Person:John Keller (16)

Information comes from Lillian's family tree. "b. ca. 1748-51, and may have been older or younger than his sister Catharine. In 1779, as 'John Keller of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania' and as the heir of Charles Keller, he received Lot 16, Patterson Creek Survey, which was 300 acres in Hampshire Co., Va., from Thomas, Lord Fairfax. In 1782, he and his brother Daniel Keller were listed as Freemen (single men) in the tax list of Hempfield Twp., Lancaster Co., and were in the militia list including men of this same area. Daniel Keller was in the 2nd Class and John Keller in the 4th Class in the 8th Co., 4th Battalion (sic) Lancaster Co. Militia, Capt. James Beard, June 4, 1782.

"The Virginia General Assemply passed an act Dec. 5, 1787, establishing the town of Frankfort on 139 acres of his land. The plan of the town was reproduced in the booklet published at the time of the sesqui-centennial celebration held at Ft. Ashby, Mineral Co., West Va., July 29, 30, 31, 1938, and called 'Fanfare of Frankfort.' One scene in the pageant was supposed to be in John Keller's home and the scene was directed by one of his descendants, Miss Margaret I. Keller of Romney, West Va. As late as 1960, John Keller's actual home was still lived in and the ruins of his mill and millrace were also to be seen. The act of the legislature and the old map call him John Sellers and Sellars but all the deeds have the name John Keller. 'Early Records, Hampshire County Virginia (Now West Va.)' by Sage & Jones, printed Delavan, Wis., 1939, contains summaries of 35 deeds given by John Keller before 1800.

"All deeds to lots in 1788 have no name of a wife. The earliest deed John Keller gave in 1789 was in September and it has the first mention of his wife Ann. The Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pa., has a record of the marriage of Johannes Keller and Anna Sterzer, May 12, 1789. This may be the record of John and Ann Keller.

"John Keller acquired more land in Hampshire County. When he died, April 22, 1805, his estate was involved and accounts were not settled for many years. The record of sale of personal property is in Hampshipe (sic) Co., (W.) Va. Will Book No. 5, page 252 and after. His brother Daniel Keller bought a cow and two books, one a German Bible. This is believed to be the German Bible with family records which was lost in a flood in Indiana about in the 1830's. Joseph Rees(e) bought a silver watch and Jacob Stockslager and Isaac Miller also made purchases.

"John and Ann Keller had eight children. The records of Frederick Sheetz, guardian of seven of them, are in Hampshire Co. Will Book No. 10, as follows: Daniel, p. 384; Mary, p. 388; John, p. 390; Joseph, p. 394; Elizabeth, p. 396; Charles, p. 400; Nancy, p. 404. Each received a one-eighth share. The other share no doubt went to their sister Susan, probably married by the time the account began in 1807. The account of the estate administrator, John Snyder, Will Book No. 7, page 63 and after, and a deed given Feb. 4, 1825 by six of the children selling land John Keller had owned to Joseph Waggoner, Deed Book No. 24, page 80, are interesting."

From Janet Ariciu, monkey@@getgoin.net on the internet: "John, was living in Lancaster Co.,Pa. in 1779 when he received a land grant from Lord Fairfax in Hampshire Co., WVA. He died in Hampshire Co. on 22 April 1809."