BIO: John M. KELSO, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 168-170. _________________________________________________________________ JOHN M. KELSO, a veteran of the Civil War, is the proprietor of one of the finest general merchandise stores in Beaver county, and resides at New Galilee. He was born in Noblestown, Pa., August 31, 1843, and is a son of Mark and Mary (Borland) Kelso. John Kelso, the grandfather of John M., was born in Franklin county, Pa., in 1750, and obtained his education in the East. Upon the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, he volunteered his services to the cause of Independence, and, in all, served seven years and six months, holding the rank of sergeant major when he retired from the army. He BEAVER COUNTY 169 was a brave soldier and has an honorable war record. At the close of the war he removed to Allegheny county and took up a large tract of wild land, which he cleared, and upon this he erected log buildings. He married Miss McCormick, who was born in Allegheny county, and they reared six children: George; John; Benjamin; Mark, the father of John M.; Jennie (Ormond); and Mary (Cook). Politically, he was a Whig. Religiously, he was a member of the Associate Reformed church. He passed to the world beyond, in the year 1810. Mark Kelso was born in Allegheny county, Pa., in 1802, and, notwithstanding the many difficulties he encountered, obtained a good education. He assisted his father in cultivating the farm, and upon the latter's death succeeded to the possession of the old homestead. He was a large sheep-raiser and woolgrower, and was proud of the quality of his stock. He was a Whig and later a Republican. He was a faithful member of the United Presbyterian church, and was an elder therein for years. He died in 1865, and his wife survived him many years, dying in 1889, at the age of eighty-one. His union with Mary Borland, a daughter of Matthew Borland, of Allegheny county, Pa., resulted in the following issue: Margaret (Nesbit); Mary A. (Woods); John M., the gentleman whose name heads these lines; Matthew B., who died in infancy; George H., a farmer; and Joseph A., a merchant, who, prior to his death, in 1898, was a partner of the subject of this sketch. John M. Kelso received his mental training in the public schools of Allegheny county, and was engaged as a teacher until 1883, when he moved to the borough of New Galilee. It was a very small place at that time, there being but three stores located there, but our subject predicted its future growth, and, in partnership with his brother, Joseph A. Kelso, bought out the store of A. F. Reed. There they did business for five years, at the end of which time they bought a building of Mr. Porter. In a very short time they acquired a large and lucrative trade, and at the present time John M. Kelso is the leading merchant of the town. The building in which he is located consists of one story, a basement and a stock room, and is without doubt one of the most completely stocked stores in Beaver county, carrying a full line of dry goods, boots and shoes, hats and caps, clothing, notions, hardware, crockery, house furnishings, jewelry, drugs, confectionery, tobacco and cigars. He is a man of great energy and enterprise, and the manner in which he caters to the wants of his customers has brought him into public favor. John M. Kelso, fired with the patriotism of an American citizen who loves his country, enlisted, in 1864, in Company I, 112th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., near Pittsburg. After doing garrison duty around Washington, D. C., he was sent to the seat of war and took part in some of the hardest-fought battles, such as the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, and Chapin's Farm. He 170 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES was taken prisoner, and was forced to endure the tortures of Libby Prison, Belle Isle, and Salisbury, being confined in these notorious places for about six months. He was then exchanged, but the harsh treatment to which he had been subjected, and the lack of proper food, had undermined his robust constitution, and he was stricken with typhoid fever, from which he did not recover until after the close of the war. Mr. Kelso formed a marital union with Caroline H. Imbrie, a daughter of Rev. David R. Imbrie, and a granddaughter of Rev. David Imbrie. Her great-grandfather was a native of Scotland, who came to New York City, where he remained for a short period, and then returned to his fatherland. Upon again sailing for this country, he was shipwrecked and lost most of his valuables and personal effects, - in fact, the proceeds of most of his property. He settled in Service, Pa., buying a large tract of land, which he cleared, and then erected houses and barns. He was a successful stock-raiser. He married Miss Flack, and they had two children: David; and John, who engaged in farming, in Beaver county. Rev. David Imbrie was educated at Canonsburg, studied for the ministry, and was licensed to preach in the Associate Reformed church. He preached for many years at Bethel, Lawrence county, Pa., and at Darlington. His death came very suddenly and in a very dramatic manner. He died one Sabbath morning as he was entering the pulpit. His son, Rev. David R. Imbrie, received his collegiate or theological education at Canonsburg. He was pastor of a church at New Wilmington, Pa., for more than twenty-five years, and was held in the highest esteem. He married Nancy R. Johnston, who was born in Franklin county, Pa., and they had eight children, four of whom are now living, namely: Rev. J. J., who was educated at New Wilmington and in Westminster College, is a graduate of the Allegheny Theological Seminary, and now holds two charges in Butler county; Rev. D. R., who received the same educational training as his brother, and is chaplain of the Allegheny County Workhouse; Nannie I., the wife of R. S. Clark, a well-known farmer; and Caroline H., who attended the public schools at Ottawa, Kansas, and Bridgewater Academy, Pa. She taught school for three years and was then united in marriage with the subject of this biography. They are the parents of four children: Frederick L.; George N.; Joseph A.; and Nannie I. Religiously, Mr. Kelso is a member of the U. P. church and has been an elder since 1888. He is a Republican in politics, and held the office of school director for six years.