Mabelle (Keene) Douglas, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Mabelle (Keene) Douglas
MABELLE KEENE DOUGLAS (MRS. GORDON DOUGLAS) AND SON THOMAS A. DOUGLAS
Mabelle Keene Douglas, great-granddaughter of Timothy Keene and Susan Ann Park Keene. Timothy and family came to Valparaiso in 1857 and bought a 130 acre farm. He taught in the public schools, was appointed Commissioner of Education of Porter County Schools about 1873. Shortly after was elected Superintendent of Porter County Schools. Timothy and wife had five children. Andrew (my grandfather), the oldest, married Hannah Appleton. They lived in Porter County near Cook's Corners. Two sons were born, Thomas Ray (my father) and Harry. Thomas married Sarah Elizabeth Baker and farmed in Union Township. They had the following children: George and Clyde died at an early age. Thomas Norman, who married Marjorie Lutz of Hobart. They lived in Valparaiso, had two sons: Thomas William and William Norman. Thomas is married and lives in Center Township. William is married and lives in California; Irene Hannah and Ada Harriet, twins, who died during World War II from diphtheria-scarlet fever epidemic; Susan died in same epidemic; Elizabeth, who married and had two daughters, Karen and Nancy; Mabelle who married Gordon Ross Douglas, killed in farm accident after 2 1/2 years of marriage. Farmed in Washington Township. They had one son, Thomas Allen Douglas, who works for Sears Roebuck & Co. in Chicago as an industrial engineer in the national field operations. Ralph Keene, who married Juanita Cox, and farms in Union Township on the family farm. They have two daughters, Linda and Kathy, and both teach in Porter County.
I teach school at Northview School. I have lived in Porter County all my life.
My father, Thomas R. Keene, was trustee of Union Township 1930-1938; was president of State Trustees Association for one year and was County Assessor when he died February 15, 1946. He was a resident of Porter County all his life.
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 101
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook