John Henry Boss Kepley was the third of six known children of Elijah Kepley (1833-1904). John's mother was Sarah (went by Sadie) Elizabeth Boss (1844-1915), who never married. Elijah actually married Sadie's elder sister, Susan Boss Kepley (1829-1913) on 02 Feb 1854 at Washington County, Indiana. In 1860 Elijah (a farmer), wife Susan and their first two children were living with Susan and Sadie's father at Pierce Township, Washington County, Indiana. In 1870 John H. Boss (age 5) and his mother Sadie Boss were living with Elijah Kepley, his wife Susan, their four children and Elijah's widowed mother Polly at Pierce Township, Washington County, Indiana. Sometime between 1872 and 1875 the family moved from Washington County, Indiana to Ingraham, Bible Grove Township, Clay County, Illinois.

In 1880 Elijah, Susan, their four living children, "sister-in-law" Sadie and "nephew" John H. Boss (age 15) were living at Bible Grove Township, Clay County, Illinois.

John H. Boss (or was he going by Kepley then?) married Emily Jane Cook (1867-1939) on 05 Dec 1886 at said to be Cook County, Illinois. I have not yet proven the marriage location, but since Emily's parents were from Clay County, that County is more likely for the place of marriage.

John (went by Kepley his adult life) and Emily were the parents of eleven known children, eight boys and three girls, namely:

Isola Gertrude Kepley Workman (1887-1983)
Iva Pearl Kepley Lewis (1888-1953)
Stennie Florence Kepley White (1889-1972)
Mary "Elsie" Kepley Galloway (1891-1986)
Roy Adolph Kepley (1893-1921)
infant twin daughter Kepley (1896-1896)
Sylva Sadie Kepley Knowles (1896-1988)
Julius Elijah Kepley (1897-1968)
Angie Ella Kepley (1899-1965)
Cleda Aubrey Kepley Stanley (1903-1984)
Luther Andrew Kepley (1906-1910)

Links to John's father, birth mother, wife and three of his eleven known children are included below.