Gregory Keeler Born: March 1805 Canton Aargau, Switzerland Died: 03 September 1880 Sharon Township, Richland County, Ohio

Gregory's death record states that he was born in "Aargau, Helvetia," but nothing more is known about his exact place of origin. The flag of the canton is shown here. As will be seen below, his last name appears in a variety of forms.

Gregory is almost certainly the "Grogory Killer" who arrived at New York City on 27 July 1833. He appears in the passenger list of the Florida as a 28-year old shoe maker from Switzerland. The ship had departed from Havre, and 173 passengers were recorded on its arrival.

Gregory married Maria Anna Fisher on 20 November 1837 at St. Alphonsus in Peru, Huron County, Ohio. The priest was Rev. Francis X. Tschenhens; the witnesses were John Birkmeyer and George Fisher.

Between 1839 and 1853, Gregory and Mary had ten children, including Francis Xavier (Frank) Keeler.

"George Killer" appears in the 1840 Ohio census for Ridgefield Township, Huron County (west of Norwalk). By the mid-1840s, he owned 20 acres of land in section 11 of Ridgefield Township. There is, however, no record for the purchase of this land in the County Recorder's Office. On 21 October 1847, Gregory bought 1.3 acres of land in Ridgefield Township. The seller was Timothy Baker, and the price was $32.50.

Gregory "Keeller" became a naturalized citizen on 12 March 1850. The Huron County Common Pleas court journal states that he was a native of Switzerland, and that he had made his Declaration of Intention two years earlier in the same court. He appears in the 1850 Ohio census for Ridgefield Township, and is listed as a 45-year old farmer. He sold his 21.3 acres in Ridgefield Township to Benedict Smith on 8 April 1851. The price was $700.

On 6 December 1851, Gregory "Keelor" bought 40 acres of land in section 25 of Sharon Township, Richland County from Augustus Fisher (probably his brother-in-law) and his wife, Anna; the price was $780.

Gregory "Keiler" appears in the 1860 and 1870 censuses for Sharon Township. He is listed as a farmer.

The 1870 tax map for Richland County lists Gregory as owning 40 acres in section 25 of Sharon township, and 40 acres in section 26. An 1873 map of Sharon Township shows his 80 acres to be close to the present-day State Route 61 and Bethlehem, near the border of Crawford county.

Gregory appears in the 1880 census for Sharon Township. He is listed as 75 years old and "disabled." Gabriel Fisher, his brother-in-law, is listed as living with him and his wife.

Gregory's death appears in the Richland County probate court records. He is listed as a farmer, born in Germany, and as having lived 75 years, 6 months, and 0 days. The cause of death is given as "old age." His death also appears in the records of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bethlehem; his age is given as 76.

Gregory apparently died intestate; there is no record of a will for him in the Richland County probate records. The site of his grave is unknown; there is no record for him in either the Richland County cemetery records (which includes the Sacred Heart cemetery), or in the Huron County grave records index.