KELLER, Clayton M.

KELLER, HELM, ROBERTSON, PRYOR

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/25/2014 at 07:16:38

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.

Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising Editors

The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 407-08. Chicago. 1915.

Clayton M. Keller

One of the well known and successful real-estate firms of Leon is Keller & Robertson, of which Clayton M. Keller is the senior partner. He was born upon a farm north of Leon in Center township, Decatur county, in 1867 and is a son of W. R. and Nancy J. (Helm) Keller. Both of the parents were of English descent and previous to removing to Decatur county, Iowa, in the late '50s, resided in Tuscola, Illinois. The father devoted his time to farming and dealing in live stock and became the owner of a section of land, which is still in the possession of the family. His political belief was that of the democratic party and his church membership was held in the Christian church. He served in the Mexican war and was for two or three years a soldier in the Civil war and he became an enthusiastic member of the Grand Army of the Republic. His demise occurred in Franklin township in 1899 and his wife passed away in 1898. To their union were born ten children, all of whom reached maturity, but some have now passed away. Those residing in this county aside from our subject are: A. R., a farmer of Grand River township; and Lydia and Anna, both on the homestead.

Clayton M. Keller was reared in Franklin township and there attended school, although his educational advantages were very limited. However, he has learned many valuable lessons in the school of experience and has been very successful in business. Until 1898 he followed agricultural pursuits and still owns a number of farms, including a two hundred acre tract near the homestead. Upon leaving the farm in 1898 he engaged in the real-estate business in Leon and in the intervening seventeen years has built up the largest business of that character in Decatur county. He and his partner, Mr. Robertson, deal in real estate of all kinds and buy and sell outright and on commission. They have operated in Iowa, Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska, and the volume of their business has grown steadily.

Mr. Keller married Miss Maude Pryor, who was born in Garden Grove township, this county, and is a daughter of A. M. Pryor, a real-estate dealer of Leon. Mr. Keller attends the Christian church and fraternally is a member of the bodies of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, including the canton. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party but he has never desired public office as a reward for his loyalty. His residence, which is one block from the square, is one of the finest in the city, and he is recognized as a substantial and representative citizen. The success which he has gained is the just reward of his strict attention to business, his energy, his initiative and his fair dealing.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014