Benjamin Keller (1789 - 1870)

Born 28 May 1789 in York, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 13 Sep 1870 at age 81 in Fairfield, Ohio, United States

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Biography

^[1]BENJAMIN KELLER, the third child of Henry and Catherine (Seitz) Keller, was "born on the original Henry Keller homestead, six and one-half miles southeast of York, Pa., May 28, 1789.
In 1808 the Keller family removed to Fairfield County. Ohio, and settled in Pleasant Township, five miles north of Lancaster, on what is now the Lancaster and Newark Pike.

He was married in the year 1812 to MARY KELLER, who was born May 1, 1789. Whether or not she was related to him is not known. The claim is made, though, that they were married in Pennsylvania. If this is true then it is possible that Benjamin remained in Pennsylvania when his parents moved to Ohio, and did not follow them until after his marriage. However, after his marriage, according to his son. John L. Keller, they lived in Pennsylvania until two children were born to them. Benjamin and his wife lived with his parents in Fairfield County, Ohio, for the period of two years. Then he bought his brother John's farm of 100 acres. He lived on this farm a number of years, alter which he sold out and removed to Knox County, near Mt. Vernon. Ohio. Here on the 22nd of April, 1834. his faithful wife died. She had borne him eight children. It is believed that at about this time he lived for two years south of Mt. Vernon, on Owl Creek, in the Cherry Valley.

In 1834 he was united in marriage to SARAH LAYMAN, who was born in 1814. Later, he moved back again to Knox County. This time be bought a one-hundred-acre farm near North Liberty. He lived there until 1856 when he again sold his farm and returned to Fairfield County, where he bought thirty acres of land about five miles northeast of Lancaster, near Colfax. This place was about three and one-half miles from his father's old homestead. Here he lived the rest of his life.

He departed this life in peace Sept. 13, 1870, while his widow died in 1898, having been a widow for 28 years. The children were, eight by liis first marriage and eight by his second, although it is claimed that he was the father of nineteen children. After hisdeath his widow lived on the home place for seven years, after which she lived with her daughter, Margaret, near Lancaster. Both are buried in the Pleasant Hill graveyard, of the United BrethrenChurch.

Children:

1. Jacob Keller, b. Sept. 13, 1813.
2. Elizabeth Keller, b. Jan. 17, 1815.
3. Christian Keller, b. April 21, 1817.
4. Catherine Keller, b. Nov. 14. 1819.
5. Mary Keller, b. Sept. 16, 1823.
6. Leah Keller, b. May 27, 1825.
7. Benjamin Keller, b. Apr. 14. 1827,; d. at four or five years of age.
8. Henry Keller, b. Apr. 14, 1829.
9. Caroline Keller, b. Feb. 5, 1836.
10. Solomon Keller, b. Oct. 22, 1838.
11. John L. Keller, b. Dec. I5, 1841.
12. George Washington Keller, b. Mar. 3, 1844; d. June 12, 1850.
13. Grace Keller, b. in 1847.
14. Isaac Keller, b. Sept. 28, 1847.
15. Margaret Jane Keller, b. Dec. 17, 1851.
16. Daniel Jefferson Keller, b. May 10, 1857.
17. An infant, deceased.

Sources

1. ↑ Jones, Zarel., Keller, Amos. Descendants of Henry Keller of York County, Pennsylvania and Fairfield County, Ohio. United States: E.S. Shumaker, 1924. pp. 77ff https://www.google.com/books/edition/Descendants_of_Henry_Keller_of_York_Coun/ph5WAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

• Find A Grave memorial page for Benjamin Keller (28 May 1789–13 Sep 1870), Find A Grave: Memorial #22215134, citing Pleasant Hill United Methodist Cemetery, Pleasant Hill, Fairfield County, Ohio, USA ;