Agnes Newton Keith - Marriage and Children

Marriage and Children

In 1934, she married Henry G. Keith, known as Harry Keith, an Englishman, had been a friend of her brother Al when both boys had been at the same school in San Diego, and Agnes had first met him when she was eight years old. Keith had gone on to work for the government of North Borneo, and Agnes had not seen him in ten years when he visited California while on leave in 1934. However, as soon as they re-met they decided to get married, and were wed three days later. Three months after their marriage, following an operation to cure Agnes's eyesight, they sailed for Borneo.

Henry and Agnes Keith had two children: daughter Jean Allison Keith (born August 30, 1947) and son Henry George Newton Keith (born April 5, 1940). Their daughter Jean is mentioned, though not by name, in Keith's first book, "Land Below the Wind", on page 174 of the first edition: "A picture stood on the table by us of our little girl at home in her party dress." On page 171, while discussing small-boy Usit with Harry, she says, "I'm afraid I'm too lazy to take on the job of being a parent again." Copies of White Man Returns are dedicated "To my children George and Jean". Jean was invited to the celebrations for the reissue of Land Below the Wind in Sabah on 6 July 2007.