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Byron E. Van Keuren, veteran Oshkosh attorney, who would have been 89 years old on Friday of this week, died this morning at 5:30 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Houston, at Cedar Rapids, la. Death was the result of heart trouble. He was found dead in bed about 6 o'clock this morning, a doctor estimating that he had passed away about a half-hour earlier, shortly before which he had been heard moving about.
Mr. Van Keuren was born near Pickett in the town of Utica, May 24, 1851. He was the son of Eleazer and Elizabeth Van Keuren, pioneer residents of the county. His father died when he was only a child and his mother married a Mr. Hansen, who died during the Civil war when Byron was only 12 years old and at which age he assumed responsibility for the family.
It was believed that he was tubercular and he spent several years in the northern woods to regain his health. He later attended Ripon and Lawrence colleges, leaving college in 1878 to study law in Oshkosh under the late Moses Hooper, and was admitted to the bar in April, 1879. He continued his practice for many years. He was one of the organizers a number of years ago with C. W. Davis and H. C. Hansen, his half-brother, of the Davis-Hansen Company, a pump manufacturing plant.
Mr. Van Keuren was active all his life in temperance and prohibition work. He ran for governor on the prohibition ticket in 1910. He was a member of the Good Templars lodge and for a number of years published a weekly paper known as The Signal. He rode a bicycle until he was 85 years old and was a lover of the outdoors and greatly enjoyed fishing. Until recent years he was an active member of the First Methodist church.
Survivors are a daughter, Mrs. Ethel Houston, Cedar Rapids, la.; a son, Frank R. Van Keuren, Oshkosh; five grandchildren, Mrs. Alma Anderson and Gene Houston, Clinton, la.; Frank Houston Jr., Parry, la.; Miss Ruth Van Keuren and Richard Van Keuren, Oshkosh; and one great-grandchild. Also surviving is a half-brother, Elwood F. Hansen, Kent, Wash.
The body will be brought to this city and funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the First Fundamental church with the Rev. W. G. Wittenborn officiating and the Rev. Noah L. Bess assisting. Friends may call at the Fiss & Bills funeral home Wednesday morning until 10 o'clock and at the church from 10:30 o'clock to the time of the services.
—The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 20 May 1940, Mon • Page 4.
Located by Adam Seaman
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