W.L. Kelley
History of Montana, Sanders, 1913

In Providence Rhode Island on the 22nd of October 1877, 
W.L. Kelley was born.  His father, Patrick Kelley was, 
as the telltale name assures you, a native son of the 
Emerald Isle.  With the foresight and optimism of the 
Irish people, his parents had come to America in an 
early day and established themselves in one of the 
manufacturing centers of New England.  When the barren, 
rocky soil of their own land had refused to yield them 
their meager living, they sought and found a land 
overflowing with promise, only waiting for thrift and 
energy to discover its treasure.  These good people, 
however, knowing little of the new country, settled in 
a commercial center.  As their son grew to manhood, it 
is true they found him employment in one of the many 
factories, he even became head weaver in the largest, 
but it was left to him, Patrick Kelley, to go still 
farther toward the west and find that which they had 
come to seek--a land so rich in itself that it would 
yield for the slightest effort, not a  bare subsistence, 
but a comfortable living.

In 1885, Patrick Kelley located on a Montana farm, 
situated in the fertile Bitter Root Valley four miles 
from Missoula.  Here he lived in plenty until a few 
years since, when he retired from active life.  He 
purchased for himself a home in the city of Missoula, 
there to finish his useful life surrounded by every 
comfort, each one of which speaks to him of some effort 
of his own.  His wife, Hannah Gallagher Kelley, born like 
himself in the Land of the Saints, lived long enough to 
enjoy for herself the fruits of their joint labors and 
to see their son, W.L. Kelley, take rank among his peers 
in the land of their adoption.  She died in 1884.

The son received his elementary education in the district 
schools of Missoula County.  Few city products can brag of 
a training more thorough, even though it was at times 
gained under difficulties.  Later, he graduated from the 
Garden City Commercial College.

From his boyhood he showed signs of becoming the good 
"mixer" that he is.  Even in the boyish sports he kept 
pushing to the front.  Hardly was he out of school when 
Mr. Prescott, then sheriff of Missoula County, appointed 
him as his deputy.  This was in 1900.  In 1902 when the 
term expired, Mr. Kelley embarked for himself in the 
grocery business but his commercial career was suddenly 
cut short when the general superintendent of the 
Northern Pacific Railway sought him as his private 
secretary.  For only one year did he remain with Mr. 
Gibson, as at the end of that time the company asked 
him to fill a clerical position in Butte during some 
emergency.

Upon his return to Missoula, he entered the employ of D.J. 
Donahue, doing the book work for the firm.  When he left 
them it was to become chief clerk for S.W. Ramstell who 
was at that time chief engineer for the Milwaukee 
Railroad--during the construction of their line in 
western Montana.

Mr. Kelley may have been like the proverbial rolling 
stone.  There was certainly never time for him to gather 
any moss.  Perhaps in this case the stone gathered 
solidity and polish as it rolled.  He certainly never 
held any one position long, but the new one was always 
a bit better than the old one.

In 1907 he became deputy sheriff once more, this time for 
H.B. Campbell.  Two years later, he was chosen deputy 
clerk of the district court, a position of much local 
prominence and in 1910 he was elected sheriff of the 
county.  November 5, 1912 he was re-elected to the same 
position by 403 majority, the first sheriff in Missoula 
County in eighteen years to be re-elected.

Eleven years ago Mr. Kelley was united in marriage to 
Miss Clare Gendreau, decidedly not of her husband's
 nationality.  Miss Gendreau had come to Montana from Boston, 
her native state.  Their union has been blessed by the 
birth of four children: Viola D., born in 1902, Loretta 
M., one year younger and two brothers, Francis W., aged 
four and Daniel L., aged two.

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