Riverside County
Biographies
HENRY
JOHN KEITH
On the roster of county officials in
Riverside county [sic] appears the name of John Henry
Keith, who is filling the position of county assessor for the second term and
has made a splendid record in this capacity.
He is a popular young native son of Riverside, California, born February
10, 1899. In the paternal line he is a descendant of James Keith, of
Revolutionary fame. His father, James
Newton Keith, a native of Brockton, Massachusetts, became a resident of
Riverside, California, in 1882, and took a helpful part in civic affairs here
at an early day. He organized Company C,
the first company of the state militia, and was also the organizer of the first
fire department in Riverside. His active
and useful career ended in 1928, when he was in his seventy-ninth year. James N. Keith is survived by his wife, Mrs.
Sarah M. (Ross) Keith, who was born in Nova Scotia and is still a resident of
Riverside. They were the parents of six
children, all of whom are living.
In the acquirement of an education
John H. Keith attended grammar and high schools of Riverside and the University
of California at Berkeley, from which institution he was graduated with the
degree of Bachelor of Science in engineering as a member of the class of 1923. While attending college he was a member of
the Students’ Army Training Corps.
Following his return to Riverside he became chief deputy county surveyor
under A. C. Fulmor.
He resigned that position eighteen months later, to become chief deputy
assessor under Henry D. French. Mr.
Keith continued as assistant to the latter in the capacity of chief deputy for
one and one-half years, at the end of which time Mr. French died. In 1926 Mr. Keith was elected to the office
of county assessor, which he filled so efficiently and satisfactorily that he
was again elected in 1930 and is now serving for the second term.
In 1927 Mr. Keith was united in
marriage to Miss Eloise Snow, daughter of Russell A. Snow, of West
Virginia. They are the parents of a son,
John Henry, Jr., two years of age.
Fraternally Mr. Keith is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, while his religious faith is that of the Congregational Church. He is a member of the Exchange Club and
secretary of the Southern California Association of Assessors, of which he was
formerly president. He has also been
active on important committees of this organization. His hobby is model making.
Transcribed by Jeanne Turner.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II,
by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 335-336,
Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles,
Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Jeanne
Turner.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S RIVERSIDE
BIOGRAPIES