George T. Keech

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

George T. Keech

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

George T. KEECH, editor and publisher of the Stanhope Eagle, of Netcong, New Jersey, stands to-day among the most able and active members of the publishing body of Morris county, New Jersey. Endowed by nature with strong powers of mentality, trained in excellent educational institutions, he has made the most of his opportunities and by the force of his character and his literary qualifications has risen to an enviable position in the land. He is the grandson of Aaron and Christiana KEECH, whose son, Henry G. KEECH, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, February 11, 1809, died March 31, 1888. He married Mary A. THOMPSON, who settled in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Mr. KEECH was a stone mason by occupation during the active years of his life. They had children: William, Annie, Sylvania, Lorenzo, Aaron, Bartholomew, who is a mason and contractor, and resides in West Philadelphia; and George T.

George T. KEECH, the youngest son of Henry G. and Mary A. (THOMPSON) KEECH, was born in Lower Merion, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, January 28, 1852. Until the age of seventeen years he was a pupil in the public schools of Merion Square, Lower Merion township, then for almost one and one half years was a student in the Treemount Seminary, Norristown, Pennsylvania. For about ten years he was then engaged in the profession of teaching, his various positions being as follows: One year at Clarksboro, Gloucester county, New Jersey; one year at Assonet, Massachusetts; Richwood, Gloucester county; Mantua, Gloucester county, New Jersey, two years; Harrisonville, Gloucester county, New Jersey, two years; Kennett Square, Chester county, Pennsylvania, one year; during this period he was also a student at the State Normal School, at Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and was graduated from this institution in 1873. For one year he was engaged in the ice business in Philadelphia and two years were spent in teaching at Broadway, Warren county, New Jersey. During the last two years of his pedagogical work Mr. KEECH became interested in printing and publishing matters and has been connected with these lines since that time. On June 30, 1885, he founded the paper which he is still editing, and it has been published without interruption since that date.

Mr. KEECH married, March 5, 1887, Amy B. WILLEVER, of Broadway, New Jersey, and they have been blessed with children: Sylvia B., deceased; George Thompson, a student at Bucknell University, is taking a course in mechanical engineering, is manager of the football team and was class treasurer; Finley, a valued worker in the office of the Stanhope Eagle; Mabel, employed in the post office of Netcong. The political connections of Mr. KEECH have always been with the Republican party, and he served as justice of the peace from 1886 to 1891, and was re-elected to office in 1911. He was a borough clerk of Netcong for several years, and recorder for three years at two different periods. The business of which he is the guiding spirit has grown from small proportions, and has outlived all opposition. When Mr. KEECH returned from his extended trip to Gettysburg and through Virginia, his paper contained articles founded on these travels which were of the utmost interest to the reading public. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he and his wife are interested members of the Mount Olive Baptist Church. He has done much to assist this denomination in Netcong, and has been township secretary of the Morris county Sunday School Association for ten years. Tireless energy, keen perception, honesty of purpose, genius for devising and executing the right thing at the right time, joined to everyday commonsense, are the chief characteristics of the man and have brought to him a success which is well merited.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)