Butte County Biographies

[The following has been submitted by Dick Carruthers from the Keitle Bible and is the funeral eulogy given after John Keitle's death. He is also listed in the 1872 Great Register for Butte County (living at Central House), and in 1885 (living at Station).]

John Keitle was born in the Kingdom of Wurthemburg (sic), Germany on the 20th day of March, AD 1834. He was baptised in infancy according to the rites of the Lutheran Church and was raised in that faith. His life illustrates what a poor boy with honest purpose and industrious habits may accomplish even in adverse circumstances. At the age of twenty he embarked in the little craft Sophie, a sailing vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean for America. For the first six days favorable winds sent them skipping over the waves. Then the weather became adverse. Not more than one day at a time thereafter did they have good sailing. Provisions were limited. Meat was served but once a day. The rest of the menu consisted solely of dry bread and dried fruit with hot water to soak them in and one gallon of fresh water a day to each four persons. Thirty-six more days in abstinence they thus toiled across the watery waste. Some days the boat only rocked to and fro making no progress at all. Finally, after fifty-two days upon the water, the little craft landed in New York on or about May the first 1854. After one more day of ship life, young Keitle started for Buffalo. For awhile he sawed wood for the railroad at 35 cents per cord. From Buffalo he went to Kendlewood where he remained during the summer working for the RR at $12.00 and board per month. In the Fall he worked for a farmer for his board and was sent to school. The next summer he worked in a brickyard. He there became afflicted with the malaria. Leaving the brickyard he was afterward employed by another farmer for whom he worked three years. In the year 1859 during the Pikes Peak gold excitement a number of emigrants started thither. Among them was the young Keitle. But these emigrants changed their course for California. This I am informed was the largest train of ox teams that crossed the plains. Though it took six months to make the journey and though most of the emigrants walked most of the way, in other respects the journey was a prosperous one. The Indians did not molest them and they had plenty of provisions. On arriving in Yuba County near Marysville young Keitle was employed by a Mr. Landis at $400.00 a year and worked for him 2 1/2 yrs. He then came to Honcut and purchased what is now known as the Phillip’s Ranch. In the Fall of 1869 young Keitle was united in holy wedlock to Miss Annie Howard. Shortly afterward Mr. and Mrs. Keitle purchased the ranch where the family have continued to reside ever since and where Mr. Keitle passed away at about 10 minutes to 12 P.M. on New Years day last 1907. To the above happy union were born six children four daughters and two sons. Two of the daughters were called to the savior’s arms while they were yet children. The other two daughters and their two sons, with their mother are now most deep bereaved. In early days Mr. Keitle was a regular attendant upon the Sunday School that first met in the schoolhouse and afterwards in the church. He has assisted, too, in repairing of the church. He was friendly to the church. Quite recently our great church lost its most beloved Bishop McCabe - - - how much does our church owe to the business men like our friend to whose bier we have come to pay the last sad rites of respect. Verily, we owe much - to their help, to their goodwill, to their example. Mr Keitle was a man who tended strictly to his own affairs leaving others to look after theirs. He is spoken of as a upright man by his neighbors, one and all - - - be it said to the ending credit of Mr. Keitle “He tended to his own affairs and trusted others with their affairs and thus his life illustrated the Christian teaching Peace on Earth, Good Will to men.”