By Roxa and Effie Keele
Eliza Jane Geary was the fourth daughter of 6 children of John Thomas and Sophia Fryer Geary. She was born in Cedar City, Utah on the 6th day of April 1859. Following are the names of her family: "Sophia Ann, Thomas Fryer, Echo Workman, Eliza Jane, Leah Fryer and Annie”, 2 died in infancy.
The family moved to Toquerville, Utah, where she spent her childhood. Her father was a school teacher and was a fine kind man. Her mother divorced her father in 1866, he moved to Salt Lake City, where he died the 5th day of January 1867 when she was eight years old. Her mother then married Joshua Willis. Willis was not very fond of his wife's first family. Eliza Jane had reddish gold hair and freckles and he always called her "freckles" she resented this very much, and she would go up to the garden and sit on the ditch bank and cry by the hour. She really missed her father. She had very little schooling after that, yet it would be hard to find a better educated person. She had a half sister Lola, and a half-brother Willis.
When she was 14 years old, she left home and started to make her own way. First she worked for a family named Ash Nebekar. Then she came to Panaca to work for the C.P. Ronnow family. They were a Danish family with lots of boys. She liked the Ronnow's very much, they were very kind to her, but the boys teased her and wouldn't chop wood, so she quit and went to work for Jim Wadsworth. His wife was Marintha, from there she worked for Electa Lee Edwards.(grandmother of Roxa Keele.) Then at the silver reef mine which was 9 miles west of Pioche. Eliza and David Keele were introduced by Lisa Langford (grandmother of Ruby Keele). Shortly they were married in the St.George temple by David H. Cannon, on March 29,1877. David Keele was 24 and Eliza Jane was 18.
Eliza Jane Geary Keele, called Eliza by her husband David, was a striking woman with wavy auburn-red tresses, ample bosomed and a trim waistline. Only age added to a more statuesque build. Her figure was typical of stalwart pioneer women, whose stamina and vigor raised large families, and provided well for their off-spring during the trying times of the pioneer days of eastern Nevada.
Entertainment was a community affair, and Eliza was gifted with a voice reflection which she used to help make the music and rhythm for the youngsters as they danced the quadrilles at the church functions. A religious background provided her foundation for her diligent work in the L.D.S. ward at Panaca, where she was president of the M.I.A., very active in the relief society and other affairs. Her parents were converts to the Mormon faith, coming from England in a sailing ship, the trip taking 3 months.
David and Eliza were parents of 12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls. Following is a list of the children: Elzada, Annie Eliza, Eathel, John David, Mary pearl, Jessie William, Leah, George Quincy, Francis Marion, Howard Geary, Iretta, and Arville.
David built a log cabin on a lot in Panaca for him and his wife and they lived there for many years, adding rooms to it at different times. It is believed that all of the children were born there. It was just across the street from the Samuel Keele home.
In 1912, Eliza and David bought the old Turnbaugh home in the center of Panaca, (across from Dotsons store). It was a large two-story "t" constructed type home, which Eliza Keele opened to the public for room and board. Known as a compassionate woman, and overly generous with her tasty dishes, the Keele home prospered as a boarding house for transients. With the income from her business she bought new wicker type furniture, rugs, and other household items to make her family more comfortable.
The cellar of Eliza Keele would be an oddity in this modern day of deep-freezes, for crocks of sauerkraut, mincemeat, jams, pickles, dried fruits and jars of other foods were abundant, as her husband and boys kept a fine garden.
David had a fine garden at both places, and the earliest ones in town. Many a person walked by his garden because they knew he would always have a bunch of vegetables to give them. Eliza started canning and preserving all vegetables when they were young, sweet and in their prime. One of her best preserves was the potawatami plum, and no one could prepare rhubarb like she could. They raised their own beef, pork, and chickens and these were cured in a number of ways. Her pickles were outstandingly good: chow-chow, bread and butter, sweet and sour, dill and others put in salt brine to be soaked out later and put into sweet and spicy vinegar. There were not many salads, only when they had fresh vegetables and lettuce in the garden and her dressing for cabbage slaw was super. Her baked beans were a must at a church social and she always had good homemade bread. Her big black wood cook stove always shone like a mirror.
Mother Keele said to Roxa, her daughter-in-law; "Roxa, Quincy is so much like my father in all of his ways, and also his build." And even after Quincy and Roxa left Panaca, mother Keele would always wait for Quincy to return in the summer to do her house cleaning for her. He always had many odd jobs and enjoyed working with his mother, and had helped her from childhood. They would take the hand woven carpet and put new wild hay underneath, and it would smell so fresh and fragrant for quite some time.
When asked by one of her boys why she worried so much about her family, she answered: "that's a question that I cannot answer, I will only say that when you become a parent and your children get the age you are now, then you will know". Growing old in age but not in spirit, she often was sentimental over incidents that occurred in the life of her children. Although she was not outwardly affectionate, she showed her love to her family by the many endowments of life she instilled in her children.
She was as ready to help a neighbor in need as to care for her own. Her beds were always perfectly made with the big feather mattresses which to us would be so hard to make look nice, and no one ever sat on her beds. She was a good nurse, a good seamstress, made many quilts and dyed and sewed rugs, and carpets; crocheted lace and knitted, mostly socks and mittens. Everything she did was done right. After the sheep would go through town and leave a bunch of wool on the barbed wire fences, she would have children gather it, then she would wash it and card it, and put it in quilts and comforters.
Her son, Marion, helped with the washing many times, which usually took 2 days. He would rub so hard that he rubbed the skin off his fingers. Mother Keele would not take care of her grand-children. She said she had raised her large family and she was just too tired to baby sit any more. Eliza and David celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on March 29,1927 at the family home in Panaca, with all the family in attendance. The 3 tiered cake was made by Iretta (Rita) and Vern Fitzgerald, a daughter and son-in-law of the Keels.
Although some of her children had passed on during the years, by accidents and illnesses, mother Keele was still the proud figure she had been at the time of her marriage to David. She had added with the years, some slight poundage and her beautiful natural wavy, auburn hair was flecked with silver, changing her hair color to flaxen blond. Upon her death her tresses straightened and lost their wave. Leah’s husband, Melvin Lee, died November 18, 1914 and Leah, and son Lorin, age 4 years, went to live with her mother and dad. On January 30,1915 Leah had a baby girl named Fawn. On June 7, 1924 Leah married Jack Ellison and they, with the 2 children, went to Caliente to live.
In January, 1931, Eliza went to Cedar City and was operated on, came home and was apparently doing very well. Her granddaughter, Fawn Lee, was with her as well as father Keele. The morning of January 8th, she asked for water. As Fawn gave it to her, a blood clot struck her heart and she was gone. She died at 4:30 a.m. In the morning, January 8, 1931. Father Keele then went to live with Leah in Caliente and the old home was sold.
Rita Fitzgerald, the youngest daughter, has the cradle that most of the Keele babies used. It is a beautiful piece of furniture, and was always made up for the grandchildren when visiting there. (Quince says that he spent many an hour rocking it when he thought he should have been out playing. He would rock it so hard it would almost tip over).
Howard Keele, son of Marion, has the old organ which he inherited when Marion died. Jean Keele long has an antique wall pocket brought from England and across the plains in a handcart by Eliza Keele's mother. It must have been a very treasured piece to come such a long way.
Stella Edwards in Cedar City, Utah, daughter of Annie Keele, has the old kerosene pull lamp that hung over the big dining table. Quince has some of his grandfather Geary's records, and a copy of his shorthand.
