The story of the Kelker family begins with a tragic 1743 transatlantic voyage from Switzerland to America and continues through ten generations to the 21st century. It is told from biographies of family members whose lives are in some manner distinguished, some by accomplishment and a few others by failure or misdeeds.

The immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country where they farmed the land and set about establishing a new life. Their Swiss-born son Anthony, who arrived at age ten, lived a distinguished life as a soldier in the revolutionary war, a county sheriff and a Pennsylvania state legislator.

His descendants over the centuries include an innkeeper, an iron worker, a saddler, businessmen, a politician (Governor, Mayor, U. S.

Senator and Secretary of War), historians and a traffic engineer who built the first subway in Chicago. Recent generations are represented by NASA space scientists and a soap opera star.

The narrative follows the sweep of American history as the family grows in number and spreads throughout the country. .