Surnames: Abrams, Aldridge, Allerton, Broat, Burgess, Davis, Elwell,
Gifford, Keyser, Newton, Petrie, Ransom, Rugge, Salisbury, Walroth, Windecker
Source: History of the Mohawk Valley - Gateway to the
West - 1614-1925
Covering The Six Counties of Schenectady, Schoharie,
Montgomery, Fulton, Herkimer and Oneida.
Volume IV, Illustrated; Page 688
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1925
Mrs. Delight E. Keller, regent of the Colonel William Feeter Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Dolgeville, was born in the town of Manheim, New York, on August 15, 1853, the daughter of David and Rebecca Ann (Aldridge) Ransom. David Ransom, a farmer by occupation, was born in 1805 in the town of Manheim and died there in August, 1890. He was the son of Samuel and Abigail (Abrams) Ransom. Samuel Ransom was born in Connecticut in 1781 and died in Manheim in 1835. He was a son of David and Anna (Allerton) Ransom. His wife was born in 1782, and died in 1857. David Ransom was born in 1748 in Canterbury, Connecticut, and died in Brocketts Bridge (now Dolgeville) in 1813. He served during the Revolutionary war as a major and was in the battles at Lexington and Bunker Hill and came through New York state with Sullivan's army.
David Ransom was a son of Robert and Hannah (Burgess) Ransom, the former of whom was born in 1717 and the latter in 1718. Robert Ransom was a son of Robert and Alice (Newton) Ransom, the former born in 1687 and the latter in 1687. This senior Robert Ransom was a son of Joshua and Mary (Gifford) Ransom, the former born in 1665 and the latter in 1666. Joshua Ransom was a son of Robert Ransom (I) and his wife Susanna, who came to the American colonies prior to the year 1655 and were the founders of this line of the Ransoms in this country.
David Ransom's wife, Anna (Allerton) Ransom, was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1757, and died in Brocketts Bridge in 1853. Through the Allerton line Mrs. Keller traces descent from Isaac Allerton and from Elder William Brewster, who were among the pilgrims on the Mayflower in 1620. She also has descent from Sergeant Richard Hubbell and from Colonel Edward Spaulding, who were officers in the Colonial army during the time of King Philip's war. Rebecca Ann (Aldridge) Ransom, mother of Mrs. Keller, was born in the town of Stratford, New York, on May 18, 1819, and died on February 20, 1922, in the town of Manheim. She was the daughter of Royal and Polly (Elwell) Aldridge. Royal Aldridge was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, and both he and his wife died in Indiana. He was a carpenter and builder.
Delight E. Ransom was educated at Little Falls Academy and Cazenovia Seminary at Cazenovia, Madison County, New York. She was married in the town of Manheim, New York, on October 13, 1875, to Willard Keller, who was born in Fairfield, New York, on March 20, 1850, on the Keller homestead farm which has been in the possession of the family for about two hundred years. Willard Keller was married first to Harriet Thompson Salisbury. He is the son of Abram and Marian (Petrie) Keller. Abram Keller, a farmer, was born on the old homestead in 1803 and died in the town of Manheim in 1886. His wife was born in Manheim and died there in 1883. Abram Keller was the son of John and Elizabeth (Davis) Keller, the former of whom was born in 1771, and the latter in 1777. John Keller was a son of John and Barbara (Windecker) Keller, the former of whom, born in 1740, died in 1806, and the latter of whom, horn in 1742, died in 1805. This John Keller (I) was the son of Johannes and Elizabeth Keller, who came from Germany and settled in Stone Arabia, New York. Marian (Petrie) Keller was a direct descendant of John Marks Petrie who fought in the battle of Oriskany. Mr. Keller is a farmer and president of the board of directors of the Grange store at Little Falls, both he and his wife being charter members of the grange. In politics he is a democrat. Mr. Keller has Revolutionary ancestry along other lines than that of his descent from John Marks Petrie, mentioned above, these other Revolutionary ancestors of his who fought at the battle of Oriskany having been John Keller, Yost Henry Davis, Captain John Keyser and Michael Keyser, and both he and Mrs. Keller long have taken a warm interest in the affairs of the patriotic societies based upon colonial and Revolutionary descent.
To Mr. and Mrs. Keller were born five children: Charles Byron Keller was born on October 14, 1876, and married Lita Walroth, or Walrath, of St. Johnsville, New York; Orpha Edith Keller was born on February 5, 1878, and married John Rugge of Ridgewood, New Jersey. They have two children, Marjorie Louise and John Keller Rugge; Laura Adella Keller was born on October 16, 1879, and married Frank H. Windecker of Little Falls, New York. Their children are Greta Delight and John Willard Windecker; Albert Monroe Keller was born on June 21, 1881, and married Grace Broat of Lawrence, Kansas. They have four children: Delight Amelia, Willard Broat, Mabel E. and David Ransom Keller; Harriet Thompson Keller was born on June 5, 1885, and died on September 25, 1916.
Mrs. Delight E. Keller is a charter member of the Rock City Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star; regent of the Colonel William Feeter Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Dolgeville, New York, and formerly was regent of the Astenrogen Chapter of this patriotic society at Little Falls. She was both national and state chairman of the Daughters of the American Revolution for a number of years on the national committee for preservation of historic spots. Mrs. Keller secured a state appropriation for the purchase and preservation of the General Nicholas Herkimer Home and also originated the idea of locating and marking Herkimer's route from his home to the battlefield of Oriskany, and had supervision of it while in office as state national chairman of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mrs. Keller is a member of Little Falls Grange and of Pomona Grange of Herkimer County. She was president of the Herkimer County W. C. T. U. and also has been president of the Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society of the Lutheran Synodical Society of the State of New York. She is a member of the Lutheran church known as the "Old Yellow church" in the town of Manheim.
