Kelly Kaleidoscipe

Thomas<James<John<Alexander

JOHN KELLY
1779-1845

John Kelly , the oldest son of Alexander Kelly and Nancy Robinson, was born in Greenbrier, Virginia, June 2, 1779.  On April 8, 1798 he married Nancy Mayo, a native of North Carolina.  Nancy was born in 1777.  They were married April 8, 1798 in Monroe County, TN.  In 1808 John  and his family moved down the Tennessee River in a flat boat to the mouth of Battle Creek.  
John and his family moved to a farm owned by Adam Lamb family.  Adam Lamb married John’s sister Viny.  In 1817 John moved to Liberty in Marion County.  In 1838 he built a home at Kelly’s Ferry.  He died there November 26, 1845 and was buried a short distance of the house.  Nancy Kelly passed away October 14, 1857 at the age of 80.  She was buried beside  John.  

In 1826 John was granted a charter by the state to build a turnpike road to Ross’s Landing. At this time he built the first bridge across the Sequatchie River.  He was the first to advocate the building of a road around the base of Lookout Mountain, following the route used by the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad.  He made a bid to build the road if the state would give him control of it for 50 years.  John and his son-in-law Ignatius Hall had a government contract to remove obstructions from the Tennessee River.

John was a man of considerable means and owned a large number of slaves.  In politics he was a Whig.  He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1834, and served for a time as Circuit Court Clerk and in other public offices.  He helped organize the Olive Branch Lodge, F&AM at Jasper, TN.  He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and his wife, Nancy, was a member of the Methodist Church.

Nancy's family  arrived in the United States in 1690 with the immigration of James Mayo--great-grandfather of Nancy.  

John and Nancy were the parents of 13 children including 2 sets of twins:
1)    Easter Carmichael (or Esther), b. September 26, 1799; m. Ignatious Hall January 6, 1820; d. January 12, 1888, buried at Kelly's Ferry, TN.
2)    Nancy Gillespie, b. May 29, 1801; m. James Hoge September 4, 1817; d. September 14, 1857 in Georgia
3)    Alexander, b. November 7, 1803; m. Elizabeth Oates; d. June 30, 1879, buried at Oats Landing, Marion County, Tn.
4)    Mary "Polly", b. July 13, 1806; m. Erasmus Alley; died 1871
5)    Adelaine, b. May 18, 1809; m. Daniel Ritchie Rawlings; d. April 10, 1831.
6)    Thomas Patterson, b. May 18, 1809; m. Ms. Foster; d. November 1, 1885 in Florida
7)    Martha b. January 7, 1813; m. James Hoge; d. November 28, 1834.
8)   Jane b. January 7, 1813; never married; d. August 26, 1885; buried at Kelly's Ferry, TN.
9)   Valentine Mayo b. November 27, 1815--moved west, perhaps to Texas
10) James b. April 29, 1818; m. Lois Ashworth Bridges; d. July 30,   1892 in Travis County, TX.
11) Margaret M., b. September 15, 1820; never married; d. October 25, 1838; buried at Kelly's Ferry, TN.
12) William Jasper, b. May 8 1823; m. Sarah Ann Hoge; d. January 2, 1900; buried Oats Cemetery, Jasper, TN
13) Child died in infancy


Photo:  Kelly Home Site, Kelly's Ferry, Jasper, TN from Alexander Kelly Descendants by Erma Kelly