BIO:  James Nathaniel KELLY, Germany Township, Adams County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Pages 424-425

JAMES NATHANIEL KELLY, farmer, P.O. Kingsdale, Adams Co., Penn., was born at 
Silver Run, Carroll Co., Md., August 9, 1833, a grandson of Patrick Kelly, a 
native of Ireland, who immigrated to America before the Revolutionary war, and 
farmed in what is now Heidelberg Township, York Co., Penn., where he owned two 
farms; he died at an advanced age, and has many descendants.  His children were 
John, Jacob, Patrick, James, Thomas (who settled in Botetourt County, Va.), Mrs. 
Nancy Bowman, Mrs. Sarah Dubbs, Mrs. Mary Millheim and George W.  The youngest, 
George W., was born in York County, Penn., in 1795; was a farmer and miller by 
occupation, and settled in Carroll County, Md., where he married Mary Ann 
Williams, born in Frederick County, Md., June 15, 1800, the second daughter of 
William Williams, a native of England, who served all through the Revolutionary 
war under George Washington.  William Williams was married to Rebecca Slife at 
the age of fifty; had one son who served in the war of 1812, and two daughters, 
Elizabeth and Mary Ann (who was the only one of the three who married).  To 
George W. Kelly and wife were born five sons and one daughter:  Mrs. Sarah 
Morelock, Emanuel, John, George, James N. and Thomas.  George W. Kelly died in 
1845, aged about fifty years, and his widow in 1884, aged eighty-four.  Our 
subject, the fourth born and eldest surviving son, was educated at an academy in 
Frederick City, Md., under Prof. Nathaniel Vernon, but completed his studies in 
Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, Penn.  He then followed the profession of 
teacher in the schools of Carroll County, Md., and York and Adams Counties, 
Penn., and was very successful.  He was also a clerk and salesman in a 
mercantile house for some time in Maryland.  He married (and settled in Adams 
County, Penn.), October 29, 1857, Ellen Harner, born in this county March 2, 
1835, daughter of Michael Harner (born in Frederick County, Md., December 15, 
1800), and Elizabeth (Mearing) Harner, born August 13, 1806.  To this union were 
born three daughters and four sons:  Laura Ellen, Sarah, Louesia, Emma 
Catharine, James Hamilton, Joseph Ellsworth, Eugene Sylvester and Austin 
Augustus.  Laura E. and Sarah L. died in infancy.  The family are members of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church.  Mr. Kelly enlisted, September 6, 1864, as a 
private in the Two Hundred and Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and 
participated in the battles of Fort Steadman and Petersburg, Va.; he was 
honorably discharged at the close of the war.  In the spring of 1866 our subject 
moved to the Mansion farm, which he had purchased from the Mearing estate, in 
Germany Township, where he has since been successfully engaged in farming and 
stock raising, and in settling up estates and various other businesses of trust.  
He is an entirely self-made man.  He is a very upright and conscientious 
business man.  In politics Mr. Kelly is a stanch Democrat.