Benjamin Keller
Subj: Re: Keller Date: 8/5/99 9:53:00 AM EDT
From: Dlsams To: Corpmiz
Here's the obit exactly as it appears (typos and all):
'Mr. Benjamin Keller died at his home in Wauseon, on Tuesday evening, March 23, 1886, aged 67 years and 9 months, of paralysis. Mr. Keller was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania and emigrated to Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1840. He came to Fulton county in 1850 and located on a farm in York township, near Turkey Foot, where he resided until about 15 years ago. The funeral occurred Friday, March 26, at Salem Church, in York, Rev. A. A. Schurer, of the Evangelical Church, of which the deceased was a member, officiating and the remains were deposit in the Rupert cemetery.'
I have no doubt the obit is actually 1886. It was cut from the same newspaper as the obit for my g-g-grandfather and the 2 obits were not separated. I'm sorry it does not contain more information. If Mr. Keller was married 4 times, you have my sympathy in trying to find all the women's names. I have the same problem with one of my g-g-g-grandfather's marriages. No problem finding the last 2, but it's the first one whom I need.
Perhaps Mr. Keller's first couple marriages occurred in Pickaway Co. ?? At least this is a clue as to where he was when he "came of age." I've never found any connection between Keller and the Lingle family, so they were most likely just acquainted.
Best of luck,
Donna Sams
Tombstone Inscriptions:
Ruppert Cemetery
Row 8
KELLER, Rev. Benjamin
Rebecca 20 Dec 1857
Sarah A. 23 Dec 1883
Caroline 2 Aug 1855
Elizabeth 12 Dec 1867
Abraham 7 Jan 1851
Emeline 27 May 1851
Caroline 16 Aug 1855
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6 Jun 1819 - 23 Mar 1886
Ae 21y-11m-15d
Ae 53y-8m-19d
Wives of Benj. Keller
Ae 35y-10m-2d
Ae 58y & 15d
Wives of Benj. Keller
Ae 44y-1m-1d
Ae 2y-11m-26d
Ae 14d
Children of B. & C. Keller
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(January 2, 2003)
Hi,
I am doing research on the Keller Family. I am a descendent of Benjamin and Caroline Keller. I came across some info that you had contributed on rootsweb, obituary for Benjamin and cemetery records from Ruppert Cemetery in Fulton County. According to the cemetery records, Rebecca one of his wives, died 20 Dec 1857 age 21y-11m-15d.
I have a family group record submitted by :
Erma Helen Peart
15616 Wet Hill Road
Nevada City, Ca. 95959
This record shows Rebecca Horner b. Abt 1825 in Pa., d. Nov 1858 married to Benjamin Keller b. 6 June 1818 in Rocklin Twp., Berks Co., Pa. d. 23 Mar 1885 in Wauseon, Ohio. According to her, they had a son Isaac Henry Keller b. 26 Nov 1858 in West Salem, Wayne, Ohio and died 14 May 1951 in Nevada City, Nevada, Ca.
I am assuming this is the same Benjamin and Rebecca that are buried in Ruppert Cemetery. I know that not all tombstone inscriptions are correct ( I have an aunt who died at sixteen and according to her tombstone she was in her thirties. I should have the error corrected on the stone for future records.) The problem with Rebecca's death date on the tombstone is that she died in December of 1857 before her son was born in Nov 1858. When I saw her family page, I assumed she had died in childbirth since she was so young. My question is whether or not you have any info that would clarify this? I noticed that you are a Keller so am assuming that this is also your family line.
I am a descendent of Matilda Keller, dau of Benjamin and Caroline. I am assuming that Caroline died in childbirth since according to the cemetery records she died 2 Aug 1855 and there is a daughter of B. & C. Keller named Carolina who died 16 Aug 1855 at the age of 14 days. That would have put her date of birth as 2 Aug, same as death date for Caroline.
Matilda Catherine Keller married John Allan Thrush and their first daughter was named Caroline (went by Carrie). I assumed she was named after Matilda's mother. I do not have a maiden name for Caroline, wife of Benjamin. Do you happen to know what it was?
I also have an individual record for Benjamin Keller, not sure if it was submitted by same person as above. This has same info for Benjamin but spouses are listed as Rebecca Horner, Catharine Kock, Elizabeth Bell, and Sara. There is no mention of a Caroline and I had no record of Catharine Kock. Can you shed any light on this descrepancy?
I will be happy to share any info that I have. My paternal grandmother was Cleo King Jenks, daughter of Lillie Mae Thrush and David Lorenzo King. Lillie was the daughter of Matilda Catherine Keller and John Allan Thrush. My grandmother knew her grandmother, Matilda. She was a very small woman, looked as though she may have had Indian in background and she was very religious. She and John moved from Ohio to Illinois, against the wishes of her family. John died suddenly when their four children were young. It is thought he had symptoms of what would have been pneumonia. A neighbor gave him strychnine tablets by mistake and he died the same day. Lillie remember him walking the children to the gate that morning when they left for school and he was dead when they got home. That was about 1888. Matilda and the children moved back to Ohio near her family and raised her four children there, Harvey, Caroline, Lillie and Benjamin Franklin (Frank). Caroline married Fred King and Lillie married his half-brother, David Lorenzo King. In 1905 the two King families moved to Coleman, Michigan.
I have recently been in contact with a grandson of Benjamin Franklin Thrush. He is also researching this family.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Faye Williams faye708@aol.com
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(August 3, 2008; jaforbes@cox.net)
I just stumbled across the Obit you posted for Benjamin Keller. I may have more information for you on this family in Berks Co PA. I believe he is the grandson of John Christoffel Keller b 1747 Nitsche, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, son of Jacob Keller. He was md to Catharine Delp. They had 12 children.
Christoffel emigrated in 1764 and settled in Rockland Twp, Berks Co. and served in the Revolution. Benjamin’s father was Abraham, Christoffel’s fifth child ( 4th son). Abraham was b 1789 and md Magdalena Specht. This family was a member of the Christ (Mertz) Lutheran Church in Drysville, PA where I found his brother’s baptismal record, also named Abraham, b 1825. No record of Benjamin’s baptism yet located.
My interest in this family is through Susanna Keller who md Joshua Boyer in about 1850. Their son Samuel was my maternal grandfather’s grandfather (gggrandfather). Samuel was bpt at Mertz Church in 1817 and his son Mahlon Boyer (my ggrandfather) was b in Delta, Fulton Co in 1873. They are all buried in Glenwood IA with my grandfather.
I believe Susanna b in 1822 also at Mertz Church (the Boyers had been members of this church and neighbors of the Kellers for decades) was either Benjamin and Abraham’s sister or their cousin. There is a christening record of Joshua and Susan at Mertz 24 March 1850 and then by 22 Aug 1850 they show up with their children (William b 1841, Samuel b 1843, Benjamin b 1847, and Abraham b 1850) in the US Census in Washington Twp, Pickaway Co OH. Benjamin Keller is also in this record listed as a shoe maker md to Caroline (he apparently had four wives) with children Abraham age 2 and Emaline age 1. The last person listed as living in Benjamin and Caroline’s household is brother Abraham Keller age 24.
In 1860 Benjamin, Joshua Boyer and Abraham are in York Twp Fulton Co living next to each other, all listed as farmers. Benjamin is md to Elizabeth. I also found Benjamin and Joshua in a 1858 York Twp Platt Map Sec 30 with adjacent farms. In 1870 Benjamin is still in York Twp md to Sarah DeLong (his 4th wife who was also from Berks Co). By 1880 he had moved to Wauseon.
Some of these connections are a bit sketchy but the circumstantial evidence is compelling. I have more information on the Berks Co Kellers if you don’t know this story.
Jim Forbes
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