Sarah Elizabeth Pettijohn was one of four children orphaned at a young age by their parents, David and Hannah Pettijohn - Pettijohn in the 1860's. Her father mentions in probably his last communications with his family, his concern over Hannah being ill and leaving all but Edwina with other family members before heading for Indiana for a doctor. There is a strong possibility the mentioned doctor was Hannah's own brother, Amos Pettijohn. David was killed in Colorado and Hannah died in Indiana; both deaths occurred within a short time of the other.
Sarah grew up in the care of her Aunt Sarah Pettyjohn Huggins and her husband John B. Huggins. Sarah's early years were rather quiet until she married Johann "John" Christoph Keller; an early settler of Linn County, Kansas, who had immigrated from Leonbronn, Germany. Their marriage, which took place on 11 April 1872 in Mound City, had been tumultuous, at best.
Sarah was a young bride of eighteen and John was aged forty-five, with a previous wife and the custodial parent of his only child, a daughter whose name was Clarissa. John became increasingly violent when he had been drinking. Out of fear for her life, Sarah had left John at least once, spending time staying with her sister and brother-in-law, Edwin and Lucetta Pettijohn Hope, as well as a neighbor, Mary Boyd. Out of sheer anger, John filed a request for divorce on grounds of abandonment. John also made multiple threats on the lives of anyone who gave Sarah aid or shelter; that he would kill them and their families and burn them up in their homes.
Sunday night, the night of her death, Sarah was at the house of her friend Mrs. Cornelius Boyd. A neighbor, Mr. Hafley, the one who noticed the smoldering house the next morning and found the bodies, was the person who told John where Sarah was hiding. John murdered Sarah with a hatchet, along with Mrs. Boyd and the two small Boyd children; then burned the house down with them inside.
Sarah grew up in the care of her Aunt Sarah Pettyjohn Huggins and her husband John B. Huggins. Sarah's early years were rather quiet until she married Johann "John" Christoph Keller; an early settler of Linn County, Kansas, who had immigrated from Leonbronn, Germany. Their marriage, which took place on 11 April 1872 in Mound City, had been tumultuous, at best.
Sarah was a young bride of eighteen and John was aged forty-five, with a previous wife and the custodial parent of his only child, a daughter whose name was Clarissa. John became increasingly violent when he had been drinking. Out of fear for her life, Sarah had left John at least once, spending time staying with her sister and brother-in-law, Edwin and Lucetta Pettijohn Hope, as well as a neighbor, Mary Boyd. Out of sheer anger, John filed a request for divorce on grounds of abandonment. John also made multiple threats on the lives of anyone who gave Sarah aid or shelter; that he would kill them and their families and burn them up in their homes.
Sunday night, the night of her death, Sarah was at the house of her friend Mrs. Cornelius Boyd. A neighbor, Mr. Hafley, the one who noticed the smoldering house the next morning and found the bodies, was the person who told John where Sarah was hiding. John murdered Sarah with a hatchet, along with Mrs. Boyd and the two small Boyd children; then burned the house down with them inside.
Sarah Elizabeth Pettijohn was one of four children orphaned at a young age by their parents, David and Hannah Pettijohn - Pettijohn in the 1860's. Her father mentions in probably his last communications with his family, his concern over Hannah being ill and leaving all but Edwina with other family members before heading for Indiana for a doctor. There is a strong possibility the mentioned doctor was Hannah's own brother, Amos Pettijohn. David was killed in Colorado and Hannah died in Indiana; both deaths occurred within a short time of the other.
Sarah grew up in the care of her Aunt Sarah Pettyjohn Huggins and her husband John B. Huggins. Sarah's early years were rather quiet until she married Johann "John" Christoph Keller; an early settler of Linn County, Kansas, who had immigrated from Leonbronn, Germany. Their marriage, which took place on 11 April 1872 in Mound City, had been tumultuous, at best.
Sarah was a young bride of eighteen and John was aged forty-five, with a previous wife and the custodial parent of his only child, a daughter whose name was Clarissa. John became increasingly violent when he had been drinking. Out of fear for her life, Sarah had left John at least once, spending time staying with her sister and brother-in-law, Edwin and Lucetta Pettijohn Hope, as well as a neighbor, Mary Boyd. Out of sheer anger, John filed a request for divorce on grounds of abandonment. John also made multiple threats on the lives of anyone who gave Sarah aid or shelter; that he would kill them and their families and burn them up in their homes.
Sunday night, the night of her death, Sarah was at the house of her friend Mrs. Cornelius Boyd. A neighbor, Mr. Hafley, the one who noticed the smoldering house the next morning and found the bodies, was the person who told John where Sarah was hiding. John murdered Sarah with a hatchet, along with Mrs. Boyd and the two small Boyd children; then burned the house down with them inside.
Sarah grew up in the care of her Aunt Sarah Pettyjohn Huggins and her husband John B. Huggins. Sarah's early years were rather quiet until she married Johann "John" Christoph Keller; an early settler of Linn County, Kansas, who had immigrated from Leonbronn, Germany. Their marriage, which took place on 11 April 1872 in Mound City, had been tumultuous, at best.
Sarah was a young bride of eighteen and John was aged forty-five, with a previous wife and the custodial parent of his only child, a daughter whose name was Clarissa. John became increasingly violent when he had been drinking. Out of fear for her life, Sarah had left John at least once, spending time staying with her sister and brother-in-law, Edwin and Lucetta Pettijohn Hope, as well as a neighbor, Mary Boyd. Out of sheer anger, John filed a request for divorce on grounds of abandonment. John also made multiple threats on the lives of anyone who gave Sarah aid or shelter; that he would kill them and their families and burn them up in their homes.
Sunday night, the night of her death, Sarah was at the house of her friend Mrs. Cornelius Boyd. A neighbor, Mr. Hafley, the one who noticed the smoldering house the next morning and found the bodies, was the person who told John where Sarah was hiding. John murdered Sarah with a hatchet, along with Mrs. Boyd and the two small Boyd children; then burned the house down with them inside.
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