Individual Details

Jacob and his brother John both married an Elizabeth Frye - the Elizabeths were first cousins. Marriage date is estimated from birth of children.

14 May 1773. The Will of Henry Speers, Westmoreland, PA, was witnessed in part by Jacob Kellar.

These records in Ohio County VA Court may be this Jacob. Ohio Co was adjacent to Yohogania Co where Jacob's will was written.
Ohio Co Court, 5 Jun 1780 Jacob Keller served on a jury.
On the next day, 6 Jun 1780, Jacob Keller admitted his cattle mark: a swallow fork in the near Ear & a half Crop in the Upper side of the Off Ear.

10 May 1781. Jacob Kellar was released from military service under George Rogers Clark, probably in Illinois, and escorted home by his brother Joseph.

Said to have written his will on 29 Jun 1781, but it was not recorded until 1787 probably because the families had moved to KY and the Revolution was still going on; Elizabeth had been remarried to Henry Ewalt for sometime by 1787 - her first Ewalt child was born in April of 1783.

Yohogania Co mentioned in Jacob's will was created in 1776 as a part of Virginia. By Oct of 1785, this area became part of Pennsylvania and Yohogania ceased to exist. When his will was recorded it was in Washington Co PA, but still the same area.

I have found mention of Jacob Kellar in an online Abstract of the George Rogers Clark papers. Since his brother Abraham was at the time an officer in the Illinois Regiment and his will mentions his land in Kentucky, this is probably this Jacob Kellar.
August 11, 1780: Flour ration issued to men of Capt. Gillis co. Names: George South, Josiah Boone, Jacob Keller, and others, which are incomplete due to missing portion of document
May 10, 1781: Incomplete. Commonwealth of Virginia account with Capt. Abraham Kellar. Distribution of cash for payments. Cash paid soldiers for bounty. Names: Peter Stover, Edward Matthews, Mary Morgan, Mary Lumsford, Jacob Kellar, Jacob Froman, John Relanna, Joseph Kellar, and Henry Funk.


22 May 1780 Kentucky. Jefferson Entries. 400 acres on Coopers Run. Book A, p.82. [His brothers Isaac and John entered tracts on the same day.]
Note: Jacob's brother John made deposition that he had first come to Kentucky in 1776 and had made an entry for his brother, Jacob. John obtained a certificate for 1000 acres later assigned to John May. Brothers Abraham & Isaac also made entries.

Apparently Jacob never had time to complete the process of obtaining a grant for his lands in Kentucky. However the following Virginia Grant gives some information about where the tract might have been located.
23 May 1785. Isaac Hite. Fayette Co [KY] 500 acres adjoining Jacob Keller and on both sides of Elkhorn Creek [His brother Abraham had patents on the north side of Elkhorn, near the mouth. Isaac Hite sold some of his father's land to Isaac Kellar and was one of the administrator's of Isaac Kellar's estate when he was killed. The Hites were from the same area of the Shenandoah Valley as the Kellars.]
Grant in Kentucky: Jacob Keller, 400 acres. Surveyed 24 Aug 1795 in Bourbon Co, on Stoners Fork.

http://www.kykinfolk.com/bourbon/History.html
Early History of Bourbon County and Paris by Laura Lilleston, 1939
The State of Virginia in May, 1779, passed a series of land laws which
applied to all the Western Territory, including Kentucky. These new laws
controlled the method by which most of the land was taken up. The first
act was concerning land to soldiers, sailors and marines. Then followed
an act to adjust titles of all who claimed unpatented lands prior to the
establishing of Virginia's Land Office. This provided that surveys of
unappropriated lands on the Western Waters before 1778 when executed by
a commissioned surveyor in furtherance of Treasury Warrants or Military
rights were validated. Virginia also recognized and gave rights to those
settlers who prior to January 1st, 1778, had made a crop of corn or had
resided in the country upon the Western Waters for at least a year,
usually 400 acres. If prior to January 1, 1778, settlers had marked out
or chosen unappropriated lands, built a cabin or made other
improvements, preemption rights were allowed for any reasonable quantity
of land not to exceed 1,000 acres. It was because of such inducements
these improvers, traveling in companies for safetys sake, pushed their
way into the rich lands of Bourbon (then Fincastle) County. Most of them
came by way of the Ohio River from Redstone, which was the most
dangerous route into Kentucky.
The majority of these companies became locators or early settlers and
obtained claims for land in their own names in this section of the
State.
JOHN KELLER AND OTHERS: John Keller stated in a deposition dated 1806 he
came in the year 1776 with a party including Patrick Jordon, Reuben Wats
(Waits), James Thompson, John Irvin and others. He made an entry for his
brother, Jacob Keller. He stated that Abraham Keller was the son of
Jacob Keller, deceased. Ref.: Complete Records, Bourbon County.



Washington Co PA
Will Book 1, p.68
In the name of God amen. The twenty ninth day of June In the
year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty one. I Jacob Kellar
of the County of Yohogany, Farmer, being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and Memory thanks be first unto God for the mercies therefour calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make Constitute and Ordain this my last will and Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the Hands of Almighty God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian like burial at the direction of the executors nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form
First that all my Just debts and funeral charges be first paid and satisfied. Item I give
and bequeath to my beloved wife all the movible Estate I now possess Except the Carpendars tools and my rifle Gun to my son Abraham while she remains in my name and after to be Equally divided with Hir and my son Abraham and my Daughter Agness when they to age of twenty one yeares.
Item I leave to my beloved wife one full third part of my lands whereon I now do dwell with all the appertanances thereto belonging during hir life and after to my beloved son Abraham to him his heirs and Assignes forever.
Item I leave and bequeath to my beloved son Abraham all my rights of lands at Kentukey him his heires and Assignes forever and if in case my said son should inherit the said Lands he shall pay to my Daughter Agness the sum of forty pounds current money of Virginia when she arrives to the age of twenty one yeares
And lastly I do Constitute make and Ordain and Appoint my beloved Brother Abraham Kellar with my trusty friends James Frye and John Warth Executers of this my last will and Testament [James Frye was a brother to Jacob's wife Elizabeth and Elizabeth's sister Margaret was married to John Warth] and I do hearby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former testaments wills Legacies bequests and executers by me in anyways before named willed and bequeathed ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hearunto set my hand and seal the day month and year above written.
Jacob Kellar [Seal]
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said
Jacob Kellar to be his last will and Testament in the presents of
Henry Crabb [written in German], Christian Wilson, John Kellar.
Washington County.
On the 30th March 1787. Before me Thomas Stokely Esqr Register for the probate of wills etc.in and for said County personally came Henry Crabs and Christian Willson two of the subscribing witnesses within named and on their solemn Oaths did depose and say that they were present and saw and heard Jacob Kellar the Testator in the foregoing Annexed Instrument in writing uttered, sign, seal publish, pronounce and declare the within Instrument in writing as and for his last will and Testament and that at the time of doing therof he was of sound and well disposing mind, memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge Observation and belief
Be it Remembered that on the 30th day of March Anno Domini 1787. The last will and
testament of Jacob Kellar late of Washington County deceased was proved in due form of law and letters Testamonitory thereon were granted to John Warth one of the Executors therein named to being first sworn well and truly to Administer the Estate of the said deceased and to Exhibit a true and perfect Inventory thereof into the Registors Office at Washington and to render a true and Just Account of their said Administration when Legally Thereunto Required.
Registered this 30th March Anno Domini 1787.

Note: The Henry Crabs who witnessed in German is believed to be Phillip Heinrich Krebs, husband of a Sarah Kellar who some have thought to have been a sister to Jacob's father, Abraham. Also assuming they were children of Jacob & Anna Marie Kellar who married 7 Oct 1753 in the Old Goschenhoppen Church, Salford Twp, Philadelphia county, PA. Jacob is said to have a will and died between 14 May & 13 Aug 1739, Philadelphia Co., PA. Had eleven children not named in the will. Proved are Marton, Conrad, Jost?Joseph and Sarah - possibles are Micheal, Creth, Barbara & Anna Catherine. No Abraham suggested in any records.


THE PENNSYLVANIA GENEALOGICAL MAGAZINE, Vol VI, "Abstracts of Wills of Washington County, PA"
Jacob Kellar of Yahagany County, farmer, dated 29 Jun 1781, proved 30 Mar 1787. Wife; children Abraham and Agness [minors]. Land in Kentucky. Executors: brother Abraham Kellar, James Frye, and James Warth. Wit: Henry Crabs, Christian Willson, John Kellar.
Vol. 1, p.68

Said to have died in the Revolutionary War according to Frey Family Journal, Issue I, Vol. 9, August 1996, p.33. Certainly his will proves that he died during that time.
In an article written by Josephine H. Ewalt, gg granddaughter of Henry Ewalt: "When he was mustered out [Henry Ewalt from service in the Revolution] and returned to Western Pennsylvania, he found that his neighbor had been killed in the War and had left a young son and widow, she being Elizabeth Frye Kellar."

Birth	Abt 1751
Marriage	Abt 1776	ELIZABETH FRYE
Military	1780	NW Territories with George Rogers Clark, Revolutionary War
Death	Abt 1781

Spouse	ELIZABETH FRYE (1756 - 1837)
Child	Abraham Kellar (1777 - 1830)
Child	AGNES "NANCY" KELLAR (1780 - 1841)

Father	ABRAHAM KELLAR (1722 - 1787)
Mother	Mary Froman (1731 - )
Sibling	Abraham KELLAR (1753 - 1781)
Sibling	John Kellar (1755 - 1820)
Sibling	Isaac KELLAR (1758 - 1786)
Sibling	Rachel KELLAR ( - )
Sibling	Elizabeth Kellar (1765 - 1837)
Sibling	Joseph KELLAR ( - 1812)
Sibling	Rev. William KELLAR (1768 - 1817)