OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Alfred Kelley [4]
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darlene E. Kelley
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374
June 9, 1999
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Historical Collections of Ohio
The Kelley Family Collections
Newspaper article, Plains Dealer
compiled by S.J. Kelley-- 1925
And Then They Went West
by Darlene E. Kelley  1998
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Fourth of Series--

     In October, 1836, Alfred Kelley was elected to the Ohio House of
Representatives from Franklin County, and was afterward re-elected to
the same office in the next legislature.  He introduced, at this time,
legislation providing for the appointment of a State School
Commissioner, which resulted in the establishment of the school system
as a part of the State government.
     He also had the satisfaction, soon afterward, of seeing
accomplished his purpose, long entertained and persistently urged, of
abolishing imprisonment for debt.
      He was chairman of the Whig State Central Committee in 1840, and
one of the most active and influential managers of that campaign in
which Gen. Harrison was elected to the Presidency.  The platform,
consisting of a series of resolutions, the most material portion of
which he had prepared before the State convention, formed the basis of
the proceedings of all the subsequent conventions in other States.
      He was appointed State Fund Commissioner in 1840.  In 1841 and
1842 a formidable party arose in the legislature and State, which
advocated the non-payment of the maturing interest on the State debt,
and the repudiation of the debt itself.  The finances of the State had
become so badly deranged, that fears were entertained that its
obligations could not be met.  Alfred Kelley went to New York and was
able to raise nearly a quarter of a million of dollars on his own
personal security, by which means the interest was paid at maturity and
the State of Ohio saved from repudiation.  He was esteemed by all as the
savior of the honor of the State.
      Judge Swan bears testimoney to Alfred Kelley's services in this
crisis as follows:
      " Great as the debt undoubtedly is, which the citizens of the
State owe to Mr. Kelley for his long and faithful legislative labors, it
is small, even insignificant, in comparson to that due him for other
services, services of which no evidence is preserved in the public
archives, and which are only known, in their full extent, to a very
limited number of his survivors.  It is a fact, however, still
susceptible of proof by living witnesses, that his exertions and
personal sacrifices, with but little aid from others, saved the State
from repudiation."
      In May, 1842 he went to Europe for the purpose of floating
securities, necessary to relieve the still embarrassed finances of the
State, and continued to serve as a member of the Fund Commission until
March, 1843, when the Board was re-organized by a law then passed.
     In 1844 he was elected to the State Senate from Franklin Co.
District. He was re-elected in 1845.  It was during this time he
originated the bill to organize the State Bank of Ohio and other banking
companies, which was generally admitted by bankers and financiers to be
the best banking law then known.  It formed the basis of the national
banking law afterwards passed, of which many portions are almost
literally copied from the Ohio law. 
      While Alfred Kelley was a member of the legislture, many other
valuable laws originated with him, and most of the measures requiring
investigation and profound thought were entrusted to his care.  Among
these were important reforms in the taxation and revenue, all tending to
the equalization of the burdens borne by taxpayers, and the placing of
the State's finances upon a sound basis.
      At the end of his Senatorial term, he was elected President of the
Columbus and Xenia Railroad Company, which enterprise he was actively
engaged upon until it was finished.  In 1847 he also accepted the
presidency of the Cleveland, Coumbus and Cincinnati Railroad, and
carried on that work with his usual energy and ability, his labors in
the consruction of these railroads being only surpassed by those upon
the Ohio Canal.  With his own hands he dug the first shovelful of earth
and laid the last rail.
      In 1850 he was chosen president of the Cleveland, Painesville and
Ashtabula Railroad Company ( afterward absorbed in the Lake Shore and
Michigan Southern) and was soon actively engaged in the construction of
that road.  During this period occurred the famous riots of Erie and
Harbor Creek, in opposition to the construction of the road through
Pennsylvania.  The sucess of the company in this contest was largely due
to Alfred's efforts.  After the completion of these roads he resigned
the presidency of their respective companies, but continued an active
director in them to the time of his death.
      Alfred Kelley closed his public career as a member, from Columbus,
of the State Senate of 1857.  Durng the last year of this service his
health was declining, yet such was his fidelity to his trust that he
went daily to the Senate, and carried through several important measures
for the purpose of ascertaining the condition of the State Treasury and
securing the safety of the public funds.  He was earnest in his
endeavors to procure a trial by jury in the case of fugitive slaves.  To
his mind it seemed monstrous that a human being could be seized in one
state and carried off to another without a trial; but, upon examination
by the Judiciary Committee, it was ascertained that the State was
powerless and could only protest against such wrong and injustice.
      The session of 1857 was the first to be held in the present State
House.  On January 6 of that year there was a fomal celebration of the
occupancy of the Capitol, and he was selected to deliver the address of
welcome.
      At the end of his term in the Senate, he was the oldest member of
the Legislature, as, in 1814, he was the youngest.  His health was much
broken down.  His tireless exertions on behalf of the public had
undermined his vigorous constitution and he seemed to be gradually
wasting away without any settled disease.  He was only confined to his
room a few days before his death, which took place on December 2, 1859.
      It has been said of him that few persons have ever lived who,
merely by personal exertions, have left behind them more numerous and
lasting monuments of patient and useful labor.  Probably Ohio owes more
of her material development to him than to any one citizen she has ever
had.
     His wife, Mary Seymour (Welles) Kelley, died May 19,1882.  The
Children of Alfred and Mary Kelley were as follows:

Maria, bn. July 15, 1818; d. Mar. 21.1887
Jane, bn. Feb. 20,1820; d. Oct. 16,1897
Charlotte,bn. Apr. 8,1822; d.Oct. 4,1828
Edward, bn. Apr. 23, 1824; d.July 28,1825
Adelaide, bn. June 28,1826; d. Sept 25,1826.
Henry, bn. Sept 18, 1828;d Aug.20,1830
Helen, bn. Apr.3,1831
Frank, bn. Mar 9,1834; d. Oct 6,1838
Annie, bn. Aug. 6,1836; d.Feb 20,1888
Alfred, bn. Sept.8, 1839
Katherine, bn. Sept 30, 1841 
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