Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-10-25
LUTHER R. KELKER,
HISTORIAN, DEAD
[Continued From First Page.l

CONTINUED From First Page.1
Gilbert, Samuel w. Fleming, Joshua
w. Gross, Frederick Kelker, Henry A.
Kelker, Jr., Edwin C. Thompson,
James C. Thompson and William
Thompson.
Born in this city, February %, 194S,
Luther r. Kelker was a member of a
family closely identified with the de-
velopment of this section of the State
long before Dauphin county was form
ed. His father was the late Rudolph
F. Kelker, long prominent in Harris
burg and Steelton affairs, and his
mother was Mary Anne Reilly, daugh-
ter of General William Reilly, of Leb-
anon county.
Mr.. Kelker was educated at the Har-
risburg Academy where he graduated
in 1865. He entered the business of
his father and uncles and later went
into partnership with his brother, the
late William A. Kelker.
Noted Historian
Retiring in 1892 on account of i'll
health, Mr.. Kelker turned his atten-
ton to history and geneology He
soon became noted for his researches.
He was an authority on early Penn
sylvania history and was called upon
by the State to study old colonial and
other ancient records stored at the
Capitol. Many of these records were
covered with the unmolested dust of
half q century when Mr.. Kelker was
called in to make his researches and
still others had been untouched since
the establishment of the Capitol here
more than 100 years ago.
III. V. Ames, the historian who came
here as a representative of the Amer
lean Historical Association to examine
the records of the State, was much inn
pressed with the work done by Mr.
Kelker and warmly praised his sys-
tematic and thorough methods. When
Samuel w. Pennypacker became Gov
ernor he selected Mr.. Kelker to take
charge of the State records.
Head of State Records
When in 1903 the division of public
records of the State Library was Gre
ated Mr.. Kelker was appointed its
head and superintended it's oraniza-
its kind, this bureau attracted consid-
cradle attention from other Common
wealths and was highly praised by
scholars and commended by State Lii
brarian Thomas Lynch Montgomery.
Mr.. Kelker collaborated in the edit
ing of twenty-five volumes of Pennsyl-
vania archives and the division became
recognized as source of authoritative
information on the government, busi-
ness and families OF the State prior to
the Revolution.
Deciphered Many Old Records
Through Mr.. Kelker's efforts many
old records were deciphered and made
available. Some of these were eX-
ceedingly valuable in establishing
b undary lines and in enabling coun-
| ties to collect their history. He dis
covered in long-forgotten places rolls
of State soldiery in the French and In
dian, Revolutionary and other wars.
When Mr.. Kelker built his suburban
home near Steelton he gave the bor-
ough about ten acres of land for park
purposes. Thatw as May 8, 1905, but
! the tract was not developed until re-
Gently. Now it is known as the Luther
R. Kelker park and will be the nucleus
of a comprehensive system of parks
and Fairgrounds which it is proposed
to establish in Steelton.
Mr.. Kelker was a member of the
| American Historical Association, His
torical Society of Pennsylvania, His
! torical societies of Dauphin, Schuylkill
York and other counties. American
Literary Association and other organi-
cations of learned men. He was a
member and officer of the Market
Square Presbyterian Church, and was
prominent in Masonic circles.
/ He married Agnes K. Pearsol, OF
Lancaster. who survives him with
three children, the eldest of whom is
R. F. Kelker, Jr., engineer i'll charge
of the reconstruction of the Chicago
Street Railway system, and who is now
| the representative of the city of Chi.
caEo in transit affairs