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CORNELIUS B. KELLER, a respected agriculturist
and farmer, residing on section 22, Johnson Township, is a member of a pioneer family who took up their abode in
Christian County in 1850. He was born in York County, Pa., on the 19th
of June, 1827, and was consequently only twenty-three years old when he came to the West. His father, John Keller,
was long numbered among the best residents of this community. He was also a native of York County, where he grew
to manhood and was united in marriage with Miss Lydia Baker, of the same county. Mr. and Mrs. Keller departed this
life in Christian County, on their old homestead, and were buried side by side in the Clark Cemetery, of Johnson
Township.
The subject of this sketch
is one of eight children, five sons and three daughters, and is the eldest of the family. His youth was spent on
his father's farm, to the cultivation of which he gave his energies until reaching his majority. He determined
to learn a trade, and accordingly became master of the art of manufacturing paper. Desiring to see something of
the world and particularly of the great West, he went in 1855 to Kansas
with a party of Government surveyors.
The twelve years following he traveled in Arkansas, Nebraska
and Kansas, visiting all parts of those States.
It was in 1867 that Mr.
Keller returned to Christian County to settle down for life, and since that time he has made his permanent home
in Johnson Township. His entire attention has been given to general farming and stock-raising, and as the reward
of his industry he now finds himself the owner of a valuable tract of land, comprising several hundred acres. His
farm is well adapted to stock-raising, being well sheltered from storms of wind and rain by heavily timbered lands,
situated along a branch of the Sangamon River, which borders his farm. He makes a specialty of stock-raising, and
usually from twelve to fifteen head of horses, fifty to one hundred head of hogs, and upwards of fifty head of
cattle can be seen feeding in his beautiful meadow lands.
Mr. Keller is a man of
intelligence and keeps well informed on the leading questions of the day. He is congenial and friendly in his social
relations, and stands high in the respect of his neighbors and fellow-citizens. He has chosen to remain single,
but his home is so well kept and pleasant that one would hardly imagine it was not presided over by a lady. His
course in life has been ever strictly upright and within the lines of justice and truth. He is the architect of
his own fortunes, having started out empty-handed in the battle of life. In politics, he is a Democrat.
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