ter's case, working in the principal cities OF
| the United States. While at New Orleans
he determined to follow employment on the
Mississippi river, aud did SO tor short
time. The Galena lead mines were then
coming to public notice, and he soon found
his way to the upper Mississippi. In 1892
or 1883 Mr.. keesccker reached Dubuque
and Galena, aud finding ready employment
in the printing Office of the Gdlenidn,
published by DR.. Phileo, in the latter city,
he again engaged in the art preservative.
DR.. Phileo, practcing his profession, was
necessarily much away from his publishing
Office, and Mr.. Keesecker thus became not
only printer but editor in fact. DR.. Phileo
frequently delighted to point Mr.. Keesec.
ker out to visitors the printer who was
also ready editor, putting his editorials in
type without first having recourse to pen
and paper. 1t was in this manner that an
acquaintance was formed with him by
Judge King while calling at the office of
the Coleman As Judge King was then,
in 1886, about establishing paper in this
city, he at once saw the value of his servi
ces to his enterprise, and engaged them.
Mr.. Keesecker, therefore, set the type for
the Dubuque Visitor pub ished by John
King, at Dubuque, Michigan Territory, in
of a story occupying the first page, and was
the first copy given out in what is now the
State of Iowa. Mr.. Keesecker was also
the pressman, and worked off the first pa
per printed in Iowa, on the Smith Cincin-
natl press, on which afterwards was printed
the first paper in Dakota. In 1872 d. S.
Wilson and A. Keesecker purchased the
Miners Express which had been started
by Mr.. Thomas in July Of 1871, and con-
tinued as its proprietors until lS45. In
lS49 Mr.. Keesecker, associated with DR..
HARRISON Holt, recently deceased, again
purchased the Express, and continued in
proprietary control until March of 1851.
In 1888, in the fall, Mr.. Keesecker mar
ried Miss Clara Roberg, in this city, Mr.. K.
Nolte marrying sister of his wife some
two years later. Five children were tho
fruit of this marriage, two dying in the
years of lS4O-4l. The surviving children
are Charles, Andrew and Edward. Charles
and Edward follow the profession Of their
father, and are both citizens of Dubuque.
Andrew is at Vicksburg engaged in mer,
camille business.
He had often said that if he lived to
pass the 18th Of March, 1868, at his case,
that day completing his half century at the
printers case, he would lay aside stick and
rule. But the habit of labor was SO firmly
fixed that it had become the pleasure of his
life, and to break it would have been no in
sorrow to him. And so he
continued at the case, the first at work in
the morning, the last to leave it at night, to
the hour of bis death. On Monday morn
ing, as Was his custom, when he had not
worked through the night preceding, he
arose at an early hour, apparently in usual
health. He reached the Herald office at
seven o'clock, the hour for opening, and was
he first man to enter the composition room
IN the third story. He at once proceeded
o distribute his case. While thus at work
, severe pain seized him. He at once
started for the stairs leading to the job
room on the floor below, and called to Mr..
Carver who had Just arrived, to assist him
IS he was i'll, and as he said, thought he
hould die. Mr.. Carver assisted him down
he stairs, and with the assistance of Mr..
sawyer, of the job department., enabled
lin to reach the room of the mailing clerk,
IN the same floor. Here he rested on a
led until physician was called. DR.. Bel
len, who was summoned, administered
one medicine, and Mr.. Keesecker seemed
o rapidly recover from the attack. After
he physician had gone, however, he was
eized with spasm again, and in alarm
Ar. Carver directed that medical skill !
hould be called, messengers dispatched in
ifferent directions soon returning with Drs. {
,elden and Staples. 1t was too late.
ndrew Keesecker was then in the final
truggle. He pasped, was convulsed for ,
n instant, and had gone from life.