Montgomery-Stewart County TN Archives Biographies.....Kelly, Sam Walker 1870 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com October 26, 2005, 8:54 pm

Author: Will T. Hale

   SAM WALKER KELLY. It is not often that one finds a man of greater popularity

than Sam Walker Kelly of Montgomery county, Tennessee. Although nominally a

resident of Clarksville, Tennessee, it is nearer the truth to speak of him as

being from the county for he is at home in every part of it. As clerk of the

county court he is now serving the people in a most praiseworthy manner, and in

the various offices which he has previously held, his honesty and integrity have

won him a well deserved regard.



   Sam Walker Kelly was born in Stewart county, Tennessee, on the 9th of June,

1853. His father was Sam W. Kelly, Sr., also a native of Stewart county,

Tennessee, and his grandfather was the original Kelly in this country for he was

born in Ireland. The first Sam Kelly was only a child when his parents emigrated

to Stewart county, Tennessee, and he spent the whole of his life there. Sam W.

Kelly, Sr., grew up in the county of his birth and received his education there.

He became an orphan early in life and made his start in life with nothing except

courage and a pair of strong hands. He did have, however, one great and

invaluable asset, which his son has inherited, the power of making friends.

Everyone liked him as a lad and he was elected constable before he was old

enough to hold office. From this time until his death he was one of the leaders

in local politics. He was elected clerk of the circuit court for two or three

terms. His business was that of a merchant, and at the time of his death he was

worth about $10,000. He died in 1854, when his son was just a year old. Cynthia

Ann Tomlinson became the wife of Sam Walker Kelly, Sr., and they had two

children, Medora, who married B. H. Dunbar and lives in Montgomery county, and

the son, Sam W. Mrs. Kelly is the daughter of Uriah. Tomlinson who was a native

of Stewart county, and lived and died there as a farmer. Mrs. Kelly is still

living having reached the age of eighty-three. In politics Mr. Kelly was a

member of the Democratic party and his religious creed was that of the Methodist

Episcopal church, South. He was a firm believer in the principles of fraternal

fellowship as typified by the Masons and was an active member of the. order.



   The younger Sam W. Kelly received his education in the country schools and

then attended the Southwestern University. He was eager to get into business,

however, and with only one year until the time-when he would receive his

diploma, he left school with the purpose of going to work. He realized though

that if he were to become a successful business man, he ought to be better

prepared and so he went to the Eastman International Business College, at

Poughkeepsie, New York, taking the commercial course, from which he was later

graduated.



   Returning home, Sam Kelly first went into the tobacco business in

Clarksville, remaining thus engaged for three years. He then went into the

mercantile business, only as a clerk at first, but after acquiring the necessary

experience, as the manager and proprietor of a mercantile business in Houston

county. He remained in this business for thirteen years and made considerable

money. Then he determined to go back to the farm and for the next seventeen

years he devoted himself to farming, but not to the exclusion of other

interests. Always keenly interested in the general welfare of the community and

in the political questions that affected the county, he took an active part in

public matters. He served as magistrate for twelve years during his residence on

the farm and when the county board of education was founded he was elected

secretary, a position which he has held ever since.



   In 1907 he came back to Clarksville to live. In June, 1911, he was elected

deputy clerk of the county court, and in August, 1912, he was elected clerk of

the county court, the office which he now fills. He still owns his farm and

takes considerable interest in its management.



   Mr. Kelly has always been a staunch Democrat and has been one of the leaders

of the party in this section for many years. No stronger proof of his popularity

could exist than the record that he made in the county during the last election.

He had four opponents, but he carried every precinct and voting place in the

county, polling nine hundred and sixty-seven votes more than all the other

candidates put together.



   In religious affairs Mr. Kelly is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church,

South, and is an active worker in the church. He is a steward and is

superintendent of the Sunday school, and is one of the men who contribute most

liberally to the support of the work of the church, giving both of time and

money. As a member of the chapter of the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, Mr.

Kelly has filled all the chairs in the blue lodge. He is also a member of the

Independent Order of Odd Felows, in which he has filled all the offices.



   On the 30th of November, 1880, Mr. Kelly was married to Miss Ella W. Smith, a

daughter of W. C. Smith, who was a prominent tobacco man of this county. Mrs.

Kelly died July 17, 1897, having been the mother of four children. Of these

Howard W., is deceased; Gracey W., is in the navy; Clyde W., is head clerk in

the office of the Southern Express Company in Clarksville, and Erva W., married

Wiley Adkins, a farmer of this state. In 1898, Mr. Kelly married Miss Helen Lee,

a daughter of Henry Lee, who was a farmer in Montgomery county. She died after a

very short married life, passing away on the 29th of August, 1899. She was a

member of the Methodist Episcopal church at the time of her death. The present

wife of Mr. Kelly was Miss Eva King, before her marriage, her father being John

King, of Warren county, Tennessee. One daughter, Evelyn has been born to Mr. and

Mrs. Kelly. Mrs. Kelly is a member of the Christian church.



Additional Comments:
From:



A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in

commerce, industry and modern activities

by Will T. Hale

Chicago:  Lewis Pub. Co.,  1913



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