Among the large landowners of this section of Morrison county, Fred Keehr, of Buckmem township, a prosperous young farmer who believes in making his greatest effort during the morning of life, is entitled to a rank among the most enterprising.

Fred Keehr was born on May 8, 1874, at Sauk Rapids, Benton county, Minnesota. He is the son of Jacob and Anna (Trien) Keehr, the former of whom was born in Germany in 1838, where he lived until after his marriage. In 1871 the family came to the United States, and after a short stop in New York state came on to St. Paul, where they remained about six months. There Jacob Keehr did odd jobs, after which he removed to Sauk Rapids, where he remained two years. He worked on neighboring farms. At the end of that period, he came to Buckman township and homesteaded eighty acres of land. He died upon this homestead farm on April 5, 1914, farming his land until his death. He was a member of the German Lutheran church, and voted the Democratic ticket. His wife, the mother of Fred Keehr, was also born in Germany. She came to America with her husband and family. They had nine children, all of whom are living: Charlie, Amel, Andrew, Martha (who is the w'de of Peter King), Rudolph. Fred, Edward, Albert and John.

Fred Keehr was educated in the district schools of Buckman township, and after completing his education worked in the woods from the time he was fourteen years old until he was twenty-two years old.

When nineteen years old, Fred Keehr was married to Julia Korth, who was born on October 29. 1875, in Wisconsin, but who, when still a small girl, came to Benton county, Minnesota, where she lived until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Keehr have had six children. Bert. Hazel. Delia. Pearl. Jessie and Edna. Mrs. Julia Keehr died of appendicitis at the age of thirty-five years in 191 1, and on February 24, 1913. Mr. Keehr was married to Julia Tolberg, who was born in Minnesota on February 26. 1892, and who is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Tolberg.

When Mr. Keehr was twenty-two years old he homesteaded forty acres of land in Alberta township, Benton county, and proved up on the land by living there and cultivating it for six years. In the meantime he bought one hundred and sixty acres in Buckman township, where he lived after selling his claim for three years. Upon selling this farm he purchased four hundred and forty acres of wild prairie, all of which, save seventy-one acres in meadow, has been put under cultivation. In 1913 Mr. Keehr bought eighty acres in Hubbard county, Minnesota, principally timber land. He then bought one hundred and sixty acres of timber land in Cass county in 1914, and in the winter of 1914 bought one hundred and sixty acres of timber land in Alillelacs county. In March. 1915, Mr. Keehr bought one hundred and sixty acres in Bellevue township, where he is now building and where he expects to make his home. Altogether, he owns about one thousand acres of land in different parts of the state of Minnesota. He is a progressive man, a progressive farmer and one who is adding greatly to his wealth as years come and go. He has fifteen head of horses and about thirty head of Hereford and Red Polled cattle. He also has about thirtv head of Poland China hogs.

Mr. Keehr votes the Republican ticket. He was a member of the school board for more than ten years in various districts and supervisor of Buckman township for three years. Mr. and Mrs. Keehr are members of the Lutheran church.

~ Exerpt taken from "History of Morrison and Todd Counties Minnesota Vol. 2" by Clara K. Fuller (1915, pgs 683-684)