Husband: Samuel KEPLER (1,2)
Birthdate: Cal 3 Mar 1793
Birthplace: , , Pennsylvania, USA (3,4)
Death date: 10 Dec 1872
Place of death: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (5)
Burial: Hire Cemetery, , Defiance, Ohio, USA
Father:
Mother:
Other Spouses:

Marriage date: 2 Dec 1824
Marriage place: , Wood, Ohio, USA (6,7)

Wife: Rachel McKINNIS (8,9)
Birthdate: 1804
Birthplace: , , Pennsylvania, USA (10)
Death date: 25 Feb 1880
Place of death: , , Ohio, USA
Burial: Hire Cemetery, , Defiance, Ohio, USA
Father: Judge Robert McKINNIS (1777-1863) (11)
Mother: Elizabeth CRINER (1777-1845) (12,13)
Other Spouses:

CHILDREN

Child No. 1: Mary Ann KEPLER (14)
Sex: F
Birthdate: 9 Mar 1827
Birthplace: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (15,16)
Death date: 30 May 1910
Place of death: , Defiance, Ohio, USA
Burial: Riverside Cemetery, , Defiance, Ohio, USA
Marriage date: 1 Apr 1856
Marriage place: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (18)
Spouses' names: William PHILLIPS (1820-1900) (17)

Child No. 2: Elizabeth Ann KEPLER (19,20)
Sex: F
Birthdate: 9 Mar 1827
Birthplace: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (15,21,22)
Death date: 28 Dec 1914
Place of death: Wayne, Wayne, Michigan, USA (20)
Burial: Glenwood Cemetery, Wayne, Wayne, Michigan, USA
Marriage date: 21 Nov 1850
Marriage place: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (25)
Spouses' names: Otho COLLIER (1827-1898) (23,24)

Child No. 3: Robert KEPLER (26)
Sex: M
Birthdate: 1830
Birthplace: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (27)
Death date: 30 Nov 1896
Place of death: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (28)
Burial: Hire Cemetery, , Defiance, Ohio, USA
Marriage date: 30 Oct 1853
Marriage place: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (31)
Spouses' names: Martha HILL (Cal 1835-1885) (29,30)

Child No. 4: 1stSgt Josiah M KEPLER (32)
Sex: M
Birthdate: 1834
Birthplace: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (33)
Death date: 6 Sep 1864
Place of death: , Clayton, Georgia, USA
Burial:
Marriage date:
Marriage place:
Spouses' names:

Child No. 5: Rachel KEPLER (34)
Sex: F
Birthdate: 15 Jan 1838
Birthplace: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (35,36)
Death date: Aft 1899
Place of death:
Burial:
Marriage date: [1] 15 Aug 1858 [2] 3 Dec 1899
Marriage place: [1] , Defiance, Ohio, USA (39) [2] , Henry, Ohio, USA (41)
Spouses' names: [1] John Wesley KING (1831-????) (37,38) [2] George MILLER (1834-????) (40)

Child No. 6: Sarah KEPLER (42,43,44)
Sex: F
Birthdate: 13 Nov 1840
Birthplace: , , Ohio, USA (45,46)
Death date: 20 Nov 1916
Place of death: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (43)
Burial: Ayersville Cemetery, Ayersville, Defiance, Ohio, USA (47)
Marriage date: 20 May 1885
Marriage place: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (51)
Spouses' names: William Blackman MORSE (1831-1920) (48,49,50)

Child No. 7: Lucy M KEPLER (52)
Sex: F
Birthdate: 9 Oct 1842
Birthplace: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (53,54)
Death date: 16 Feb 1923
Place of death: , Allen, Indiana, USA (55)
Burial: Ayersville Cemetery, Ayersville, Defiance, Ohio, USA
Marriage date: 1 Mar 1866
Marriage place: , Defiance, Ohio, USA (58)
Spouses' names: Abraham T BRECHBILL (1836-1912) (56,57)
 
 
Documentation:
1. History of Hancock County (Ohio),(Chicago: Warner Beers & Co, 1886) Chapter II, Part III. pg 425
   "On the 6th of December, 1830, all of the territory lying between the present western boundary of Findlay Township and the Putnam County line, and extending from Wood to Hardin County, was erected as Liberty Township. This was only one row of sections narrower than Old Town, and embraced the present townships of Pleasant, Portage, Blanchard, Liberty, Union, Orange, Van Buren and three-fourths of Eagle. The following March the lands now composing Blanchard, Eagle, Van Buren and the west half of Madison were cut off; and on the 21st of June, 1831, the first election for justice of the peace was held in Liberty. William Wade, George Chase and Moses Predmore were the judges, and Amos Bonham and Joshua Jones, clerks. The voters were John Fishel, John Magee, John Travis, John J. Hendricks, John Fishel, Jr., William Wade, Meredith Parrish, Moses Predmore, George Chase, Nathan Frakes, Joshua Jones, James Caton, James McCormick, Amos Bonham, Addison Hampton, Zebulon Lee, John Mullen, William Wade, Alfred Hampton, Ebenezer Wilson, Charles Jones, Jacob Poe, James McKinnis, Robert McKinnis, Charles McKinnis and Philip McKinnis. Total, 26. Benjamin Cummins received every vote cast and was declared elected. Of these twenty-six voters. Zebulon Lee, of Orange Township, and Alfred Hampton, of Findlay, are the only survivors living in this county."
pg 431
   "The year 1830 brought into the township a large number of settlers. Nathan Frakes, John J. Hendricks, Amos Bonham, Zebulon B., Jonathan, Solomon, James and Stephen Lee, John Magee, Meredith Parrish, John Hubbs, Moses Predmore and James Caton, all came that year, but some of them had previously lived in other parts of the county."
pg 434
   "John Magee, a step-son of Meredith Parrish, married Eliza, daughter of Judge McKinnis, and settled on the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 9, which he entered June 1, 1829, and where they resided until their removal to Iowa about 1851. Meredith and Sarah Parrish located on the west half of the northeast quarter of the same section, entered August 21, 1829, and in 1834 sold out to John Fletcher and went to Putnam County. John Hubbs settled on the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 5, entered November 3, 1830, which land he sold to Daniel Cusac in 1839, and then moved to Indiana. Moses Predmore settled on Section 9, and James Caton on Section 8. Both sold their farms and went to Iowa. All of the foregoing came about 1830."
pg 437
   "Religious Societies.
   "- A class of the Methodist Episcopal denomination was organized at the house of Johnson Bonham as early as 1831. Among the earliest members were Johnson Bonham and wife, Amos Bonham, Mrs. Meredith Parrish, Mrs. Addison Hampton, Nathan Frakes and wife, Mrs. William Fountain and Barna Beardsley and wife. The class was organized by Revs. Thomas Thompson and Elnathan C. Gavit. In 1851 this society built a frame church across the line in Findlay Township, which is still used by the Methodists of the neighborhood."
2. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. Samuel Kepler [or Kessler].
3. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. age 67, Pennsylvania.
4. Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001 (FamilySearch.org), Kepler, Samuel. aged 79Y, 9M, 7D.
5. Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001 (FamilySearch.org), Kepler, Samuel.
6. History of Hancock County (Ohio),(Chicago: Warner Beers & Co, 1886) Chapter II, Part III, pg 208. "The first marriage in Hancock County was contracted September 2, 1824, Samuel Kepler and Rachel McKinnis being the happy couple."
7. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Kepler, Samuel. to Rachel McKinnis, 2 Dec 1824, Wood County, by Wilson Vance, JP. This record wasn't filed until 20 Jun 1831, in Wood County, so the History book might be correct that they were married in September in Hancock County.
8. History of Hancock County (Ohio),(Chicago: Warner Beers & Co, 1886) Chapter II, Part III.
9. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. Rachel Kepler.
10. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. age 56, Pennsylvania.
11. Forstad, Paul, McKinnis, Robert. Ancestry.com database
http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:1932384&id=I111761274
12. Forstad, Paul, Craner, Elizabeth.
13. Indian Green Cemetery, Hancock County, Ohio, Elizabeth McKinnis.
14. 1850 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 47 (24A), d/f #325/325. Mary Ann Kepler.
15. 1850 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 47 (24A), d/f #325/325. age 24, Ohio.
16. 1900 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, ED 2, pg 3B. age 73, May 27, Ohio.
17. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Phillips, William. to Mary Ann Kepler.
18. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Phillips, William. to Mary Ann Kepler, 1 Apr 1856, Defiance County.
19. 1850 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 47 (24A), d/f #325/325. Betsy Ann Kepler.
20. Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995 (FamilySearch.org), Collier, Elizabeth.
21. Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995 (FamilySearch.org), Collier, Elizabeth. age 78, Ohio.
22. 1900 Federal Census, Michigan, Wayne, ED 194, pg 12B. age 73, Mar 1827, Ohio.
23. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Collier, Otho. to Elizabeth A Kepler.
24. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 77 (315A), d/f #564/557. Otho Collier.
25. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Collier, Otho. to Elizabeth A Kepler, 21 Nov 1850, Defiance Coujnty, by E R Tucker, MG.
26. 1850 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 47 (24A), d/f #325/325. Robert Kepler.
27. 1850 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 47 (24A), d/f #325/325. age 19, Ohio.
28. Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001 (FamilySearch.org), Kepler, Robert. age 66, 30 Nov 1896, Defiance, Ohio, of rheumatic dropsy. His memorial at FindaGrave says 28 Nov.
29. 1870 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 28 (175B), d/f #209/214. Martha Kepler.
30. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Kepler, Robert. to Martha Hill.
31. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Kepler, Robert. to Martha Hill, 30 Oct 1853, Defiance County, by B B Abell, JP.
32. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. Josiah Kepler.
33. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. age 26, Ohio.
34. 1850 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 47 (24A), d/f #325/325. Rachel Kepler.
35. 1850 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 47 (24A), d/f #325/325. age 11, Ohio.
36. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Miller, George. age 60, 15 Jan 1899, Defiance County.
37. Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958 (FamilySearch.org), King, John Wesley. to Rachel Kepler.
38. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Henry, pg 8 (256B) d/f #59/58. John W King.
39. Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958 (FamilySearch.org), King, John Wesley. to Rachel Kepler, 15 Aug 1858, Defiance County.
40. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Miller, George. to Rachael King.
41. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Miller, George. to Rachael King, 3 Dec 1899, Henry County, by Abraham Hopkins, Pastor.
42. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. Sarah Kepler.
43. Death Certificate, Morse, Sarah Sumner #67382.
44. 1900 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, ED 13, pg 2A. age 59, Nov 1840, Ohio.
45. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. age 18, Ohio.
46. Death Certificate, Morse, Sarah Sumner #67382. aged 76 years, 7 days, 20 Nov, Ohio. Her ages on the early census records are 9, 18, 29.
47. Death Certificate, Morse, Sarah Sumner #67382. Ayersville.
48. 1900 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, ED 13, pg 2A. Wm Morse.
49. Death Certificate, Morse, William B #10705.
50. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Morse, W B. to Sarah Kepler.
51. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Morse, W B. to Sarah Kepler, 20 May 1885, Defiance County, by Rev B W Slagel.
52. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. Lucy Kepler.
53. 1860 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 82 (317B), d/f #599/592. age 16, Ohio.
54. 1900 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, ED 8, pg 1B. age 57, Oct 1842, Ohio.
55. Indiana Death Index, 1882-1920 (FamilySearch.org), Brackbill, Lucy M.
56. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Brechbill, A T. to Lucy M Kepler.
57. 1870 Federal Census, Ohio, Defiance, pg 10 (115B), d/f #62/64. Abraham Brechbill.
58. Ohio County Marriages, 1789-1997 (FamilySearch.org), Brechbill, A T. to Lucy M Kepler, 1 Mar 1866, Defiance County, by C G Ferris, MG.

Notes:
* Chapter II, Part III
The first marriage in Hancock County was contracted September 2, 1824, Samuel Kepler and Rachel McKinnis being the happy couple. Mr. Kepler settled on the Maumee in 1822, and ere his death in the fall of 1872, gave the following account of his marriage to Miss McKinnis, while on a visit to her father's home, in what is now Liberty Township: "I sent for my license by mail, to Robert Forsyth, clerk of the court of Wood County. Not knowing me he refused to grant it, so that my future father-in-law had to go to Perrysburg to procure it. We were married in Mr. McKinnis' house by Wilson Vance, Esq., being the first couple married in Hancock County. After making a canoe, which took five or six days, my wife packed her little outfit of household goods into it, and we literally 'paddled our own canoe' to where I now live."
* Defiance County wasn't created until 1845 and I'm not sure in which county this family lived before then so I've used Defiance. They didn't move, the area was re-organized.

If there is no SOURCE, I have no PROOF! If the source is a PERSON, the information is HEARSAY.

Last Modified: 22 Jul 2018