The Keller Massacre
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Information for this article was taken from -
the Slate Belt Bicentennial Heritage
As the French and Indian War raged on, a young, courageous man and his brave wife began to raise their family in the quaint town of Delabole. This religious family included six sons and one daughter. The Keller family lived on their own farm where they grew their own food and made their own clothes. They were a simple family of nine who were very religious. Joseph Keller, the father, studied the Bible and made sure his children learned too. On the fifteenth day of September in 1757, this simple life turned to one of chaos.
In the autumn atmosphere, Joseph Keller and two of his sons were working in a distant field. Another of his sons, Simon, was on an excursion in the woods. His wife, the two smaller children, and the baby, were in the house. After a long, tiring day, a weary and worn out Joseph returned home. He came home to find just his little baby, crying in the cradle. A distraught Joseph searched everywhere for the rest of his family. He went to his nearest neighbor to look there, but after finding none of his family, he returned home with his neighbor to search the house again. This time they found Christian, the oldest son, lying dead in a heap in a field. They continued to search the remainder of the countryside looking for the rest of the family but they came up empty handed.
Indians, at this time, were friends with the French Canadians in Montreal and the rest of Quebec. They often visited the village of Easton, Pennsylvania. There they observed their unsuspecting victims. Also at this time, the French wanted prisoners for the war, and with the help of the Indians, they acquired some. Families with many children, like the Keller family, attracted Indians. They waited until the men of the house were out and then attacked, as quick as lightning, either killing or taking the women and small children prisoners.
The Indians did not intend to kill Christian because his scalp was worthless compared to his value as a prisoner or slave. With Joseph's wife and two children, the Indians began the 400 mile trek to Canada. Towards the end of the journey, the mother and children became separated. The mother then became the property of a French officer, while Joseph, age three, was adopted by an Indian family. Jacob, aged six, was never heard from again. To prevent further raids, the people of Plainfield bonded together after these trying times and built a block house just one mile east of Plainfield church. The people of the community also kept an eye out for each other by warning each other of Indians that were passing by. This continued for three years until the English were successful in defeating the Indians.
The end of the French and Indian War brought emancipation of the French and Indian captives. Joseph Keller was on his way to Philadelphia when he heard the news. He immediately stopped his wagon and ordered his horses to hurry home. When he returned to his house in October of the year 1760, he was overwhelmed to see his beloved wife. Two years later a son, Philip, was welcomed happily into the Keller family. After seven years of captivity, Joseph returned home to Delabole. He had acquired the characteristics of the Indians but decided to return to his loving family.
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