FRANKLIN C. KEEDY-- Proprietor of livery, feed, and sales stable, Mount Morris, Ill. Perserverance is the keynote to all human success. No man should despise a small beginning or be discouraged because at times his progress is not so rapid as he would like to have it. The idea that nothing can be done in this age except by corporations is a fallacy. America presents today as promising a field for initiative and individual effort as it ever has done. To understand this one has not to turn his back entirely on the large cities, but he will get more light on the subject by quietly investigating business in country towns. Franklin C. KEEDY, who is propering at Mount Morris as a liveryman and dealer in horses and feed, was born in Washington County, Md., August 8, 1869, a son of Edward and Elizabeth (BLECKER) KEEDY. Before the close of that year his parents removed to Ogle County and settled a mile and a half east of Mount Morris, on a farm of 148 acres, which Edward KEEDY bought of Andrew RICE. There Mr. and Mrs. KEEDY lived out their allotted days, the forming dying in his sixty-seventh year. In early life he had learned the millwright's trade, but had chiefly devoted himself to farming. He was the father of three daughters and five sons, all but one of whom are living. CHARLES C. is a farmer in Wisconsin; DANIEL B., who was a teacher and a carpenter, died in his thirty-ninth year; HOWARD E., also a carpenter, is living in Mount Morris; WILLIAM H., is a farmer in Mount Morris Township; FRANKLIN C., is the immediate subject of this sketch; ANNA M., married Martin ZELLERS of Mount Morris Township; ALICE M., is the wife of Samuel SPRECHER of Mount Morris; SUSIE T. has not married. Mr. KEEDY grew to manhood on his father's farm and received a substantial education in public schools near his home. He was employed on the homestead until he was twenty-four years old. During the ensuing five years he worked by the month for a compensation of twenty dollars a month and his board. Then he was for six years with Lewis SPRECHER as a partner doing threshing, corn shelling, corn-shredding and wood sawing. In 1902 he bought the livery and sales stables of H.L. SMITH at Mount Morris, and has carried on the business with satisfactory success ever since. At this time he gives steady employment to two men and keeps ten to twelve single rigs, three carriages and an omnibus running, and is prepared at all times to furnish teams for almost any use. He is a man of much public spirit, alive to the best interests of his community. His political affiliations are Republican. He is filling the office of Constable of Mount Morris Township. He married February, 1899, Miss Althea A. COFFMAN, a daughter of John and Mary COFFMAN and a native of Pine Creek Township, where her father was a successful farmer. They have children named ORVILLE, MARY, LEROY, and MARTHA...

1909 Encyclopedia of Illinois and the History of Ogle County, Volume 2, Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill. page 936-937

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