Emil Keller (1863 - 1894)

Born 24 Nov 1863 in Hugelshofen, Thurgau, Switzerland

Husband of Marie Elizabeth (Mertens) Keller — married 28 May 1890 in District of Columbia, United States

Died 25 Jan 1894 at age 30 in Auburn, Cayuga, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Sharon Hinshaw-Payne [send private message]

Biography

Emil Keller is of Swiss descent

Emil was born 24 November 1863 at Hugelshofen Switzerland, son of Joh. Jacob Keller and Anna Cathrina Lauchenauer. ( Jacob and Catharine were married 13 February 1849). Emil was christened 13 December 1863, Alterswilen, Thurgau, Switzerland. Emil had a brother Soehnlein Keller, born 3 September 1862.

Emil came to New York May 1890 onboard the ship La Champagne with future wife Marie Mertens. Emil was a florist and gardener.

Emil filed for a marriage license on 28 May 1890, and married Marie Elizabeth Mertens, 22 October 1890, District of Columbia. Marie was born 03 October 1865, Sachsen Germany, daughter of Johann Christoph Mertens and Wilhelmine Moller. To this union were born:

1. infant Keller 1892-1892
2. Anna Keller 1893-1894

Per the Auburn (NY) Bulletin published in 1894 Emil and wife, Maria, came from Switzerland. They lost one baby who only lived 13 days. Then wife went into hospital due to mental illness. Not sure how long she'd been released when she killed Emil, infant daughter Anna and herself. Emil died first (age 30); wife died later, possibly at hospital (age 28/29); Anna died still later at hospital (age 9 mo's). All 3 buried in same casket.

Emil died 25 January 1894 (aged 30–31), Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, and is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery, Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, Plot: Home Lot 286 Grave.

OBITUARY: (Article from the Auburn Bulletin on the day after the shooting, 1894):

"Three in one casket. Emil Keller, wife and baby united in death. The little one died at the hospital last night-The funeral will be held from the Universalist Church tomorrow afternoon. Shortly after 6 o'clock last evening death came to the relief of little Anna Keller at the city hospital. It was found that the bullet from the mother's revolver had penetrated the infant's right lung and came out on the left side. The body of the child was removed and prepared for burial with its parents. Throughout the day throngs of people have visited the undertaking room to view the remains. Father, mother and daughter will be buried in the same casket, which is a special order about 4 inches deeper and 9 inches wider than the ordinary, and covered with gray embossed plush. The plate reads: EMEL KELLER Aged 30 years. MARY, the wife aged 29 years. Another plated is inscribed "Our Darling." The head of Mrs. Keller rests on the left shoulder of her husband thus hiding from view the wound in her temple and partly covering a discoloration of the right eye. There are traces of suffering in the woman's face but her husband looks as if he was in slumber. His left arm around the body of his wife while his right rests on his hip. Between the mother and father is the infant, a handsome plump child. It's right hand is clasped by the left of its mother's left arm. The mother and the infant laid out in plain white shrouds while the husband and father has a coat and vest of plain black and trousers of a dark pattern. The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon at 8:30 from the Universalist church and the interment will be in Fort Hill."

Keller Family 3 in one casket

Sources

See Also:

• "Schweiz Taufen, Switzerland Baptisms, 1491-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FVLM-6J1 : 9 February 2020), Emil Keller, 1863.
• "United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDQF-GSJ : 27 December 2014), Emile Keller, 20 May 1890; citing Germans to America Passenger Data file, 1850-1897, Ship La Champagne, departed from Havre, arrived in New York, New York, New York, United States, NAID identifier 1746067, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
• "New York, New York City, Police Census, 1890," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q247-XHHG : 10 October 2017), Emil Keller, New York, New York, United States; citing Vol. 311, p. , line 15, Department of Records and Information Services. Municipal Archives, New York City; FHL microfilm 1,304,795.
• "District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X21H-92R : 15 January 2021), Emil Keller and Marie E Mertens, 28 May 1890; citing p. , Records Office, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 2,107,970.
• "New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGF6-XY94 : 20 October 2019), Emil Keller, 1894.
• New York State Death Index 1894 pg 425 Certificate #4224
• Weekly News and Democrat, Auburn NY, Wed. 31 Jan 1894
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65436219/emil-keller) : accessed 26 January 2021, memorial page for Emil Keller (1863–25 Jan 1894), Find a Grave Memorial no. 65436219, citing Fort Hill Cemetery, Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Sharon Hinshaw-Payne (contributor 47737583) .