The Des Moines County histories sketch three Kelley households and never say that one is related to another, so each is kept apart here. George W. Kelley married Margaret King in 1835 and the couple came to Burlington that same year, where he opened one of the town's first general stores on Front Street; he later went to California and died there in 1863, while Margaret stayed in Burlington to raise their children, among them William B. Kelley, who managed the Burlington office of the Bradstreet Company. Every fact below is cited to a public-domain Des Moines County history.
Earliest in the record
George W. Kelleyborn 1809Most recent in our records
David John Kelleyborn 1868Each number matches a section below. Tap a name to jump to that person.
Pioneer merchant of Burlington
GEORGE W. KELLEY. Among the early In (—, business men who settled in what is now the ij) city of Burlington, in 1835, was the subject of this sketch, who was born in Concord, N. H., in July, 1809. His parents died when he was a lad of thirteen years, and he then became an inmate of the home of his brother, who had been a resident of Erie County, Pa., for some years.
Young Kelley took up the study of law in the office of his brother, who was a practicing attorney, but later, believing himself better adapted to mercantile business, abandoned it. In 1835 he was married to Miss Margaret King, daughter of William B. and Nancy C. (Miller) King, of Martinsburg, Pa., and people highly respected in the community where they lived. Mr. and Mrs. King were the parents of six children: William W.; Mary, who became the wife of Gen. B. F. Kelley, a soldier of the late war; James K.; Margaret J.; Annie E., who married D. M. Ewing, an early settler of Burlington, Iowa, and now deceased; Margaret J., Mrs. Kelley, who is the only survivor of the family
In 1835 Mr. Kelley came to Iowa with his young wife, and was the third man to establish in the business of general merchandising in the city. He first located in an unpretentious store on Front street, the site of which is now occupied by the gas works. Two 3'ears later he was burned out, saving but a small portion of his stock. He then disposed of the remainder, and abandoning mercantile pursuits, began dealing in real estate. In 18.J2 he went to California and located at Marysville, where he embarked in the nursery business, leaving his wife in Burlington to educate their children. He prosecuted the nursery business on the Pacific Slope until his death, which occurred in 18G3.
Mr. Kelley was an active and energetic business man, one who stood high in the estimation of the people. He was kind and indulgent as a father and faithful in the discharge of his duties toward his family. In early life he was an old Henry Clay Whig, but upon the organization of the Republican party gave to it his cordial and intelligent support, and continued with it until his death. To Mr. Kellev and his estimable wife there were born six children: Mary J. became the wife of P. K. Wilson, an attorney-at-law, and died in 1857; George E. is a resident of Sioux City, Iowa; the two youngest living are Maggie E. and William B. Two children died in infancy. Mrs. Kelley is still a resident of Burlington, where she has lived for a period of over fifty-two years. Upon coming here there was not a brick house in the town, which then gave little evidence of its future importance, and Indians roamed plentifully over this part of the Territory of Iowa. Mrs. Kelley fulfilled admirably the duties of a pioneer wife and mother, and has been a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church for many years.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Pioneer wife and mother, Burlington
Manager of the Bradstreet Company's Burlington office
WILLIAM B. KELLEY.
William B. Kelley has the distinction of having been among the first boys admitted to the Burlington high school. He started out in the business world as an office boy and has advanced steadily until he now occupies the responsible position of manager of the Burlington office for the Bradstreet Company.
Mr. Kelley was born in this city, September 23, 1850, a son of George W. and Margaret (King) Kelley, the former a native of Kentucky, while the latter was a daughter of William B. King, a native of Virginia, from which state he removed to St. Louis at an early day. The parents of William B. Kelley met and were married in St. Louis and thence made the river trip to Burlington, Iowa, in 1835, this being their wedding journey. They found a tiny village bearing no resemblance to the metropolitan center known today. The father opened a general store which he conducted for several years or until his stock was destroyed by fire. He built one of the first substantial houses on top of the hill on North Main street, using black walnut in its construction, and this dwelling is still standing. In the early days that locality was known as "Kelley's Hill." In 1851, attracted by the discovery of gold in California and by business opportunities which in consequence were afforded there, he made his way to the Pacific coast, where he died of fever in 1863. His wife passed away in 1893, in Burlington, where she had remained with her children while her husband went to the coast in search of fortune. In the family were four children: Mary J., who is the widow of P. K. Wilson and makes her home in Burlington; George E., who died in 1903; Margaret, at home; and William B. Mrs. Wilson has a daughter, Gertrude, and all of the family live together.
William B. Kelley acquired a public-school education and, passing through consecutive grades, was qualified to enter the Burlington high school at the time it was established, being among the first boys admitted thereto. When his text-books were put aside he started out in the business world on his own account, securing a situation as office boy in the wholesale hat and cap house of H. S. Phillips. Afterward he was wid) the firm of Phillips & Hawkins, wholesale dealers in hats and caps, and subsequently was connected with various lines of business. In 1879 he began work for the Bradstreet Company, with which he remained for eight years. He was afterward in other connections until 1899 and then again joined the Bradstreet Company, with which he has now been associated for fifteen years. In 1902 he was made manager of the Burlington office and so continues, having in this capacity supervision over twenty surrounding counties.
Mr. Kelley is a member of the Commercial Exchange and cooperates in all of its plans and projects for the upbuilding and development of the city along business lines. His political indorsement is given the republican party and he has ever been interested in its success but not as an office seeker. He represents one of the oldest families of the city and has himself been a witness of its progress and development through sixty-four years, so that his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present.
As printed in the source2. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Emigrants from Ohio to Van Buren County, Iowa
Civil War veteran; wholesale farm implement dealer
JOHN L. KELLEY.
The middle western section of the American Union is essentially the home of progress, and throughout all the States composing this section the name of John L. Kelley, of Burlington, is well known as that of a leader along lines of steady and energetic advancement. For many cars he has been engaged in the wholesale and retail trade as the principal member of the firm of J. L. Kelley & Company, dealers in agricultural implements and vehicles, and also maintaining storage and transfer departments.
]\Mr. Kelley was born near Steubenville, Jefferson county. Ohio, a son of James and Jane (Keen) Kelley, the father a native of Pennsylvania and of Scotch-Irish descent, the grandfather having emigrated from Ireland to America, and the mother. Jane Keen Kelley, being a native of Ireland. The parents of our subject celebrated their marriage in Jefferson county, whence they removed to Carroll county and remained for some years. They then decided to locate in the West, and descending the Ohio River to its confluence with the Mississippi, ascended the latter stream, landing, Oct. 29, 1849, at Keokuk, intending to travel overland to Van Buren county, Iowa, where the father, who was a farmer, had purchased land. They traveled by wagon as far as Primrose, stopped at that place overnight, and while there the father was seized with sudden illness and died the following day, survived by a family of ten children, eight of whom were young, our subject being at that time only about ten years of age, although two were older and were married. Thus left alone in a strange land and with the sole care of a large family, the widow kept the children together on the farm, living there until 1870, when she removed to Birmingham, where she resided until the time of * her death. Feb. 12, 1887. She is buried in Birmingham, as is also her husband. Of the ten children, the first five, Mary Ann (Davis), William. James H., Sarah Jane, and Matilda (Eccles), are now deceased. Our subject is the sixth, and the others in the order of birth are as follows: Eliza C. (Robinson), also deceased; Samuel S., who is living retired from active life, being a resident of Santa Rosa, Cal.; Frank F., a farmer and stock-raiser near Phillipsburg, Kans.; and Rolx?rt R., retired, of Colorado Springs.
As printed in the source3. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Farmer and stock raiser
DAVID JOHN KELLEY.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Mr.;md.Mrs. Kelley began their wedded life in Danville townshiiJ, where ihey remained for two years. They then moved to the Wapello road, ami have lived in this vicinity ever since, buying the farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the northwest o6o corner of Section 26. in September, 1901, and which is now their present homo. This was the first farm in the township that sold for one hundred dollars an acre. It is considered as good land as the county affords, and is constantly increasing in value. Mr. Kelley is occupied all the time doing general farming and stock-raising. He feeds two loads of hogs and two car-loads of cattle annually, and has a number of gcKxl horses..Ml the improved machinery may be found on his place. and everything indicates thrift and energy.
Mr. Kelley gives his political allegiance to the Democratic party, and through his untiring efforts has accomplished much for his community. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has passed through the chairs, viewed in a personal light, he is a strong man of excellent judgment, fair in his views, and highly honorable in his relations with his fellow-men. and has won the favorable regard of his fellow-citizens to a marked degree.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in the source3. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops in the early 1900s. We pick up from there and trace your line down to you and back as far as the records go, into a written book with every source cited.
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