Son of William Keil who founded a religious/social group called Bethelites in Bethel, Missouri. Willie died just before the Bethelites began their move to the current state of Washington. His father did not want to leave Willie's body behind, so he filled the coffin with whiskey and brought it on their journey. Supposedly the various Indian tribes the Bethelites encountered let the settlers pass them peacefully once they were allowed to view Willie's body and listen to the German hymns sung by the group.∼He was struck down by the dreaded malaria. His body was placed in a specially-built plains hearse drawn by four mules by Jacob Giesy of laborer from Switzerland. Willie's dad Dr. William Keil a Bethel Colony that settled in Aurora,Oregon. His son was not laid to rest until Dec.26,1955 on a hill top near Raymond,WA. He wanted to come west with his father he died in transit his father made a special casket built to make a long journey, lined with lead and remaining space filled with alcohol.

Son of William Keil who founded a religious/social group called Bethelites in Bethel, Missouri. Willie died just before the Bethelites began their move to the current state of Washington. His father did not want to leave Willie's body behind, so he filled the coffin with whiskey and brought it on their journey. Supposedly the various Indian tribes the Bethelites encountered let the settlers pass them peacefully once they were allowed to view Willie's body and listen to the German hymns sung by the group.∼He was struck down by the dreaded malaria. His body was placed in a specially-built plains hearse drawn by four mules by Jacob Giesy of laborer from Switzerland. Willie's dad Dr. William Keil a Bethel Colony that settled in Aurora,Oregon. His son was not laid to rest until Dec.26,1955 on a hill top near Raymond,WA. He wanted to come west with his father he died in transit his father made a special casket built to make a long journey, lined with lead and remaining space filled with alcohol.