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From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 853-854
ABRAHAM KEY, one of the defenders of the union during the Rebellion, and a representative citizen of Patch Grove township, belongs to one of the pioneer families of Grant county, and for many years was a resident of Wyalusing township. He was born in Pike county, Ill., in 1835, his parents being Marshall and Sarah (SCHALL) KEY. The name KEY is a historic one, and some of the representatives of this family have attained to national fame. The branch of the family to which Abraham KEY belongs is along the same line of descent, thought a little remote, as was Francis Scott KEY, the famous author of the "Star Spangled Banner." Philip Barton KEY, who was slain in Washington many years ago by Gen. Sickles, was descended from the same ancestry. The parents of Abraham KEY were married in Kentucky, and from that State moved to Illinois, coming to the territory of Wisconsin in 1841, and locating near Montfort, Grant county. Subsequently they removed to Lancaster, and still later to Beetown. The father was engaged in lead mining for many years, and in those early days the places above mentioned produced large quantities of lead ore. Later the family took up their residence in Wyalusing township, where the father died in 1879, and the mother passed away some years later. In their family were eight children, three sons and five daughters, all of whom are living at the present writing, in 1900, with the exception of George. The others are Eliza, Amanda, Abraham, Surilda, Nancy, Mary Ann and Benton. The eldest daughter, Eliza, is now a resident of Minnesota.
Abraham KEY remained under the parental roof until he entered the service of his country during her hour of peril. He enlisted Sept. 3, 1864, in the 1st Wis. Heavy Artillery, and was in active service until the close of the war. The command nominally belonged to the Army of the Potomac, and a large part of its service was in defense of the national capital, being assigned to the fortifications around the city of Washington. Its duties were arduous, and often called for the exercise of as much skill and bravery as did the more active service at the front. After the war Mr. KEY returned to the old homestead in Wyalusing township.
In 1871 Mr. KEY was married to Miss Laura HERRING, also a native of Illinois, and they have become the parents of eight children, three sons and five daughters, namely: Abraham, Jesse, Lloyd Fitch, Mary, Nellie, Jennie, Wisconsin Belle and Millie. Mr. KEY was a faithful soldier in the war for the Union, and as a citizen is highly respected by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance. For more than a quarter of a century he made his home in Wyalusing township, but is now an honored resident of Patch Grove. Fraternally he is a worthy member of the G.A.R. Post of Bloomington.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck