John W. Kelly

As printed in 1911

TOHN W. KELLY.

A man who has well earned the honor to be addressed as one of the progressive, public-spirited men of Clinton county, is John W. Kelly, a well known business man of Grand Mound, Orange township, since from the beginning of his residence here he has been conspicuously active, securing for himself the comforts of life and home and is laying by a competence for his declining years.

Mr. Kelly was born in DeWitt. Iowa, 1868. and is the son of Roger and Jane.' fMcDevitt) Kelly, the father born in Indiana and the mother in Ireland. The latter came to.america when a child. This family moved to Clinton county, Iowa, and located on a farm five miles west of Grand Mound. In that vicinity the paternal grandfather. Alexander Kellv. entered

6l8 land and was a well known farmer in the early days here. Roger Kelly and his brother finally entered business in DeWitt. In 1868 or 1869 Roger Kelly and family moved to Grand Mound and there started a grocery store, continuing successfully until 1885, when he turned his attention to the live stock business, which he had been engaged in for some time previously, and he. continued in this business until his death, on March 15, 1901. His wife died in 1885. They were the parents of four children, two dying in infancy, John W. of this review and one daughter, Margaret, being the only survivors. Roger Kelly was twice married, his second wife being Mary A. Harkins, and this union resulted in the birth of tw'O children, Roger and Alice, both of whom are living. Roger Kelly was a member of the Catholic church, while politically he was a Democrat. He took a great deal of interest in local affairs and he was mayor of Grand Mound and he always did his full duty in developing Grand Mound.

John W. Kelly was educated in the public schools at Grand Mound. He grew up in the live stock business with his father and still continues in it. He has been very successful in this line of endeavor, as he has also been in the furniture business, which he began in 1891. He is a man of splendid business ability and is a tireless worker, being universally known as a man of integrity and honor.

Mr. Kelly was married on November 25, 1890, to Myrtle McLaughlin, of Grand Mound, where her family has long been well and favorably known. To Mr. and Mrs. Kelly three children have been born, Raymond, Harry and Leo.

Mr. Kelly belongs to the Catholic church and politically he is a Democrat. He takes an abiding interest in local affairs and has held various offices at Grand Mound.

As printed in Wolfe's history of Clinton County, Iowa (1911). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.