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| Notes for John KELLEY | ||||||||||||
| "Mrs. J. A. Thompson (Lucy Kelley Thompson) of Kirkland, Illinois, write the following information in two letters, dated December 2, 1929 to Mrs. Harry Beecher Starring, 414 S. Liberty Street, Elgin, ILL, about John O'Kelley, Mrs. J.A. Thompson was Mrs. Harry B. Starring's Mother's cousin. That is her father and Mrs. Harry B Starring's grandfather, Philip Kelley brothers. (Her Mothers father) "J.A. Thompson is dead now (November 4, 1942) "Frank L. Hanson certifies the following to be an exact copy of the long hand letter referred to above: "'Kirkland, Illinois "'December 9, 1929 "'Dear Della, "'I'll try and tell you all I know about my great grandfather. I believe he was a Scotsman. While he was in the Army he went by the name of John O'Kelley. He was in two of the big battles I think one was the Battle of Trenton. I have forgotten the other, but it was not Bunker Hill. In one of the battles the General was killed, and your great, great grandfather lead the Army. For that deed of valor he was awarded 700 Acres of land in the State of Ohio, and the old tyke never went to look after it. About 38 or 40 years ago there was a man from Ohio who worked for Send and Jim. He said he remembered when it came on the market. There is a city and salt mine on the land. That land no doubt would have been a great help to his children and children's children, but we can't jaw him now. When he went to Canada, he dropped the "O" from his name, and was just John Kelley. My brother Henry was always insulted if anyone wrote him and spelled his name with one "e". The Methodist Minster's name is Charles Kelley. If I can see him some day I will ask him if he can prove he is my cousin. There was one of grandfather's neighbors who came to Washington D.C. on business and said he saw the account of this land record there. "'This great-great grandfather had a family of four boys and two girls. The boys were Charles, John, William, and James. The youngest who was your great grandfather and my grandfather. The girls were Ruth and Patty. Now this is all I think of the past now, so with all good wishes to you and yours, I'll say bye-bye. "'(signed) Lucy' "'2nd Letter "'John Kelley, as we have always know him called, is listed in the War of 1776 by the name of John O'Kelley, but for some reason, best known to himself, when he came to Canada after the war he located in the township of Heldimare (sp. Haldimand). He was married in York State near Ballston Springs. His family consisted of four sons and two daughters, Charles, John, William, James, Ruth and Patty. I have forgotten his wife's name. Charles, the oldest, married and raised a family of sons and daughters. There was William, John, Mariah, and Robert. John and Robert I never heard much about. You see father moved to Clarke Township and bought his place. So we never saw a good many of our relatives. Then James, my grandfather (your great grandfather) married Ann MacKague and they raised a family of ten children: David, William, Rosell, Louise, Philip, Deborah, Robert, Richard, Charles and Thomas. David married Amy Steele, who only lived about five years. Then he married a women Grace Wilson. They raised a family of six children. Loine (Louise), Wilson, Samuel, Amy, Hannah, and George. Then William married a half sister of David's wife, Lucy Steele. She gave birth to two girls and died of fever when the youngest child was three months old. The[n] he married a Scottish lassie Catherine McRae. They raised five children, Rosell lived and died a Bachelor. Loina married an English man, Richard Solomon, by name. The raised three, all dead. Philip married a wife of Whittier, Louise Whitener. The[y] raised four children. Deborah married one Abram Samds. The are all dead. Robert married a Besty Hickison. I think I now her name as Besty. They raised seven daughters and one son. Then Richard married one Ann McGraw. They raised five children, three girls and two boys. Then Thomas married one Jula. I have forgotten her surname. He was thrown off a horse and killed when they had been married about seven months. Then in about two months more she gave birth to a baby boy. She called him Thomas. "'This John O"Kelley is the one who lead the Army to victory when the General was shot, and for this dead of valor was awarded 700 acres of land in the State of Ohio when the war was over. "'(signed) Lucy'"436 | ||||||||||||
| Last Modified Apr 6, 2003 | Created Dec 31, 2003 by Reunion for Macintosh |