"A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 1844-1943"
by Wendell H. Rone, Probably published in 1944 by Messenger Job Printing Co., 
Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky.  Used by permission.  p. 272-273.
[Daviess]

BENJAMIN KELLEY:  Benjamin Kelley was of Irish extraction and the name was
originally written O'Kelley.  His grandfather was the only child of Irish
parents and was born on the ocean as his parents were emigrating to America.
The parents settled in Virginia and the child grew to manhood, married, and
raised a large family.  His father returned to Ireland to see after his
estate and was supposed to have been lost at sea as the family never heard 
from him again.
     Benjamin Kelley was born in Bedford County, Virginia, not far from 1763.
At about the age of fifteen he came to Kentucky and sheltered himself from
Indian fury with the first settlers at Boonesboro.  In January, 1778, while 
with a party of twenty seven, headed by Daniel Boone, engaged in making salt 
at Blue Lick, he with the whole party, was taken prisoner by the Indians.  
He fell into the hands of the tribe in which the notorious renegade, Simon 
Girty, was the Chief.  An old squaw adopted him as her son and he remained 
with them about six years.  At the expiration of this time, aided by his 
foster mother and an old Indian, he made his escape and returned to his 
parents in Virginia.  Here he married the daughter of David Jarrell and 
afterwards emigrated with his father-in-law to Kentucky.  The next 
information we have of him was as pastor of Mt. Pleasant Church 
(Fordsville), in Ohio County, Ky.  He probably gathered this church, which 
was constituted in 1814, and ministered to it about ten years.  His 
labors were greatly blessed in bringing sinners to Christ.  His last sermon
was preached in the midst of a great revival during the continuance of which,
over 100 had been added to the church.  After baptizing some converts he went
home and was taken down with violent fever.  He finally recovered from the
fever but was bereft of his reason and so remained until about two hours 
before his death, which occurred about the year 1826.  After his reason 
returned he talked freely of his hope in Christ and departed in joyous 
triumph.
     He went into the constitution of Goshen Association in 1817 and remained
a minister in that body until his death.  He also assisted in the 
constitution of Panther Creek Church, Ohio County, on September 23, 1815.  
This church later became a member of Daviess County Association in; 1844 
and remained until 1878, when it went into the constitution of Blackford 
Association.  He was a member of Salem Association from 1814 to the time 
of the constitution of Goshen in 1817.  As to the time of his conversion, 
his ordination, and the churches he served prior to 1814 we have no 
information.  He was in Ohio County as early as 1806 and probably belonged 
to old Beaver Dam Church along with Josiah Haynes and other pioneers in 
the northwest section of that County.  He performed marriage ceremonies 
in Daviess County in 1820.

Boone Girty Haynes Jarrell Kelley O'Kelley
=
Ireland Bedford-VA Ohio-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/daviess/kelley.b.txt