Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-10-02
HENRY A. KELKER
DIES In GOTH YEAR
[Contlnrs.d From First Page.l

Only a few years ago he retired from
boards of which he had been mem
ber for decades. but kept in close
touch with the activities of the COM
munity.
Mr.. Kelker was born December 16,
1926. at 8 South Front street. the resi-
dence of his father. which remained
in the family for over a hundred
years, having been willed to the Dau-
phin County Historical Society several
ears ago by William A. Kelker. He
was a grandson of Anthony Kelker,
first sheriff of Dauphin county and
prior to the Revolution an officer un-
der the provincial government. His
father, Frederick Kelker, was one of
the prominent residents of Harrisburg
for years and was succeeded in his
hardware business by his sons.
Mr.. Kelker was educated at the
Harrisburg Academy and at Marshall
College, at Merce rsburg, before 1t was
merged with the present Franklin and
Marshall College. While attending
Reformed Church. of which his family
had been communicates for gem
erations, and on his return from col
lege in 1845 united with Salem Church.
He was its Oldest member and had
for many years been q trustee as well
as liberal contributor to the work of
the denomination and its missions.
EdFOTtu
The firm of kelker Bros. of which
business from l846 until 1878 and was
known throughout the State. Mr.. Kel-
ker succeeded his brother on the
board of directors of the Harrisburg
National Bank. in which the family
had been interested from it's organ
ization. and served for almost half q
century. He was a great believer in
MI q RI ri ida
titled with the Harrisburg Gas Com
pany. the Harrisburg Steam Heat
Company, the market companies and
public utility companies, as we'll. as
one of the first directors of the Penn
sylvania Telephone Company, the Har-
risburg part of the Bell system. He
vas also among the supporters of a
number of industries of the city. sew
eral of which he helped to build UP,
and retained his interest until his
death.
Mr.. Kelker's connection with the
street railway system of the city began
in 1878. when, with his brother, r. F.
Kelker, the late DR.. George w. Reilly,
Alexander Roberts and others, he took
hold of the original city company
and reorganiZed 1t. This became the
Harrisburg City Passenger Railway
Company and he was elected presi-
dent. In short time it was put on
d pay illB DdSlS anu ne COnJ1neQ ltS
active head until the lines were leased
This company was the foundation of
the present big Harrisburg Railways
system. Mr.. Kelker was president of
the City Passenger company at the
time of his death. He was identified
with the organization of the Harris
burg Traction Company and the Gen.
trail Pennsylvania Traction Company
and with various subsidiary lines
serving as director.
Helped Secure Steel Works
When the men behind the Pennsyl-
vania Steel Works were undecided
whether to locate the proposed plant
at Danville or south of Harrisburg at
the hamlet of Baldwin. Mr.. Kelker
who was owner of considerable of the
land which is now embraced in Steel
ton. united with Senator ]. D. Cam
eron and other Dauphin county citi-
zens and aided in securing the great
industrial plant for this district. Mr.
kelker erected a number of business
buildings in Steelton and laid out a
PORTION of the town. He built the first
bank and the first post Office and a
number of business houses on Front
street in the then infant borough.
Mr.. Kelker served as a member of
Common Council from the Third ward
in the eighties, becoming a candidate
at the solicitation of his neighbors and
being elected practically without op-
position. He declined to run again
and always refused to hold any other
office. He was a Republican in poll
tics and was q personal friend of Gov
ernor Curtin, General Simon Cameron
and other noted men who were active
in the formation of the party.
For years Mr.. Kelker was keenly
interested in the musical development
of the city and generously aided in
bringing the noted artists here and
in the advancement of music in many
ways. He was a member of early
choral societies and was president of
the MozartS Society, which preceded
the Harrisburg Choral Society. He
seldom failed to attend the concerts
and recitals and until q few years ago
not only maintained membership in
the Choral Society. but enjoyed it's
rendition of oratorios in company with
his brother-in-law Alexander Rob
erts, who died few months ago at the
age of 90.
In his long span of years Mr.. Kelker
had seen Harrisburg grow from
town of less than 1000 people to the
city of to-day. He was a lad of eleven
when the first railroad train came into
Harrisburg and he knew we'll the lead
ers of the State of long before the
Civil War. One of the factors in the
very inception of enterprises which
ere to-day important in the life of
Harrisburg, he maintained faith in his
native city and it's future, interested in
its progress and possessing the respect
os its citizens of the years gone by and
of the present.
Mr.. Kelker married Ellen Roberts.
daughter of Colonel John Roberts. for.
years one of the leaders of the DaI-
phin county bar and a soldier in the
War of 1912. He is survived by five
children, Henry A. Kelker, Jr, Miss
Mary A Kelker. Miss Anne Roberts
Kelker. Mrs. A. Boyd Hamilton and
Mrs. John Jordan Moffitt. He also
leaves six grandchildren.
Mr. Kelker's funeral will take place
from his residence on Monday after
noon at o'clock. The services will
he conducted by the Rev. DR.. e. N.
Kremer, of Reformed Salem church.
assisted by the Rev. DIR. G. e. Hawes
of Market Square Presbyterian
church.
Constructive Factors