JAS. KELLY - WM. VAN PELT HOUSE

S. Limestone St., Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built 1831

The double store front here (restaurant and shoe shop) have been added to a double brick cottage, the roof of which may be seen from across the street and the sides of which, including the separate vestibules, are revealed through the narrow alley-ways on either side of the store front.

Mrs. Catherine Barr and John Kelly's widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Kelly, owned adjoining lots that met in the middle of the present house. Each of them is shown as living here in the 1806 Directory (either in log or frame houses): "Mrs. Barr, Mulberry St." and "Mrs. Kelly, Mulberry St." From here on the story will have to deal with each separately until the finish, when John Carty, Jr., purchased both properties.

Mrs. Barr conveyed her lot for $1.00 in 1826 to Margaret Carswell, who sold it (from Jefferson Co., Ky.) in 1831 to David Megowan, a builder.

Megowan then proceeded, evidently, to build the double brick cottage (the other half for James Kelly, son of John Kelly). Megowan sold his half of the house in 1835 to Wm. Van Pelt for $2,000.

Van Pelt, at a slight profit, conveyed his house to Richard Morrison (colored) in 1836. It was sold by commissioner in 1839 to Jas. O'Mara, who was operating a tavern in the house next to this double cottage (the Vine street corner house).

After O'Mara's death, the property came into possession of Chas. McFarland, of Moore and McFarland, marble works.

After the death of McFarland, who owned the double house and the old tavern, the property here was purchased by John Carty, Jr., in 1856.

Carty at his death owned the entire block from High Street to and including present Vine Street.

The other (north) half of the house was sold by James Kelly's heirs (Jas. B. Kelly and John A. Wilson and wife, Eliza Kelly Wilson) to Robert Byrns in 1853. Byrns was already occupying the house.

Byrns and wife, Mary, first conveyed the house (1858) to James Byrns, and then sold it in 1862 to John Carty.

Robert Burns (or Byrns, as spelled in some records) operated a Blacksmith Shop where Vine Street now is.

Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.

Transcribed by pb, July 2006