Mr Keeling was born in Liverpool and came to New Zealand in the ship "Minerua" in 1859. He was appointed as the first teacher of the first public school in Palmerston North in 1873 and three years later started business as a land and commission agent. He was appointed as the Borough's first town clerk (part time) from 1877-1879, and full time from 1879-1907. He died in 1910.