Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

(VI) Isaiah Keeler, son of Samuel (4)
Keeler, was born in Wilton, in 1790, and
lived all his life on the old homestead. He
was a very successful farmer and raised
horses and colts. He had an apple
orchard of one thousand trees, an immense
orchard in those days. He made
cider in a mill of his own and sold it for
seventy-five cents and when he got a
dollar for it he thought he was making
big money. Isaiah Keeler was a big,
strong man ; he was strong of voice and
limb and was noted for his strength. He
could pick up a barrel of cider from the
ground and throw it into a wagon. Mr.
Keeler was often heard to say that he
did not know what it was to be tired
until he became afflicted with what was
called rheumatism. He married Lucy
Watrous, and his death occurred in 1874.
(VII) Le Grand W. Keeler, son of
Isaiah and Lucy (Watrous) Keeler, was
born in October, 181 5, and died in 1892.
He grew up on the home farm, and was
educated in the district school and at the
private academy conducted by Professor
Hawley Olmstead. After completing his
schooling, Le Grande W. Keeler taught
school for a number of years in various
places. Part of the time he was instructor
in the Union School at Norwalk. That
winter was unique in that there were
seventeen weeks of sleighing, and he was
driven to Norwalk on the first of
every week and back home at the end of
the week in a sleigh. During this period,
he engaged in farming in the summer.
Subsequently Mr. Keeler went to New
York, where he was employed in a whole-
sale grocery store for a time, and then,
at his father's solicitation, returned to
Norwalk. The health of the latter had
begun to fail and he needed the son's help
in running the farm. From that time on
Le Grande W. Keeler remained on the
home farm as long as he lived. He was
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a very successful farmer and would have
left quite an estate had he not lost heavily
through misplaced confidence in endors-
ing notes. But notwithstanding this misfortune
and heavy expense caused by
sickness, he was in comfortable circumstances
when he died. Thrifty, prudent
and inherently honest, Mr. Keeler possessed
force and determination, and he
was a true representative of that type of
old New Englander that did so much to
give American institutions their color and
character. In politics he was first a Whig
and later a Republican. He was several
times honored with public office and
served as assessor, selectman, and in other
minor offices. He took a very active in-
terest in town affairs, although not a
politician.
Mr. Keeler married Catherine Lockwood,
daughter of Horace Lockwood, of
the neighboring town of Poundridge, New
York. They were the parents of eight
children, five of whom grew to maturity.
They are : Samuel, of Ridgefield ; Edward
L., deceased ; Robert Wellington, of fur-
ther mention ; Catherine L., resides in
Stamford ; William L., of Wallingford.
Mr. Keeler and his family were regular
attendants of the Congregational church
and much interested in all its good works.
Mrs. Keeler died in 1895.
(VIII) Robert Wellington Keeler, son
of Le Grande W. and Catherine (Lockwood)
Keeler, was born in North Wilton,
Connecticut, September 5, 1853. After
completing the district school studies
Robert W. Keeler attended Professor Olmstead's
Academy, which was at that time
conducted by the son of Professor Hawley
Olmstead, who had instructed Robert
W.'s father. The youth was brought up
on the home farm, one of the best in the
town and which had been in the Keeler
family for generations. Robert W.
Keeler remained there until 1870, and in