200:, he founded the Mosaic Templars to provide life and burial insurance, in 1882. The organization was incorporated in Arkansas on May 24, 1883. They were initially motivated by the sight of former slaves having to beg for money to help overcome illness or pay for the burial of family members. Local temples were established to accept members, who were initiated into the group by conferring of eight secret initiation degrees. In August 1883, chambers were established for female members, having their own organizational rites and rituals. It became one of the largest African American organizations. The organization also came to offer support to individuals who wanted to start their own business and savings and loan services. Keatts served as Grand Mosaic Master until his death.
182:
They chose the name Mosaic
Templars to reflect their religious motivations: they sought to provide leadership and succor for African Americans in the years after Reconstruction just as Moses had done for the Children of Israel during the escape from Egypt in the biblical story of Exodus.
171:
In 1896, he was made U.S. Deputy
Marshall of the Eastern District of Arkansas. He was also Deputy Constable of Big Rock Township for several years. He ran for Little Rock police court judge, a position he won by a large majority, but was counted out, like his election to Circuit Clerk.
167:
appointed him receiver of the Little Rock
Traction and Electric Company in 1895, which required him to make a bond of $ 40,000 (equivalent to $ 1,464,960 in 2023). He was able to make the bond due to his stature in the community and personal holdings.
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Merriam
Webster defines police court as "a court of record that has jurisdiction over various minor offenses (such as breach of the peace) and the power to bind over for trial in a superior court or for a grand jury persons accused of more serious
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in Little Rock. In his will, Keatts left his estate to his wife, Mary. His mother, Mariah Wisham, contested the will a week after his death, suing for financial support.
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112:. He worked for the railway mail service, federal court, and as a lawman. He campaigned for two offices as a member of the
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Keatts was born into slavery in Little Rock, Arkansas on
September 25, 1854. Slavery was abolished in 1865, following the
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and initially received the majority of votes, but was not formally elected due to ballot interference by the
Democrats.
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255:. John E. Bush, also educated by the system, became a Little Rock Capital Hill school principal.
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Circuit Clerk by an overwhelming majority, but was "counted out by the opposing party". Judge
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Knights of
Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia
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Public education was offered to
African Americans in Pulaski County beginning in the
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30:
231:. Keatts died at his home of pneumonia on January 16, 1908 and was buried at the
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In an obituary, his mother and wife were the only named survivors.
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It is also said that he was a farmer until he was 24 years of age.
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United States
District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
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Keatts was a
Republican politician. In the 1890s, he was elected
390:"13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery"
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In 1881, he was married to Mary Warren. He was a member of the
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Caste and Class: The Black Experience in Arkansas, 1880-1920
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appointed him to the position of crier and messenger of the
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African-American politicians during the Reconstruction Era
348:"What's in a name? Plenty, Mosaic Templars supporters say"
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He farmed up to 1875, when he became a clerk for the U.S.
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United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
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430:. University of Arkansas Press. pp. vii–xi.
325:. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 13–16.
545:. University of Georgia Press. pp. 76–77.
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16:American politician and fraternal order founder
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598:. University of Arkansas Press. p. xix.
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214:Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America
104:(1854–1908), a former slave, co-founded the
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227:Beginning in 1905, he was afflicted with
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741:Politicians from Little Rock, Arkansas
539:Fon Louise Gordon (January 1, 2007).
7:
751:20th-century African-American people
731:African Americans in law enforcement
14:
623:"Prominent Negro Politician Dies"
595:From Slavery to Uncertain Freedom
428:From Slavery to Uncertain Freedom
322:From Slavery to Uncertain Freedom
459:Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage
1:
629:. January 18, 1908. p. 7
573:. January 17, 1908. p. 3
487:Nina Mjagkij (May 13, 2013).
721:19th-century American slaves
688:– via Newspapers.com.
649:"Image - Chester W. Keatts"
637:– via Newspapers.com.
581:– via Newspapers.com.
455:"2016 Economic Advancement"
767:
680:. June 21, 1908. p. 5
519:Merriam-Webster Dictionary
493:. Routledge. p. 301.
233:Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery
220:. He was a trustee of the
106:Mosaic Templars of America
90:Mosaic Templars of America
567:"Colored Mail Clerk Dead"
28:
490:Organizing Black America
346:Peacock, Leslie Newell.
190:Organizing Black America
736:American civil servants
218:Prince Hall Freemasonry
746:United States Marshals
678:Daily Arkansas Gazette
674:"Sues for Maintenance"
653:Mosaic Templars Center
627:Daily Arkansas Gazette
369:Mosaic Templars Center
185:
592:John William (1996).
422:John William (1996).
319:Randy Finley (1996).
110:Little Rock, Arkansas
94:Little Rock, Arkansas
55:Little Rock, Arkansas
366:"Keatts, Chester W."
222:First Baptist Church
142:Railway Mail Service
79:U.S. Deputy Marshall
716:American Freemasons
153:Henry Clay Caldwell
132:education in 1874.
128:. He completed his
253:Reconstruction era
126:American Civil War
51:September 25, 1854
605:978-1-61075-166-7
571:Arkansas Democrat
552:978-0-8203-3130-0
500:978-1-135-58123-7
461:. 26 January 2017
437:978-1-61075-166-7
396:. 27 January 2016
394:National Archives
332:978-1-61075-166-7
196:With his friend,
102:Chester W. Keatts
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35:Chester W. Keatts
23:Chester W. Keatts
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114:Republican Party
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188:—Nina Mjagkij,
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88:Co-founded the
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515:"Police court"
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424:"Introduction"
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85:Known for
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70:(aged 53)
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198:John E. Bush
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68:(1908-01-16)
711:1908 deaths
706:1854 births
700:Categories
291:References
274:offenses."
120:Early life
75:Occupation
47:1854-09-25
159:. Judge
684:May 27,
658:May 27,
633:May 27,
577:May 27,
524:May 27,
465:May 27,
400:May 27,
374:May 27,
163:of the
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549:
497:
434:
329:
229:dropsy
216:, and
136:Career
239:Notes
686:2018
660:2018
635:2018
600:ISBN
579:2018
547:ISBN
526:2018
495:ISBN
467:2018
432:ISBN
402:2018
376:2018
327:ISBN
63:Died
57:, US
41:Born
108:in
92:in
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676:.
651:.
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614:^
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49:)
45:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
