Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Martin KEELER

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Descendants of Martin KEELER

Generation No. 1

1. MARTIN⁶ KEELER (JOSEPH⁵, JOSEPH⁴, JOSEPH³, SAMUEL², RALPH¹) was born January 19, 1769 in Lanesborough, Berkshire, MA, United States, and died March 19, 1844 in Cramahe Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada ¹. He married HANNAH ??. She was born Bet. 1772 - 1774 in United States ², and died March 31, 1855 in Cramahe Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada ³.

Notes for MARTIN KEELER:
From Rutland County Probate Records 1784 - 1791, LDS Film 0028782, p. 155:

"Tinmonth, April 4, 1788

Personally appeared (?) Martin Keeler and made show (?) of his mother Martha Spencer to be his Guardian, before me -- Elisha Clark, Judge Probate

and the said Martha Spencer executed a bond of 500 Pounds as principal and Joseph Keeler as trustee (?) for her the said Martha (word ?) her faithful guardianship of the said Martin." [hard to decipher]

Excerpt from Wes Keeler's "Keeler Family: Ralph Keeler of Norwalk Connecticut and some of his Descendants," published in 2000, p. 72:

"Pittsford vital records show death of son Joseph 30 Jan. 1814, age. 12. The 1810 federal census found two sons and three daughters under 10, and one son and two daughters 10 to 16."

Martin (Sr.) is first listed in the Cramahe Township Census records in 1825 with 5 family members. By 1839 that had grown to 13 family members. The family then shrunk again to 3 by 1840. Maybe another family joined them, or Martin Jr.'s family is included? It is confirmed that the family came from Rutland, VT but the date is unclear. There is a Martin Keeler and family in the VT census records for 1800, 1810 and 1820 -- so migration around 1825 is likely.

It is also likely that Martin & Hannah had other children. Their names have yet to be determined. Eileen Argyris in "How Firm A Foundation" pub. 2000, indicates that:

"Martin Keeler, brother of Joseph, was among those who landed where "Keeler's Creek" flows into Lake Ontario (the mouth of Colborne Creek, today). Martin and his wife Hannah, had three sons and five daughters. He lived here until his death in 1841. Hannah died in 1855, and they are both buried in the cemetery across from St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Lakeport." (p. 18) This is also where Joseph & Olive Keeler are buried.

Wesley B. Keeler has indicated that Martin's death is March 19, 1844 (which may be more correct). http://earth.vol.com/~keel

The cemetery inscription records for Lakeport Cemetery as transcribed by Susan Bergeron, May 31, 1993, Kawartha Branch, OGS, indicate Martin Keelen (sp?) died March 19, 1811 (year?) aged 75 yrs and 2 mos. The age fits with the birth year and month (Jan. 19, 1769) but the death listed as 1811 has to be an error, as the name is also spelled wrong.

Update: June 22, 2001 - I have visited Lakeport Cemetery myself and the tombstone is made of white stone, broken in multiple places and very faded. I could trace the dates with my fingers and can confirm that, while it looks like 1811, Martin's year of death is actually 1844. The numbers have eroded considerably.

Note for Lakeport location: Lakeport, Cramahe & Haldimand Twp's, Northumberland Co. (Currently Exists) - Originally named Colborne Harbour; Other previous names include Cramahe Harbour and Cat Hollow.

More About MARTIN KEELER:
Burial: 1844, Lakeport Cemetery, Conc. B, Lot 1, Haldimand Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont.⁴
Religion: Wesleyan Methodist
Residence: Bet. 1825 - 1844, Cramahe Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada

Notes for HANNAH ??:
According to the burial information, Hanna was 81 yrs old at her death.

More About HANNAH ??:
Burial: 1855, Lakeport Cemetery, Conc. B, Lot 1, Haldimand Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont.⁴
Religion 1: 1851, Presbyterian ⁵
Religion 2: Wesleyan Methodist

Children of MARTIN KEELER and HANNAH ?? are:

2.	i.		HANNAH⁷ KEELER.
	ii.		JAMES KEELER, m. (1) ELIZABETH HILLER, Abt. August 31, 1831, Murray Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada ⁶; m. (2) SALLY ANN MOORE, March 09, 1846, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada ⁷.

Notes for JAMES KEELER:
We know very little about this James Keeler. However, it is likely he and Martin were brothers as they both took out Marriage Bonds on the exact same day and had the same bondsmen.

In addition, the 1846 marriage of James Keeler & Sally Ann Moore, has Hannah Clyne and Joseph Wessenberger as the witnesses. This seems to further connect the individuals.

More About JAMES KEELER:
Residence 1: 1846, Cramahe Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada⁷
Residence 2: 1831, Cramahe Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada ⁸

Marriage Notes for JAMES KEELER and ELIZABETH HILLER:
Excerpt from Upper Canada Marriage Bond records -

Bond # 2265

"Know all Men by these Presents, that We

John Rathbun of the Township of Cramahe in the District of Newcastle, Yeoman, and Peter H. Brown of the Township of Cramahe, in the District of Newcastle, Yeoman both of the Province of Upper Canada

Are jointly and severally held and firmly bound unto our Sovereign Lord the King in the Sum of Two Hundred Pounds, lawful Currency of the Province aforesaid, to be paid unto our said Lord the King.. We bind ourselves, our and each of our Heirs, Executors and Administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these Presents sealed with our Seals, at Murray in the Newcastle District and Province aforesaid this 31st day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and [thirty-one] 31.

The Condition of this obligation is such that whereas a License has this day issued of Marriage, from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of the said Province of Upper Canada, for the purpose of joining together in Holy Matrimony

James Keeler of the Township of Cramahe in the District of Newcastle, Yeoman and Elizabeth Hiller of the [said] Township in the Newcastle District, Spinster."

Witnesses:

John M. Rathbun (signed)
Peter H. Brown (signed)

More About JAMES KEELER and ELIZABETH HILLER:
Marriage: Abt. August 31, 1831, Murray Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada ⁹

More About SALLY ANN MOORE:
Residence: 1846, Haldimand Twp, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada ¹⁰

More About JAMES KEELER and SALLY MOORE:
Marriage: March 09, 1846, Northumberland Cty, Ont., Canada¹⁰
Married by: Rev. Appleton Jones, Epis Methodist Church
Witnesses: J. Wessenberger (?) & Hannah Clyne

iii.

MARIA KEELER, b. Abt. 1792, United States ¹¹.

Notes for MARIA KEELER:
The only reference I have for Maria Keeler is the 1851 Cramahe Twp census where she appears with her mother (most likely).

More About MARIA KEELER:
Religion: Presbyterian ¹²

iv.

MARTIN KEELER, b. December 1798, Rutland, Rutland County, VT, United States; d. August 11, 1889, Cramahe Twp, Northumberland County, Ont., Canada.

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