Polk County, Missouri Biographies - William H. KELLEY History Of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade And Barton Counties, Missouri; 1889, published by Goodspeed, Pgs. 662, 663 Polk County Biographies Section William H. Kelly, merchant of Morrisville, Mo., was born in Botetourt County, Va., June 17, 1838, and is the son of John H. and Sarah E. (Hanes) Kelly, both natives of Virginia. Grand- father Kelly was a native of the Emerald Isle, and after emigrating to America, settled in Virginia. Grandfather Hanes was of German descent. John H. and Sarah (Hanes) Kelly were married in Virginia, and never moved from that State. He died at the age of sixty-seven years, but she is still living, and is about seventy-one years of age. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as was also her husband. In his political views he was first a Whig, next a Know-Nothing, and finally a Democrat. During militia days he held the position of colonel. He ran a hotel and blacksmith shop in Amsterdam, and was quite successful at this. In their family were thirteen children, three sons and ten daughters, of whom our subject is the eldest. He was reared in his native village, Amsterdam, and educated in the subscription schools, receiving a fair business education. When the disturbance at Harper's Ferry occurred, he joined the Fincastle Rifles, and went to assist in quelling the affair. In June, 1861, he assisted Gilmore Breckenridge in raising his company, Company K, Twenty-eighth Virginia Infantry, Confederate Army, and was elected second lieutenant. At the end of the first year the reorganization took place, and he was chosen first lieutenant. After the seven days' fight around Richmond he was promoted to the rank of captain of his company, which position he held until the close of the war. He was at the battle of Williamsburg, Second Manassas, Seven Pines, Gettysburg, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Plymouth, and Wilderness. He was never wounded nor taken prisoner. He then returned to this county in 1869, and the following year went to Texas, where he clerked in a store. In 1837 [sic] he came back to Polk County, and November 18 of the same year, he married Miss Laura L. McClure. Both he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He is a Democrat in politics. In the spring of 1874 he engaged in mercantile pursuits in Morrisville, and has been thus engaged since. In 1880 Thomas B. Lemmon joined him in business. Mr. Lemmon is the son of John S. Lemmon, and was born in Polk County, Mo., September 19, 1849. On reaching manhood he ran a mill at West Bend, this county, for about seven years. Two years later he went to Shady Grove, this county, and opened a general store, which he ran until he joined Mr. Kelly in 1880. January 1, 1871, he married Miss Sarah E. Treadway, a native of this State, who bore him eight children, seven now living: William E., John F., Nora L. (deceased), Ora, Jesse H., Francis A., Jefferson C. and James A. April 11, 1888, he lost his wife, and April 15 of the same year he lost his daughter, Nora L. He is a member of the Masonic order, and is treasurer of Pleasant Lodge No. 160. In politics he is a Democrat, and in his religious views he affiliates with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He and Mr. Kelly are live business men, and have a good patronage. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Kay Griffin Snow ====================================================================