Charles C. Keene

Born 1832, Hessen Cassel, Germany

Died May 7, 1894, San Franciso, California

Susan Keene

Born April 1852, New York, New York

Died August 22, 1915, San Francisco, California

Keene was born in Germany and migrated to the United States becoming a naturalized citizen on October 5, 1868.  According to the San Francisco Federal Census of 1880, Charles and Susan Keene were living at 1515 Tyler Street in San Francisco with their children, Meriam, William, Rose, and Jeanette and sister-in-law, Sarah Snow and her daughter Rose.  According to accounts, Charles built and sold the first accordions in the San Francisco area. 

The white marble monument in the Hills of Eternity Memorial Park in Colma, California, depicts a Union Civil War soldier astride a horse.  In the lower left-hand corner of the scene is a broken wheel.  Like many symbols—the hanging and broken bud, the broken column, the empty chair—the broken wheel represents the end of life’s journey. The wheel is a metaphor for the circle of life which is broken by death.

Keene was a captain associated with California military units and clearly very proud of his service.  He was a member of Company H. Second Regimental Infantry, part of the San Francisco Hussars and was very active in the national guard.

According to newspaper accounts at the time of his death Keene was known to be eccentric, well known for riding his old white horse around the city.