SEBASTIAN B. KEENER, [pages 1136-1137] one of the substantial farmers of Jefferson township, Montgomery county, Ohio, was born on the old Keener homestead in Madison township, in the same county, November 17, 1832, and is of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock.
Daniel Keener, his paternal grandfather, was the founder of the family in America, having come from Germany with a part of his family and settled in Pennsylvania prior to the Revolutionary war. John Keener, son of Daniel, was born in the Keystone state, was reared to farming, and was married, in his native state, to Miss Mary Huffer, the union resulting in the birth of the following-named children: George, Jacob and David (twins), John, and also nine daughters, of whom the names of seven are remembered, viz: Christine, Elizabeth, Nancy, Lydia, Kate, Barbara and Susan. John Keener, the father of this family, was a well-to-do farmer of Dauphin county. Pa., was a member of the German Reform church, and died in that faith in his native state.
John Keener, son of the John named above and father of Sebastian B., was born in Dauphin county, Pa., about the year 1805, and, while yet a young man, came to Montgomery county, Ohio. Here he married Miss Mary Heeter, who was born in Berks county, Pa., and was brought by her parents to Madison township, Montgomery county, when she was about five years of age, and here died in 1896, at the age of eighty-six years.
Sebastian Heeter, the father of Mrs. John Keener, was a native of Pennsylvania, a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was one of the pioneer farmers of Madison township, Montgomery county, Ohio. He married Miss Elizabeth Rerick, the union resulting in the birth of the following children: John, George, Henry, Frederick, Abraham, David, Daniel, Jacob, Samuel, Sebastian, Barbara, Mary, an infant that died unnamed, Catherine and Sallie. The father, Sebastian Heeter, lived to the advanced age of eighty-six years, and died an elder in the Lutheran church—his wife dying at the age of eighty-four.
John Keener and wife, soon after marriage, settled on a tract of 160 acres of land in the woods of Madison township. Mr. Keener cleared up a good farm from the wilderness, and by his thrift was able to add to his estate until he owned 370 acres. He was an elder in the Lutheran church, was a democrat in politics, was one of the most substantial farmers of his township and died an honored and respected citizen. The children born to John and Mary Keener were named: Sebastian B., Abraham, John J., Daniel, Jacob, Elizabeth and Catherine.
Sebastian B. Keener was educated in the common schools of his native township of Madison, and was reared to the hard work of the farm. January 3, 1856, he married at Dayton, Ohio, Miss Lucy Humerickhouse, who was a resident of Perry township, but was born in Pennsylvania August 8, 1835, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Heckel) Humerickhouse.
John Humerickhouse, father of Mrs. Keener, was born in Germany, was a miller, and came to America shortly after the birth of his first child. He died nine miles from Little York, Pa., a member of the Reformed church and the father of the following named children: George, John, Jacob, Daniel, Eli, Lizzie, Katie, Mary, Sarah, Susan, Lucy and Caroline.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Keener settled on eighty acres of land in Madison township, on which they lived until 1880, and then moved to Jefferson township, where he bought 195 acres, which were partly cleared and which he has since greatly improved, erecting substantial farm buildings. To this tract he subsequently added twenty-one and one-quarter acres, and in 1895 erected the fine residence he now occupies. To Mr. and Mrs. Keener have been born the following children: John F., Mary E., Cephas H., Samantha J., Benniah, Eli W., Charles A., Sarah C., Nora A., William A,, Dora I., Ezra A. and Amelia A, The parents are members of the Lutheran church, in which Mr. Keener is a deacon. In politics he is a democrat, and for three years was a trustee of Madison township and for a number of years a member of the school board. Mr. Keener is one of the most honored farmers of Jefferson township, and well deserves the high position which he holds in the esteem of his neighbors.
