City: Memphis
KEYES, Joseph W., banker; born in Fulton, Miss., April 11, 1857; son of Capt. William H. and Anna (Turner) KEYES; father was a merchant and served in Confederate army; direct descendant from early Virginia settlers; secured primary education in common schools, but left school at an early age to enter employ of general store in Fulton, Miss., where he kept books and rose to the position of head salesman; in 1878, he went to Louisville, Ky., as traveling salesman for wholesale hardware house of W.B. Belknap & Co., which occupation he followed for several years; he entered banking as vice-president of the Bank of Tupelo, Miss., in 1889, which position he held until 1896, when he moved to West Point, Miss., and organized the Bank of West Point and became president and manager. In 1902, sold his interest in Bank of West Point and moved to Memphis, Tenn, to accept presidency of the Hessig-Ellis Wholesale Drug Co. with a paid capital of $100,000; in 1904 was elected president of the Home Finance & Trust Co., with paid capital of $100,000; in 1905 merged the Home Finance & Trust Co. with the Tennessee Trust Co., making a paid up capital of $700,000, and became the active vice-president; in 1906 merged the Tennessee Trust Co. with the Union & Planters Bank & Trust Co., which gave a combined capital of $1,400,000 and was retained as active vice-president of the combined amalgamation; he is a stockholder and director in many banks in Mississippi and Tennessee and also stockholder in oil mills, cotton mills, wholesale groceries and queensware; married Miss Susie CLARK, February 19, 1889; has one child, a daughter (Miss Mollie); was elected Junior and Senior Grand Warden and Grand Treasurer of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Masons of Mississippi; also Junior and Senior Grand Warden and Grand Captain General of Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Mississippi; elected First Lieutenant of Tupelo Rifles of Tupelo, Miss.; was also elected chairman Library Committee Business Men’s Club of Memphis, Tenn.; is a member of a Baptist church.
