Person:Oscar Kepler (1)

Personal History

Oscar Forrest "Auk" Kepler (1831-1899)

Oscar was the oldest of eleven children born to Israel Kepler and Maria Forrest and was born in Milton, Pennsylvania. He never married and remained a bachelor his whole life.

He became a printer in New York City. His nephew, Forrest Oscar Murdock (1863-1926) (Christened "Oscar Forrest" Murdock but later changed) attended Yale law school in nearby Connecticut. During visits he learned the printing business from his uncle. Later he would pass that knowledge on to his own sons, Joseph and Eugene Murdock, and they would start and run Murdock Brothers Printing at 205 E. Grand in Chicago for their whole careers in a building they inherited from Oscar's brother, Joseph William "Uncle Bill" Kepler. Oscar must have helped his nephews get started in the printing business too with a loan because he forgave a $3,000 debt from Joe Murdock in his will.

He was very fond of his nephew, "Oscar Forrest" Murdock (1863-1926) because he was his namesake. However, he was offended when his nephew did not like the name Oscar and reversed his name to Forrest Oscar Murdock before attending Yale. Since Oscar was single and had no heirs, his estate was split among all relatives, but left out Forrest as a result of the snub. However, the young Forrest Murdock understood and found humor in the situation according to his son, Joseph Murdock.

Living in New York City working as a printer, Oscar became acquainted with Miss Martha King (1843-1926) from a well-off family in Pittsburgh. Even though he was single, and 12 years older than her, he persuaded his 12-year younger and newly widowed brother to pursue her. He did and they were married in 1899, three years after his first wife had died.

Oscar served in the Civil War and was a veteran of the "Battle of the Wilderness" fought May 5-7, 1864 which was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's and General George G. Meade's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign.

Source is from memories of Joseph Kepler Murdock (1898-1985) as documented in a 1976 audio recording made by his daughter, Joellen Wright (Murdock) Donkle. The recording is available from Lucius Donkle III upon request.

WikiTree.com Page [1]
Family Search ID GZ33-GY1

Oscar Forrest "Auk" Kepler (1831-1899)

Oscar Forrest "Auk" Kepler (1831-1899)

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Find A Grave.
2. ↑ Find A Grave
   Oscar F. Kepler 13 Jan 1899.

   _LINK: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101718967/oscar-f.-kepler