William H. Keim | |
|---|---|
 William High Keim | |
| Surveyor General of Pennsylvania | |
| In office May 1, 1860 – December 20, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | John Roe |
| Succeeded by | Henry Souther |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's8th district | |
| In office November 30, 1858 – March 3, 1859 | |
| Preceded by | J. Glancy Jones |
| Succeeded by | John Schwartz |
| 2nd Mayor of Reading, Pennsylvania | |
| In office 1848–1849 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Filbert |
| Succeeded by | George Getz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William High Keim (1813-06-13)June 13, 1813 Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | May 18, 1862(1862-05-18) (aged 48) Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Resting place | Charles Evans Cemetery |
| Political party | Whig Republican |
| Relatives | George May Keim (uncle) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Branch/service | United States Army Pennsylvania Militia Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1862 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
William High Keim (June 13, 1813 – May 18, 1862) was aRepublican member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania, as well as a general in theUnion Army during theAmerican Civil War.
William High Keim (a nephew ofGeorge May Keim) was born on June 13, 1813, inReading, Pennsylvania, to Mary (née High) and Benneville Keim. His father was president of Farmers' Bank and served as mayor of Reading.[1][2] He attendedMount Airy Military School and graduated around 1829. After he graduated, he worked in the general hardware store of his father in Reading. He partnered with his brother John H. Keim in a large store and continued as a retailer for about 30 years.[1] At the age of 17, he became a sergeant of theWashington Grays. In 1837, he succeeded his cousin Daniel M. Keim as captain of the Grays and becamemajor general of the Fifth Division of the Pennsylvania Volunteers in 1842.[1]
Keim was aWhig. He served as the second Mayor of Reading in 1848.[1] Keim was elected as a Republican to theThirty-fifth Congress to fill a short term vacancy caused by the resignation ofJ. Glancy Jones after Jones's defeat in theelection of 1858. He was surveyor general of Pennsylvania from 1860 to 1862.[2]
Even before the Civil War officially started, Keim anticipated rebellion and as early as January 21, 1861, he notified a fellow Reading militia commander to keep his unit ready for immediate service if war should break out.[3]
Following theBaltimore riot of 1861, the mayor of the city, with approval fromGovernor Hicks, ordered a militia unit, the Baltimore County Horse Guards, to destroy the railroad bridge north of Baltimore in order to prevent more Federal troops from entering the city. A lieutenant in the Horse Guards,John Merryman, was arrested by Keim. His arrest and imprisonment eventually led to an importantFederal case on the suspension ofhabeas corpus.[4]
Initially, Keim enlisted in the Union Army for a term of 3 months and, due primarily to his political ties to GovernorAndrew Curtin,[citation needed] he was commissioned as a major general of Pennsylvania Volunteers on April 20, 1861.[2] His original term of enlistment having expired, he was honorably mustered out on July 21, 1861, and returned to Reading.[2]
As the war lengthened and it became evident that a quick victory was not in sight, Keim decided to re-enlist, this time for a term of 3 years.[citation needed] Governor Curtin commissioned him as abrigadier general of volunteers on December 20, 1861.[2] However, Keim died oftyphus while in the military service atHarrisburg, Pennsylvania, on May 18, 1862. Interment was in theCharles Evans Cemetery in Reading.[1]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's 8th congressional district 1858-1859 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
