My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM B. KESSLER, farmer; P. O. West Milton; born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, in the year 1824; is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Hart) Kessler, his father a native of Virginia, and his mother of Pennsylvania; they removed to and settled in Montgomery Co., in which they lived a number of years, then came to this county and took up their abode for a while; removed to near Little Rock, Ark., and finally back to Southern Indiana, in which State his mother died, aged about 40 years; after her death, his father came to this county, and lived till his death, which occurred at the age of 72 or 73 years; they were parents of six children, three of whom are living, viz., Melinda, Wm. B. and Henry; the deceased are Joseph, John and Cyrus; his father’s first marriage was with a Miss Fetten, by whom he had four children, three living, viz., Nancy, Lucinda and Sarah; Mary deceased; his third marriage was celebrated with Elizabeth Rublia, by whom he had one child, Amanda; his fourth marriage was with Nancy Robinson, by whom he had one child, a son, Franklin. Our subject was reared on the farm, on which he labored until he was 19 years of age, at which time he was in Indiana, but returned to this county and worked as a hand on the farm for about four years, after which he learned the shoemaker’s trade, which he followed for several years. In 1846, he was married to Mary Albaugh; they had eight children, seven of whom are living, viz., Clara, Calvin, Cyrus, Walter, Aaron, William and Samuel; Susanna, deceased. After his marriage, he continued at his trade, and, in a small way, did something at farming. In 1847, he came to the place on which he now resides; it was only partly improved but, by dint of hard labor, he has cleared up and subdued his land, besides erecting good, comfortable and substantial buildings; he also owns the old Albaugh homestead, which contains 80 acres; this, in connection with the other, makes him the possessor of 182 75/100 acres of fine land; his wife is a daughter of Samuel and Anna Albaugh, who were among the early pioneers of this county; Mr. Kessler is one of our self-made men, having begun life empty handed, and, with slight assistance, he has by energy and frugality, combined with good management, amassed a fine property, the fruit of honest toil. Mrs. K. is a member of the Christian Church, and an exemplary Christian woman.