(Anna) Mary Keeler

Born: 27 March 1852
Helferskirchen, Amt Selters, Duchy of Nassau

Died: 16 February 1932
Sylvania Township, Lucas County, Ohio
tombstone of Frank and Mary Keeler

Mary was one of at least five children of Johann Fein. She was baptized in Helferskirchen on 1 April 1852, so the birth year on her tombstone, shown here, is incorrect.

She was twenty when she emigrated with her brother John on the steamship Hansa. It departed from Bremen on 24 April 1872 and stopped at Southampton on 26 April. There were 946 passengers on the voyage across the Atlantic. The ship arrived in New York City on 8 May 1872.

Mary married Frank Keeler on 23 November 1875 at Sacred Heart in Bethlehem, Ohio. The witnesses were Kaspar Keeler and Margaretha Heinz.

Between 1876 and 1893, Frank and Mary had twelve children:

  1. Jacob (6 Sep 1876 - 27 Mar 1952)
    He married Frances Elizabeth Meiring* (1882-1965)
    Jacob worked as a farmer.
    Their son, Andrew Keeler (8 Nov 1916 - 12 Jan 1945), was killed in action in Belgiuim during the Battle of the Bulge.
  2. John (27 Oct 1877 - 19 Mar 1963)
    He married Elvah Manore** (1883-1950)
    John worked as a self-employed gardener.
  3. Mary Anna (6 Jan 1879 - 8 Apr 1917)
    She married Frank Meiring* (1871-1947)
  4. Frances (8 Mar 1880 - 8 Mar 1880)
    She died at birth or was stillborn.
  5. George Dominic (10 Jul 1881 - 28 Aug 1957)
    He married Elizabeth (Bessie) Manore** (1889-1958)
    George worked as a farmer and a machine operator at the Chevrolet Motor Plant in Toledo.
  6. Helen Gertrude (16 Dec 1882 - 26 Jul 1963)
    She was unmarried.
  7. Barbara Constance (10 Jul 1884 - 21 Mar 1963)
    She was unmarried.
  8. Francis Xavier (Frank) Jr. (10 Dec 1885 - 13 May 1961)
    He married Veronica Marguerite (Marge) Hennessy (1890-1966)
    Frank was a cabinet maker and worked for the General Motors Corp.
  9. Anna (26 Mar 1887 - 1891)
    She died at about the age of four.
  10. Blandina Catherine (Blanche) [Sister Keeler] (27 Feb 1889 - 3 Nov 1969)
    She entered the Sisters of Charity order and worked as a nurse.
  11. Charles Joseph (Charlie) 27 Aug 1891 - 11 Jun 1969)
    He was unmarried. Charlie worked as a self-employed gardener.
  12. William Henry (Bill) (27 Mar 1893 - 6 Jan 1973)
    He married Mary Ann Schiel (1905-1986)
    Bill was a motor assembler for the Kaiser Jeep Corp. He was a WWI army veteran.

    [*Frances and Frank Meiring were siblings.]
    [**Elvah and Bessie Manore were siblings.]

In the mid-1880s, Mary and her family moved to Gibson township, Mercer County (west central Ohio). Around 1892, they moved to Toledo, Ohio. Mary had inherited 40 acres of land in Lucas county, and four lots in the Woodville Street Addition in Toledo when her brother John died in May 1892.

Mary died at age 79 from valvular heart disease, just ten days after the death of her husband. She was buried on 19 February 1932 in St. Joseph's cemetery in Sylvania, Ohio.