Charles H. Keating (1870 – ?)

Charles H. Keating. One of the members of the Richland County bar is Charles H. Keating, who is vice president of the Lumberman’s Mutual Insurance Company, of Mansfield. He was born in this city, July 23, 1870, the son of Thomas B. and Sarah Jane (Hedges) Keating.

Thomas B. Keating was born in Columbia County, Pa. He came to Mansfield as contractor in charge of building of the city water works, and after the completion of that project, was awarded numerous other important city contracts. Mr. Keating is deceased. His wife died in 1883. Sarah Jane (Hedges) Keating was the daughter of Ellsey Hedges, who was a prominent business man and influential citizen of Mansfield for many years. She was a sister of Hon. Henry C. Hedges, and a niece of Gen. James Hedges, the founder of Mansfield. Her uncle, Josiah Hedges, was the founder of Tiffin, and the name of Hedges has long been identifies with the history of Ohio. Her great-grandfather was Charles Hedges, a resident of Virginia, and the father of nine sons and two daughters. Joseph, Samuel, Hiram, and Otto remained in Virginia; Elijah, removed to Fairfield County, Ohio; John, moved to Muskingum County, Ohio; James and Joseph settled in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1812, the former serving as sheriff and the latter as clerk of courts in that county. Ellsey Hedges, father of Mrs. Keating, served as deputy to both. In 1812 he went on foot to Columbus, Ohio, to carry the presidential election returns from Belmont County, his brother James, having been commissioned a captain in the U.S. Army for service in the War of 1812.

Charles H. Keating was a son of Thomas B. and Sarah Jane (Hedges) Keating.

The education of Charles H. Keating was received in the public schools of Mansfield, from which he graduated in 1889. He attended Amherst College, and read law in the offices of Cummings & McBride, being admitted to the Ohio State bar in 1894. He was subsequently admitted to practice in the federal courts. Mr. Keating served as referee in bankruptcy from 1898 until 1906, and as deputy auditor of the U. S. Post Office at Washington, D. C., from 1906 until 1914. Upon his return to Mansfield in 1914 he served for one year as tax commissioner of Richland County, and during the World War was secretary of the Richland County Draft Board. Mr. Keating has been identified with the Lumberman’s Mutual Insurance Company as their attorney until 1917, and was elected vice president of the company in 1926. He is a director of the Farmers Saving & Trust Company, and president of the Richland Hotel Company.

In 1900 Mr. Keating was united in marriage with Miss Gertrude Simpson, the daughter of John and Millie (Stringer) Simpson. Mr. Simpson was born at Mifflin, Ohio, and his wife was born in Ashland County. Both are deceased. Mr. Simpson was widely known as the superintendent of schools at Mansfield for 20 years. Mr. and Mrs. Keating have a daughter, Helen Simpson Keating. She is a graduate of Mansfield High School, Abbott Academy, Andover, Mass., and attended Columbia University, and was for two years the children’s librarian in the Mansfield Public Library. She was married Oct. 8, 1930, to Louis J. Ott of Mansfield.

Mr. Keating is a Republican and in 1912 was assistant director of the speaker’s bureau of the Republican National Committee, with headquarters in New York City. He is identified with the Richland County Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, and American Bar Association. He holds membership in the First Presbyterian Church, Rotary Club, City Club, Westbrook Country Club, and Delta Epsilon fraternity. He belongs to Mansfield Lodge, No. 35, F. & A. M.; Mansfield Chapter, R. A. M. No. 28; Mansfield Council, R. & S. M. M. No. 94; and Mansfield Commandery, K. T. No. 21.

Source: Duff, William A., History of North Central Ohio : Embracing Richland, Ashland, Wayne, Medina, Lorain, Huron and Knox Counties, Volume One, published in 1931 by Historical Publishing Company in Topeka-Indianapolis, pp. 608-610. Accessible via Ancestry.com.