Descendants of James Keeter Generation No. 1 1. JAMES1 KEETER was born Abt. 1740 in VA, and died Abt. 1801. He married (1) UNKNOWN. He married (2) LUCY LNUNK Abt. 1768 in VA. Notes for JAMES KEETER: The 1790 Rutherford Co. NC census lists James Keeter residing in the 8th Militia District with a household containing 1m>16, 4m<16 & 2f. In 1800 James Keeter's household listed 2m-10/16, 1m>45, 1f<10, 1f-10/16, 1f- 16/26, & 1f>45. It is most probable that James Keeter migrated to Rutherford Co. NC from eastern Virginia after 1779. The relationship between James Keeter and Henry Keeter of Rutherford Co. NC has long been a subject of speculation. Based upon research conducted for Gary Keeter, it is his opinion that Henry was James' son and was the Henry Keeter who executed James' will in Rutherford Co. NC in 1802. James Keeter's will of 1802 mentioned his wife, Lucy, and his children, John, James, Benjamin, Joshua, Polly, Nancy and Betsy. The last two females listed in this narrative and by other researchers as daughters of James Keeter, Elizabeth, b. cir 1789 and Mary, b. cir 1791, may be daughters of Henry Keeter. [Updated 12/19/05] Notes for LUCY LNUNK: Lucy may have been the Lucy Johnson who married a James Keeter in Brunswick Co. NC cir 1768. Children of JAMES KEETER and UNKNOWN are: 2. i. HENRY2 KEETER, b. Abt. 1763, VA; d. Abt. 1843. ii. POLLY KEETER, m. THOMAS SMITH, Abt. 1789. Notes for POLLY KEETER: One Keeter family history shows "Mary" Keeter, b. 1770, daughter of James Keeter as the bride of Thomas Smith in 1789. A second history shows Thomas Smith marrying an "Unknown" Keeter and "Mary" Keeter, daughter of James Keeter, born 1791. Children of JAMES KEETER and LUCY LNUNK are: 3. iii. JOHN2 KEETER, b. Abt. 1774; d. 12 Apr 1845. 4. iv. JAMES KEETER, b. Abt. 1776. 5. v. JOSHUA KEETER, b. Abt. 1782. vi. NANCY KEETER, b. Abt. 1784; m. JOHN COOK, 27 Dec 1811, Rutherford Co. NC. 6. vii. BENJAMIN KEETER, b. Abt. 1787; d. Aft. 1840. viii. ELIZABETH KEETER, b. Abt. 1789. ix. MARY KEETER, b. Abt. 1791. Generation No. 2 2. HENRY2 KEETER (JAMES1) was born Abt. 1763 in VA, and died Abt. 1843. He married ELIZABETH COXSEY 14 Aug 1789 in Rutherford Co. NC. She was born Abt. 1765, and died Bet. 1820 - 1830. Notes for HENRY KEETER: Based upon research by Gary Keeter, Henry Keeter appears to be the son of James Keeter by a 1st marriage. Henry was the executor of James' will in Rutherford Co. NC written in 1801and the reason that he was not mentioned as an heir in the will is probably due to the fact that he was already established in Rutherford Co. and was therefore not in need of any further financial assistance. Henry Keeter was first noted in Rutherford Co. NC records in 1785 when he was named as a road juror. Henry is next noted in 1789, when he married Elizabeth Coxey. Henry was listed in the 1790 Census residing in the 8th Co. Militia District, Rutherford Co. NC. This district was on the 2nd Broad River along Camp Creek. His 1 household listed 1m>16, 1m<16, 2f. Henry purchased 250 acres of land in 1792 in Rutherford Co. NC "on both sides of Mountain (Cherry) Creek" near the 2nd Broad River. In 1800 Henry's household listed 2m<10, 1m-10/16, 1m-26/45, 1f<10, & 1f-16/45. Elizabeth Coxey Keeter apparently died between 1820 & 1830. Henry left a will in 1843 which named three of his children, Aden, Icabod and Amy. It has been postulated that Henry had at least three other sons, who, for some reason, [two may have been deceased and one moved from the area] were not mentioned in his will - James, Joshua and John. The females other than his wife in Henry's household in 1790 & 1800 have not been identified. Two females listed in other family histories as daughters of James Keeter, Elizabeth, b. cir 1789 and Mary, b. cir 1791, may well have been daughters of Henry Keeter. [Updated 12/19/05] Children of HENRY KEETER and ELIZABETH COXSEY are: 7. i. JAMES3 KEETER, b. Abt. 1787; d. Bef. 1840. 8. ii. JOHN KEETER, b. Abt. 1790; d. Abt. 1831, Spartanburg, SC. 9. iii. ADIN MACKELL KEETER, b. 20 Aug 1798, Rutherford Co. NC; d. 27 Jul 1889, Gilmer Co. GA. iv. JOSHUA KEETER, b. Abt. 1801. 10. v. ICABOD KEETER, b. 17 Apr 1804; d. Aft. 1880. 11. vi. AMY KEETER, b. Abt. 1804, NC; d. Bef. 1870, AR. 3. JOHN2 KEETER (JAMES1) was born Abt. 1774, and died 12 Apr 1845. He married AMY JOHNSTON 22 Jan 1800 in Rutherford Co. NC, daughter of HENRY JOHNSTON and UNKNOWN. She was born Abt. 1775, and died 10 Mar 1848. Notes for JOHN KEETER: There has been speculation on the part of some Keeter researchers that John Keeter, son of James Keeter, and Henry Keeter, husband of Elizabeth Coxey, were the same person. Based upon several sources including census records, land records, wills, etc. which show James and Henry as separate individuals living in Rutherford Co. NC at approximately the same time, it is this researcher's opinion that John and Henry were definitely not the same person and their descendants make up two distinct family lines. Children of JOHN KEETER and AMY JOHNSTON are: 12. i. SARA3 KEETER, b. Abt. 1804. 13. ii. REBECCA KEETER, b. Abt. 1805. 14. iii. JAMES KEETER, b. Abt. 1806, NC; d. 20 Mar 1854. 15. iv. MARTHA KEETER, b. Abt. 1809, Rutherford Co. NC. 16. v. LUCINDA KEETER, b. Abt. 1810. 17. vi. GEORGE JOHNSON KEETER, b. Abt. 1813; d. Aft. 1880. 4. JAMES2 KEETER (JAMES1) was born Abt. 1776. He married CATHERINE STRINGFIELD 17 Dec 1799 in Rutherford Co. NC, daughter of JAMES STRINGFIELD and UNKNOWN. Children of JAMES KEETER and CATHERINE STRINGFIELD are: 18. i. MARTHA3 KEETER, b. 9 Sep 1800. 19. ii. HENRY KEETER, b. 9 Jan 1802; d. Bef. 1850. 20. iii. SUSANNA KEETER, b. 16 Aug 1804; d. Aft. 1880. 21. iv. MARY KEETER, b. 11 Dec 1806; d. Aug 1879, Rutherford Co. NC. 22. v. JOHN KEETER, b. 20 May 1808, Rutherford Co. NC. 23. vi. ALBERT "CABERT" KEETER, b. 20 Sep 1810, Rutherford Co. NC. 24. vii. ELBERT KEETER, b. 11 Nov 1812, NC; d. 11 Mar 1902. 25. viii. JOSHUA KEETER, b. 19 Feb 1813, Rutherford Co. NC; d. McDowell Co. NC. 26. ix. SARAH KEETER, b. Abt. 1816. 27. x. ADIN ALEXANDER KEETER, b. 14 Aug 1819, Rutherford Co. NC; d. 30 May 1864, VA. 5. JOSHUA2 KEETER (JAMES1) was born Abt. 1782. He married (1) UNKNOWN Abt. 1803. He married (2) ELIZABETH WADKINS 27 Feb 1849 in Rutherford Co. NC. She was born Abt. 1790. Notes for ELIZABETH WADKINS: Elizabeth Wadkins may have had a child prior to her marriage to Joshua Keeter. A Joel Wadkins is listed as the bondsman to this marriage in 1849, and a Joel Wadkins, age 19, is listed as living with Joshua and Elizabeth in the 2 1850 Rutherford Co. NC census. Joel could be a child of Elizabeth Wadkins or her (much) younger brother. Children of JOSHUA KEETER and UNKNOWN are: 28. i. ELIZABETH3 KEETER, b. Feb 1804; d. 7 Nov 1839. 29. ii. MARY KEETER, b. Abt. 1808. 30. iii. JAMES A. KEETER, b. Abt. 1812; d. Bef. 1880. 6. BENJAMIN2 KEETER (JAMES1) was born Abt. 1787, and died Aft. 1840. He married MARTHA JOHNSTON 22 Dec 1808 in Rutherford Co. NC. She was born Abt. 1780, and died Abt. 1854. Notes for BENJAMIN KEETER: In the 1840 Rutherford Co. NC census Benjamin Keeter was listed as the head of a household containing 1m-20/30, 1m-50/60, & 1f-60/70. Children of BENJAMIN KEETER and MARTHA JOHNSTON are: 31. i. ELIZABETH3 KEETER, b. Abt. 1810. 32. ii. MIRA KEETER, b. 17 Dec 1811, McDowell Co. NC; d. Abt. 1868. iii. WILLIAM KEETER, b. Abt. 1815; d. Mar 1880. Notes for WILLIAM KEETER: In the 1850 Rutherford Co. NC census, William is listed as 35 years old in the household of Benjamin Keeter. In the 1860 census he is listed as 37 years old in Benjamin's household. Generation No. 3 7. JAMES3 KEETER (HENRY2, JAMES1) was born Abt. 1787, and died Bef. 1840. He married ELIZABETH FLACK 16 Dec 1817 in Rutherford Co. NC, daughter of ANDREW FLACK and MARY PORTER. She was born Abt. 1797, and died Abt. 1898. Notes for ELIZABETH FLACK: In the 1840 Rutherford Co. NC census, Elizabeth appears to be listed as Betsy Keter, the head of a household containing 1m-10/15, 2m-15/20, 2f-15/20, & 1f-40/50. In 1850, Elizabeth Keeter, age 53, was listed as head of household with two males in the home, Andrew, age 29, & Henry, age 23. Children of JAMES KEETER and ELIZABETH FLACK are: i. SALLY LEE4 KEETER, b. Abt. 1818; m. FNUNK KEETER. 33. ii. ANDREW JACKSON KEETER, b. Abt. 1821; d. Oct 1880. 34. iii. MARY CLARK KEETER, b. Abt. 1822; d. Aft. 1900. 35. iv. JOHN CALVIN KEETER, b. 11 Mar 1825; d. 15 Jul 1906. 36. v. HENRY K. KEETER, b. 12 Apr 1827; d. 25 Apr 1904. 8. JOHN3 KEETER (HENRY2, JAMES1) was born Abt. 1790, and died Abt. 1831 in Spartanburg, SC. He married SUSANNAH BENSON Abt. 1810. She was born Abt. 1788 in SC, and died Abt. 1865 in Pickens Co.