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Chase County Sketches
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Keller: William J, Lawrence, Thomas and Susan William J Keller, a farmer and stock-raiser, of Chase County, in Section 5, Range 20 Township 7, with the Post Office box in Elmdale, was born in Indiana. He often recorded his birthplace in Coles County, Illinois.
He was born Jan 26 1836. He was brought up on a farm and resided in Illinois until he came to Kansas in May, 1854 at the age of 18. He located near Leavenworth and took a claim of 160 acres, which he held about a month; then he was driven off my Missourians.
He went from there to Grasshopper Falls and took another claim of 160 acres, which he sold in 1857.
He was a firm adherent of martyred John Brown and took part in the famous Black Jack fight. He was also a soldier under the redoubtable knight, Jim Lane, being in Captain Harveys company. He was at Grasshopper Falls at the time it was burned by the Kickapoo Rangers. He was then under command of Captain Clark.
Finding it pretty hot in that part of the country, and remembering the old maxim that, "He who fights and runs away, May live to fight another day," he concluded to seek fairer fields and greener pastures.
He found said fields and pastures in Chase county, and located on the north of the Cottonwood River, in Cottonwood Township, in the fall of 1858. He then bought 120 acres of improved land and made purchases of 80 adjoining acres and still later 160 more acres. He sold all but 80 acres of his last purchase.
Upon this he resided. He had sixty-five acres under cultivation, the remainder was meadow land. He raised cattle, horses and hogs, feeding all his crops to his own stock. Mr. Keller was a member of Elmdale Lodge No. 128, I.O.O.F
He married Levica Louise Jane"Levicie" Pratt of Chase County, August 15 1861 by who he had six children: Edward E., Olive M., Wesley T., Minnie F., and Daisy and Dairy. Levica was the daughter of Jehill F and Zerelda "Rella" Johnson Pratt who came to Kansas from Illinois in 1866.
(Chase County Part 7, Cutler's Kansas History, 1883.) and Chase County Probate records.
Prior to his marriage, William had the following people living with him on his farm: his brother, Lawrence, born 1845 in Indiana; his brother, Thomas, born in February 1850 in Illinois; and his sister, Susan, born in 1853 in Illinois. The 1860 Falls Township Census also shows that Dr. Moses Lacy was residing with William and his sister and brothers.
In 1850, at Clear Creek, Cumberland, Illinois, William and his siblings are listed with his parents, Elisha V and Elizabeth Kline Keller.
The Indiana State Genealogy Database of Marriages through 1850, lists Elisha Keller married Elizabeth Kline in Harrison County, Indiana, on Sept 09 1832.
The 1850 Clear Creek, Cumberland, Illinois Census shows the following:
Elisha V Keller, age 45, born in 1805 in Kentucky
Elizabeth Keller, age 36, born 1814 in Indiana
Catherine, age 17, born 1833 in Indiana
George, age 16, born in 1834 in Illinois
William, age 13, born 1837 in Indiana
Edward, age 11 born 1839 in Indiana
John, age 9, born in 1841 in Indiana
and Thomas age 6/12 born in 1850 in Illinlos
The census is dated Aug 29 1850 making Thomas born in February 1850.
Elisha V Keller has been located on the 1840 Hendricks county, Indiana census.
Residing in his home are two males under 5 years, one male between 5 and 10 years, and himself between the ages of 30 and 40 years old. Females listed are one female between the age of 5 and 10 years, and Elizabeth age between 20 and 30 years old.
The Coles County, Illinois cemetery index lists many Keller cemetery inscriptions.
In 1865 when the Kansas State census was taken in Diamond Creek Township, Chase, Kansas, William J Keller and his wife Levicie J are living on their farm with the beginning of their family. Thomas and Susan Keller are also living on Diamond Creek with a woman by the name of M A Morris several farms away. M A Morris was born in Indiana. Thomas is listed as T Keller age 14, born in Illinols, and Susan as S Keller age 11 female born in Illinois.
Five years later, 1870, on the Diamond Creek, Chase, Kansas Census the family of William and Levicie Keller lists the following:
William Keller age 33, farmer, born in Illinois
Levicie J Keller, age 23, born in Ohio
Edward E, age 8, born in Kansas
Ollie M, age 2, born in Kansas
Wesley age 1, born in Kansas
Edward in 1870 has come to Chase County and settled near William on Diamond Creek with another brother John and also Thomas.
Edward Keller, age 28, farmer, born in Illinois
Georgia, age 17 born in New York must be his wife
Effie Keller, age 1 born in Kansas
John age 26, stock dealer, born in Illinois
Thomas, age 20, farm laborer, born in Illinois.
On the 1875 Chase County State of Kansas Census. William J Keller is listed but the other brothers including Thomas are not listed in Chase County. However another child is present with the initial of M O age 4 male born in Kansas. This child does not appear on the 1880 census.
In 1880, William J Keller and wife Levicie are still in Chase County. Edward W Keller and Georgeanna with child, Effie and Bertha are living in Cottonwood Township, Chase, Kansas. Thomas has married and is residing in Liberty, Montgomery, Kansas. It lists:
Thomas Keller, farmer age 28 born in Illinois
Sarah P Keller, wife, keeps house, age 23 born in Missouri
J Keller, dau, age 4, born in Kansas
Nola Keller, dau, age 3, born in Kansas
G Keller, son, age 4 months, born in Kansas
They also have a servant age 23 living with them.
On Jul 20 1883 a son Arlo L Keller was born in Colorado. This information on Arlo L is taken from the Hailey, Blaine, Idaho World War I registration in which Mrs Sarah Keller is listed as nearest relative. At some point, possibly a divorce took place or Thomas passed away but most likely a divorce took place. Arlo and his mother Sarah P cannot be located on the 1900 census for any state. However, Thomas was possibly located on the Rogers, Benton, Arkansas census for 1900. See note where Louis Jabenek lists Nanny's father as born in Arkansas.
Thomas is listed as the head of the family as follows:
Thomas Keller, born Feb 1850, age 50, marr 19 years, born Illinois
Rebecca Keller, wife, born Jan 1854, age 46, marr 19 years, 6 children born 4 living
Mary J Keller, dau., May 1884, age 16 born Illinois
Paul Thomas, son, Nov 1889, age 10 born Arkansas
Mable, dau., Dec 1893, age 6, born Arkansas
Sarah P Keller and Arlo L Keller are located on the 1910 Census in Hailey, Blaine, Idaho.
Sarah P Keller, age 55, widow, 7 children born, 3 children living, born in Missouri
Arlo L, son, deliveryman, age, 36, born Colorado
So what could have brought Sarah to Idaho?
Jennania A Keller married William Turner of England. They resided in Hailey, Idaho. on the 1900 Census we find the following:
William Turner, born Oct 1856, age 43 marr 7 years, born England
Jannania A Turner, Wife, born Aug 1876, marr 7 years, mother of 4, 4 living, born Kansas
William O, son born Jul 1893. age 6, born Idaho
Viola D, dau, born Jan 1895, age 5, born Idaho
Edgar B, son, born Oct 1896, age 3, born Idaho
Gerold B, son, born May 1898, age 2, born Idaho
Possibly, Sarah followed her oldest daughter to Idaho. Since Jennania's first child was born in Idaho in 1893, Sarah could have been in Idaho for some time. Sarah's second daughter Genola D "Nola" was married in Jessie, Cassia, Idaho
Genola D Keller resident of Jessie, Cassia, Idaho married Charles R Campbell a resident of Jessie, Cassia, Idaho
on 30 Mar 1899. On the 1900 Census they had moved to Schoddie, Lincoln, Idaho and were residing with Charles' father Warren Campbell. Warren was born Dec 1841 in Illinois. He was widowed. His mother's name was Mary. Also listed was James H, son to Warren and brother to Charles. He was born Feb 1871 in Kansas. Charles R was born Jan 1868 age, 32 born in Illinois. and Genola, wife, born Jan 1878 age 22 born in Oklahoma.
Warren and Mary Campbell were listed on the 1880 Hillyard, Macoupin, Illinois census with the following children: Charlie age 12, James age 9, Alice age 6, Ida age 4, and Minnie age 1. In 1870 Charles is listed with his parents, Warren and Mary on the Lincoln, Crawford, Kansas, Census. This is where James, his brother was born.
Genola "Nola" divorced Charles R Campbell. He is listed on the 1910, Powell Valley, Multnomah, Oregon census with his brother James H and it is marked that Charles R Campbell is divorced. Genola could not be located on a 1910 census.
However, Genola Keller married Harry E Lewis in Price, Carbon County, Utah on 10 Jan 1916.
By 1920 Harry Lewis and Genola are in Dusk City, Wyoming. Listed as follows:
Harry Lewis Age 42 marr, born Ireland
Genola Lewis, wife, age 41, marr, born in Oklahoma
By 1902, Jannania had remarried Louis Jobanek of Bohemia. The 1910 Crete, Saline, Nebraska, lists the following:
Louis Jobanek, age 26, married 1 time, born in Austria, Bohemia, immigrated in 1908, farmer
Jobanek, Nannie, wife, age 31, married 2 times, born in Missouri
Othella Turner, son, age 17, born Idaho
Della Turner, dau, age 15, born Idaho
Edgar Turner, son, age 14, born Idaho
Gerald Turner, son, age 11, born Idaho
Helen Turner, dau, age 9, born Idaho
Lancy Turner, dau, age 7 born Nebraska, (this is a son)
Jobanek, Christina, dau, age 11/12, born Nebraska
On the 1920 Colton, Cheyenne, Nebraska Census we find Louis and Nannie. Louis must have given the information because Nannie was visiting her mother in Hailey, Idaho and was enumberated there also.
Louis Jobanek, age 35, born Bohemia
Nanny, wife, age 42 born Missouri. Here he lists her father was born in Arkansas.
Christina, dau, age 10 born Nebraska
Dorthy, dau, age 7, born Nebraska
Wilber, son, age 2 9/12, born Nebraska
Turner, Othello, stepson, age 26, born Idaho
Turner, Edgar, stepson, age 23, born Idaho
Turner, Gerald, stepson, age 21, born Idaho
Turner, Lancelot, stepson, age, 16, born Idaho
Turner, Helen, stepdaughter, age 19, born Idaho
Corresponding to the 1920 census is the one for Sarah P Keller of Hailey, Blaine, Idaho
Sarah P Keller, age 63, widowed, born Missouri
Arlo L Keller, son, age 36, single, born Colorado
Jobanek, Jannania, daug, age 42, married, born Kansas
Jobanek, Wilbur N, grandson, age 2 7/12, born Nebraska
By 1930, Wilbur Jobanek is the only one home with his father and mother. They have moved to Oregon. Listed as follows on the Rock Creek, Polk, Oregon Census.
Jobanek, Wilber, son age 12 single, born in Nebraska
Jobanek, Louis, head, age 46, age at first marriage 24 born in Czechoslovakia
Jobanek, Nannia, wife, age 52, age at first marriae 16, born Kansas
Sarah P Keller and Arlo L Keller had moved with Harry E and Genola D Lewis to Eureka county, Nevada.
the 1930 Census lists the following:
Harry E Lewis, head, Age 51, age at first marriage, 36 born Northern Ireland
Genola D Lewis, wife, Age 50, age at first marriage, 35, born Oklahoma
Sarah P Keller, Mother-in-law, age 76, divorced, born Missouri
Arlo L Keller, Brother in law, ae 46 single, born in Colorado.
Perhaps an obituary for Sarah P Keller and Thomas Keller would be helpful to solve the puzzle.
Additional information: The social security death index search provided the following information:
Wilbur L Jobanek born 10 May 1917 died 28 Feb 1999 at Brevard, Cocoa Beach, Florida.
Mary A Jobanek born 10 May 1916 died 18 Jun 1997 at Brevard, Cocoa Beach, Florida. Possibly Wilbur's wife.
Stephen T Jobanek born 20 Sep 1943 died 10 Nov 1996 died at Brevard, Cocoa Beach Florida, Possibly Wilbur's son.
Louis Jobanek born 12 Oct 1885 died Sep 1966 at Eugene, Lane, Oregon.
There are other Jobanek's in the Lane County. Oregon area also listed who are not identified.
by Lorna Marvin
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