The Kesler Family
Fifth Generation in America
Children of Peter Kesler

20. ABRAHAM KESLER⁵ (Peter⁴, Johann Matthaeus³, Johann Philip², Johann Adolph¹, Georg Philip, Theiss), eldest son of Peter and Elizabeth (Bowman) Kesler, was born 17 Mar 1809 in Fairfield Co., Ohio. He died (testate) on 16 Feb 1891 in Allen Co., Ohio. He is buried with his second wife at Greenlawn Cemetery, Elida, Allen Co., Ohio.

On 11 Apr 1832 Abraham married Mary Shupe at Fairfield Co., Ohio. Mary was born about the year l807 in Ohio. She died on 6 Nov 1855, leaving the grieving widower with seven children ages seven to twenty-one. Mary was buried at Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery in Elida, Ohio.

On 16 Jan 1857 Abraham married his second wife twenty-five year old Julia Ann Crites. She was born 1 Sep 1831 and died 21 Sep 1884 [Tombstone]. She is buried with Abraham at Greenlawn Cemetery, Elida, Ohio. She and Abraham had four children.

Abraham was raised in Fairfield County. In Sep 1834 he purchased approximately 80 acres in German (now American) township, Allen Co., Ohio. When Abraham Doner arrived in Marion twp., Allen Co., in 1835 after a "two week's journey from Fairfield Co., Ohio, over corduroy roads, two rut wagon tracks and finally mere trails which (his sons) sometimes had to open with axes," he was welcomed by "the Keslers, the Ridenours, the Stuckeys and the Hallers, all earlier arrivals from Fairfield County." The History of Allen Co., Ohio published in 1885 states that "Abraham Kessler" settled in German twp. in 1838. Abraham was listed in the Fairfield Co., Ohio, federal census for 1840. I assume he lived periodically in Allen Co. from 1835 to the early 1840s before he decided to move there permanently. His Uncle Andrew (Andreas) Kesler moved to Shawnee twp., Allen Co., Ohio, in the early 1830s and was listed in the 1840 federal census for Allen County. In 1837 Abraham was one of the charter members of the Lutheran Society of the Elida area. In 1839 this society established an Evangelical Lutheran Church. The congregation worshiped in a log meeting house.

Between 1850 and 1860 Abraham's father, Peter, came to live with him. Abraham and Mary (Shupe) Kesler had at least three sons who served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Reuben enlisted on 24 Mar 1862 in Co. K, 66 Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was mustered out with his company on 28 Apr 1865. George enlisted on 23 Sep 1864 in Co. H, 179 Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and his brother Josiah enlisted in the same company the next day. Josiah died in the service of his country, while George was mustered out with his company on 17 Jun 1865. After the war George became a member of the Jehu John Post 476 Grand Army of the Republic. Abraham was a farmer. In 1870 he also ran a flour mill and owned a large amount of real estate.

Abraham's will is on file at the courthouse in Lima, Ohio.

Children (Abraham and Mary):

Children (Abraham and Julia Ann):

21. SAMUEL KESLER⁵ (Peter⁴, Johann Matthaeus³, Johann Philip², Johann Adolph¹, Georg Philip, Theiss), son of Peter and Elizabeth (Bowman) Kesler, was born on 12 Jun 1812 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. He died on 20 Oct 1895 at Ridge Twp., Van Wert Co., Ohio, and is buried at Ridge Cemetery, Middlepoint, Van Wert Co., Ohio.

Samuel married Louisa Frazier on 20 Mar 1836 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. Louisa, born on 14 Aug 1814 at Fairfield Co., Ohio; died on 28 Oct 1882 at Van Wert Co., Ohio; buried at Ridge Cemetery, Middlepoint, Van Wert Co., Ohio.

Samuel married, second, Margaret, the widow of Benjamin Fisher, in 1885.

After Samuel married Louisa he worked on his father's farm and elsewhere in Fairfield County. He also farmed on rented land in Fairfield County until 1840, when he moved to Van Wert Co., Ohio, and entered 160 acres in a dense forest in Ridge Township. His first care was to erect a cabin for himself, his wife, and their three children. After that time more than 1,000 acres were bought and sold by him, and at his death he owned a 295 acre farm. Samuel was a member of the Lutheran Church. In politics he was a democrat and for two terms served as township trustee. [Biographical History of Van Wert County]

Children:

22. AMELIA KESLER NEFF ZEIGLER⁵ (Peter⁴, Johann Matthaeus³, Johann Philip², Johann Adolph¹, Georg Philip, Theiss), daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Bowman) Kesler, was born in 1818 at Ohio; died on 4 Sep 1904 at Spokane, Spokane Co., Washington.

She married Peter Neff.

She married, second, a Mr. Ziegler.

Children:

i. Mattie m. 1) Mr. Tyson 2) Mr. Ziegler

23. ELIAS "ELI" KESLER⁵ (Peter⁴, Johann Matthaeus³, Johann Philip², Johann Adolph¹, Georg Philip, Theiss), son of Peter and Elizabeth (Bowman) Kesler, was born on 15 Sep 1820 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. He died on 21 Jan 1866 at Fulton Co., Ohio. He is buried at Zion Church Cem., Fulton Co., Ohio.

He married Sarah Pontius on 15 Mar 1846 at Pickaway Co., Ohio. Sarah was born on 12 Oct 1818 at Ohio. She died on 9 Feb 1903 at Fulton Co., Ohio. She is buried at Zion Church Cem., Fulton Co., Ohio.

Children:

24. BARBARA KESLER TIMBERS⁵ (Peter⁴, Johann Matthaeus³, Johann Philip², Johann Adolph¹, Georg Philip, Theiss), daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Bowman) Kesler, was born in 1822 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. She died on 21 May 1901 at Ohio and is buried in Ridge Cemetery[Obituary].

Barbara married Reuben Timbers on 16 Jan 1837 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. Reuben was born in 1807 at Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania. He died in 1883 at Van Wert Co., Ohio.

Barbara and her husband moved from Fairfield Co., Ohio, to Ridge Twp., Van Wert Co., Ohio, about the year 1853.

Barbara was united with the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Of their sons, George and Eli served in Co H, 15 Ohio Volunteer Infantry, William served in the 59 Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Simon served in Co K, 88 Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War.

Children:

25. JOHN KESLER⁵ (Peter⁴, Johann Matthaeus³, Johann Philip², Johann Adolph¹, Georg Philip, Theiss), son of Peter and Elizabeth (Bowman) Kesler, was born in 1823 [Federal Census] at Fairfield Co., Ohio; died on 14 Jan 1865 at Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky.

John married Mary (____). Mary was born in 1825 at Pennsylvania and died after 1860.

John moved to Shelby County, Illinois, in 1856. Two of his sons, Daniel and Isaac, having enlisted in the Union army, he thought that he too must go to war and enlisted in February, 1864. He was afterwards taken sick and died in the service.

Children:

26. ANNA KESLE R STERLING⁵ (Peter⁴, Johann Matthaeus³, Johann Philip², Johann Adolph¹, Georg Philip, Theiss), daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Bowman) Kesler, was born on 28 Jan 1826 at Amanda, Fairfield Co., Ohio. She died on 27 May 1908 and is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery, McLean Co., Illinois.

Anna married Charles Sterling on 17 Dec 1848. Charles, son of Thomas H. and Mahala (Reed) Sterling, was born on 24 Nov 1822 at Pickaway Co., Ohio. He died on 2 Feb 1895 at Le Roy, McLean Co., Illinois, and was buried on 4 Feb 1895.

Children:

27. PETER KESLER⁵ (Peter⁴, Johann Matthaeus³, Johann Philip², Johann Adolph¹, Georg Philip, Theiss), son of Peter and Elizabeth (Bowman) Kesler, was born on 4 Feb 1831 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. He died on 25 Aug 1923 at Fairfield Co., Ohio, and is buried at Dutch Hollow Church Cemetery, Amanda Twp., Fairfield Co., Ohio.

Peter married Catherine Neff on 4 Mar 1854 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. Catherine was born in 1832 and died in 1855.

Peter married Mary Barr on 16 Sep 1856 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. Mary was born on 12 Oct 1835 at Fairfield Co., Ohio. She died on 4 Feb 1894 and is buried at Dutch Hollow Church Cemetery, Amanda Twp., Fairfield Co., Ohio.

Children:

Go to Table of Contents

Ric Tobin's Home Page