Connecting With Zion’s Past - by Dennis Dugger

Zion’s Ministers

Rev. John A. Keller: October 1916 - January 1918

John A. Keller, the son of a minister, was born on Oct. 11, 1890, in Michigan. In the 1900 Census his family was recorded in Warren, Michigan, in Macomb County. Note that his parents, Otto and Anna, were born in Switzerland.

 1900 Census; Warren, Macomb Co., Michigan

 Otto Keller, age 42, b. Jan. 1858 in Swit., preacher   John Keller, son, age 9, b. Oct. 1890 in MI

Anna Keller, wife, age 37, b. Apr. 1862 in Swit.       Robert Keller, son, age 8, b. Mar. 1892 in MI

Annie Keller, dau., age 13, b. June 1886 in MI          Amanda Keller, dau., age 5, b. Oct. 1894 in MI

Otto Keller, son, age 12, b. in 1888 in MI                  Emanuel Keller, son, age 3, b. Jan. 1897

Dona Keller, dau., age 11. b. May 1889 in MI

 In 1910, the Keller family was located in St. Clair, Co., Michigan.

 1910 Census; St. Clair, Michigan

 Otto Keller, age 52, 2nd marriage of 24 yrs., b. in Swit., Evangelical preacher

Anna Keller, wife, age 48, 1^st marriage of 24 yrs.

Otto Keller, son, age 22, b. in MI                               Amanda Keller, dau., age 15, b. in MI

Dona Keller, dau., age 20, b. in MI                            Emanuel Keller, son, age 13, b. in MI

John Keller, son, age 19, b. in MI, at school               Emil Keller, son, age 7, b, in MI

Robert Keller, son, age 17, b. in MI                           Katie Keller, dau., age 5, b. in MI

 After the controversial Rev. Grefe, John A. Keller was selected unanimously as Zion’s pastor at an August 18, 1916, Congregational meeting. He arrived at Zion at least by Oct. 2^nd when he opened the Council meeting with prayer. 

 While at Zion, his most notable accomplishment was the first every-member canvass to solicit pledges using the help of five members. Not long out of seminary, he remained at Zion just over a year. The last Council meeting which Rev. Keller opened with prayer was November of 1917. However, he attended the Ladies Aid Society meeting in January of 1918.

 While at Zion, Rev. Keller met and fell in love with Helen Mae Hafendorfer. They married in Vanderburgh Co., Indiana, on July 9, 1918. He was 28; she was about 25. The date of his birth came from this record. In 1920, John and Helen were recorded in Marshall Co., Indiana.

 1920 Census; Bourbon Township, Marshall Co., Indiana

 John A. Keller, age 29, born in Michigan, clergyman; both parents born in Switzerland

Helen M. Keller, wife, age 26, born in KY, father born in KY, mother born in IN

 That they soon left for New York, is supported by a listing in the 1921 Evangelical Calendar in which a Pastor J. A. Keller is listed in Buffalo, NY at St. Matthews Evangelical Church. They were still in Buffalo when they were recorded in the 1930 Census.

 1930 Census; Buffalo, Erie Co.; New York

 John A. Keller, 39, b. in Mich., married at age 29, clergyman, Evangelical church

Helen Keller, wife 36, born in KY, married at age 26

Helen ? Keller, dau., age 8, born in New York          Janice Keller, dau., age 5, born in New York

 I do not know when they left Buffalo, but on Oct. 26, 1947, Rev. John Keller, then of Lafayette, Indiana, returned to Owensboro to deliver a sermon when Zion celebrated its 75^th Anniversary. He remained at Lafayette at least until 1948. Later in 1962, though retired, he was invited to deliver a sermon during Zion’s 90^th Anniversary. However, he was unable to attend due to family illness.

 Indeed his wife, Helen, died in April 1964; her obituary appeared in the Owensboro Messenger & Inquirer.

.“MRS. HELEN HAFENDORFER KELLER

    Word has been received here of the death of Mrs. Helen Keller, formerly of Owensboro, who died at her home in Marine City, Mich., following a short illness.

   Surviving are her husband, the Rev. John A. Keller; two daughters, Mrs. Clarence Chichocki, New Hartford, N. Y., Mrs. Jack Blackburn, Manhattan, Kansas; one brother, H. J. Hafendorfer Jr., and one sister, Mrs. Edith Brown, both of Owensboro.

   Mrs. Keller was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Hafendorfer Sr., pioneer residents of Owensboro.

   Services and burial will be at Marine City.”

 I believe John A. Keller also served an E & R church in Adair, Michigan, and St. John’s E & R. in Marine City, Michigan. He died in December 1973; Social Security shows his last residence as Marine City, Michigan. Both John and Helen are buried in Warren Union cemetery in Warren, Michigan.