One time in the late 1870s, a Swedish convert (Matilda Josephine Bjorikman) and her daughter emigrated to America.

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Upon reaching New York with Matilda's  funds being low, she secured employment in a hotel.  (According to the family, while Matilda was there ,  she was raped by an African American man.) She later met another Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints convert, a Mr. Anderson. They married, and together they came to Utah, settling in Manti.

 

About seven months after her marriage to Mr. Anderson, in 1879 she gave birth to a mulatto boy whom she named Joseph Anderson, born 25 January 1880. Naturally, her husband was infuriated. A few months later he went to Emery County to take up a farm, and his wife remained in Manti with her daughter, then about nine years of age and her little son.

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All kinds of rumors were afloat about them, mostly to the effect that Mr. Anderson had written and told her she could come to him, but that she could not bring the boy; she must dispose of him. Nobody wanted the boy, and the town was waiting to see what would happen.

One day Annie Keller asked her (Annie Regina Keller)) if she would not be willing to take him. She was in poor health, but she told Annie that if she would be willing to give him the care a child of his age would require, she might go and ask for him. Annie, then 14 years of age, gladly consented to care for him, and left immediately for the Anderson home.

 

Millie, Eliza, and Louise, the three youngest children, aged 4, 6, and 8 respectively, were in raptures over the prospect of having a baby in the home and told their brother Jacob where Annie had gone.

 

"We'll have no (Black) baby in our house," he said, and hastily got on a horse and went after Annie, forcing her to return home without completing her errand. Jacob was 12 years old, and being the only boy among five girls was accustomed to having his own way.

Annie came back and warned us to keep quiet, and she would try again the next day. You may be sure that we said nothing of her plans to our brother.

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The next day when Jacob was away from home, Annie went to Matilda  Anderson and asked for George/Joseph . The mother gladly consented, and Annie brought him home that afternoon. His sister, Anna,  accompanied George/Joseph to keep him from becoming frightened. She took him home that first night, and brought him back the next morning and left him. He was 15 months old and just learning to walk.

 

George/Joseph was attractive, quick and an intelligent child, and we all loved him. When our brother saw him, he too was immediately won over whereby his name was changed to George Keller, and he became a member of the family and was always treated as our very own.

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George never saw his mother again until one day when he was six-years-old, Matilda came to our house on some pretext. She took him on her lap, loved, kissed him and wept. When she was gone George asked, "Why did that woman hold me and cry?"

 

Soon after that Matilda left Manti, and I think she never returned.

 

George experienced a normal childhood, but as he grew older he often seemed troubled. It was not until after Jacob Keller's death in 1892 that he was told who his own mother was.

 

George was quiet and reserved. He lived with Jacob Keller Jr. on the farm in the summertime, but lived at home and went to school in the winter. He loved animals, and always had a fine riding horse.

 

It is known that he went to see his Matilda in later years, who lived in Emery County, Utah. She had experienced extreme poverty, and he helped her.

 

Those who are to him as brother and sisters, entertain the kindest feelings and the deepest sympathy for him.

 

When George reached maturity, he went to southern Utah where he was given positions of trust and responsibility, as sheep and cattle foreman, by men who had known him from boyhood. They knew him to be honest, honorable, and highly respected in the community where he was raised.

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In the winter of 1949,  he had the misfortune to have his hands frozen, which necessitated the amputation of his fingers. In spite of this handicap, he continued to be self-supporting at the age of seventy. This was a pathetic incident in his life.

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 The following was written by Anna Keller Munk's granddaughter Ellen Munk Crawford

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I, Ellen Munk Crawford, can truly say that my grandmother Keller loved George very much, for I well remember seeing him put his arms around her and of her telling him what a good, fine boy he was. Her sympathy for George and his gratitude to her formed a bond of love that is hard to describe.

She has been heard to say that George had never spoken a cross or unkind word to her. He now resides on the Keller farm where he hopes he will make his home as long as he lives.

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Newspaper Article about George contributed by Dwayne R. Westenskow 

 

George Keller Observes 86th

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January 25th was the 86th birthday of George Keller.

He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson. George, as he was known, was legally adopted by Jacob Keller Sr. and his wife Anna R . Keller of Manti. At the age of eight years, he was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This was in 1888.

 

We who know and love George know of his early experiences.

 

Some of them were not so pleasant because he was a Mulato. But, nevertheless, he was taught to work as a youngster living on the Keller farm. In the summer and in the wintertime he lived in town, so that he could attend school.

 

He was a normal child in every respect, very attractive, intelligent and quick to respond to those in association. No once did he hesitate to use his natural musical talent. He played the organ, harmonica and guitar. He also possessed a wonderful sense of humor which was enjoyable to his friends and relatives. Even now, he loves to talk, laugh and joke with all his associates.

 

George completed his elementary grades. Some of his teachers were a Mr. Noyes of Ephraim. William Anderson, Millie Keller and Leonard Billings of Manti. He loves the church, and, although he was not permitted to hold the priesthood, George graduated from seminary after attending for three years regularly.

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An outstanding quality which this man has always possessed is that of honesty in his entire life - George  has never been in jail nor has he ever been dismissed from a job. Paul Smith or Manti has said many times, "George could be trusted with any amount of money," and he has been at various times.

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Even though time is constantly passing by, and age making it more difficult for George to see clearly, he still maintains a kind and considerate attitude toward everyone .

 

I recently visited at the home where George resides. He has repeatedly expressed deep appreciation for the people in his life, other than family members. Some of them were Rastus Madsen, Mt . Pleasant; Parley Madsen, Manti, Utah;  Cameron Brinkerhoff and Leo Bowns, Provo Utah; and Emery King (known as the King Bros), Teasdale.

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When he was 22 years old, George's biological mother, Matilda Anderson, came to Torrey from Emery (about five miles) to ask forgiveness for giving him away. Although his hurt was extremely deep, and her apparent guilt a gnawing agony , George calmly told her there was nothing to talk about, and that he was grown now and expressed to her the love he had for those who took him in and cared for him up to this time.

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While working in the Henry Mountains, George rode his spirited saddle horse within 1/2 mile of his mother's home every two weeks, following the path to Camp Boulder, constantly reminded of what might have been.

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George was working for the King Brothers, living in the Henry Mountains, when he got his hands frozen. He visited at Paulsen's Cafe very often. It was on one of these visits to Richfield, when - because of a terrific storm -  he fell, dazed from the bitter cold, into the deep snow drifted in barrow pit. Because he was on his way back to the Henry Mountains, he was all alone in the dark of the night.

 

 “I will always be grateful to the girl who worked in Pace 's Clothing Store in Richfield," George later said.  "She was on her way to work the next morning when she noticed me nearly frozen to death and summoned help.”

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Officers came to his aid, took him to the Richfield Hospital where his serious condition necessitated immediate amputation of all fingers to the middle joint.

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George at the age of 86 has not forgotten the bitter agony of this accident.

 

"I was in the Rich field Hospital for 53 days, and all the hospital attendants were so nice to me,” he said. 

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Jess Keller was the one who picked George up at the hospital. He stayed with them for a few days then he went to Provo for medical help. He told Jess and Halbert Keller they would reject him when the saw him. But the hospital attendants were very kind and considerate. This was in 1951, and he stayed one month because he had the flu and it developed into pneumonia.

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George went back to the Keller farm for a while, then returned to work for the King Brothers — now able only to do "little kid jobs" like tending the rams, etc. He received $100 a month for this.

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George did not have a home after the Kellers died, and he missed them and the kindness they gave him. After Matilda and John Anderson  left Emery, they went to Price, and that is where he died.

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George apparently never knew his biological mother's name, and at the time of this newspaper article, he asked the public for help in finding out. 

 

Niels Nielson, Manti-Sterling resident, had often told George that he was born in the room next to where he lived. How sad it was that Niels could not have told George more before he passed away at his home in Sterling  (Ellen D. B. Nielson is his widow).

It was most pleasant to visit with George - to have him relate various incidents his life. 

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Anyone with additional information is invited to contact Lizzybeth@ancestorsrus.

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