Darwin Keller - Alberta Schaeffer Family
Santa Claus, Indiana

First Communion Sunday at St. Boniface and a beautiful day it is.
Marilyne (1952), Ralph (1955), Karen (1951), Janice (1947)

A cold winter day at the Keller farm house near Santa Claus, Indiana.
Picture from the 1940s.

The corn is picked, the harvest is done and the Keller farm lays fallow. The Keller farm is now being farmed by the 5th generation of Kellers. The farm was purchased by Henry Keller in 1890 for $2,000 from George & Sarah Harris. The farm was subsequently purchased by Fred "Fritz" Keller in 1913 for $4,000 from his father's heirs and later it passed to his son, Darwin Keller. It is now farmed by Ralph Keller with help from this sons, Matthew and Zachary Keller. The farm consists of 120 acres. Forty acres is bottom land through which flows the Crooked Creek. The remaining acreage is gentle hills. The farm house and several of the building no longer stand.

Fritz and Clara Keller with their children Louise, Darwin and Irma. Photo was probably from 1919 and shows the family at the southwest corner of the house with the smoke house in back. Location is easily seen in the previous picture. (This picture is in the possesion of Alma Burger of Jasper, a daughter of Clara Zimmerman Keller's cousin. Picture was photographed by Helen Keusch of Huntingburg, who sent this image to me.)

Wedding of Darwin E. Keller & Alberta A.Schaeffer on 18 Aug 1945. The couple was married in the rectory of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Fulda,Indiana. Groomsmen from l. to r. are Robert Schaeffer, Alvin Keller, Darwin Keller (groom), Norbert Schaeffer; bridesmaids are Dorothy Schaeffer, Myrtle Wohlmuth (Mrs. Alvin Keller), Alberta Schaeffer(bride), Lidwina Schaeffer. Darwin Keller belonged to St. Peter's Evangelical Church in Huff Township.