Benjamin Morris
b. 7 October 1821, Clark County, Kentucky, to Wm. G. and Nancy (Young) Morris
d. 12 June 1905, Lothrop, Warren County, Iowa
m. 17 December 1846, Shelby County, Indiana
Artie Keck
b. 7 November 1827, Monongalea County, West Virginia to Daniel and Priscilla (Chew) Keck
d. 15 June 1979, Hooper, Dodge County, Nebraska
Children with Artie Keck:
- Daniel T.
- Annie
- Willis G.
- Marion F.
- Allen M.
- Riley
- Dora
- Clark
- Greenlee
- Elda
In 1825 at age four, Benjamin, the seventh of ten children, moved to Shelby County, Indiana, with his parents. In 1835 at age eight, Artie moved with her parents to Shelby County, Indiana. She was the second oldest of eight children.
The lives of the Morris family members in Shelby County are well documented. One son, Hamilton, sold land for the Morris Cemetery in Marion Township.
The Keck family is less well known. About the only tidbit of interest is that in February of 1859, The Shelby County Republican reported that Daniel Keck recovered a stolen horse that had gone missing for some time. It was found in Jackson Township where it had been “fenced.”
Benjamin and Artie moved to Warren County Iowa, in October 1853 with their first three children. Several of their relatives relocated to Iowa as well. Marion F. moved to Nebraska where his daughter and her son were born. All of these families were farmers and every move they made was concerned with better land opportunities.
Submitted by:
Jean Martinez
Newcastle, WY