Father Kelly probably died in Franklin County, Tennessee. Unless there was a stone put up in a cemetery for him, we may never know his name. The court house was burnt in 1864 during the Civil War. Since James took his mother with him to Missouri in 184?, his father probably died back in Franklin Co., TN.
We do know that this family was in Franklin County, Tennessee and in Jackson County, Alabama,
just across the state line. Of course, the Tennessee River was the boundary for the two
states in the beginning so that Jackson Co. was at one time in Tennessee. The Stephenson
Story (book owned by Hazel Voris) states that James Kelly of Polk Co. came from Jackson
County, Alabama. Mt. Gilead Primitive Baptist Church was where the Crow-Creek settlers
worshipped. Also there is a cemetery there with many of the early families represented. In
1822 John Kelly was the representative of this church. This gives us several clues to follow.
This book also lists Polk County people who came from the Jackson County area: Evan Stewart,
Hardy Chitty, Bledsoe Holder, Williams families, and James Kelly. From Franklin and Sullivan
Counties in Tennessee, the Talleys, Looneys, and Sherod Williams moved to Jackson County,
Alabama. The Looney and Talley families moved up to Illinois, then came into Missouri at
Ralls County, then Monroe County before settling in Polk and Greene Counties before 1840. We
do not know the migration route of the Kelly family.
There is an interesting record found in Lawrence Co. TN: James Kelly married Elizabeth
Lindsey 31 July 1820 with bond by Ellett Lindsay. (Record shared by Francis Daniel)
Lawrence County was also on the Alabama line so it is possible to be our couple.
In 1840 James and family was in Tennessee. Their youngest son was born in 1841 in TN.
We find James in the 1850 Census of Polk County, MO (p.13, line 16-21, #89) with real estate
valued at $500. His mother, Elizabeth, was living with them. She was born in 1762 in North
Carolina. At this point, we do not know the father of James. Perhaps he died back in Tennessee.
We may find their marriage record in North Carolina as that state kept records of marriages.
The children of James and Elizabeth listed in his will (Polk Co. Will Abstracts, MO Pioneers,
Vol. XI, p. 43; from Will Book A, p. 61-3)) were James Montgomery Kelly (under age), Three daughters: Sarah Jane, Martha
Dillard, and Rebecca Ann. It appears that one daughter died before James as her children are listed
as Wilkinsons. Will filed by probate: 1 Dec 1852. Thomas J. Kelly confirmed by Court 1 Dec 1852.
(Letters of Administration, p. 193). There may have been another child who died before James.
Elizabeth outlived James. She is in the 1880 Census of Polk County in Looney Township living
with the James H. Periman family. He is listed as age 72 (b. 1808) and born in N.C. as were
both his parents. Elizabeth at that time was age 80 and was listed as an invalid and listed as
grandmother. She was the grandmother of James Periman's daughter-in-law, Dorcas Looney who md: Ben T. Periman b. 1853 in MO.
Dorcas b. 1858 in MO (both parents b. TN). They had a two month old daughter living with them,
Ethel. Dorcas was the daughter of Martha Dillard Kelly who md Benjamin Looney.
Francis Daniels reports that James's wife, Elizabeth, is buried at Turkey Creek Cemetery in
Polk County.
Martha was born 11 June 1827 in Tennessee. She came with her father to Missouri. She met
Benjamin Looney, son of Isaac and Sarah Matthews Looney, and married him in Polk County, 17 June 1844
(Polk Co. Mg Bk A:7). They had eleven children: Thomas J.K.(named for Martha's uncle) b. 19 Feb 1847;
Sarah E. b. 18 Jan 1849, md Polk Lafayette Stewart; Mary J. b. 30 Jan 1852, d. by 1860; Rebecca
Ann b. 6 Oct 1852; Louisa b. 20 Dec 1855, md James Mitchell; Dorcas b. 11 Dec 1857, md Benjamin T.
Periman; James C. b. 9 Feb 1860, d. by 1870; John Murphy b. 26 May 1861, md Nora Alice
Robinson, d. 6 Feb 1943; Benjamin F. b. 17 July 1863; Geminia Alice b. 14 June 1865, md John
Weir; Ida Belle b. 30 Aug 1868; md John E. Fite.
Martha died about 1868 or 9 at her home in Greene County, between Cave Spring and Willard.
After her death, Benjamin Looney married Sarah C. Talkington nee Norton. They had seven more
children. See: The History of the Looney Family of Greene County, Missouri by Judith
McClung, Evelyn Looney, and Bettie Hickman. 1985.
This daughter married a Wilkinson. Their children are listed in James Kelly's will: James
Thomas Wilkinson, Sarah Ann Wilkinson, Nancy Jane Wilkinson, and Elizabeth Murphree
Wilkinson. (Note: there was a Mary Ann Kelley md to Lewis Wilkinson with date given as 7 Oct
1850 in Polk Co. This is not likely James's daughter as she had 4 children by 1852.
4. REBECCA ANN KELLY
Rebecca was born __. A Rebecca Ann Kelly married Stephen Claypool 27 Sep 1849 in Polk Co.
(Bk A:22). If this is James's daughter, she should have appeared in the will as a Claypool
unless the will was written before 1849. We need a copy of the original.
The youngest child of James Kelley, born ca 1841 in Tennessee. He was only 11 when his father
died. (Mg records about 1860 need to be checked). His name does not appear in the Polk County
Cemetery Directory.
Note: the Dillard family and Montgomery family should be searched as these may be pedigree
lines. James's wife, Elizabeth may be a Dillard or Montgomery or her mother may have been.
Thomas J (James?) Kelly was born 23 May 1808 in South Carolina. His mother was Elizabeth, b.
1762 in North Carolina. His first wife was born ca 1810. He was married in Tennessee where
his first four children were born. The fifth was born in Alabama;
probably Jackson County in 1838. The family had traveled to Polk Co. in time for the
1840 census.
There were two Thomas Kellys and a G. W. Kelly in Polk Co. at that time. His wife died after
1842. They had seven children together.
Thomas J. Kelly was named the executor of the estate of his brother, James Kelly in 1852.
Thomas married Jane Lemons 16 Jan 1844 in Polk Co. (BkA:13) See: Marriage Records. She was
born 5 Mar 1819 in Barren Co., KY to Jacob and Mary (Polly) Smith Lemons. Some of her family can be found in the
Hildebrand Saga. She named her first son, Jacob L.(Lemons?) Kelly after her father. She had
seven children with Thomas. They resided in Polk County and were enumerated in the 1850 census.
In 1870 the family is enumerated in the Greene Co. Census with Carroll, age 15 and John M. age 14
living with them.
Thomas J. died 6 Jan 1875 in Greene Co., MO and was buried at Turkey Creek Cem., Polk Co., MO.
Jane died 14 Apr 1902 in Greene Co., MO and was buried at the same cemetery.
Thomas J. was a minister for the Baptist Church. In the History of the Polk County Baptist Association (1897), Thomas J. was listed as minister at Turkey Creek Church 1841-1860.
THE CHILDREN OF THOMAS J. KELLY
1. SALLY W. born 25 Nov. 1830. She md Stephen Blackey 28 Mar 1848 in Polk Co. She died 26
May 1913 and was buried at Turkey Creek Cemetery in Polk Co. MO. Stephen was b. 10 July
1827 and died 28 Feb 1910. (Lemon Family Records).
3. FRANCIS MARION b.July 1832 in Franklin Co., TN. He married 3 Mar 1853 to Mary E. Potter.
She was born 1825 in KY. By 1870 they were not listed with any children. He was listed with
his wife as members of the Pleasant Ridge Church in Polk Co. Baptist Association.
He died 18 Oct 1905 and was buried at Pleasant Ridge Cem, Polk Co., MO.
4. ELIZABETH M. b. 5 Apr 1834 in Tennessee. She married W. D. Acuff 18 May 1852 in Polk Co.,
MO. She died 9 Sep 1915 and was buried at Turkey Creek Cem., Polk Co., MO.
5. REBECCA A. b. in 1838 in Jackson Co., Alabama. She married John B. Dobbins 19 May 1859
in Polk Co., MO.
6. NANCY J. b. 1840 in Polk Co., MO. She married a Mr. Pease.
7. WILLIAM R. b. 1842 in Polk Co., MO.
8. JACOB L.(Lemon?) b. 12 Mar 1845 at Walnut Grove, Greene, MO. He married Amanda F. Haze
30 Dec 1866 in Greene Co., MO (BkC:58). He died 10 Oct 1877 and was buried at Turkey Creek
Cemetery, Polk Co., MO. In 1870 they are listed with a daughter, Mary A., age 3
9. POLLY SMITH b. 1846 at Walnut Grove, Greene, MO. She married LaFayette Hurst 24 Nov 1866
in Greene Co., MO. She died in 1877 and was buried at Turkey Creek Cem., Polk Co., MO.
10. MARTHA CATHERINE b. 7 Dec 1847 at Walnut Grove, Greene, MO. She married James Polk Hurst
in Nov 1867 in Greene Co., MO. She died 10 Sep 1916 and was buried at Turkey Creek Cem.,
Polk Co., MO.
11. ISAAC JAMES b. 1849 in Greene Co., MO. He married Mary S. Bradley 23 Dec 1866 in Greene
Co., MO (Bk C:56). He died in 1937 and was buried at the Ash Grove Cem., Greene Co., MO.
12. MARGARET SUSAN b. 5 Apr 1852 in Greene Co., MO. She married J.C.T. Wood. She died
25 Dec 1939 and was buried at Turkey Creek Cem., Polk Co., MO.
13. AMANDA E. b. in 1854 in Greene Co., MO. She married J. W. Smith.
14. THOMAS CARROL, b. 1855 in Greene Co., MO. He was buried at Turkey Creek Cem. after 1875.
15. JOHN M. b. 16 Mar 1856 in Greene Co., MO. John died 20 Oct 1878 and was buried at Turkey Creek Cem.,
Polk Co., MO. (Note: There was another John M. Kelly b. 1838, TN, who may have been a cousin.
He and his wife, Margaret A. Delzell were living not far from them in the 1870 census of Greene
Co., MO.
You can e-mail me at Judith McClung