Biography of James K P McKelvey, Greene Co, AR

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Submitted by: Michael Brown
        Date: 5 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas

page 158

James K. P. McKelvey, whose success in life is mainly due to his industry and
perseverance, coupled with a pleasant, genial disposition, is a native of Franklin
County, Tenn., born in 1844, being the son of John and Mary Ann (McKelvey) McKelvey,
natives of South Carolina. The parents came to Franklin County, Tenn., in their
youthful days, were reared in that county, and were married there about 1842. In 1850
they moved to Benton County, Tenn., and there remained until 1863, when they located
in Union County, Ill. In the fall of 1865, they came to Lawrence County, Ark.,
settling on a farm where they remained about one year, and afterward moved to Carroll
County, thence to Sebastian County, where the father died in 1874, at the age of
fifty-five years. He practiced medicine the later part of his life; was a self-made
man, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of which he was a
minister for twenty-two years before his death. He was very successful in
administering to the physical as well as the spiritual wants of his fellow-men, and
his face was welcomed in the homes of all, and especially in the homes of the sick
and afflicted. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, a Democrat in politics, and
a strong advocate of free schools. He was a very popular man, but never aspired to
office. The mother is still living in Sebastian County, Ark., on the home place. She
was born in 1825, and has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, for
many years. To their union were born thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to
maturity: Louisa E., James K. P., Mary J., Martha F., who died at the age of thirty-
eight years; George N., died at the age of thirty years; Elizabeth Ann, William H.,
Millie H., John G., died at the age of thirteen years; Isaac N., Joseph T., Aaron A.
and Luther W. Aaron A. is now attending the St. Louis Medical College. James K. P.
McKelvey was reared in his native county, and received limited educational
advantages. In 1864 he commenced farming for himself in Illinois, but one year later
returned to Tennessee, to the old home place, where he remained until 1873, and then
moved to Greene County. Ark. He located west of Gainesville, and soon after went to
Sebastian County, to settle the estate of his father, where he remained until the
fall of 1876, then returning and settling on his present property. He has 100 acres
under cultivation, and is a thriving, industrious farmer. He was married, in the fall
of 1868, to Miss Ferlissa A. Swindle, a native of Tennessee, born in 1848, and the
fruits of this union were ten children, all living: William T., a student at the
State University of Fayetteville, Ark.; Italy, John, Alonzo, Horace and Hervey
(twins), Adolphus L., Anna L., Clara M. and James R. Italy is the wife of L. C.
Rudesial. Mr. and Mrs. McKelvey are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
of which he is local deacon: he was ordained in 1879, and commenced preaching in
1874. He is a Royal Arch and Master Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge at
Gainesville, and has served as Worshipful Master for several years. He has a dimit
from Duval Chapter, No. 65. He is a Democrat in politics. His father was a Union man
during the war, and was opposed to secession. Mr. McKelvey is a strong advocate of
the free school system, but has never sought political prominence.