Father Keller was born in Olomouc, Moravia, on November 11,
1702. He had been a Jesuit since October 17, 1717. While he was
a missionary at Suamca, the only mission he served regularly, he
professed his final four vows in 1736. He was tall and fair,
with a scar on his lip. Father Ignacio came to the Americas on a
Mission due to the Viceroy’s instructions of April 27, 1730.
There were 26 Jesuits in the group and they were from various
parts of Germany, Italy and Spain. They put to sea on His
Majesty’s ship La Potencia, alias El Blandón, in 1730. On
February 2, 1731, they arrived in Havana Harbor. In April they
crossed over to Vera Cruz. From there they traveled on muleback
to Mexico, metropolis of the new world. They were there for a
short time when they left for duty in the Pimería in mid-June of
1731. Four Jesuits arrived in Durango to meet with their patron,
Bishop Benito Crespo. Stiger was on his way to Tarahumara land,
and Segesser, Grazhoffer and Keller were on their way to the
Pimería Alta. They came th