John Luther Kelly, M. D. , Winn Parish, Louisiana Contributed by Greggory E. Davies 120 Ted Price Lane Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** John Luther Kelly, M. D. A physician and surgeon with an exceptional record of service, Dr. John Luther Kelly is a veteran of the World War, has practiced medicine in several localities of Louisiana, and since the war has been located at Oak Grove in West Carroll Parish. He is a commander of Charles H. Catron Post No. 53 of the American Legion at Oak Grove, is secretary of the West Carroll Medical Society and is present parish health officer. Doctor Kelly volunteered for service in the Army Medical Corps in May, 1917. He attended the First Medical Officer's Training School at Camp Greenleaf, was commissioned a first lieutenant and assigned duty at Camp Lee, Virginia. He was promoted to captain and later to major and went overseas as regimental surgeon with the Three Hundred and Fourteenth Field Artillery. He was overseas from March, 1918, until June, 1919. The Three Hundred and Fourteenth Field Artillery was on the battle line fifty-three consecutive days and 22 percent of its personnel were on the casualty list. Doctor Kelly himself was slightly gassed and was injured when thrown from a horse. He received his honorable discharge at Camp Lee, Virginia, June 17, 1919, and now holds a commission as major in the Medical Officer's Reserve Corps. Doctor Kelly comes of a family of physicians and was born August 10, 1882, son of Dr. John F. and Lillie Ann Wade Kelly. His mother was a daughter of Dr. John Wade, one of the pioneer medical men in Union Parish, Louisiana. Dr. John F. Kelly was a graduate in medicine from Tulane University at New Orleans, and was surgeon in Company I of the Third Louisiana Regiment during the war between the states. For a period of forty years he enjoyed the honors and responsibilities of an extensive medical practice in Winn and Grant parishes, and represented Winn Parish in the State Senate. He was in the Senate during the anti-lottery fight and was one of the legislators whom no influence could betray from the path of duty and his honest convictions. He was seventy years of age when he died, and his widow, now seventy-nine, lives at Winnfield with her son, Dr. D. W. Kelly. The late Dr. John F. Kelly was president of the Grant Parish School Board, was a Baptist, and a Royal Arch Mason. One of the five children, John Luther Kelly graduated from Colfax High School, and studied medicine in the University of Nashville and the University of Tennessee, graduating M. D. from the latter institution. In the course of his experience he has had some unusual opportunities for post-graduate study and clinical work, including attendance at the army Surgeon's School while with the Expeditionary Forces. For one year he was resident surgeon in the eye, ear, nose and throat hospital at New Orleans and another year was resident surgeon in the Memphis General Hospital. During 1923 he spent ninety days in post-graduate study at Tulane University. Doctor Kelly first engaged in practice at Rochelle in Grant Parish from May, 1908, until May, 1910, and from 1910 to 1917 was located at Montrose. After his discharge from the army he located at Oak Grove. Doctor Kelly in 1916 was elected a member of the State Legislature from Natchitoches Parish during the Governor Pleasant administration. He served as chairman of the committee of public health and quarantine, and resigned his seat to enter the army. Doctor Kelly married Miss May Ethel Thompson, a native of Moline, Illinois. They have one son, John L., Jr., born in 1913. This son's present expectations are to take up and pursue a career as a physician and surgeon. Doctor Kelly took his first degrees in Masonry at Colfax, is now a member of the lodge at Oak Grove, and belongs to the Scottish Rite Consistory and El Karubah Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Shreveport. (The above was extracted from "A History of Louisiana", by Henry E. Chambers, published 1925. Submitted by Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, Winn Parish, La.)