Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Kelly, Joseph A ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 11:03 am Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County JOSEPH A. KELLY, who for years has been the owner of extensive landed interests in Kansas, is now living in Joliet, retired from active business cares, having transferred to his sons the management of his western ranches. He was born in Trellick, County Tyrone, Ireland, and in childhood was brought to America by his parents, Edward and Rose (Curren) Kelly, settling with them in Jackson Township, this county. When a boy he studied in a log school- house, whose equipment and furnishings were as crude and primitive as its exterior appearance. His education was completed in Notre Dame University, where he remained a student for six years, graduating in 1863. Afterward he continued with his father for two years and then embarked in the dry-goods business on North Bluff, near Exchange street, later removing to Exchange, near Canal. For some years we was in partnership with Dan Hendricks, but finally bought his interest and afterward carried on business with his brother, under the firm title of Kelly Brothers, their location being on Jefferson street. About 1878 he sold out to his brother and returned to the old homestead, where he engaged in general farming and the stock business. In 1888 Mr. Kelly removed to Harper County, Kans., buying a ranch six miles from Corwin and placing four thousand acres under fence. The land is well watered by the Little Salty and the Little Sandy creeks and is admirably adapted for cattle-raising. At this writing he has almost one thousand head of cattle on the ranch, and these he markets in Kansas City. Six hundred acres of the land are planted to Kaffer cane, corn and millet, which is used for winter feed. The buildings on the place are neat and adapted to their several purposes. He also owns another ranch of four thousand acres one mile north of Corwin, lying on the Little Sandy, and this property is stocked with cattle. The K ranches, as these two places are called, are the largest in Harper County. Besides these, he owns three-quarters of a section across the line in Oklahoma. Since 1899 he nas been retired from business, making his home at No. 111 South Center street, Joliet. In earlier life Mr. Kelly was an active member of the Joliet fire department. For twenty-seven years or more he has been identified with the Joliet Sharpshooters' Association. At state and national tournaments he has frequently received the first prize. At the first United States Sharpshooters' match in Jones' Woods, New York, he won one of the first prizes, and he received a medal at the Centennial in Philadelphia in 1876. He is still a member of the association. In politics he is independent, and in religious connections holds membership with St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church. The marriage of Mr. Kelly, in Joliet, united him with Miss Maria Elizabeth Hendricks, who was born in Rockford, Ill., but was reared in Joliet. She was one of a family of seven, the eldest of whom, Miles, was killed by the Indians when crossing the plains to California in 1849; D. P., ex-city attorney of Joliet, is now engaged in the practice of law in Chicago; Thomas A., formerly a druggist and hospital steward of Company D, Ninetieth Illinois Infantry, during the Civil war, is now a farmer in Oklahoma; J. C. is an attorney in Chicago; and B. L. also resides in that city; Margaret, Mrs. Nugent, is a resident of Chicago; and Maria E., Mrs. Kelly, completes the family circle. Her father, Thomas Hendricks, was a contractor and builder and came from New York state to Illinois in 1843. Her mother, Margaret, daughter of Daniel Quigley, was born in Athlone, Ireland, in December, 1817, and crossed the ocean in 1834, afterward marrying Mr. Hendricks in Syracuse, N. Y. Her children were reared in Joliet, with the exception of five years spent in Rockford, where Mrs. Kelly was born. Mrs. Hendricks is a woman of strong character and many admirable qualities. Though now advanced in years, she is active and vigorous, and is devoted to the welfare of Mrs. Kelly's family, with whom she makes her home. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have six children, viz.: Eugene and Edward, who have charge of the Kansas ranches and are engaged in the cattle business there; Leo, who is a student in Notre Dame University in Indiana; Margaret, Marie and Catherine, at home. Additional Comments: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/kelly1122gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb