James Upton Keene - 1898 - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

James Upton Keene - 1898

Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal April 1, 1898

James Upton Keen(e) died last Saturday at 10:30 o'clock a.m. after an illness of seven weeks. The funeral took place Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the A.M.E. church. Mr. Keene was born in Kentucky, April 23, 1824, and lived in Crawfordsville since the war, where he has made a host of friends. He leaves a wife and nine children to mourn his loss.

Mr. Keene, while uneducated, was a man of really superior intellect and could hold his own in any debate. He was a most uncompromising Republican and delighted to discuss politics, his broad humor and sarcasm making him a formidable adversary for those whose reading gave them an advantage. He was a hard working man and brought up an excellent and respected family – thanks to Kim H

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Elsewhere in today’s Journal will be noted the deaths of Upton Keene and Nicholas Talbot, and in connection with the synchronizing of their departure from the trials and troubles of this life is noted the life long friendship and peculiar relations which they sustained toward each other.

Mr. Keene was born in slavery and his parents were owned by the father of Mr. Talbot. When Upton was a small boy he was given by Mr. Talbot to his son Nick, and so the two boys grew up together, companions in all boyish sports and having common griefs and joys. They were devotedly attached, and were much more to each other than master and man. They were fast friends until after the war when Upton came to Indiana with P. S. Kennedy and made his home here. After that when Mr. Talbot came here to visit many of his most pleasant hours were spent with the old companion of his boyhood days. They called each other “kin folks” and in their life and actions they sustained toward one another an affectionate regard which was like one of bonds of blood. United in life they are united in death, and it is the fond belief of those who knew them that they are united in the life that follows death and the joy that follows sadness.

Source: Crawfordsville Review April 2, 1898

Upton Keene, one of the best known among the colored people of Crawfordsville, died on Saturday morning, after a long illness, aged 74 years. Keene was born in slavery in Kentucky in 1824, and for a period of near forty years was in bondage, being owned by the father and after wards by a brother of Capt. Talbott. At the close of the war he came from Kentucky to this city where he has ever since resided. Keene, when in health was an industrious individual, and ready to turn his hand at any kind of labor demanded. He was quaint and comical at all times, and had the good will of those knowing him. He was buried on Monday. He leaves a wife and eight children. – thanks to Kim H

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