| William Aloysius Keleher was born in 1886 in | | | | fields It was then when the "Mechem-Keleher" |
| Lawrence, Kansas. His parents, David Keleher | | | | report on the Gallup coal strike was |
| and Mary Ann Keleher moved to Albuquerque, | | | | engendered that forced the federal government |
| New Mexico in 1889. There, William enrolled | | | | to settle the strike. |
| at Saint Mary's Parochial School and studied | | | | |
| until 1900 when he started working as a | | | | William's service on the New Mexico State |
| messenger for the Western Union Telegraph | | | | University (previously known as the New |
| Company. His initial position was that of a | | | | Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic |
| counter clerk. However, he was promoted to | | | | Arts), the Museum of New Mexico, the Old |
| the post of telegraph operator within a short | | | | Lincoln County Memorial Commission was |
| time. William tried different alternatives | | | | greatly appreciated. He also held a few |
| career after that. For a brief period, he | | | | private sector positions carrying tremendous |
| worked for the board of education and a | | | | importance. He was the director of the US |
| development company called Bluewater (both | | | | Equitable Life Assurance Society and the |
| situated locally). His praiseworthy writing | | | | legal counsel for the New Mexico Public |
| skills caught the attention of local | | | | Service Company. |
| newspapermen who instantly appointed him as a | | | | |
| newspaper reporter in the year of 1908. | | | | It will not be an exaggeration to opine that |
| Meanwhile, he also wrote for the Albuquerque | | | | William's most significant non-professional |
| Journal and Albuquerque Evening Herald. Later | | | | activities were his writings. He was an eager |
| on, he would act as the city editor for both | | | | scholar of New Mexico history and he |
| newspapers. He came in touch with many | | | | officially became an authoritative author on |
| prominent New Mexicans while working as a | | | | the topic in 1929 when he delivered a speech |
| reporter. This was the time when he got | | | | on the Maxwell Land Grant in a conference |
| interested in law while observing | | | | held in Amarillo, Texas. Interestingly, it |
| contemporary events. William enrolled in the | | | | resulted in his first book which was entitled |
| Law School at Washington and Lee University | | | | "The Maxwell Land Grant" (1942). He went on |
| in September, 1913 and after merely two | | | | to write more books after publishing that |
| years, graduated successfully in 1915. He was | | | | work. It is truly a praiseworthy fact that |
| admitted to the New Mexico Bar in that same | | | | William never neglected his law firm's |
| year. After returning to Albuquerque, he | | | | regular hours despite the demands of writing |
| commenced working as city attorney. He, then, | | | | books like The Fabulous Frontier, Turmoil in |
| joined a legal practice with George Downer | | | | New Mexico, Violence in Lincoln Country, New |
| which lasted till 1930. The next year, he | | | | Mexicans I Knew, and Memoirs. His last book |
| founded another practice with A.H. McLeod. It | | | | came out in 1969. |
| should be noted that the firm still exists | | | | |
| after so many years. Moreover, it is | | | | William was honored by innumerable groups for |
| considered one of the best law firms in that | | | | his impressive accomplishments. Among them, |
| zone. | | | | the Immaculate Conception Church, Tucker |
| | | | Chapter of Phi-Delta-Phi, and the Phi Beta |
| Outside the professional life, William was | | | | Kappa were considered the most elite ones. In |
| also a diligently active New Mexican citizen. | | | | addition, William was also honored by few |
| For several years, he acted as the chairman | | | | educational institutes. He received an |
| of the Democratic State Central Committee of | | | | honorary Master of Arts and an honorary LL.D |
| New Mexico. He served under the State Board | | | | in 1946 and 1968, respectively from the same |
| of Finance from 1932 to 1949. When the first | | | | university (University of New Mexico). He |
| national bank of Albuquerque failed miserably | | | | received another LL.D from the University of |
| in 1933, he served as its conservator. In | | | | Albuquerque in 1968. Eventually, he was |
| 1933, Governor appointed William to | | | | included in the prestigious New Mexico Hall |
| investigate the labor altercation in the coal | | | | of Fame, in the year of 1964. |