The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-03-03
Relatives of John A. KiIlee-
Pioneer Editor, Never
Heard of Death.
NEPHEW HERE ON VISIT
Seeks Out Old Office of Veteran
Publisher and Finds He Had
Been Dead Eleven Years.

An unusual story thoroughly charac.
teristic of the life of a pioneer editor
of Kenosha, was brought to light this
morning when Michael John Killeen
of Cleveland, Ohio, came to Kenosha
seeking to find his uncle, the late John
A. Killeen, pioneer newspaper man of
Kenosha and for many years editor
Of the Kenosha Union. Mr.. Killeen
who years ago had been the favorite
nephew of the old Kenosha publisher.
came for a visit with the old man ex
pecting to find him in his declining
years. He went searching for the old
Union Office only to find that the place
where the paper had one time been
published, more than twenty years ago,
was now a big business block and
then he went to the county clerk ano
sought information.
"Can you tell me where I can locate
John A. Killeen ?" was the question the
visitor put to the county clerk. "He
is my uncle and l haven't heard from
him for years and I just wanted to
spend a few hours with him." he con
tinued. Clerk Holderness though
hard. The name was familiar but he
could not recall anw newspaper mar
by the name. He directed the visitor
to seek the newspaper offices.
Never Heard of His Death.
~ just wanted to find Uncle John
and spend the day with him." Mr.. Kill
leen explained to a representative of
the News. Then he was told that the
old pioneer battler of the newspaper
field of Kenosha had died way back in
1909. "That is peculiar" answered
the nephew. "None of us have ever
heard of his death and we were of the
opinion that he was still here and still
conducting the paper. The Union
stopped coming years ago, how many
don't remember and he never wrote
us any letters, but we just supposed
that it was an oversight and that he
was still working"
Mr.. Killeen was taken to the Office
of the county court and the musty old
records revealed the fact that John
A. Killeen had died in December of
1909 Later in the day Mr.. Killeen
spent a half hour with Mrs. Sarah Kill
leen, the widow of the veteran editor,
who is still living in Kenosha.
Reveals Characteristics of Editor.
The coming Of the kin Of the old
editor revealed the secretiveness which
had always been one of the charac-
teristics of Mr.. Killeen. In the years
that he had been in Kenosha it had
been his custom to keep in touch with
his family by sending them copies Of
the pioneer Kenosha paper and in the
issue of each paper before the Christ
mas holidays pioneers will recall the
old paragraph: "a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year to all of the
dear folks at home"
For years previous to his death this
had been the only message which he
had sent to the people closest to him
and when he died in 1909 the relatives
were not advised that his career had
come to an end.
Brothers who had been most dear
to the old editor are now all dead, ac-
cording to the statement made by the
nephew this morning.
He admitted that the belated an
nouncement of the death of Mr.. Kill
leen would come as sad surprise to
members of the family, both in this
country and in Canada.
Long in Harness in KenOsha.
Mr.. Killeen was long in the editorial
harness in Kenosha, probably serving
as the directing head of a newspaper
for a longer period than any othe
man ever connected with the neE.
paper business here. His connection
with the Union dated back to the Civil
War days and he remained active IN
til the paper was purchased by the
Head-Simmons Publishing company
only short time before his death.