Blair County PA Archives Biographies.....Keith, Prof. David S. March 26, 1847 - ????
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Judy Banja http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00004.html#0000757 December 19, 2024, 2:16 pm

Source: Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Blair Co, PA: Philadelphia, 1892.
Author: Samuel T. Wiley

PROF. DAVID S. KEITH,
a veteran from the ranks of Blair county teaches, who has served since 1874
as superintendent of the public schools of Altoona, is a son of John and Mary
(Shiffler) Keith, being born March 26, 1847, at Woodbury, Bedford county,
Pennsylvania. The Keiths are of Scotch extraction. Adam Keith, the
great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in England, from
which he came to America at an early day, and settled in Pennsylvania. He was
among the early settlers of Huntingdon county, where he lived until his death,
at an advanced age. He married and reared a family of three children, one son
and two daughters. John Keith (grandfather) was born in Hopewell township,
that county. He was a farmer by occupation, and resided in Huntingdon county
up to a short time prior to his death, when he removed to the State of
Wisconsin, town of Lancaster, where he died about 1858, having attained man's
allotted age of three-score and ten years. He was a whig in politics, and a
member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married a Miss Russell, by whom
he had a family of five children. Their son, John Keith (father) was also a
native of Huntingdon county, but moved to Bedford county in 1840, and located
in the neighborhood of Woodbury. There he resided until 1871, when he removed
to Taylor township, Blair county, and died at his home in that township in
1874, in the sixty-third year of his age. He was a school teacher during the
earliest part of his life, in which vocation he won considerable reputation,
but in later years became a farmer. He was an active and influential member
of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a republican in politics. He was
elected and served as township auditor several terms. He married Mary Shiffler, 
a native of Blair county, and to them was born a family of six children. 
She was a devoted Christian woman, a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, and died in 1889, having nearly reached her sixty-sixth birthday.
   David S. Keith was reared principally at Woodbury, Bedford county, where
he attended the common schools until his fifteenth year, when he entered
Juniata academy at Martinsburg, this county, and later took courses of
training in the Normal school at Millersville, finishing his education in the
collegiate branches under the instruction of Prof. S. M. McGreery, of Indiana,
this State. When only sixteen years of age, David S. Keith began his career as
a teacher, having charge of a district school in Huntingdon county. He taught
a number of terms in this and Huntingdon counties, being thus engaged until
1871, when he was offered a position as teacher of the grammar department of
the public schools at Indiana, Pennsylvania. Accepting this position, he
remained there until 1873, at which time he became principal of the High
school at Altoona, and served some fourteen months in that capacity, until
the resignation of Prof. John Miller, superintendent of the public schools of
the city of Altoona, in 1874, when he elected to succeed Professor Miller, and
resigned the principalship of the High school to accept the responsibilities
of the larger trust. Since that year Mr. Keith has served continuously as
superintendent of the public schools of Altoona, having been re-elected seven
times in succession. This fact tells more eloquently than any words we could
use, of the energy, ability, and fidelity with which Professor Keith has
devoted himself to the up-building and improvement of the public schools of
this city, and of the popularity he enjoys in recognition of these services. 
   On the 13th of June, 1883, Professor Keith was married to Margaret
Crawford, a daughter of Armstrong Crawford, of Tyrone, this county. To them
have been born two children, both sons: Charles Russell and Ralph Crawford.
   In his political faith Professor Keith is a republican, and gives his
party a steady support on all National and State issues, though never
actively engaged in practical politics. He is inclined toward independence in
local matters. He is a member of the First Presbyterian church of Altoona, and
has served for some years as an elder in that church. He is also a member of
Mountain Lodge, No. 281, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Cove Lodge, No.
368, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2001. Transcribed by Ruth Curfman rcurfman@home.com.

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