William John Keefe ^{1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9}

   Other names for William were William John Keeffe ⁴ and William John O'Keeffe.¹⁰

  General Notes:

William was sort of kidnapped, taken from Canada to Wisconsin when his mother had to leave him with a French family while she went to work to support her family after the father died while working in the US.

William John spoke only French when his mother came to Trempealeau from Canada with the other 3 children. To get to Trempealeau, she first took a boat to Cincinnati, Ohio, then caught an Ohio riverboat to Saint Louis. She then took a Mississippi riverboat from Saint Louis to Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He has alternate birth date of December 1858 and a birth location of Kemptville, Ontario, CANADA.

This birth date appears on his gravestone and is probably incorrect. It is believed that the Dec 1862 date is more realistic as it reflects the data given on most of his census reports. He is not found on any census report prior to 1870 in Trempealeau, WI.
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. ⁹

• He has alternate birth date of 1861 and a birth location of Canada.

This birth year was referenced by his age of 69 on the 1930 US Census.
. ⁶

• He has alternate birth date of 1865 and a birth location of Canada.

This birth year was referenced by his age of 45 on the 1910 US Census.
. ⁴

• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 11 June 1870. ⁷

1870 US Census
Page 13, Family 107, Roll 1737
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
William Keefe..8..CAN

(Living with widowed mother.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in Dec 1862, then his age should have been 7 instead of 8.
.

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 1 June 1880. ⁸

1880 US Census
Page 176D, District 72, Family 238, Roll 1448
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
William McGraw..Son..17..CAN..Laborer

(Living with mother and step-father.)
.

• He appeared on the 1900 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 13 June 1900. ²

1900 US Census
Sheet 9A, District 137, Family 190, Roll 1819
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Home owned, no mortgage
Married 6 years
William Keefe..Head.. Dec 1862..37..WI..Day Laborer

(Living with wife and 2 sons.)
.

• He appeared on the 1905 Wisconsin State Census in Trempealeau, WI in 1 June 1905. ³

1905 Wisconsin State Census
Page 439,440, Family 54, Line 51
Trempealeau, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, United States
Home owned, no mortgage
William Keefe..Head..41..Canada..Mill Hand

(Living with wife and son.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in Dec 1862, then his age should have been 42 instead of 41.
.

• He appeared on the 1910 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 25 April 1910. ⁴

1910 US Census
Sheet 7A, District 173, Family 170, Roll 1739
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Home owned, no mortgage
Married 18 years
William J. Keeffe..Head..45..CAN..Laborer

(Living with wife and son, Carl.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in Dec 1862, then his age should have been 47 instead of 45.
.

• He appeared on the 1920 US Census in Trempealeau Township, Trempealeau County, WI on 11 January 1920. ⁵

1920 US Census
Sheet 15A, District 219, Family 206, Roll 2018
Trempealeau Township, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Home owned, no mortgage
William Keefe..Head..57..CAN..Immig. 1866..Commercial Fisherman, River

(Living with wife and son, Carl.)
.

• He appeared on the 1930 US Census in Trempealeau Township, Trempealeau County, WI on 15 April 1930. ⁶

1930 US Census
Sheet 5B, District 23, Family 100, Roll 2614
Trempealeau Township, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Home owned, $2000
William Keefe..Head..69..CAN..Immig. 1861..Commercial fisherman and trapper

(Living with wife and 2 grandchildren.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in Dec 1862, then his age should have been 67 instead of 69.
.

• He was buried on 24 January 1948 in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Trempealeau, WI.

Find A Grave Memorial 95033511
. ⁹

William married Anna Elizabeth Loretta Johnson, daughter of Christian Johnson and Mary, on 19 September 1893 in Winona, MN.^{1 2 3 4 5 6} (Anna Elizabeth Loretta Johnson was born on 1 July 1874 in Homer, MN,^{2 4 6 10 11} died on 18 September 1937 in Trempealeau, WI ^{10 11} and was buried on 20 September 1937 in Old Catholic Cemetery, Trempealeau, WI ¹¹.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Image: 19 September 1893, in Winona, MN. ¹

• They appeared on the 1900 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 13 June 1900. ²

1900 US Census
Sheet 9A, District 137, Family 190, Roll 1819
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Home owned, no mortgage
Married 6 years
William Keefe..Head.. Dec 1862..37..WI..Day Laborer
Anna E. Keefe..Wife..Jul 1874..27..MN..2/2
Carl M. Keefe..Son..Nov 1894..5..WI
William M. Keefe..Son..Mar 1899..1..WI

(Lived next to Patrick and Elizabeth Drugan.)
.

• They appeared on the 1905 Wisconsin State Census in Trempealeau, WI in 1 June 1905. ³

1905 Wisconsin State Census
Page 439,440, Family 54, Line 51
Trempealeau, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, United States
Home owned, no mortgage
William Keefe..Head..41..Canada..Mill Hand
Anna Keefe..Wife..31..Minnesota
Carl Keefe..Son..10..Wisconsin
.

• They appeared on the 1910 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 25 April 1910. ⁴

1910 US Census
Sheet 7A, District 173, Family 170, Roll 1739
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Home owned, no mortgage
Married 18 years
William J. Keeffe..Head..45..CAN..Laborer
Anna E. L. Keeffe..Wife..35..MN..2/1
Carol F. Keeffe..Son..15..WI
.

• They appeared on the 1920 US Census in Trempealeau Township, Trempealeau County, WI on 11 January 1920. ⁵

1920 US Census
Sheet 15A, District 219, Family 206, Roll 2018
Trempealeau Township, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Home owned, no mortgage
William Keefe..Head..57..CAN..Immig. 1866..Commercial Fisherman, River
Anna Keefe..Wife..44..MN
Carl Keefe..Son..25..WI..Telegrapher, C&NW RR
George M Kingsley..Boarder..62..WI
Alexander Bonk..Boarder..30..US
.

• They appeared on the 1930 US Census in Trempealeau Township, Trempealeau County, WI on 15 April 1930. ⁶

1930 US Census
Sheet 5B, District 23, Family 100, Roll 2614
Trempealeau Township, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Home owned, $2000
William Keefe..Head..69..CAN..Immig. 1861..Commercial fisherman and trapper
Anna Keefe..Wife..55..MN
Carolyn Keefe..GrandDaughter..13..WI
Carl Keefe..GrandSon..12..WI
Alex Bonk..Boarder..41..MN..Cobbler, Repair Shop
.

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Wm Keefe
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 19 Sep 1893
Event Place: Winona, Minnesota, United States
Event Place (Original): Winona, Minnesota, United States
Gender: Male
Spouse's Name: Anna E L Johnson
Spouse's Gender: Female
Certificate Number: Page 634

Citing this Record
"Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M5-FCQM : 15 May 2020), Wm Keefe and Anna E L Johnson, 1893.
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