Sir William Keith, 4th Baronet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Keith
Colonial Governor of Pennsylvania
In office 1717–1726
Personal details
Born	1669 (1669) Boddam Castle, Scotland
Died	18 November 1749(1749-11-18) (aged 79–80) London, Great Britain
Signature

Sir William Keith, 4th Baronet (1669 – 18 November 1749) was a Scottish leader who helped run British colonies in America. He served as the lieutenant-governor of Pennsylvania and Delaware from 1717 to 1726.

Early Life in Scotland

William Keith was born in Boddam Castle in Scotland. He was born around 1669 and was the oldest son in his family. This meant he would inherit his father's special title, "Baronet."

He went to Marischal College at the University of Aberdeen and finished his studies in 1687. His family supported a different royal family for the throne of Great Britain. Because of this, William Keith lived for a while with the exiled King James's son, who was called "the Pretender."

When Queen Anne became queen in 1702, many people who had supported the other royal family were allowed to return to Great Britain. William Keith came back, but he soon got involved in more secret plans. In 1703, he was arrested because people thought he was working against the queen.

Starting a Political Career

In 1714, William Keith got a job as a surveyor-general for collecting taxes in North America. He moved to Virginia. However, he lost this job when a new political group, the Whigs, came into power.

Around this time, his father was also involved in a rebellion in 1715 and had to leave the country. William Keith then applied for a new job: lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and the three counties that are now Delaware. He traveled to England and returned to America with this important position.

Life as Governor

While he was the lieutenant governor, Keith lived in a large house called Graeme Park in Pennsylvania. People in the colonies liked him. He helped create a local army, even though many people in Pennsylvania were Quakers who believed in peace. He also set up a special court system.

Keith worked to keep peace with Native American tribes by holding meetings with them. He also helped pass laws that allowed wives of sailors to run their own businesses while their husbands were away at sea.

Helping Benjamin Franklin

In 1723, Keith encouraged a young 17-year-old Benjamin Franklin to start his own printing business in Philadelphia. Keith promised to help Franklin financially. Franklin traveled to England to buy equipment for his shop. However, when he arrived, he found that Keith had not sent the promised letters of recommendation. Franklin realized that people who knew Keith did not trust his promises. Franklin stayed in London for three years. He later returned to Philadelphia and opened his printing business in 1728 with a different partner.

Challenges and Debt

In 1718, William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania, passed away. Keith then had disagreements with Penn's widow about how to run the colony. He tried hard to stay popular with the colonists.

Two years later, his father died, and William Keith inherited his father's title. But his father had many debts, and William Keith also became deeply in debt.

Penn's widow and her family worked together against Keith. They wanted a new lieutenant-governor. Keith tried to defend himself and led a group that opposed them. He was elected to the assembly, which is like a local government, but he did not get the top job he wanted. After being re-elected the next year, he left the colony and went back to England to avoid the people he owed money to. His family stayed in Philadelphia.

Later Years and Death

On his trip back to England, Keith wrote a paper about the American colonies. In it, he warned that the French were moving into British lands. He also suggested a "stamp tax" on colonists to pay for soldiers. A stamp tax meant people would have to pay a small fee for official papers or documents.

While in England, he helped the London Board of Trade make a peace agreement with the Cherokee people. He continued to write about colonial issues. His money problems were so bad that he could not return to Pennsylvania to see his family. He also could not afford to bring them to England.

William Keith loved to live a fancy lifestyle, which meant he often spent more money than he had. In his final years, he was very poor and even spent some time in a prison for people who owed money. He died on November 18, 1749, in London. It is not clear if he was in prison when he died, or if he was just renting a cheap room there.

Images for kids

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  Sir William Keith's signature.