The Keller Family
The earliest member of the Keller family is Franz Peter Keller. He marries Catharinam Antoni. They have four children, Eduard, Heinrich (Harry), and one daughter, Regina. Their son, Eduard Keller marries Christina Weindorf. They have four children, Anna Maria, Clara Katherine, Frank Henry and Eduard Adorphus. Clara Keller marries John William Wright. Their daughter, Elizabeth Keller Wright marries Walter Lee Kauffman 2nd.
Franz Peter Keller was the patriarch of the Keller Family. He was born in Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany on Jan 8, 1816.
Franz and Catherina arrived in the US in 1847.
Franz was naturalized in NYC in 1859.
Franz became a citizen in 1863.
Franz and Catharine are shown as living in Erie in the 1860 census.
Franz fought in the civil war enlisting twice, starting as a private and ending as a corporal. He was with the 45th Regiment of the Pennsylvania 159th.
The 45th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized beginning July 28, 1861 and mustered in October 21, 1861 at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for a three-year enlistment under the command of Colonel Thomas Welsh.[1]
The regiment was attached to Jamison's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, Army of the Potomac, to October 1861. Unattached, Sherman's South Carolina Expeditionary Corps, to April 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Department of the South, to July 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, IX Corps, Army of the Potomac, to September 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, IX Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April 1863, and Army of the Ohio to June 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, IX Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to August 1863, and Army of the Ohio to April 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, IX Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July 1865.
The 45th Pennsylvania Infantry mustered out July 17, 1865.
In 1870 Franz is shown in Belleville, NJ working as a farm worker. In 1880, he is shown as a farmer, still in NJ. He is also shown as living in Erie in the 1880 census with no occupation.
Franz is shown as living with his son Eduard and grand childen, Clara, Eduard, and Frank Keller in the city directory in Erie.
Catherina dies in 1888 at age 40. Franz died on Jan 5, 1894 in Erie, PA at age 76. Both are buried in Trinity Cemetery. One source cites suicide.
Eduard marries Christina Weindorf in 1868. See the blog on The Weindorf family.
They had four children, Anna Mamie Maria Buck Keller, born in 1868, Clara Katherine Keller, born in 1872, Frank Henry Keller, born in 1876 and Edward Adolphus Keller, born in 1878.
Eduard is listed in the census as a furniture finisher. His wife Christina, dies in 1896. He lives with his daughter Clara after her marriage to John Wright. He dies in April of 1919. One record shows his death in Los Angeles, which could be true as his brother, Harry Keller lives there and after the death of Clara Keller, our mother, Elizabeth Keller Wright goes to California to live with Harry Keller.
Harry Keller, the subject of another blog, the brother of Eduard, becomes famous in the magic industry.
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Clara Katherine Keller
Clara Keller was the second child of Eduard Keller and Christine Weindorf, born in 1872. She grows up in Erie, PA. She has two younger brothers, Frank, four years younger and Eduard, six years younger.
Clara marries John Wright on 15 October 1900.
They have two children. Eduard Keller Wright was born on October 8, 1902. He died seven days later.
Elizabeth Keller Wright was born on October 31, 1905.
The Wrights are shown as living at 129 West 8th Street in 1907.
In the 1910 census, John and Clara Wright, Elizabeth Wright and Clara's father, Eduard Keller are shown as living together. Eduard's wife, Christine Weindorf Keller died in 1896.
Clara dies on November 4, 1911 of pneumonia. It is alleged that John Wright, a doctor and believer of fresh air as a cure, and kept the house open.
Elizabeth is sent to live in California with Harry Keller, along with her grandfather, Eduard.
John Wright marries Katherine Law Wright on January 1, 1913.
Frank Keller
54 History of Erie County
Frank H. Keller ranks among the leading citizens and successful busi-
ness men of Erie County. He is proprietor of the Keller Motion Picture
Theatre at North East. Mr. Keller is a native of Erie, born April 4, 1876,
and the son of Edward and Christina (Wiendorf) Keller.
Edward Keller was born in Germany, Sept. 14, 1845, and his wife was
born at Black Rock, N. Y., Sept. 11, 1845. He came to this country with
his parents when a small child. He was a brother of the famous magician,
Harry Kellar, and traveled throughout the world on various tours with
him. Mr. Keller died April 1, 1920, and his wife died April 11, 1895.
They are buried in Lakeside cemetery, Erie. To Mr. and Mrs. Keller
the following children were born: Mary, born Aug. 14, 1868, married M.
V. Buck, of London, Ont., and they live retired in Los Angeles, Cal. ;
F. H., the subject of this sketch ; E. A., born July 2, 1878, married Mamie
Keough of Boston, Mass., deceased, and he lives in Los Angeles, Cal., and
has two children, Helen and Clara Keller; and Clara Catherine, born April
2, 1872, died Nov. 11, 1911, was the wife of Dr. John W. Wright of Erie,
and the mother of Elizabeth Keller Wright, a student at Simmons Col-
lege, Boston.
F. H. Keller was reared and educated in Erie and when a young man
learned the printer's trade at which he was successfully engaged for 21
years. He was the organizer of the "AKD" Company, which is the
largest printing establishment in Erie, and which Mr. Keller disposed of
in 1924. On Feb. 14, 1922, he purchased the Chickquitty Theatre at
North East, which is now known as the Keller Theatre.
In 1900 Mr. Keller was married to Miss Margaret E. White, a native
of Ireland, born Feb. 14, 1876. They have a daughter, Katherine M.,
born May 3, 1901. She was married in 1922 to James K. Blakely of Erie,
and they have a son, Harry Kellar Blakely, born July 11, 1924.
Mr. and Mrs. Keller are well known in Erie County. She is a mem-
ber of St. Peter's Catholic Church, Erie.
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