Keach Family DNA

Group Administrator: Monica MacKeachan
Group Co-Administrator:

Project Background

Marcia Anne Keach, my mother, born November 29, 1945 in Palmer, Massachusetts. Marcia died, with my 9-year-old half-sister, Michelle, in a house fire in Medford, Massachusetts on March 22, 1988. To say that she was a witch would be an out-ting, and I love my mother too much for that. Nonetheless, I say, "never again the burning!"

Marcia's parents were:
Lola Rawson Keach, born June 22, 1917 in Worcester, Massachusetts - died December 27, 1990 from Cancer.
Rev. Stanley Jordan Keach, born September 3, 1916 in New Britain, Connecticut - died November 3, 1996 from Cancer.
They both died at home, Deering, New Hampshire.

While I love my grandmother, Lola, female DNA is tricky in that so far it can only tell the location of where mother's mothers' used to live (like hunderds and thousands of years ago). That is not very helpful when attempting to use DNA to link to specific families. So, on with my maternal grandfather's line:

Stanley's parents were:
Emma Jordan Keach, born July 14, 1890 in Danielsonville, Connecticut. (Emma's parents were Maria Paine Jordan and Millard F. Jordan)
Edward Leroy Keach, born September 26, 1891 in East Killingly, Connecticut. Edward died in November, 1956, before I was born, so I never met him.

Edward's parents were:
Fannie B. Smith, born June 11, 1868 in Killingly, Connecticut - died November 26, 1934 in Brooklyn, Connecticut.
William Allen Keach, born June 22, 1865 in Foster, Rhode Island - died December 6, 1946.

Now, it is interesting to note that William A. Keach and Fannie Smith Keach had a child, Alice E. Keach, who spent over 20 years of her life in the now abandoned Connecticut State Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut. I have been able to uncover very little about Alice Keach's life, except that she married William Slater and they had two children - a boy and a girl, which I did not know until I recently found Alice's obituary.

This is Alice E. Keach Slater's obituary, found in the August 9, 1951 edition of the Windham County Transcript:

Mrs. Alice Elizabeth Slater of East Brooklyn, the late wife of William Slater ((which William Slater...who are his parents??)), passed away Aug. 1 (1951) in Norwich hospital following a long illness ((details ??)). Born in East Killingly on January 4, 1888, she was a daughter of William A. Keach and Isabelle Smith Keach.

Besides her husband, she is survived by a son, Howard Slater of Greenwich; a daughter, Mrs. Jack Fay of Union City, N.J.; a brother, Edward L. Keach of Danielson; and five grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Tillighast funeral home with the Rev. Stanley Keach of Essex, nephew of Mrs. Slater, officiating. Miss Lillian Bailey was organist.

Burial followed in Westfield cemetery where the bearers were Ray Smith, Carl Smith, Albert Fiske and Clarence Smith.

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Again, female DNA does not directly connect specific family to specific family, so, backwards I go to William Allen Keach's parents:
Elizabeth A. Green (e) Keach, born August 8, 1835 in Scituate, Rhode Island - died May 23, 1888. (Elizabeth's parents were Waterman Green and Alice Eddy)
George Henry Keach, born 1838 in Coventry, Rhode Island - died October 26, 1912.

George's parents were:
Almira Briggs Keach, died March 6, 1832 and George Keach, died April 9, 1872.

Another thing that is interesting to note is that Almira Briggs Keach is buried a few headstones away from Charlotte Keach. Both gravestone inscriptions say, "wife of George (Keach)". However, Almira's death date is March 6, 1832 at age 44 and George has a middle initial of "W", while Charlotte's gravestone says that her death date is 13 March, 1849 at age 67. If only these ladies could talk! However, famale DNA will not connect Charlotte, maiden name unknown, Keach with my mother, Marcia Anne Keach (maiden name is Keach).