Biography

03/05/1834 - 07/28/1908

Luther Reily Keefer (R29) Schuylkill County 1876-1897

Early Life: 

Luther Reily Keefer born, March 5, 1834 Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania; son of Andrew and Catherine Brua Keefer; educated, public schools, private school, Schuylkill Haven; foundry apprentice, Colebrookdale Iron Works, Berks County; engaged, iron and brass foundry, Schuylkill County; local councilman, burgess, and school director, Schuylkill County; Civil War, served, 60-day Emergency Militia Company, Gettysburg Campaign; appointed Deputy United States Marshal, Fourteenth District, elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1876-1897; married Anna E. Osler, children, Brua Cameron Keefer and Willie Keefer (infant); died July 28, 1908 (aged 74) Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, interred at Cressona Cemetery, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. (i)

Early Career:

Engaged, with brother Major John Brua Keefer, operated, iron and brass foundry, supplying production for the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad, at Cressona, Schuylkill County.

Enlisted, Company A, 27th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Emergency Service (27th Pennsylvania Infantry), 1863.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Board of Trustees, Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg; Board of Trustees, Keystone State Normal School, Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

Member,  Mason, 1856, Master of Page Lodge, No. 270, 1863; Cressona Lodge, No. 426, 1872; Tamaqua Chapter, No. 127, R. A. M., Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 31, K. T.; Denzer post, No. 29. G.A.R., Cressona, filled all the executive offices in the post; member, Washington Camp, No. 129, Patriotic Order Sons of America.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Councilman, burgess, and school director, Schuylkill County

Appointed, Deputy United States Marshal, Fourteenth Sub-District, Pennsylvania.

Elected, Pennsylvania State Senator 29th district, Schuylkill County, 1876-1897, member, Apportionments Appropriations Corporations, Elections, Finance, and Gratuities, Mines and Mining and Railroads Committees. Special committee, examine alleged misappropriation, money, State Treasurer, 1880; special committee, draft a general revenue bill, 1888; member, special election committee, determine the election contest, Third Senatorial District, Philadelphia; case, Osborne vs. Devlin, 1889.

Cited: 

Smull’s Legislative Hand Book, (1893) Smull, J.A., Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 776, 810 and 815-817.

         (i) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91074553/luther-reily-keefer