The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-05-24
OBITUARY.
Abel Keens, One of the Landm srks of
Minnesota Pioneer Days. Passes Away.

son in very large family he had early
to enter the strife of life to keep the
wolf from the door as those were
hard times. He became familiar
with the hardships of life in
the lumber camps in northern Maine
in the winter, and the "drive' in the
river in the spring.
When he was twenty-seven years old,
gold was discovered in California and
as he was wholly dependent upon his
own resources he was at once resolved
to go to the land of the setting sun.
He bought his ticket to go with the
first ship that Vanderbilt sent down to
Central America to carry passengers
by way of the Nicaragua route. Van
derbilt had promised them passage up
the river to Lake Nicaragua, there to
transfer to another boat but the river
was low and the passengers had to foot
it most of the way. Those were wild
days on that route and they were kept
awake many hours by the hideous
noises of the wild animals of the Cen
trail American jungles. He had rea
sonable success in California tho fate
seemed to be against him, for in try
ing to get his money back to the east
he lost it all through the failure of the
express companies through which he
sent it, After he had put in four years
of hard honest toll in the wild west he
took his savings, a snug little sum,
and made farewell visit to his old
home in Maine. But he has since lived
over many of those old days in the
diggings and frequently recalled to
memory and told of the organization
of the vigilance committee and the
suicide of "Yankee Sullivan" re-
creant police officer, who dared not
face the just wrath of the people who
had arisen against the cut-throat cri
minals and the officers who had pro-
tected the criminals.
He came to Mankato in the fall of
90 upon the representations of one Of
his younger brothers, Josiah Keene,
and went into business, buying third
interest in the saw and Touring mill
of Lee & Seward. The mill was located
on the fiat, north of the Milwaukee
tracks, near Lees barn. The old
foundation is there yet. The mill did
fourishing business, and Capt. Key
sor or Capt Holmes could narrate very
interesting incidents about the old
mill. The day after Lincoln's first
election he was married to Miss Carrie
Dougherty at her home in Spirit
Lake, Iowa.
Those were days to try the souls of
men with the south in rebellion and
the Indians on the war path. One
night in August so, he was awakened
by very bright light and found the
mill on fire. Though he has no way
to prove it he has always believed that
the Indians set the mill on fire. The
morning after the burning of the mill
he became aware of the dismal fact
that his business was gone, his money
was gone and he was in debt, but
nothing daunted he started out the
next morning seeking work to pay for
-four for bread.
About this time his father, Jere-
miah Keene came west with his
family and also his brother, Lorenzo
Keene, with his young bride, his sis
ter Mrs Goodridge and husband.
In '65 he bought mill in Iowa and
moved onto the river at Hebron or
Judson as some call it, about ten miles
west of Mankatc. Here financial re-
verses continued to make of him vic
tim, as his mill was burned three
times, the last time in the spring OF
'S5. The old boiler of the mill may
vet be seen, just where his bands
helped to place it in the early COS.
In 81 he built and moved onto his
farm in Belgrade near Mankato,
piece of land which he had bought
before his first mill burned in Man
kato.
About two years ago he went to
California on account of the sickness
of his brother, Josiah, and remained
there over a year, during which time
his brother died.
Last January, apparently without
warning, his heart weakened, and
since then the battle for life has been
faithfully fought. Three weeks ago
other complications entered in, though
he kept around and did his chores
around the barn until within two
weeks.
To him and his faithful wife have
been born eight children all of whom
were with him in his last sickness ex-
cent his second son, who for over three
years has been in Alaska. His son,
DR.. Ralph Keene of Bellingham, and
his Oldest son, Rev. Josiah Keene of
Cottage Grove have been with him al
most night and day for two weeks.
All will unite with us in saying that
Abel Keene was one of natures noble
men, truthful and honest, always ready
to lend helping hand to the person in
need. 1t was common saying label
Keene's word was as good as the
bank He was always a public
spirited man, watching with interest
the welfare of society and his country.