This representative business man and ex-county official fills a
conspicuous place in the public life of Mount Vernon and it is
with no little satisfaction that the following brief review of
his career is al lotted a place among those of the leading men
of his city and county. The family of which Charles R. Keller
is an honorable representative, is of Southern origin, and early
in the eighteenth century the name was familiar in various parts
of North Carolina, the state in which the subject's grandfather,
John Keller, was born and reared. This ancestor, whose birth
occurred on July 17, 1804, moved with his parents to Bedford
county, Tennessee, in 1814, and after a residence of about
twenty years in the latter state he removed with his family to
Jefferson county, Illinois, settling in 1841 in Elk Prairie township
where he purchased land and engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1847
he joined the United States army to take part in the war with Mexico,
but shortly after reaching the scene of action contracted a disease
which resulted in his death at the city of Jalapa, in January of the
year following his enlistment.
Mary Nees, wife of John Keller, was born in Lincoln county,
Tennessee, in 1805, and departed this life in Jefferson county,
Illinois, December, 1869. She bore her husband ten children, among
whom was a son by the name of Willis A. Keller, whose birth occurred
in Lincoln county, Tennessee, July I, 1826, and who in 1841
accompanied his parents to Jefferson county, Illinois, and grew
to maturity in Elk Prairie township. Owing to unfavorable circumstances
his educational training was but limited and at the age of
ten years he left home to make his own way in the world, by working
on a farm at very small wages. After continuing this kind of labor
until his nineteenth year he married and set up a domestic
establishment of his own on rented land, the lady who became his
wife being Miss Mary Dodds, and the date on which the ceremony
took place, the 7th of January, 1846.
Willis A. Keller began farming for himself under circumstances
which to most men would have been considered decidedly discouraging,
but to one of his energy and optimism, the future ap peared bright
with promise, notwithstanding the sum total of his earthly capital
at that time amounted to less than ten dollars. With a determination
which knew no such word as fail, he resolutely addressed himself
to his labors, and in due time succeeded in bettering his condition
and laying the foundation of a career which ultimately resulted
in one of the largest private fortunes in his township and eaming for him
much more than local repute as a progressive farmer and public-spirited
citizen. Mr. Keller' s industry became proverbial in his neighborhood and
his economy, sound judgment and excellent management bore their legitimate
fruits in a competency which not only placed him in independent circumstances
but as stated above made him one of the financially solid and reliable
men of the county. From the modest beginning alluded to he added to his
savings until able to purchase land of his own from which time his advancement
was more rapid and some idea of his success may be obtained from the fact
of his having accumulated a large and valuable estate ere he passed the
years of his prime, his realty at one time in Jefferson county amounting
to considerable in excess of one thousand acres of land to say nothing
of valubale personal property and other private interests which tended
to augment his fortune. Mrs. Mary (Dodds) Keller, who was born in Kentucky,
November 29, 1829, died in Jefferson county, Illinois, July, 1865, leaving
these children, namely: Sarah E., wife of George W. Yost; Judge C. A. Keller,
of San Antonio, Texas; Amanda, who married Robert Lloyd, and Minnie, now
Mrs. Julian Frochock, and Carrie Fly, wife of W. S. Fly.
In the year 1866 Willis Keller was united in marriage with Mrs. Lucy
Jane (Adams) Rentchler, who bore him children as follows: Mrs. Mary J.
Maxey, Mrs. Luphemia Jones, and Charles R. Keller, whose name introduces
this sketch, all living in Mount Vernon and highly esteemd by the best
people of the city.
Charles R. Keller, to a brief review of whose career the reader's attention
is herewith respectfully invited, was born in Mount Vernon on the 18th
day of April, 1872, and spent his early life in the city and on his father's
farm, his experience in the country having a decided influence in fostering
habits of industry and teaching les sons of self-reliance which subsequently
resulted so greatly to his advantage. At the proper age he entered the
public schools of his native place, between which and the country districts
he devoted the time until completing the prescribed course when he became
a student in the Southern Illinois Normal School at Carbondale, where he
prosecuted his studies for a period of two years, during which time he
made commendable progress and earned a creditable record. On leaving the
above institution Mr. Keller yielded to a predilection in favor of a business
life, accepting a clerkship with the mercantile firm of Culli Brothers
& McAtee, of Mount Vernon, in whose employ he continued from 1890 until
1896, when he resigned his position to enter upon his duties as Clerk of
the Circuit Court, to which office he was elected in the fall of the latter
year. From his youth he had manifested a lively interest in public affairs
and on attaining his majority became influential in political circles and
one of the rising young Democrats of Jefferson county, and when it became
necessary to select a candidate for the important and responsible office
of Circuit Clerk, attention was directed to him as the most available man
to select, and it was not long until his party friends rallied to his support
and his nomination, his election following as a matter of course, not altogether,
however, on account of the normally large Democratic majority but by reason
of his great personal popularity and eminent fitness for the position as
well.
Mr. Keller s official career proving creditable to himself and acceptable
to the public he was renominated at the expiration of his term and in the
election of 1900 was again victorious, defeating his competitor by a decisive
majority and during his second incumbency proving an able and faithful
public servant whose record fully met the expectations of the people. On
retiring from the clerkship Mr. Keller devoted two years to the grocery
business but at the expiration of that time severed his connection with
merchandising and in 1906 entered the Ham National Bank as assistant cashier,
which position he still worthily holds. In his present capacity as in his
official relations with the public he discharges his duties in the faithful
and conscientious manner characteristic of the man, demonstrating clerical
abilities of a high order and a familiarity with finance and matters relating
thereto which render his services especially valuable to the management
of the institution with which he is identified.
Mr. Keller is a gentleman of high character and strict integrity whose
worth has been duly appreciated and rewarded and whose name has ever been
above the suspicion of dishonor. The universal esteem in which he is held
by the people of his city and county bears eloquent testimony to his many
sterling qualities while the honors conferred upon him by his fellow citizens
and the confidence reposed in him by his present employers show him to
be loyal to every trust and worthy of the support and confidence with which
he is regarded. Despite the fact of his never having assumed the duties
and responsibilities of the marriage relation Mr. Keller is an influential
factor in the social life of Mount Vernon and takes an active interest
in all movements having for their object the amelioration of the human
ills, and the general prosperity and welfare of the body politic. Fraternally
he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Fraternal
Order of Eagles, in all of which organizations he takes a leading part
besides being honored with important positions from time to time.
Source: History of Jefferson County, Illinois
John Wall 1909
Submitted By: Misty Flannigan
Oct 2002
