Elmer Keith's family today

[omgb]

I just finished reading "Hell, I was there" by Keith. OK, now my curiosity is up. When did Elmer's wife Lorraine pass away?

How about his son Ted? He would have to be about 70-73 now. Is he still up and going?

[Swagerman]

I too, would like to find out some information on Ted Keith.

Accually think we served together in the same Navy air squadron, VC-35 that later became VA AW-35. This unit was based at NAS North Island San Diego, CA. around 1955 to 1957.

The Ted Keith I met there was an electronics electrican, he knew I was avid shooter who spent a lot of time in the eastern desert down there.

What makes me think its the same Ted Keith, the guy was from Montana, he had a Colt SAS in .44 special, that looked like it was done by Croft, and his belt and holster looked same as some of Elmer's rig...the Montana style belt that was tall in its height.

If it was him, he never mentioned his Pap, Elmer.

Jim

[Bret4207]

IIRC Lorraine died a couple years after Elmer. Ted was a CPA last I knew and thats it.

[mark348]

there is an article in the sept 2006 percision shooting,,,by al marion,,, he talks about helping ted with the cabelas elmer keith musem in idaho,,,so at least last year ted as still doing well,,,,he made sure elmers trophies and many guns were to finally be on display,,,, i hope to go eventually

[G. Keith 444]

I am Elmer Keiths grandson and the Keith family is in bad shape. My son and I will stand by my father no matter what happens but my dad has gone through a hard time with my older sisters fighting over gun money and control over the estate and Ted. Ted is getting divorced but he has me and my son and we will never let anyone or anything harm him.

[Nueces]

Sorry to hear that, GK, but thanks for checking in with us. I bet many of us would want to help y'all out if that were workable. Please let us know.

[slim1836]

It is good that you are there for him, as it should be. I pray that all gets worked out so he can move on and enjoy life to the fullest.

Slim

[M-96 Hunter]

Elmer's guns were all sold off. That's the $ they are fighting over. Same old story.

[Warhawk]

I am Elmer Keiths grandson and the Keith family is in bad shape. My son and I will stand by my father no matter what happens but my dad has gone through a hard time with my older sisters fighting over gun money and control over the estate and Ted. Ted is getting divorced but he has me and my son and we will never let anyone or anything harm him.

Sorry to hear that. But know that your grandfather had a huge impact on the world of guns, shooting, and ammo.

[Char-Gar]

This is a sad but all to familiar story. Death and money brings out the worse in people. You find out what people are really like in these times.

[Artful]

G. Keith 444 , thanks for keeping us up to date - Elmer was a great writer and educator for many of us - Tell your father to hang in there from all of us

[smoked turkey]

G Keith 444 By all means stand by your amazing and iconic grandfather Elmer, and his son, your dad, Ted as well. The situation as you and Char-Gar have so well described has played out in family after family and brings nothing but shame on them. Not so to you, your dad, or grandfather. Sounds like you are all good men and you seem to be raising your son to be one to be proud of also.

[Thin Man]

G. Keith 444, when I was very young and just getting started in my love for the world of firearms I was challenged by a question I could not answer. It was technical and way over my head. At that time Elmer was working with one of the magazine companies posting responses to mail-in questions. I wrote to him with my query, and he responded. He hand wrote his response directly on the letter I had mailed to him. When I opened the envelope and saw his hand writing, I had to sit down and let the reality of the event soak in. It was hard for me to believe that one of the greatest men I had ever heard of would take the time to communicate directly with a new shooter with his wisdom and experience. I still have that letter stored in a secure area to preserve it. I'm very sorry for your family's conflicts, but as others have said that is the usual outcome when estate assets are being divided. I hope all this gets resolved and your family can find peace.

[Streetwalker]

One thing that was very apparent to me when reading Elmer Keith's book "Hell, I Was There" is that Elmer was an incredibly tough and resilient man who overcame severe physical setbacks and other difficulties in his life. I would like to think that same tenacity and basic toughness has carried over to Elmer's children and grandkids and that the rough patch they are going through now will pass and the whole Keith family will come back together and prosper.

[Lloyd Smale]

your grandpa was is one of my heros. Its sounds like some of his blood runs through your veins. Id bet hed be real proud of his grandson.

I am Elmer Keiths grandson and the Keith family is in bad shape. My son and I will stand by my father no matter what happens but my dad has gone through a hard time with my older sisters fighting over gun money and control over the estate and Ted. Ted is getting divorced but he has me and my son and we will never let anyone or anything harm him.

[sixshot]

G Keith, although I never met your father Ted I did meet your grandfather several times in the 70's & bought most of his books which he signed for me. My wife always liked to sew so she would sit & visit with your grandmother Lorraine while Elmer would take me out back to his trophy/writing room in the back yard, it was a great time for a young guy like me to meet such a great man who was patient & shared so many memories of life, hunts, guns, loads, etc. Good for you for looking out for your father & I hope all goes well for your family. As mentioned I'm sure many forum members would jump in & help. Family problems over money/estates can be nasty, we've been there! Also, lets not forget that John Taffin had been a big help with the Keith family in getting the Cabelas store to display much of what Elmer had in his back yard trophy room before the guns were auctioned. I have several photo's of that same room in the back yard.

Dick

[John Ross]

I am Elmer Keiths grandson and the Keith family is in bad shape. My son and I will stand by my father no matter what happens but my dad has gone through a hard time with my older sisters fighting over gun money and control over the estate and Ted. Ted is getting divorced but he has me and my son and we will never let anyone or anything harm him.

Mr. Keith:
I hope this message finds you, as I see you only posted the one message on this board, almost a year ago.

I started corresponding with your grandfather in 1971 when I got a .44 magnum M29 for my 14th birthday. After dozens of letters back and forth over the next 4 years, I spent several days each summer from 1975 to 1978 with Elmer and Lorraine in Salmon. He was a powerful influence on me and my interest in firearms, and he always invited me to his attic where he kept all of his best guns.

I built my first .50 BMG rifle in 1976 and took it out to show him that summer. He liked it!

Maybe two or three years after Elmer died, I was in a gun shop, Cape Outfitters, here in Missouri. The owner, Don Shrum, said he had three (I think) of Elmer's guns for sale. I was skeptical, as I understood all of Elmer's guns were being retained by the family for display in a museum that they hoped to create. Shrum said that the guns in his shop had been sold by your father to get funds to buy a boat, and to his knowledge were the only firearms that had left Elmer's estate at that time (1986 or thereabouts).

I looked at the three guns. One was a German bolt action rifle in (I think) 9.3x64 caliber with typical German stock design and carving that I find unattractive. The second was some other long gun (shotgun or rifle, I don't recall) that I didn't remember seeing before in Elmer's attic.

The third gun, however, was one I had handled myself at Elmer's house a decade before: His single shot Rigby Farquharson .577 Nitro that he had often written about. I knew it was the same gun not only because I'd handled it before, but because I really like Farquharsons and it is well known that John Rigby & Co. only made one .577 Farquharson in their entire history.

Could you or your father Ted shed more light on the details of the guns from Elmer's estate that ended up at Cape Outfitters in Missouri in the mid-to late 1980s? Was it three guns, as I recall, or a different number? What were the other guns, besides the Rigby .577 single shot?

Here's some photos:


In Elmer's attic in 1975; me examining a Farquharson in a smaller caliber, don't remember what, stocked by Iver Henriksen IIRC, June 1975.


With Elmer and the first .50BMG I built, June 1976

[Hardcast416taylor]

Back in the 1960`s I was fortunate to meet your GrandDad Elmer at a William`s Gunsight dinner for their dealers. Elmer was the guest speaker and had many funny anectdotes about his hunting adventures. I had him autograph my name tag and `rescued` an empty beer can that he had drained and sat down. Sadly both those items are gone missing somewhere.Robert

[TheGrimReaper]

Mr. Keith:
I hope this message finds you, as I see you only posted the one message on this board, almost a year ago.

I started corresponding with your grandfather in 1971 when I got a .44 magnum M29 for my 14th birthday. After dozens of letters back and forth over the next 4 years, I spent several days each summer from 1975 to 1978 with Elmer and Lorraine in Salmon. He was a powerful influence on me and my interest in firearms, and he always invited me to his attic where he kept all of his best guns.

I built my first .50 BMG rifle in 1976 and took it out to show him that summer. He liked it!

Maybe two or three years after Elmer died, I was in a gun shop, Cape Outfitters, here in Missouri. The owner, Don Shrum, said he had three (I think) of Elmer's guns for sale. I was skeptical, as I understood all of Elmer's guns were being retained by the family for display in a museum that they hoped to create. Shrum said that the guns in his shop had been sold by your father to get funds to buy a boat, and to his knowledge were the only firearms that had left Elmer's estate at that time (1986 or thereabouts).

I looked at the three guns. One was a German bolt action rifle in (I think) 9.3x64 caliber with typical German stock design and carving that I find unattractive. The second was some other long gun (shotgun or rifle, I don't recall) that I didn't remember seeing before in Elmer's attic.

The third gun, however, was one I had handled myself at Elmer's house a decade before: His single shot Rigby Farquharson .577 Nitro that he had often written about. I knew it was the same gun not only because I'd handled it before, but because I really like Farquharsons and it is well known that John Rigby & Co. only made one .577 Farquharson in their entire history.

Could you or your father Ted shed more light on the details of the guns from Elmer's estate that ended up at Cape Outfitters in Missouri in the mid-to late 1980s? Was it three guns, as I recall, or a different number? What were the other guns, besides the Rigby .577 single shot?

Here's some photos:


In Elmer's attic in 1975; me examining a Farquharson in a smaller caliber, don't remember what, stocked by Iver Henriksen IIRC, June 1975.


With Elmer and the first .50BMG I built, June 1976

Than-you what a neat story.

[repeat]

I know this is a long ago thread but I have to mention how I met Elmer Keith.
In 1979 a new release of a book by Elmer Keith would hit the market and a gun show where I lived would have them.
At the show I had a table with a few guns for sale and asked the person next to me to look after my table while I went to buy a book and when I got there a lady said Elmer Keith is here signing books but he is out right now so I bought the book Hell I was there and went to the hotdog stand and bought a hot dog and went to the condiment stand to fix my hot dog and a wiery older gentleman was there fixing his hot dog and we had a short conversation as I mentioned I just bought the book.I said he was a legend and he said he is not all he is cracked up to be and went back to my table.That man came by my table and picked up my book and signed it,Elmer Keith and winked at me.
That book was stolen from my table by some low life and I can't find that book anywhere for a reasonable price.Still is a legend.