Person:Cosmos Keller (3)

Cosmos (Cosme) Keller was born on 11 March 1832 in Gambsheim, Alsace, France. As a young man he immigrated from Gambsheim to the United. He made his crossing in October 1853 from Le Havre (France) to New Orleans. The ship was called R B Sumner and arrived in New Orleans on October the 19th 1853. His older brother Louis came first and then Cosmos and other family members followed. Cosmos and Louis Keller lived first in Belleville and maybe Edwardsville, Illinois before they settled in Elsah, Illinois. Elsah is a small village in Jersey County on the banks of the Mississippi. Many of Elsah’s inhabitants at this time were from Alsace including some others from Gambsheim. Cosmos was a hotel and saloon keeper.

In 1856, he married Frederica Dorothea Behrens in Elsah. A Jersey county history says that the family was Catholic. Cosmos filed intent for naturalization in Madison County Illinois in 1856. He was naturalized in Jersey County on 27 March 1860. His naturalization record says has been in the United States for at least five years and that he was born in France. By 1862 both Cosmos and Louis were living in Elsah. Cosmos and his brother Louis were listed as coopers in 1862. The 1870 census lists Cosmos as a liquor dealer. Cosmos died on 9 April 1880 in Elsah. Cosmos and his wife, Dorothea are buried in the Elsah Township Cemetery. Their daughter Emma is also buried there. A granddaughter, Winifred Genevieve Keller who died as an infant may also be buried there in an unmarked grave.

Jerseyville Newspaper obit: KELLER. Undated: Elsah - died after short illness, Cosmos Keller, Sr. He was a native of Alsace, Gamgsheim (misspelling of Gambsheim_, France, and was born 11 March 1832. He was a cooper by trade, but has been engaged in saloon business for number of years. In 1856 he married Dorthea Beherus (misspelling of Behrens) ; she died in January 1877. In July of same year he married Mrs. Bertha Feuerhard. Father of three children by first wife, two of whom are living; Cosmos, aged 20 years and Emma, aged 16 years. Funeral conducted by IOOF and very largely attended by various Lodges from Alton, Grafton, Jerseyville, Delhi and Otterville.

Cosmos Keller Sr. Elsah Cemetery

1. ↑ French Civil Registration Gambsheim, France.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Jerseyville Newspaper, in Obituary.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Tombstone.