History of the Keller Ferry

October 16, 2019 | Vol. 78 - No. 29

John Christopher (J.C.) Keller was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 16, 1858, and came west in 1882. He conducted the post office and a general store at Hesseltine, northwest of Wilbur and when the railroad was built to Davenport, Keller moved to Almira and opened a mercantile store.

In 1897, anticipation of the opening of the Colville Reservation south half to mineral entry, prompted him to buy the cable ferry across the Columbia to the San Poil, which then became known as the Keller Ferry. He opened a store near there the next year. He ran a pack train up the San Poil River and later bu...

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