Amos Keller
Martha E. Keller
Amose Keller Residence |
AMOS KELLER
is one of the prominent business men of Seneca county, his home being in
Seneca township. He has met with creditable success and has
commanded uniform confidence and respect by his business methods, so
that the record of is career is full of interest. In all his trade
transactions he has been honorable; at all times he has been energetic;
he forms his plans readily, carries them forward to successful
completion, and is now enjoying well merited prosperity.
Mr. Keller was born near Lancaster, Fairfield
county, Ohio, Dec. 26, 1839, and is a son of Joseph Keller, whose
birth occurred in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1797. The
grandfather of our subject was Henry Keller, who, about the year
1809, removed with his family to Fairfield county, Ohio, and there
Joseph Keller was reared to manhood upon a farm. He was about
twelve years of age at the time of his removal to the Buckeye state, and
through the period of his youth he assisted in the operation of the old
homestead. On attaining his majority, he began working at the
cabinet-maker's trade, which he followed for two years, and then decided
to resume farm work, purchasing a tract of land which he owned and
operated until 1849. In that year he removed to Clinton township,
Seneca county, and became the owner of two hundred acres of valuable
land, two miles from Tiffin. This is now owned by Mr. Schoffner
and Mr. Schreikel. This farm was partially improved when it
came into the possession of Mr. Keller, and he and his family
became the occupants of a log cabin that had previously been erected
upon the place. While his wife attended to the household duties he
took his place in the fields and continued the cultivation of the soil
until 1855, when his life's labors were ended in death. He held
membership in the Evangelical Association and his life was consistent
with the teachings of that denomination. He was three times
married, his first wife being Mrs. Catherine Hite, by whom he had
one child, who died in infancy. For his second wife he chose
Miss Elizabeth Tussing, and they became the parents of six children,
namely: Mary, who became the wife of Solomon Meisse
and died in 1899; Reuben, who was a resident of Seneca county and
died in 1882; Sarah, who is the widow of David Meisse and
makes her home in Springfield, Ohio; Isaac W., a resident of
Fairfield county, this state; AMOS, the subject of this review;
and Joseph, who died during the civil war, while at Camp
Dennison, in 1864, was wounded at the battle of Stone River, but the
immediate cause of his death was an attack of smallpox; he belongs to
Company H of the One Hundred and First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, of which
he was orderly sergeant. After the death of his second wife,
Joseph Keller, Sr., married Nancy Good and they had
one son, Noah, who is living in Fairfield county, Ohio.
Amos Keller spent the first ten years of his
life in his native county and then accompanied his family to Seneca
county, where he pursued his elementary education in the public schools,
later continuing his studies in Heidelberg College. There he
remained as a student from 1857 until 1860. In 1861 he attended
the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, with the intention of
beginning a teacher of the higher branches of learning, but on account
of ill health he was forced to abandon his college course. He was
afterward engaged in teaching school until May, 1864, when he responded
to his country's call for aid, joining Company A of the One Hundred and
Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for one hundred days' service.
The regiment was sent to the defense of Washington, and on the
expiration of his term Mr. Keller returned to Seneca county,
where he worked on a farm during the summer months and in the winter
seasons continued his educational work, being a most successful and
competent teacher. In the year 1866 he purchased a tract of
twenty-eight acres of land, with a sawmill, the place being known as the
old St. John property. For seven years he operated the sawmill and
in 1874 he erected a gristmill. He also placed a circular saw in
the sawmill, in 1877, and in addition erected a planing mill, conducting
the three departments of his business, in all of which he has met with
success. The capacity of the flour mill is fifty barrels per day.
The plant is equipped with a full roller process and the flour
manufactured is of a very high grade, thus finding ready sale on the
market. His planing mill and sawmill are equally well adapted for
the uses to which they are put and in both lines Mr. Keller is
receiving a liberal patronage. Upon his place he was made splendid
improvements, including the erection of a beautiful three-story brick
house, which was built in 1883. He was ninety-five acres in the
home place and his land has become very valuable by reason of the growth
in population in the county and also owing to the many excellent
improvements which he has placed upon his property. He also owns a
separate farm, of one hundred and twenty acres, on which he has over
sixty thousand tile, whereby the place has been converted into a tract
of rich fertility; and also has a third farm, of fifty-five acres,
making a total of two hundred and seventy acres.
On the 10th of October, 1867, Mr.
Keller was united in marriage to Miss Martha Sneath who was
born in Pleasant township this county, on the 1st of September, 1846,
being a daughter of William and Martha Sneath. The family
came to Ohio from Maryland in the early pioneer days, first locating in
Trumbull county and thence coming to Seneca county, where they were
numbered among the early settlers of Clinton township. Robert
Sneath, a brother of Mrs. Keller, is one of the
representative citizens of the county. Mrs. Keller was
summoned into eternal rest on the 11th of March, 1902, leaving two
children - Rufus E. and Abbie F. The daughter is a
graduate of Heidelberg College, in Tiffin, in which her husband,
Professor A. D. Keller, is now an instructor. Our subject and
his wife also took into their home, at the age of four years, an orphan
girl, Elsie May Somers, and she received their care and
advantages which they accorded to their own children. Mrs.
Keller was a woman of noble and gentle character, ever ordering her
life in harmony with the deep Christian faith which was a dominating
element in her nature, and being devoted to her home and family, through
she thoroughly enjoyed the advantages of travel, in company with her
husband. She had been exceptionally strong and vigorous, both
mentally and physically, and her death came with slight premonition,
casting a shadow over the entire community in which she had been so
highly esteemed. Her memory rests as a benediction upon
those who came within the sphere of her gracious influence.
In his political views Mr. Keller is a stanch
Republican, giving an earnest support to the party, and for twelve years
he has served as a member of the school board, being president of the
board during this entire period. He also belongs to the Methodist
Episcopal church at McCutchenville, in which he is steward and trustee.
Other offices he has filled, and he is ever interested and active in
support of the cause, doing all in his power for the spread of
Christianity. In the year 1900 he attended the Paris exposition
and traveled extensively abroad, visiting France, Switzerland, Germany,
Italy, Belgium and England. Mr. Keller well deserved
this period of recreation and rest, for his has been an active and busy
life. There is no element of indolence in him and his unremitting
diligence has been the means of bringing him a handsome competence as he
has carried forward his business affairs.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History
of Seneca County, Ohio - Publ. by Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page
304
SHARON WICK'S NOTE:
1880 Census - Seneca Twp., Seneca Co., OH on June 24, 1880 by Rol___
Brown, Enumerator.
Dwelling 283 - Family 287
Keller, Amos - W M 40; Martha E. - W F 34 wife; Rufus W M - 12
son; Adda - W F 9 daughter
Source:
Year: 1880;
Census Place: Seneca,
Seneca, Ohio;
Roll: 1065;
Page: 332c;
Enumeration District: 209
----------
1900 Census - Seneca Twp., Seneca Co., OH on June 1, 1900 by
Willie B. Galbraith, Enumerator.
Dwelling 1 - Family 1
Keller, Amos - Head - W M born Dec. 1839 - ae 60 yrs. Married 33
years. born Ohio father b. Penn., mother b. Ohio -
Occupation: Landloard
Keller, Martha - Wife - W F born Sept. 1840 - ae 53 Married 33 years - 2
children - 2 children living - born Ohio father b. MD,
mother b. NJ
Rufus E. - son W M born Jul. 1868 - ae 31 years - Single - born Ohio
father b. Ohio, mother b. Ohio
Keller, Addie - daughter - W F born March 1871 - ae. 29 years - born
Ohio father b. Ohio, mother b. Ohio
Keller, Elsie M. - boarder - W F born Mar. 1887 - ae 13 years - Single -
b. Ohio - father born Ohio, mother born Ohio - at school.
----- Source:
Year: 1900;
Census Place: Seneca,
Seneca, Ohio;
Roll: 1320;
Page: 1;
Enumeration District: 0117
---------- FOR Reference
1910 Census - An Amos aged 70 yrs old and Matilda, his wife aged 69
years live in Tiffin Ward 4, Seneca Co., Ohio.|
He married second Matilda Dodge Rule on Nov. 19, 1903, at Seneca, Ohio.
----------
1920 Census - in Tiffin Ward 4, Seneca Co., Ohio lives A. D. Keller, and
wife Addie F., ae. 48, and son Joseph A. Keller & Daughter Martha R.
Keller and father-in-law Amos Keller aged 80, widowed.
Source;Year: 1920;
Census Place: Tiffin
Ward 4, Seneca, Ohio;
Roll: T625_1431;
Page: 5A;
Enumeration District: 117
----------
1930 Census in Tiffin, Seneca Co., Ohio Amos Keller, aged 90 widowed
lives with Albert D. Keller, Addie F., his wife, and son Joseph A. and
daughter Martha R. living at 81-89 S . Monroe, Tiffin, OH
Source:
Year: 1930;
Census Place: Tiffin,
Seneca, Ohio;
Page: 17A;
Enumeration District: 0016;
FHL microfilm: 2341602 |
| |
MONROE
KISTLER, farmer, P. O. Clyde, Sandusky County, is a native of
Lancaster County, Penn., born Nov. 7, 1830, and is a son of John T.
and Eve (Brish) Kistler, who came to this county in 1833 and settled
in Adams Township, where they reared a family of three children:
Polly, Saran and Monroe John T. Kistler died
July 14, 1870, aged sixty-six years, and his widow, Jan. 8, 1878, at the
age of seventy-two. Our subject was married, Sept. 11, 1849, to
Catharine Setzler, of Adams Township, this county, a native of
Germany, born Mar. 7, 1830, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Swan)
Setzler, who came to America in 1834, settling first in Huron
County, Ohio, where they remained fourteen years, and then moved to this
county, where they died, former in 1861, aged sixty-six years, latter in
1866, aged seventy-one years. They were the parents of six
children, of whom John, Lena, Elizabeth and Catharine are
living, and George and Philip are deceased. Mr.
and Mrs. Kistler are the parents of ten children; those living are
John M., Henry, Lena, George, Monroe, Nathan, Franklin, and
Anna; Philip and Augustus are deceased. Mr.
Kistler has improved many acres of land in this county, and has
served his township in several of its offices. He and his wife are
prominent members of the Lutheran Church, of which Church his entire
family are also members. Mr. Kistler has given all his
attention to general agriculture. He has owned several hundred
acres of land, most of which he has distributed among his children, and
still has 220 acres. In politics, Mr. Kistler is a
Democrat.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Seneca County,
Ohio - Publ. by Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page 199 |
| |
BENJAMIN F. KNEPPER.
Back to the old Keystone state of the Union must we turn in tracing the
genealogy of Mr. Knepper, since records extant indicate that his
paternal ancestors located in Pennsylvania in the colonial epoch, having
come thither from the German fatherland, as did also the maternal
progenitors. Our subject is now one of the honored and prosperous
farmers of Seneca county, and from his study ancestors he has inherited
those sterling traits of character which have enabled him to work out
his own salvation and to gain and retain the confidence and esteem of
his fellow men. He has been dependent upon his own resources from
his boyhood, and through his indefatigable industry and determination
has advanced step by step to the goal of independence and prosperity,
richly meriting this reward of his ceaseless toil and endeavor.
Benjamin Franklin Knepper was born in Franklin
county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of December, 1838, and he and his
sister Amanda, the wife of John Boner, of that county, are
the two surviving children of Peter and Eliza (Wagemon) Knepper,
the former of whom was born in the same county in 1793, being the son of
Abraham Knepper, likewise a native of Franklin county and the son
of Abraham, Sr., who came from Germany and established his home
in Pennsylvania. The grandfather of our subject passed his entire
life in his native county, where he lived to the patriarchal age of
ninety-five years. There Peter Knepper was reared to
the discipline of the farm, and after his marriage he purchased one
hundred and thirty acres adjoining the old homestead, and there remained
until his death, in 1847, at the age of fifty-four years. He was a
Democrat in politics and his religious faith was that of the Seventh Day
Adventists. He was twice married, his first wife having been a
Miss Geeseman, and of their union three children were born,
only one of whom survives, - Sarah, the widow of Daniel
Bricker, of North Baltimore, Ohio. His second wife, the mother
of our subject, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1820,
being the daughter of Jacob Wagemon, likewise a native of
that county and of German lineage. Mrs. Knepper
survived her husband many years, passing away in 1892, at the age of
seventy-two.
Benjamin F. Knepper was but nine years of age at
the time of his father’s death, and from that time forward he depended
on his own resources for a livelihood, so that his educational
advantages were necessarily limited in scope. Through reading and
active association with the practical affairs of life he has, however,
effectively supplemented the meager education gained in his boyhood.
He began his independent career by living with various farmers in the
vicinity of his old home, working for his board until he had
sufficiently advanced in years and strength to make his services of
greater value. At the age of nineteen he came to Seneca county,
Ohio, arriving here in the fall of 1856. He worked as a farm hand
during the summer months and at chopping wood in the winter, being
industrious and frugal and saving his earnings. By this means he
accumulated a sufficient sum of money to justify him, in 1861, in the
purchase of eighty acres of land in Hopewell township, and the following
year he assumed the additional responsibilities of a man of family, his
marriage being then solemnized. With his bride he took up his
residence on his farm, which was covered with heavy timber, having
erected a primitive log house as a domicile. He cleared twenty
acres of the land within the succeeding two years and then disposed of
the place, in 1864, and purchased an eighty-acre tract in Liberty
township, the same being cleared of timber at the time, and this
continued to be his home and field of operations for six years, at the
expiration of which, in 1870, he sold the property and purchased one
hundred and forty-three acres of his present fine homestead, in Hopewell
township, four and one-half miles northwest of Tiffin, which is his
postoffice address. By the purchase of adjoining lands he has
increased the area of the homestead, which now comprises two hundred and
forty acres of fertile land, the place being well improved with good
farm buildings and maintained under a high state of cultivation, while
Mr. Knepper also owns forty acres three miles east of the
home farm, in Clinton township. His political support is given to
the Democratic party, and both he and his wife are zealous members of
the Bethel Methodist Protestant church.
On the 6th of February, 1862, Mr. Knepper
was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Reeme, the daughter of
William Reeme, a native, as is she, of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania,
whence he removed to Seneca county, Ohio, in the spring of 1857.
Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Knepper we enter the following
brief record: Minnie V. is the wife of John Loose, of
Hopewell township; Cyrus D. is a farmer of Clinton township;
Eva G. is the wife of Frank Beck, of Liberty township;
Arietta B. is the wife of Curtis Ash, of Hancock county;
Emma C. is the wife of Curtis Edwards, of Liberty township;
Benjamin D. is engaged in farming in Hopewell township;
William I. has charge of the parental homestead; Russell M.
is a notary public at Tiffin; and Clara C. is at the parental
home.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Seneca County, Ohio - Publ. by Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page
615 |
