John Christie M Kehlor (1839 - 1885)

Born 20 Jan 1839 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Isabella M. (Remer) Kehlor — married 1866 in New York

Descendants

Died 1 Jun 1885 at age 46 in Kenosha County, Wisconsin

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kirt Fetterling [send private message]

Biography

John was born in 1839. John McKehlor ... He passed away in 1885. His last name changed while in route to America as well as all of his siblings to appear more acceptable while doing business in America. The Mc in McKehlor was dropped and a middle initial for all siblings was taken so John was known now as John C M Kelhor (the C is for Christie)

• Fact: Residence (1841) Scotland
• Fact: Emigration (1857) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
• Fact: Residence (1861) Scotland
• Fact: Census (1870) Wisconsin, United States
• Fact: Occupation (about 1870) wholesale grocer
• Fact: Residence (1870) Age: 31; FatherForeignBirth: Y; MaleCitizenOverTwentyone: Y; MotherForeignBirth: Y; PersonalEstateValue: 5000; RealEstateValue: 10000; Occupation: Grain Dealer Elkhorn, Elkhorn, Walworth, Wisconsin, USA
• Fact: Residence (1871) Scotland
• Fact: Burial (1885) Kenosha County, Wisconsin

Name: John Christie M. Kehlor. Given Name: John Christie M. Surname: Kehlor. John Christie M. Kelhor. Given Name: John Christie M. Surname: Kelhor. John Christie Mack Kehlor. Given Name: John Christie Mack. Surname: Kehlor. Found multiple versions of name. Using John Christie M. Kehlor. A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

FSFTID LKRB-CWJ.

AMTID 242059166348:1030:156276730.

Note: Last name is also shown as McKelhor or McKellar or MacKellar. The name changet to apear more Ameerican for business purposes.

John Christie M. Kehlor (1839 - 1885). John was the first born to the family of Duncan McKellar and Elizabeth Brodie McKellar of Paisley, Scotland. His birth was on January 20, 1839(1). His early years were spent in school in Paisley and at an English School in Glasgow. He was a good student and learned fast. Also, he helped his father in the hand weaving and manufacture of Paisley Shawls from his father‘s own workshop in Ferguslie, Paisley, Scotland(2). It was in 1857 when John, then 18 years old, decided to come to America to seek his fortune. It is interesting to note that Scotland did not require the recording of births and deaths before 1855. The best conformation of these and other events are from marriage proclamations, baptisms and other church records or the deeding of lands in Scotland. lt is thought that John entered this country through the Port of New York by sailing ship. However, the Ellis Island immigration registration was not in operation before the year 1892, so we can not be sure of the exact date of his landing here. Somewhere between Scotland and early into America, John Christie McKellar decided to change his surname to Kehlor as did his 2 brothers and 2 sisters upon their entry into this country—obviously, a prearranged plan(3). The dropping of the "Mc" was recorded as a middle initial while the original Scottish name Kellar was altered to a German looking and sounding Kehlor (pronounced Keh-lor, not Kah-lor). For economic reasons, a German name was thought to be better in the grain and matting businesses to which he aspired. He first settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he was in paper making for a short period and then on to Waterford and Elkhorn, Wisconsin, engaging in the grain business. Sometime later he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and with his brother, James Brodie M. Kehlor, established the _“Kehlor Brothers Flour Manufacturers" of that city in 1858(4). This date doesn’t relate to James’ arrival in America, but may have been expedient for business reasons.

J.C.M. Kehlor stayed in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, for a number of years. lt was in 1866 he married his wife, lsabella Remer, in Elkhorn. She was born in New York State in 1844. Both were members of the Episcopal Church. Their children were seven in number and were named as follows: Bertha Elizabeth b 2 Apr 1865 - d ?, the wife of L.W. Stebbins, of Chicago, Illinois;. John M., of Kenosha b 09 Mar 1867 – d Dec 1918;. James Remer, of Chicago b 30 Jun 1869 – d 10 Mar 1922;. Stephen Eugene, of Chicago b 23 Oct 1874;. Duncan Howard, of St. Louis b 3 May 1877 d 31 Dec 1959;. and two daughters who died in infancy Adah Isabella b 1871 – d 1872;. Jennie b 1873 – d 1873. When their oldest male child, John M., was six years old, the family moved to St. Louis, where they spent one year, after which, in 1873, the family returned to Wisconsin and settled in Kenosha. John Christie M. Kehlor continued in active business until his death at age 46, on June 1, 1885. His wife, Isabella Flemer Kehlor, passed away three years later on May 16, 1888(5). Until his death, John Christie M. Kehlor, held a large interest in the M. H. Pettit Melting Company of Kenosha and retained, for a short time, his co-ownership with his brother in the Kehlor Brothers Flour Mills of St. Louis. James Brodie M. Kehlor, his younger brother bought out his interest in the mills in 1874. Duncan, a third brother, was never a part of the Kehlor Brothers Operation. 1. Kencsha Commemorative Biographical Record - Page 64. Memo from D.H. Kehlor to J.M. Kehlor 1955 2. Old Parochial Register, Paisley Abbey 559/8 per letterby Mrs. A.Fl. Bigwood, M.A., M.Litt.,Ftesearcher 3. 1880 U.S. Population Census records of St. Louis, Missouri, per copy by Mr. Ed Schmidt, Researcher 4. Missouri Historical Society Vertical File "l' he City ot St. Louis and its Resources" pub.:1893 by SL Star-Sayings 5. History of Vlfisconsln by Ellis Usher , pages 2181, 2182 and 2183. Biographical Sketch from L.R. Stein, Archivist.

Marriage 9 MAY 1864. Dawson, Wisconsin, United States. ^[1]

Name John C Keller.

Event Type Marriage.

Event Date 09 May 1864.

Event Place , Dawson, Wisconsin, United States.

Gender Male.

Spouse's Name Isabella Remer.

Spouse's Gender Female.

Residence 1841 Scotland ^[2]

Name John Mckellar.

Event Type Census.

Event Date 1841.

Gender Male.

Age 2.

Birthplace Renfrewshire.

Parish Greenock.

County Renfrewshire.

Birth Year (Estimated) 1839.

1861 Scotland ^[3]

Name John Mckellar.

Event Type Census.

Event Date 1861.

Gender Male.

Age 21.

Birthplace Renfrewshire.

County Renfrewshire.

Birth Year (Estimated) 1840.

1870 Elkhorn, Elkhorn, Walworth, Wisconsin, USA. ^[4]

J C M Kehlor M 31 Scotland, Personal Estate Value: 5000; Real Estate Value: 10000; Occupation: Grain Dealer

Belle Kehlor F 26 New York.

Bertha Kehlor F 5 Wisconsin.

John Kehlor M 3 Wisconsin.

James Kehlor M 1 Wisconsin.

H R Donns F 59 New York.

Nancy Donaghue F 15 Wisconsin.

1871 Scotland ^[5]

Name John Mckellar.

Event Type Census.

Event Date 1871.

Gender Male.

Age 31.

Birthplace Renfrewshire.

Registration District East Greenock.

County Renfrewshire.

Birth Year (Estimated) 1840.

1880 Kenosha, Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States. Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Self. ^[6]

Emigration: 1857 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. ^[7]

Name John M Kehler.

Event Type Immigration.

Event Date 1879.

Event Place New York City, New York, United States.

Gender Male.

Age 40.

Birth Year (Estimated) 1839.

Birthplace Scotland.

Ship Name Scythia.

Occupation: wholesale grocer. ABT 1875.

Buried 1885 Green Ridge Cemetery, Kenosha, Kenosha County, Wisconsin. ^[8]

Research Notes

Emigration source has 1857 and information about 1879, but Scotland census included for 1861 and 1871

Census in Scotland in 1871 conflicts with census in United States in 1870.

Sources

1. ↑ "Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911," database, FamilySearch (https:/familysearch.org/ark:/619031:1:XRDQ-R8W : 3 June 2016), John C Keller and Isabella Remer, 09 May 1864; citing , Dawson, Wisconsin, United States, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison; FHL microfilm 1,275,585.
2. ↑ "Scotland Census, 1841," database, FamilySearch (https:/familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYCB-N6F : 13 October 2014), John Mckellar, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland; from "1841 England, Scotland & Wales census," database, findmypast (http:/www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing p. 7, PRO HO 107, New Register House, Edinburgh; FHL microfilm 1,042,723.
3. ↑ "Scotland Census, 1861," database, FamilySearch (https:/familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB77-C5L : 14 October 2014), John Mckellar, , Renfrewshire, Scotland; from "1861 England, Scotland & Wales census," database, findmypast (http:/www.findmypast.com : 2012.); citing p. 13, PRO RG 9, The National Archives UK, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 103,903.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https:/familysearch.org/ark:/619031:1:MNSZ-FPL : 17 October 2014), John Kehlor in household of J C M Kehlor, Wisconsin, United States; citing p. 11, family 87, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 553,240.
5. ↑ "Scotland Census, 1871," database, FamilySearch (https:/familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBLW-9X7 : 16 November 2014), John Mckellar, East Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland; from "1871 England, Scotland & Wales census," database, findmypast (http:/www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing p. 11, PRO T 1, The National Archives UK, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 104,083.
6. ↑ Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census (Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010). Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Year: 1880; Census Place: Kenosha, Kenosha, Wisconsin; Roll: 1431; Page: 27A; Enumeration District: 076 File File: (removed) Format: jpg PHOTO Scrapbook: N 201
7. ↑ "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https:/familysearch.org/ark:/619031:1:QVSK-F8PT : 15 April 2015), John M Kehler, 1879; citing NARA microfilm publication M237 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm .
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 16 May 2020), memorial page for John C M Kehlor (20 Jan 1839–1 Jun 1885), Find A Grave: Memorial #114772370, citing Green Ridge Cemetery, Kenosha, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, USA ; Maintained by Har37x (contributor 47671892) . Gravestone picture

See Also:

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 01 March 2018, 02:33), entry for John Christie M. Kehlor(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LKRB-CWJ); contributed by various users.

Acknowledgements

• Profile created by Kirt Fetterling,