William Parry Keeton

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Millicent Dell Palmer. Millicent (daughter of George Palmer, 1820 Settler and Ann Manley) was born on 14 Apr 1841 in Hardwick farm, Waai Plaats, Albany district, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 2 May 1841 in St John the Evangelist, Bathurst, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 12 Dec 1894 in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in St James' Church Cemetery, Southwell, Bathurst district, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. George Keeton was born in 1862; died in 1924.
2. William Becher Keeton was born in 1864; died in 1932; was buried in St James' Church Cemetery, Southwell, Bathurst district, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
3. Ida Palmer Keeton was born in 1865 in Lombards Post, Bathurst district, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 9 Aug 1933 in Thebus Waters, Steynsburg, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
4. Kate Keeton was born in 1866.
5. Annie Keeton was born in 1866.
6. Emily Harriet Keeton was born on 16 Oct 1867 in Lombards Post, Bathurst district, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 20 Dec 1867 in Southwell Church (St James), Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 27 May 1896; was buried in Southwell Church (St James), Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
7. Florence Sarah Keeton was born in 1869 in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 21 Jan 1936 in Barkly West, Northern Cape, South Africa.
8. William John Ford Keeton was born in 1871; died in 1893; was buried in St James' Church Cemetery, Southwell, Bathurst district, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
9. Ben Herbert Keeton was born in 1872; died in 1942.
10. Ile Keeton was born in 1873.
11. Ethel Keeton was born about 1888; died on 1 Aug 1926 in Settler's Hospital, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Old Grahamstown Cemetery, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
12. Walter Parry Keeton was born in 1875; died on 13 Dec 1951 in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
13. Albert Norman Keeton was born on 7 Jul 1877 in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 8 Oct 1877 in Southwell Church (St James), Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 6 Apr 1955 in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
14. Minnie Keeton was born in 1879.
15. Bartle Frere Keeton was born in 1881; died on 15 Jan 1947; was buried in Waainek New cemetery, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
16. Blanche Keeton was born on 9 Dec 1884 in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 2 Nov 1886 in Southwell Church (St James), Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 7 Dec 1964 in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 372
• Name: Benjamin Keeton 1820
• Occupation: a Labourer
• Religion: the Protestant Church
• Settler: 13 Feb 1820, Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Notes:

Settler:
Calton's party on the Albury

Benjamin married Hannah Robinson, 1820 Settler on 20 Feb 1829 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Hannah (daughter of John Robinson and Mary Perrin) was born about 1791 in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England; died on 27 Jul 1866 in Bathurst, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Southwell Church (St James), Southwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 696
• Name: Hannah Robinson 1820
• Religion: the Protestant Church
• Settler: 13 Jan 1820, Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Notes:

Hannah Ford at time of marriage to Benjamin.

EXTRACTS OF A LETTER FROM HANNAH KEETON TO HER FAMILY IN ENGLAND - transcribed by Rob Smith.
(mentioned are Keeton, Ford, Liversage, Manley, Leivis(?), Scott, Donkin)
The letter in question is unsigned but there are several clues confirming that it is from Hannah Keeton, wife of Benjamin, the principal founder of Southwell. Hannah had previously been married to William Ford and together with their children they arrived in Africa with Liversage’s party from Staffordshire. Their three young sons were lost to measles during the voyage but they had three children in South Africa before William died in 1828. The letter is dated in 1832 and after the opening passages there are several paragraphs dealing with the family’s financial affairs which are presumed to arise from William’s death. It would be inappropriate to show these matters here. It is assumed from the date that Hannah had recently married Benjamin and we know that between them they had lost two babies before Joseph was born in 1833. At the time they were living at Radway Green some years before their founding of Southwell on land vacated after the Sixth Frontier War and the Great Trek. Radway Green had been William's and Hannah’s farm near Manley’s Flats where Benjamin set up a stud farm and successfully bred horses.
Much of the remainder of the letter deals with life in general in Albany and their friends, the Manleys, who had also arrived with Liversage’s party. Here is the letter heading and selected extracts from the text:
Radway Green, Near Grahams Town
District of Albany, Cape of Good Hope
South Africa June 23rd 1832
My dear Mother; Brothers and Sisters
An Ocean, of more than 7000 Miles rolls its green and turbulent Waters between us, but although the space is so immensely great, you are not forgotten by us on the distant shores of Southern Africa
I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your kind and welcome Letter dated [blank space] and hope it will not be long ere we are honoured with the arrival of another as the Captains of the different Vessels make their Voyages much sooner than they formerly did to and from England.
[...]
Mary Manley is married and has got two Children she is gone to Port Natal which is about 6 or 700 Hundred miles from us, and is not yet returned, but a Letter has been recently received from her, and in which she states that they have shot an Aligator 17 feet long, and an enormous Snake 18 feet in length, —Mrs Manley is quite well and sends her love to you [...] Mr Manley sends his love to his Brothers and Sisters and all Friends, His sons Ralph and John have been trading amongst the Tribes of [Xhosas] which reside beyond the boundaries of the British Empire for some considerable time, in Ivory; ‘Horns and Hides’ and it has succeeded beyond their expectations, and Joseph has also been with them, and the remaining part of the Family (with them) are quite well, but they all say that their Uncle and Aunts (Manley) have quite forgot them, — We have to apologise for not writing to you sooner, but the thought of making a Voyage to England and having the pleasure of seeing you personally has been the occasion of it, but my Husband wrote to the Captain of “The Caledonian” lying at Anchor in Algoa bay to ascertain the amount he required for our passage, and we were informed that 100£ would be the price and in consequence of which we postponed it for the present. Abraham Robinson is quite well and in [Xhosa]land at present, He desires to be remembered to all friends, — Tell Mrs [Leivis ?] that it is about 8 years since Joseph Scott left this part of the Colony, and the last time I heard of him he was in Cape Town and was then Master of the Tread-Mill at the Prison, with a Salary of £4-10 per Month. I have made frequent inquiries after him but could hear nothing of him, but there is a probability of my obtaining some intelligence of him shortly and I shall not fail to transmit her every particular concerning him. Cape Town is upwards of 700 Miles from this place.
[...]
Having now finished that part of my Letter which relates to domestic concerns, I shall occupy the remaining part with a brief description of the Colony, and in the first place I observe that it is extremely Mountainous, so much so, that one Mountain frequently rises at the foot of another so that you perceive, inland navigation is impossible, and hence there is a very extensive Land carriage to cope with for all foreign Good, but the Climate is good and the air very salubrious, and exceedingly well calculated for the constitution, of English persons. Grahams Town, now by the Governor’s proclamation, the Capital of the Eastern Districts, had but 22 Houses (such as they were) on our arrival in 1820, but English industry has raised it with uncommon rapidity and we can now count a few Hundreds, and among which are some well built Houses and Mercantile Stores — There is an English Church erected near the middle of the central street with a Tower which contains 2 Bells sent from England the largest of which is 1000 Pounds weight. The roof is covered with shingles made of American Oak — At the opening it contained a congregation of more than 2000 persons. The subject of the Clergyman’s Sermon was Solomon’s prayer at the Dedication of the temple, and the Band of His Majesty’s 55 Regt attended — Directly in front of the Church, at the upper end of the street stands a Building denominated “The Drostdy House” which cost upwards of 50,000 Rix Dollars erected at the Residence of the local Magistrate, but upon far too extensive a scale with a Portico in front, and 4 Pillars supporting the Roof, but is already in a miserable [state of repair?]. This Building has nearly effected the ruin of two industrious and respectable Individuals by expensive Law suits &c. There are there also a Methodist Chapel and Independent and Baptist Chapels. The Town is not well watered but it is the grand Emporium of this part of the Colony, and trade is certainly flourishing there to a very considerable extent, and it is said that Half a Million of Money has been expended on that Town since 1820. It is astonishing to see how well its market is attended, not less than 20 or 22 Waggons with produce there every Morning, and some are from a vast distance. We reside about 10 Miles from that place. There is a Prison there and the Assizes are held twice a year — The Judges are English, come from Cape Town, and the Criminal cases have trial by Jury of 9 men only, but civil cases have no Jury at present, but perhaps the time is not far distant when it will be so — We have a much better Code of Laws now than we at first arrived, which is composed of English; Dutch; Scotch and Roman Law, — I must also inform you that the number of Wild Beasts and offensive reptiles are not quite so numerous as reports had made them in England. The Lion which once inhabited this [part?] has retired, offended at the habitations of Man to seek a more solitary retreat — [the Wolf [hyena] is forever ?] amongst us and sometimes makes rather too free with our Cattle, in his Evening walks at Suppertime. There is also a few Jackalls and Tygers [leopards], but very inferior to the royal Bengal Tyger – The Wolf [hyena] appears to be alarmed at the sound of a human voice, and not infrequently retreats as the Lords of Creation approach him. We make what is here termed “a Kraal” or an inclosure with Bushes, in order to secure the cattle as well as we can from the effects of their nocturnal depredations, for they generally sleep in the daytime and slaughter at night.
Algoa Bay, now called Port Elizabeth, where all Foreign Goods are landed for this part of the Colony, is about 120 Miles from hence and is a flourishing place, and nearly all the Roofs of the Houses are covered with Tiles, which is not the case in other places, — This Town, we are informed by a Stone Pyramid, erected by His Excellency General Donkin the late acting Governor, at an expence of 6000 Rix Dollars takes the name of his departed Lady who died in Hindostan [sic], and which he erected to perpetuate her memory. There are two respectable Hotels, with a few thriving Merchants. The Sea which has its shore, [runs ?] out of the great Indian Ocean, which washes the whole of this Coast. There are also two Whale Fisheries established, and about 2 years ago there were caught 18 of those frightful Monsters, some about 48 feet long and each worth upwards of 1200 Rix Dollars — The value of each Dollar being 1s/6d [the valuation when it was finally terminated]. The 21 of June is our shortest day, and the Sun appears to go the contrary way to what he does in England. We have had one Eclipse of the Sun since we have resided here and I saw one Star distinctly in the daytime. Fresh Butter is 6d pr lb but salt Do sells in the market from 6 to 7 Stivers pr lb each Stiver being a Farthing and a half — Good fat Beef 3/4 pr lb Mutton 1 ½ Pork 4 ½ Flour, that is to say Wheat ground with the Bran remaining in it sold yesterday for 12 Rix Dollars pr Muid, each Muid weighing 180 Pounds, — Oat Hay from 3 to 5 shillings pr Cwt. We have Races at Grahams Town Twice a year, and they are about to commence building there a Commercial Hall and reading Room. — The Cows will not give down their Milk here, without the Calf sucking till the draught comes, and then we take them away, but my paper reminds me that it is time to close this Letter and which I shall do by informing you that we are all well, and hope to hear the same account from you and which will be received with great pleasure by
Dear Mother, Brother and Sisters
Yours most affectionately
[PS] Our sable neighbours the [Xhosas] were very troublesome in the early part of our History here by stealing cattle but their excursions have been in some measure arrested by military opperations [sic] nevertheless there was 17 Men; Women and Children marched by here under an escort of Soldiers into Grahams Town taken under suspicious circumstances a few days ago.
[Hannah’s observation on the disappearance of the lion was a little premature. On 10 August 1841, Benjamin shot a huge lion at a place they subsequently named Lion Ridge]


name Anna in Matrimonial Minutes but Hannah in Wedding Register

Settler:
Liversage's party on the John

Notes:

Married:
Description: Rev William Carlisle

William married Mary Becher on 8 Feb 1796. Mary was born est 1760. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: yeoman

John married Mary Perrin on 20 Sep 1784. Mary was born in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]