San Francisco County
Biographies
JOSEPH B.
KEENAN
Joseph B. Keenan, who for over a quarter of a century past has figured prominently in building construction in San Francisco and California, is now president or (sic) Joseph Musto Sons-Keenan Company, pioneer marble dealers of the Pacific coast, who operates extensive marble finishing plants in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Mr. Keenan is a native of San Francisco, being the son of California pioneers, Bernard R. and Mary (Fitzpatrick) Keenan, who, after leaving New Orleans, crossed the isthmus of Nicaragua, in the early ‘50s, shortly after the discovery of gold in California.
Bernard R. Keenan, after arriving in San Francisco in 1852, at once caught the gold fever and spent several years prospecting for gold in the placer mines.
He then entered actively into the cattle business in Butte county, until the floods of 1861, during which season the rainfall was over forty-nine inches, being the wettest winter in the history of California, and which floods wiped out his herds.
After this he came to San Francisco and engaged in boiler making, which trade he had learned at the old Leeds Foundry in New Orleans. At that time, and in later years, straw-burning boilers were extensively used in threshing the wheat and barley on the great grain ranches in California, and Bernard Keenan made a specialty of building this class of boilers. He later retired from this business, and his death occurred in 1898. His wife, who survived him until 1907, came to San Francisco as a girl, and here married Mr. Keenan. To their union were born two sons and one daughter.
Joseph B. Keenan attended the grade and high schools, the latter in San Jose, where his parents then lived. He then took a course in engineering, and a course in Commercial College. After this he took up work as an accountant and bookkeeper, and became interested in the Cahill and Hall Elevator Company, which company installed elevators in many of the prominent buildings on the Pacific coast.
After the great, devastating fire of 1906, which wiped out the elevator business, and a great part of his savings, he became associated with the business of which he is now president, and which was founded by his father-in-law, Joseph Musto, in 1866. This is one of the most prominent companies on the Pacific coast now engaged in marble dealing. All kinds of marble work are done by the firm, examples of which are found in the city halls of San Francisco and Oakland, and about ninety people are employed. A company, of which Mr. Keenan is likewise president, is maintained in Los Angeles. Mr. Keenan is now vice president of the San Francisco Builders’ Exchange, and has been a director of his organization for a number of years.
On September 14, 1904, Mr. Keenan married Miss Carlotta Musto, a daughter of Joseph and Maria (Sturla) Musto. Mrs. Keenan’s father was a pioneer of San Francisco, having come here in the ‘50s, and, as noted, was the founder of the business of Joseph Musto Sons-Keenan Company.
Mr. Keenan’s political adherence is with the democratic party. He belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Niantic Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West, the Olympic Club, the Knights of Columbus, Commonwealth Club, Dolphin Boat Club, and several other social clubs. Motoring and outdoor life are his choice recreations. He has maintained cooperative interest in civic affairs of San Francisco, and has in every way justified his identity as a native son.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 2 Pages 233-235.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
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