Frederick Keller ¹³⁸⁸

  General Notes:

From "History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania," 1884, p. 517.

Four brothers -- Caspar, Jacob, Henry, and Frederick Keller -- came from Eastern Pennsylvania, and were among the early settlers of this (Somerset) county. They located on the Allegheny mountain, in Allegheny and Stony Creek townships. Caspar was captain of a company in the War of 1812. All lived in the county, and all reared families except Frederick, who never married. Caspar carried on distilling, where Topper's distillery now is (1884). Josiah Keller, of Somerset, is a son of Frederick Keller (whose father was Jacob, above mentioned), and followed blacksmithing until 1875. He was then elected county treasurer. Since 1878 he has been in the mercantile business.

The first distillery was built by Caspar Keller, prior to 1800. It is now the only one operated in the township. At one time there were twenty-five in the township, and, as may be inferred, whisky drinking was very general. ¹³⁸⁸