William Keating Family Collection

Collection

Identifier: SC 350

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, interviews with sons, John and Peter Keating, and sketches, chiefly relating to Dwight Farm, large bonanza farm in Richland and Steele counties, N.D., owned by Dwight Farm & Land Co., with whom Keating was employed; family history materials; and obituaries. Persons represented include John W. Dwight, founder of Dwight Farm, and John Miller, a later president of the company.

Dates

1925-1963.

Creator

Keating, William, 1846-1930. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection is held by the NDSU Archives

Biography

William Martin Keating, jr. was born December 22, 1846 in Queens county (now known as County Laois), Ireland to William Sr. and Mary M (Brennan) Keating. He was baptized October 29, 1847 and his godparents were Daniel Keating and Catherine Sullivan. His parents took his siblings and him and immigrated to Vermont in 1847. The family eventually moved to Mount Hop, Wisconsin. While in Wisconsin, William signed up for military service and served with Company I of the 20th Wisconsin infantry. He served in the Civil War, sustaining a minor wood on his left side in March of 1865 and serving at the battle of Vicksburg. He was mustered out of the service on October 10, 1865.

In May 17, 1876, William married Honora “Nora” Flynn in Boscobel, Wisconsin. They would go on to have five children. Following the birth of his two oldest children, William and Nora moved to Wahpeton, North Dakota to homestead and farm on 160 acres.

William died February 6, 1930 in Wahpeton, North Dakota. Nora followed him in death in 1936. Both are buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Wahpeton, North Dakota.