Transcript:Chapman Brothers. Portrait and biographical record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain counties, Indiana/p407

Source

Chapman Brothers. Portrait and biographical record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain counties, Indiana: containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens : together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States (1893). (Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1893).

Overview

This transcript provides the text for a biography of the Honorable Robert Kelly, which appeared in the above source on page 407. The text is reproduced as accurately as possible and hyperlinks are provided to werelate pages. This is a work in progress.

Transcript - Honorable Robert Kelly

Hon. Robert Kelly.

This worthy and capable gentleman is a descendant of Irish and English ancestry and was born in Miami County, Ohio, April 18, 1819. He is a son of Moses and Mary (Teague) Kelly. The former was a son of John and Mary (Evans) Kelly and born December 10, 1773, and died at the age of eighty-six years. John Kelly was born in Ireland and came to America after his marriage to Mary Evans, and settled in South Carolina, the present site of Cumberland County. To himself and wife were born these children: Samuel, Timothy, John B.; Robert, who lived to reach a very old age and was once a member of the Indiana Legislature; Moses, who died in infancy, and Moses, the father of our subject. John was a farmer by occupation, and in the struggle for independence he was killed by the Tories, who secured quite an amount of money from his person.

The father of our subject, being the youngest son of the family, made his home with a brother, Samuel, with whom he lived until he reached manhood. His education was very limited, but he was a man of indomitable will and energy, and by studiously applying himself to books he subsequently became a teacher and transacted a great deal of business for his neighbors by making out official papers, etc. He married a daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Furnace) Teague of South Carolina September 17, 1800. This lady was a native of South Carolina but her parents were born in Wales and England respectively and came to America before the Revolutionary War. He served in this war and about sixteen years afterward went to Ohio, where he afterward met and wooed his wife. Mr. Teague, being a Quaker, was greatly opposed to war and so remained in our country's service but a short time.

Mr. and Mrs. Kelly reared the following children: Samuel, Anna, Rebecca, John, Esther, Joseph, Mary, Moses, Robert and Rhoda. The former was engaged in farming and dealt extensively in land and stock. He immigrated to Indiana with his family and settled in what is now Penn Township. Here he lived until his death. When he came to this county he brought with him a team and wagon and a few good cows, but he immediately began cultivating the land that he entered from the Government, and by close application to business finally became a wealthy man, owning several tracts of land. He was a member of the Society of Friends, in which he was always very prominent and held the highest official position. He was one of the members of the Friends' Academy and at the time of his death made an endowment known as the Kelly Fund. Politically he favored the Whig Party. He was twice married and died in the year 1860.

Mr. Kelly was educated in the schools of the Society of Friends in Penn Township and prepared himself for the life of a teacher. When but eighteen years he received his first certificate of Gen. Howard, which he yet has in his possession. For some time he also studied the art of surveying, under the County Surveyor, Jeremiah Siler. A very happy event occurred in the life of Mr. Kelly May 22, 1842, when he was united in marriage with Violet, daughter of Jeremiah and Leah Siler. She was a native of Orange County, being born in 1822 and after her marriage became the mother of seven children, namely: Serena L., Mary V., Martha E., Lucretia M., Julia E., Eva J. and Laura M.

February 23, 1862, Mr. Kelly was bereft of his companion and he married Anna Pierson, daughter of Moses and Sarah Pierson, who were natives of South Carolina and Ohio respectively. Mrs. Kelly was a native of Miami County, Ohio, and received a splendid education in the Antioch and Oberlin Colleges, Ohio. To her were born two children, Robert L. and Benjamin W., of whom the oldest received his education at Bloomingdale Academy and at Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana. After leaving school he taught in the high schools at Adrian, Michigan, and Monrovia, Indiana. He is now teaching in Plainfield, this state, finding in his wife an able assistant who instructs in Latin, Greek and other languages. The youngest son is now receiving his education at Bloomingdale Academy, where he expects to graduate in June, 1893.

The Hon. Mr. Kelly was chosen a member of the State Legislature by the Republican Party in 1879 and '80, in which session he introduced five bills, the most important one being that concerning Publishing Legal Advertisements. The others were concerning school affairs, temperance and guardianship. In the first named bill Mr. Kelly made a very able speech. The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee, they being all lawyers, and they decided in favor of the indefinite postponement of the bill, whereupon Mr. Kelly appealed to the House and made a speech in its favor. When the vote was taken every member in the House except one voted for the bill and it became a law. While a resident of Missouri Mr. Kelly was one of the leading politicians of that state, being chosen delegate for the state at large to the national convention at Philadelphia which nominated Gen. Grant for his second term. Mr. Kelly has always taken an active part in politics and never voted a scratched or mixed ticket in his life. He has the most unbounded confidence in his political friends, who are always sure his vote will be on the right side. In 1866 Mr. Kelly went to Missouri, where he located in Mt. Vernon, Lawrence County, and assisted by his wife, published a paper known as the Spring River Fountain. He continued in this business for eight years, when he returned to his former home.

Mr. Kelly was one of the founders of the McClure Institute, of which he was the first President, serving in that capacity for sixteen years. When the erection of this institute was proposed Mr. Kelly and William G. Coffin were the first to make the start for the raising of $500, which was to be invested in books, and now this institute is not only an excellent place for instruction but is celebrated as being possessed of a fine corps of instructors.